by Solveig Yrsa
The door opened. “Not Spencer, love.” Layla looked as Landon walked into her bedroom holding a glass of what she assumed was alcohol.
“Are you alright? Why are you crying?”
She wiped her face and sighed. “Nothing, Spencer just, he said something hurtful in front of everyone.”
Landon took a sip of his drink while sitting on her bed. “You are far too beautiful to cry, especially over some git like him.”
She raised a brow. “What is a git?”
He chuckled. “It means idiot where I’m from. It sounds really adorable coming out of your mouth though.”
She blushed as Landon rubbed his thumb across her cheek. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t feel the same as she did when Spencer was near her. It just felt awkward with Landon.
“Would you care for a drink?” he asked, motioning to his glass.
Layla smiled politely and shook her head. “No thank you, I don’t drink.”
He chuckled as he downed the rest of his drink. “Well, you’ll be the only one in this family.”
Landon stood up and headed for the door, but stopped and looked at the girl sitting on the bed and smirked. “You know,” he sat his glass on her nightstand and walked over to her. “I believe I owe you a certain shirt.”
Layla’s eyes widened, and she looked at him and grinned. “Can we go get it?” Landon smiled and nodded, causing Layla to jump up and hug him. “Should I go tell the others?”
He waved off the question. “No need to bother them, besides, looks like they are pretty busy at the moment.” Landon motioned out the window, she looked out and saw Spencer slow dancing with Rachel. Her smile faded and she moved away from the window.
Landon placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him. “Come now, princess, there’s no need for such a dark face.” He placed his hand under her chin and kissed the top of her head. “Now come on, let’s run off.”
Layla smiled and followed him down the steps and out the front door, just in time to see a limo with Spencer’s driver inside pulling up.
“You don’t drive?” Layla asked.
“Rarely, why drive when I can have someone do it for me?”
Layla nodded as she got into the limo and stared out the window. I would love to drive.
***
Spencer sighed as he continued to anxiously fidget while Rachel said her goodbyes to the guests. He wanted to go check on Layla. It had been a couple of hours since the… incident, and he hadn’t seen her. He had asked Samantha to go in and check on her, but she was refusing to acknowledge his existence currently. His heart was killing him. He hated himself for what he said. All he could think of was that look of betrayal and heartbreak on her face.
Catherine, who had been sitting with the fuming Samantha, looked over at her son. “He looks like he is about to jump out of his skin,” she muttered while standing up and walking over. She wrapped her porcelain hands around her son’s muscular arm and smiled at Rachel.
“Rachel, my darling, I’m sorry but I must steal my son. I need his help, I hope you had a fabulous birthday.” Catherine didn’t wait for Rachel’s response, instead she pulled her son and they headed towards the house.
“So, why are you so jumpy?”
Spencer sighed as he walked into the house with his mother. “Look, you’re going to be pissed off but, Layla may have heard me say something that was completely untrue, but nonetheless unflattering about her to Rachel, and she may have run off crying. I haven’t seen her since and it’s been hours.”
Catherine stared at her son. “So, after I told you that there would be no more bully behavior, you did it anyways, and in front of the entire party? I’m telling you right now, Spencer Matthew, you go apologize, and if I ever see that blonde brat in here again, I’m calling the police. She is not welcome here anymore.”
“Mom, Rachel didn’t say it, I did.”
Catherine raised a brow. “Yes, well, she is why you said it. And believe me, I am not a fan of you in my house either at this moment. Now, go apologize to that poor girl.”
Spencer sighed and ran up the stairs. He knocked softly on Layla’s bedroom door. “Hey, Lay, Can we talk?” He waited a moment and when he got no response, he opened the door and walked in. “Layla, listen.” He looked around the empty room and frowned. He looked on her nightstand and saw the empty glass. He put it up to his nose and when he inhaled it confirmed his suspicion. “Landon.”
