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** Eli's POV **

My eyes blinked open as I slowly came to my senses. I smelled a nice scent, one that I had gotten familiar with, and then realized that I had my arm draped over Layla's stomach.

When I took my arm off of her to rub my eyes, she began to stir. I looked down at her and we smiled at each other. She looked so goddamn beautiful in the dim, golden morning light.

But then, it seemed to hit us both at the same time.

Shit.

What the fuck had I done?! I knew she was off limits. I KNEW it.

She made me feel like no one else ever had or could. EVER. I guess that I had wildly overestimated my ability to resist that feeling.

"Shit," I said, sitting up against my headboard, "shit shit why did I let myself do that last night?! Godamnit." I continued, and she hugged the sheets to her chest, watching me as I ran my hands through my hair.

"Your brother is going to fucking murder me. I'm talking like.. MURDER me," I said to her, starting to freak out a little. She looked down.

"Yeah, and then he's gonna kill me, too," she said, but I kept looking down. "It's not like we have to tell him," she added and I looked back up at her. It hurt me, and I mean physically hurt me how much I wanted to be able to be with her.. but wasn't able to.

"I'm sorry if I.. if I made you feel like you had to.." I tried to apologize, but I didn't know how, or even exactly for what, "fuck I'm such an idiot, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? She asked.

"Because I went on and on about how you deserve a nice guy who will treat you right and then I just came in and, well, you know, last night," I started, "and now you might be in a mess with your brother even though you just found him again and you shouldn't be-"

"Eli," she cut off my rambling and I sighed, looking back up at her, "it's fine. I get it. Sorry I made you feel so terrible," she said, bitterness lining her words as she got out of bed and slipped her dress back on.

"That's not what I meant," I quickly said, not realizing that she had been taking my words in a different context. "Layla- can we just talk about this please."

"No, it's fine, I have to go pick Jake up from his sleepover. We can talk later," she didn't meet my gaze, and I felt my heart growing heavy. I couldn't have her, but I couldn't lose her. The bottom line was that I couldn't lose her.

"Layla, I-"

"Eli if you regret it this much then there isn't much to talk about, is there?" She finally looked back up at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes. For the first time ever, I saw pain in her expression. Pain that I caused.

"I don't regret it," I told her, trying not to sound as completely desperate as I felt.

"I think it might have just been a mistake. I mean, we were just two horny teenagers who had been lonely for a too long and we let it get the best of us. I mean, it even would've been one thing if we just kissed but we didn't we.. you know," she said to me, and I just kept looking at her. I messed it up. Already. I can't believe I let myself mess it up. This was the one thing I didn't want to mess up and I did, with flying colors.

"It's not your fault, though, I'm not upset with you or anything," she told me. She must have noticed how down I was acting. It was silent for a few moments.

"It's not just me, right?" I said and looked up at her, "last night was, like, magic?... I've never felt like that." I confessed, and she looked back down.

"It's not just you," she replied honestly, looking back up to meet my eyes. I felt like her eyes held a thousand emotions all at once, and I couldn't read any of them.

"Well then screw Ashton. He can't control us and like you said, he doesn't even have to know if you don't want," I said, trying to make the subtle sadness in her eyes go away.

"I don't want him to know because if he does find out then he'd beat up your sorry ass," she replied.

"Eh, I could take him," I responded, trying to somewhat lighten the mood.

"For the first time ever, I'm not joking," she said, and sat back down on my bed. I sat up further. "Last night was, well, the best I've ever felt," she confessed.

"So I was good then," I commented with a grin and she chuckled, finally. I felt my heart lift up when she finally cracked that smile.

"I just," she paused, and took my hand in hers, casually fiddling with my fingers, "I don't know, I guess I'm just scared."

"Why?"

"Are you not?" She looked back up at me, "you said it yourself- Ashton will murder you. I love him but he can be pretty damn emotionally unstable and I'm pretty sure the only two people in this world he wouldn't beat up are me and Crystal."

"Well I mean," I wasn't quite sure how to respond. Ashton was my best friend. I didn't want to lose him, either. "I guess we can just cross that bridge when we get to it?" We met each other's gazes again, and she gave me a sad smile.

"I care about you," she told me, and I continued to look deep into her eyes. "And for that reason I'm gonna try and not let you fall into this mess," it really looked like it pained her to say that. She had spent her whole life getting used to having to fit into other people's lives, and having to sacrifice parts of herself for others, that for some reason she thought that hurting herself like this was the right thing to do. Even though it wasn't. And I didn't know how to make her see that.

"That's not what I want, though," I told her, trying to maintain eye contact with her as she looked between me and the floor.

"I mean, there's something real here, I know you feel it, too," I said to her, and the look she gave me told me she agreed. "As a wise woman once said, 'you can make your life rock if you want to make it rock'". I tried to quote what she had said to me the day before. She chuckled.

"That's not the exact quote, but, I like the idea," she smiled at me, her usual smile that lit up a room. "I guess I'd be completely lying if I said I didn't want a repeat of last night," she told me, "and then another, and then another," she started laughing as I looked up to the ceiling with a smile.

