Novel Snippet

Layla: Friday

Enough was enough. Layla was going to grab Warren Roberts by the ear and make him talk to her. All week, he’d been dodging her. Every time she tried to wave to him in the halls or call after him during lunch, he’d avoid making eye contact and would duck away. And of course, he wasn’t answering any of her texts or calls. He’d even started going home for lunch, or at least off-campus, although she knew he didn’t have his own car to drive, just so there was no chance of running into her and the boys in the cafeteria. She’d complained about it, loudly, to Luke and AJ. Luke still had a chip on his shoulder from Warren taking his baseball bat, so he didn’t care. AJ would just look concerned and thoughtful whenever she talked about Warren. He’d at least seen him at Nan’s shop when he came to carve beads, but Warren seemed to have a sixth sense for whenever Layla was going to be there, and AJ had made it clear that he thought it was a good idea to back off trying to convince him to help with the hound situation. That wasn’t even what Layla wanted to talk to him about! Just because he didn’t want to help, he was still their friend, and goodness knows he wasn’t making many more friends outside of them. The brooding loner trope was hella sexy, as confirmed by overheard conversations about Warren from other girls, not just Layla’s own feelings, but he still acted way too isolated for Layla’s mother hen instinct.

She stopped herself as she barreled down the hall in the English wing. Scratch that last thought. Mother henning was definitely not how she felt about Warren, but she still didn’t want him to feel lonely. Especially not if it made him vulnerable to Brianna’s plans to ask him to Homecoming.

She kept going. She knew he had Mr. Brown for English seventh hour. She’d gotten permission from her own teacher to get out three minutes early, claiming she had some Executive Board business to take care of right after school. Not technically lying. Part of her job was to make people feel welcome at the school.

The bell rang, Warren was the very first out of his classroom. Head down, his long legs already eating up the ground.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she muttered to herself. She sprinted just a few steps, then reached up and grabbed his left ear. His right hand shot across to slap her wrist away, but he stopped when he saw her.

“Ouch,” he said.

“Warren Roberts,” she said. “You’ve been avoiding me.” She gave his ear one last twist, then released him. He stood up straight and looked down at her.

“Yes,” he agreed, not even trying to deny it.

“Stop it,” she said. “It’s Friday. We’re having s’mores, this time at Luke’s house, not out at the lake. We’re not going to talk about portals or hounds or anything like that. You are coming.”

He blinked. “Why?”

“Because, even though you don’t want to get involved, you’re still our friend. I don’t know how it is in Chicago, but here friends hang out together.”

He blinked again, then smiled. It was a slow smile, equal parts self-deprecating and amused. “You’re right,” he said. “My bad. I didn’t realize… never mind.”

“Good,” she said. “AJ will pick you up just before seven. I’ll be there already. It’s your job to bring marshmallows this time.”

He nodded, still smiling. He turned down the hall. “Are we going the same way?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling back. It was so nice to see him smiling. He seemed so serious all the time. “We are.”

Down the stairs and through the halls they walked together, chatting about unimportant things. Layla caught a glimpse of Brianna scowling at them walking together. When they walked out of the doors, they were hit by a blast of cool fall air, and Layla shivered. Warren put his arm around her, even though she was the one wearing the down jacket and he just had a long-sleeved shirt.

“Hey, Warren,” a voice said behind them.

Before she even turned around, Layla felt a prickle creep up her spine. Only one person made her skin crawl like this. Riley stood behind them. Warren and Layla turned in sync, Warren switched which arm went around her shoulders, but never broke contact. It was already too late, but she wished he hadn’t touched her now. Riley’s green eyes took in everything. A year ago, he’d broken Casey Bartram’s arm for less than this. Of course, Riley had gotten off with a slap on the wrist because of who his dad was.

“Riley,” Warren said coolly.

Riley stood there for another second, appraising them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yep,” Warren said, then watched as Riley walked past them toward his truck. Layla let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Then she turned and punched Warren in the ribs.

“What does he mean, you’ll see him tomorrow?”

“Ouch,” he said, his arm dropping as she took a step back.

“Seriously, what are you doing with him?”

Warren hesitated. “We’re just working on a project.”

“What kind of project?” Layla asked. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I know you don’t have any classes together; he’s a senior.”

“I can’t really talk about it,” Warren said. He shifted his feet, and his eyes glanced down the street like he was looking for an escape.

“You can’t talk about it?” Layla said. “You’re working on a project with my psycho ex, and you can’t talk about it?”

Warren winced.

“Do you have any idea how much he messed me up?” Warren struggled to meet her eyes.

“Some idea,” he answered. “I know you dated him last year when you were a freshman and he was a junior. He’s a massive jerk, so that couldn’t have gone well.”

“You have no idea,” Layla spat. “No idea how much of a controlling, manipulative, possessive— asshole he is.” She said this with such venom that Warren stepped back. She very rarely swore, so when she did, people tended to perk up and listen. “We dated for a month, until Luke and AJ forced me to break up with him. If it weren’t for them, I’d still be the perfect little girlfriend, so far under his thumb that I couldn’t think for myself. After I dumped him—” she said this last bit with all the pride she deserved for that statement— “I started dating another guy, another freshman. Riley went ballistic, and now almost everyone is too scared to even talk to me, let alone date me. They act like I’m his property.”

During her rant, they’d moved further away from the doors. Far enough that kids leaving the school only glanced curiously at them, instead of sticking around to listen to their conversation. Warren stuck his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground, thoughtfully.

“I didn’t know that,” he said. “I’m sorry. For the record, though, I know a couple of guys who wouldn’t be scared to date you.”

Layla was still so mad that even that remark, which would have had her stomach rolling in pleasant loop-de-loops normally, didn’t even phase her. She did file it away to smile about later, though.

“That’s not the point,” she said. “What are you doing with Riley?”

Warren still didn’t meet her eyes. “I really can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”

She stared at him, willing him to look at her. He didn’t.

“Fine,” she said, then turned and stalked away.

“See you tomorrow, still?” he called after her. She stopped, her fists clenching. She turned and pointed a finger at him.

“Don’t be late!”