Spencer busted out of her room and stormed down the steps, brushing past his mother, he went into the living area that Landon stayed in. When he found it empty, panic began to sink in. Where were they? “I can’t find them,” Spencer growled as he passed his mother again. “Call that asshole cousin of mine and then text me their location.” He grabbed the front door handle and ripped it open, causing the small brunette that was on the other side, pushing the door open, to fall onto the floor in front of him.
“What the hell, Spence?” Landon growled as he helped Layla up.
Spencer looked at the girl. “Layla, I’m so sorry, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” she muttered, as she brushed passed him and headed for the stairs.
“Where were you?” Spencer’s glare was so cold that Landon nearly shivered.
“I lost a bet, so I was making good on it,” he motioned to Layla, who was showing Catherine her new Manchester United shirt. It was red, with the team’s crest on the left breast.
“It’s lovely,” Catherine smiled. “I think that red will suit you.”
“Landon said it looked good. He took a picture, can you show her?” Layla asked Landon, who pushed past his glaring cousin and whipped out his phone.
Landon made sure that Spencer could see the photo of the two of them in their team shirts, Landon was standing there with his arm around Layla’s waist while Layla had her small arm around his. Spencer gritted his teeth. They looked so happy and all he wanted to do was beat his cousin. He couldn’t stop looking at how cute Layla was in the picture though, except for her puffy eyes, and the idiot she was holding onto.
“So,” Spencer started, glaring at Landon again. “You just decided to leave, with Layla, and not ask anyone?”
Landon shrugged. “I’m a grown man, she’s an adult. She wanted to go out with me. I don’t think she felt like being around you after your little moment.”
Spencer clenched his fists, and Catherine got between the men. “Alright that’s enough, now, Spencer, Layla is an adult and I wouldn’t ask her to ask permission to go out any more than I would ask you. However, if you two wouldn’t mind just letting me know that you are going out so no one worries, at least until we get Layla set up with a mobile.”
Landon smiled. “Of course, Aunt Catherine, my apologies.” He kissed his aunt's forehead before turning to Layla and smiling. “I had a blast, but I start work in the morning so I must turn in. Goodnight, princess.” He gave Layla a kiss on the forehead as well and walked off, leaving behind a steaming Spencer.
Spencer glared at his mother and Layla. He wanted to yell at someone but then he remembered he was supposed to be apologizing. He huffed and stormed upstairs to his room and slammed the door shut.
Layla looked at Catherine and raised a brow. “Why is he angry? He’s not the one that was humiliated today.”
Catherine gave her a small smile. “Come with me to my room, darling, we need to talk.”
Spencer ripped his suit jacket off and threw it on the ground, then angrily ripped his tie and his dress shirt off. After he disrobed, he went to his dresser and grabbed a pair of black pajama pants and a gray t-shirt. He got dressed, and headed down the hallway to get the rest of his ass chewing over with from his mother.
He walked to her room but stopped when he heard voices coming from Catherine’s room.
***
Layla sat on Catherine’s chaise and sighed. Her feet were killing her. She was sure they were bleeding, but when she had complained while out with Landon, he’d said,
She looked over at Catherine, who was sitting at her vanity. “So,” Catherine started while wiping her makeup off her face. “Spencer tells me there were some unattractive words spoken about you at the party.”
Layla nodded and clenched her dress with her hands, trying to hold back the tears. “Yes, ma’am,” she whispered softly.
Catherine looked over at the girl. “My darling, you calling me ma’am is not something I’m enjoying.” She gave Layla a smile to let her know she was joking. Layla looked at her for a second, and then she couldn’t hold back the tears. She broke down and began sobbing. Catherine rushed over and hugged her. “Layla, please, talk to me.”
Layla tried to calm down, but she just kept crying. “I really just feel so stupid. I thought… I thought he liked me. I thought we were friends. And then he… he said those things, and in front of everyone. I wish he had left me on the street, at least then I wouldn’t feel like this. My chest hurts, and I can’t stop crying. I feel like such an idiot.”