"Don't say stuff like that, you might make me blow our cover," I joked, and she smiled at me again. I loved that smile. I didn't want to mess this up.

"When are you back from college next?" She asked me.

"Like a week or two- but I could always make a special trip back," I replied, and she bit her lip as she smiled. My gaze lingered on her lips for a moment before looking back up to her eyes.

"Alright, it's a date," she winked and hopped off of my bed. I watched in amused confusion as she grabbed her belongings and began opening my window.

"What are you doing?" I asked over to her.

"Jumping out the window," she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You know this is the second floor, right?" I added, and she nodded, stepping out my window and onto the roof. "You're gonna hurt yourself- Layla-" I got out of bed, grabbing a pillow and holding it in front of me to cover-up.

"Put some clothes on, loverboy," she chuckled and hopped off the roof, landing with a thud. My eyes widened and my heart stopped as I waited to hear if she was okay.

"Oh, hello!" I heard her say to someone, and I swore under my breath. I was relieved she was okay, but I wanted to know who she ran into... or fell onto, I should say.

...this girl was something else.

A few seconds later I saw her jogging to the street, giving me a thumbs up as she ran. I chuckled to myself and smiled as I watched her go. Then my gaze panned over to the motion in the corner of my eye- and I saw our gardener watching her as well, confused as hell. I laughed again, relieved that it was just the gardener and no one else.

I let out a sigh and walked over to my bed, falling down onto it.

Well that happened...

I couldn't get the smile off of my face all fuckin day.

* * *

** Crystal's POV **

I had had such a nice night with Ali. We caught up with everything and ate a ridiculous amount of noodles, along with various other tasty foods and drinks.

I enjoyed her company so much.. she had such a refreshingly comfortable vibe that really seemed to calm me down and let me appreciate the good things about my life. It's safe to say I got pretty damn lucky in the roommate department.

The next day, Ali had left early for a morning class, so I was by myself for a little while before my afternoon classes. After putting on some light washed jeans and a cropped maroon hoodie, I decided to call my mom and see how her and Connor were doing.

We talked for a while before I grabbed my book bag and headed out the door. I continued talking with her on the way to my first class, and it honestly sounded like she was doing really well.

She let Connor talk with me on the phone, and he seemed to be doing pretty well also. I told her I'd come by soon to visit and spend the day, and then we said goodbye as I arrived at my class.

My classes were pretty interesting, but I couldn't get my mind off of the lack of coffee I had had that morning. Once I was finally finished with all of my classes, I decided to call Ashton.

"Hello," he answered, and I smiled.

"Hey," I replied, and I didn't know how it was possible but I could hear him smile on the other end.

"What's up?" He asked, turning down the music in what I assumed was his car.

"Nothin much, I just figured I'd call and see how you were doin," I responded sweetly.

"Well, I'm on my way right now to get myself a new lamp, because that is exactly what I had wanted to do today," he told me, "Trevor broke the one we had while he was playing 'the floor is lava' by himself." I let out a laugh.

"He's definitely a special one, that Trevor," I said, and he agreed. I cleared my throat, preparing myself. "So uh, there actually is something I need to tell you.."

"Is everything okay?"

"Well, um, I don't think so," I admitted as I walked back into my dorm. I plopped down on my bed and continued, "George is back." It was quiet for a second while he took it in.

"What??"

"And before you freak out, I'm safe, it's just off-putting is all. I have no idea what he wants or why he's back, but, he is," I said.

"I swear to god I'm gonna find that asshole and-"

"Ashton," I cut him off, "I think I'm just gonna go to the police tomorrow... I should've when it first happened but I was afraid that maybe if there was a possibility of my mom, well, never mind it doesn't matter.. but yeah that is my plan for handling him," I told him, changing into comfy grey joggers.

"Please be safe. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you," he said, clearly very flustered.

"I will be," I told him, "He wouldn't bother me in class, and in work I have Seth-"

"But I don't like Seth," he said like a 5-year-old. I chuckled.

"Well, too bad cuz when push comes to shove he'd do a much better job at defending me than I would," I replied.

"Yeah, I guess, I still don't like him though," he responded, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'd say that goes for most people," I commented.

"Fair."

"Oh, by the way, we haven't been on a date in WAYY to long.. I feel like we're already middle aged parents."

"I second that. I'm free a few days this week but I can't remember them off the top of my head, I'll let you know when I get back to my dorm?" He offered.

"Sure, call me when you get back. Oh and uh, Ash?" I grinned to myself.

"Yes?"

"Make sure you have the night clear, too," I said.

"Booya," he replied and I could visualize him doing that goddamn wiggly-eyebrow thing.

"You're so weird," I chuckled. "I love you, though."

"Love you more."

We said bye and hung up, and I then was able to get a little bit of school work done before I had to get ready for work at the café. I took a quick shot of tequila to keep my nerves at bay, and a little while later I was on my way to the café.

• • •

Hey y'alll :)

What do you think about Eli and Layla??

QOTD: What is your favorite weather??

>>> I loveee sunshowers. They're like golden specks falling from the sky, it's so pretty.

Be safe and wash yo hands!

Stay beautiful,
Briella<3