Catherine hugged the girl tightly and rubbed her back. “Listen, I will not defend Spencer’s actions, and believe me, he is not done hearing about this, but I will say this; the Spencer that said those things, that is not the real Spencer. The real Spencer is probably in his bedroom right now beating himself up and trying to figure out how to make it up to you. The way Spencer acts around Rachel, is an act. He is not really that person. That does not give him the right to do what he did, but I know he cares about you.”
***
Spencer sat against the door, listening to the conversation. His heart was broken listening to her sob, listening to how badly he hurt her, and for what? To make Rachel feel better about herself? He heard Layla saying goodnight to his mother, and he scrambled up and hurried to his bedroom. He listened as Layla walked by, raising a brow as he heard her whispering, “Ow,” every second or two. Once he heard her go into her room, he sighed and tried to think of how he was going to apologize.
Layla shut the door to her bedroom and fell to the floor by her bed. Her legs were killing her, her ankles were swollen, and she could see blood in her wedges. She was about to take her shoes off when there was a knock on the door. “Yes?” she moaned, all she wanted was to take her damn shoes off.
She saw Spencer walk through the door and she sighed. She wasn’t ready to hear his apology, and she wasn’t ready to forgive him.
Spencer looked at her and saw her covering her shoes with her hands. “What’s wrong with your feet?” He kneeled down and moved her hands. “Layla, your ankles are swollen.” He gently removed her shoes, wincing as he took her wedges off. “Jesus Christ, you’ve rubbed your poor feet raw, they’re bleeding. Why didn’t you take your shoes off before?” Spencer went to the bottom of Layla’s dresser where he had left a first aid kit from her first night. He walked back over and began cleaning her feet.
“Ow,” she winced while watching him. “I wanted to take them off, but Landon said girls wear high heels and I would have to get use to them.”
Spencer rolled his eyes. “Landon is a moron. I don’t know what you see in him. He is selfish and all he is going to do is hurt you.” He looked up when he heard her muttering. “I didn’t hear you.”
Layla sighed and looked at him. Obviously, they were going to do this whether or not she wanted to. “I said, out of the two of you, he’s the only one that hasn’t hurt me.”
Her words cut like a knife. Spencer hung his head as he continued to clean her feet and put ointment on the wounds. He was silent for a while. Once she was bandaged up, he cleaned up the mess and stood up. “Lay on your back and put your legs up in the air, it will help with the swelling. I’ll go get you some medicine, and I’ll be back.
Layla did as she was told and stared at the ceiling. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but this quiet Spencer was not it. It was making her uncomfortable. She sat up when Spencer came back, and took the pills before resuming her position.
He sat next to her and sighed. “I’m sorry for what I said. It wasn’t true.”
She looked from the ceiling to him. “Then why say it?”
“Honestly? Because Rachel is jealous of you, she thought that I had… romantic feelings for you, and if I didn’t shoot it down, she was going to hurt you and I didn’t want that.”
“I would’ve rather been hurt by her than by you.”
Spencer nodded. “I’m so sorry, Layla. I feel like a monster, and I feel like I’ve ruined what we had.”
“Sam and I were talking,” Layla sighed while looking back at the ceiling. “She said, think of the people that matter the most to you, those are the opinions that should matter. I felt like you were one of the people that mattered the most to me, so when I heard that, it hurt. I don’t know, maybe I’m just stupid for getting so close to you so quick. So much has happened, and I feel lost until I’m with you.”
Spencer’s heart was racing, he couldn’t believe how real and honest she was being, he also couldn’t believe how much he wanted to kiss her right then. “Lay,” he whispered.
She sat up and looked at him. “Yeah?”
With a nervous hand, Spencer reached in his pajama pocket and pulled out a small black box and handed it to her. “I ummm… I got this for you,” he whispered, his cheeks flushed.
She raised a brow as she opened the box, and gasped. The star necklace, he had bought it for her. “Spencer,” she breathed while running her fingers across the pendant. “I… thank you, but, I can’t, this is way too expensive. And you really shouldn’t be buying me something like this.”
Spencer took the necklace out of the box and scooted closer to her as he fastened it around her neck. “You said that you felt like I was one of the people that mattered most to you, well, you are one of the people that matter the most to me. Please, I want you to have it. It looks so beautiful on you.”
She smiled and touched the necklace on her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered and leaned in to hug him.
He wrapped his arms around her and sighed. After a moment, he moved back slightly and placed a hand on her cheek. This was it, he was going to kiss her. He had never been so sure of anything. He was an inch from her soft lips when his phone began to ring, startling them both and causing Layla to jump back. I’m killing whoever this is. He ripped the phone from his pocket and saw it was Jensen.
“What Jen?” he grumbled as he answered the phone.
There was silence for a moment before Jensen spoke. “Listen, Spence, I don’t know how to say this, but, you need to get to your penthouse now, without letting Rachel know you’re coming.”
Spencer raised a brow. “I’ll be there in ten.” He hung up the phone and stood up. “I have to go, sorry.”
Layla sat there on the floor, stunned by the events. She continued to sit on the floor, and listened, as Spencer went from his room, down the stairs, and out the door. I wonder what happened?
CHAPTER NINE
One Week Later
Layla sighed in frustration as she looked at her book. She had started with a tutor about five days ago, and she was picking up reading a lot faster than she had expected, though she was having a hard time with sentences. She shut her book and ran her hands through her hair. She wanted to learn as fast as she could so she could start helping out. She couldn’t get Catherine her medications, help write her schedules up or anything because she couldn’t read or write, and since Spencer had been gone all week, Samantha was having to stay here and help.
Layla went to the fridge and grabbed a water bottle as her mind went to Spencer. She hadn’t seen or talked to him since the night that he left after Jensen called. Catherine said he was fine, but wouldn’t be back for a bit, and that was all that was said. She tried to get it out of Sam, but apparently she was in the dark as well. She looked at her reflection in the microwave door and her hand went to the small necklace. She wore it every day. When she saw it she wanted to kiss Spencer, she actuall
y thought that he was going to kiss her before his phone call. But maybe she was just being silly.
She was ripped from her thoughts when she heard a loud crash followed by a thud from upstairs. She sat down her bottle and ran upstairs to Catherine’s room. “Catherine, are you okay?” Layla asked while opening the door. Layla gasped when she saw Catherine unconscious on the floor, her head was bleeding. “Shit!” She was alone, no one was here. She looked at Catherine’s cellphone, hit the phone button, and tried to remain calm as she remembered the emergency number she was supposed to call.
When the operator picked up, Layla released a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. she gave the operator the information and grabbed a handkerchief she saw on the vanity and held it on the gash on Catherine’s head.
“Where are they?” Layla yelled at the operator as she stroked Catherine’s face. “Please wake up,” she cried. She sighed in relief when she heard the sirens. Once the paramedics were inside, she hung up with the operator and followed them to the ambulance so she could get a ride to the hospital. Layla scrolled through the contacts in Catherine’s phone and sighed happily when she saw that Catherine had a picture next to Spencer’s information. She tapped the picture, and the phone rang.
***
Spencer stumbled to the kitchen to get another beer. He looked around his trashed penthouse, and grimaced. Holes punched into the walls, furniture flipped over and empty beer cans and bottles thrown around. He took a swig of his beer as he remembered the events that took place a week ago.
Spencer pulled into the garage of his building and was met with Jensen standing by the elevator. Spencer walked up to him and Jensen put both his hands out, as if to calm Spencer down. “Okay, now listen,” Jensen said slowly. “I don’t know what is happening up there, all I know is there are a lot of noises and banging.” Spencer glared and pushed passed his friend as he stepped into the elevator. Jensen ran in after him. “I’m not leaving you alone,” he said.