Chapter 5

“Passengers of flight 317 please buckle your seat belts as we are entering the landing strip in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We hope you have joined you’re flight here on the wonderful LAX Flight Board.”

I stirred awake from my dream and looked over at Abby fast asleep on my shoulder.

I smiled and ran my finger down her house. “Come on Abby wake up were here.”

She wiggled her nose at my touch and opened her eyes. “You’re such a freak.” She muttered and turned over in the opposite direction.

I chuckled a little and put my laptop in its bag and folded up my blanket.

When we landed Abby called her car service to drive us the rest of the way to Chambersburg.

“Up for a drink or five when we get into town?” She said pouring herself a glass of white wine. “I think Barry and Tod will be around, we can invite them too.”

I cringed slightly.

Tod.

One of the one guys I tried use to forget Josh during last the summer. We had been at Abby’s parent’s country house in the woods and there was a party going on. I had just done my fourth Jagger bomb with him after losing our match in beer pong.

“We should go check out that sweet hot tub.” I remember him saying.

I remember walking out the back door, taking my clothes off, and jumping in.

Everything after that is a slight blur but I know what happened.

I also drunk dialed Phoebe three times that night.

“Uh, sure that sounds fun.” I lied. I took a sip of my red bull and propped my feet up on the other seat across from me.

Keep your clothes on tonight Layla.

Yeah, okay.

I lit up a cigarette and flipped my lap top open into Microsoft Word.

I flicked my cigarette out the window and began to type.

..water.

Stella thought of one person while she was drowning.

Frederick.

Stella his the ground with a ‘thud’ and immediately stood up ready for battle wielding her spear.

“Who’s there?” She demanded staring around the dark cave wildly.

There was a drip and then she appeared in her black dissolving gown.

Her skin was cracked and damaged. Her hair a silver mane.

“Stella Moon…” She breathed her voice cracking.

Stella immediately lowered her spear and kneeled down. “Widowed Witch, I beg of you to lift this curse I can not go on!”

She approached Stella and pulled her chin up to her face.

Her eyes as black as the night with a fire burning in the center.

Pure death consumes her soul.

“Is he worth your soul? Have you fallen for this man?” She cracked looking into Stella’s soul.

Tears burned in Stella’s eyes. “I’m going to, I’m not strong enough to fight this passion I feel for him.” Stella stood up and faced the witch with anger. “I will take your soul before I give you mine.” The witch screamed out into the cave sending chills up Stella’s spine, but she did not back down.  “I will find a way to break this curse and I will have Frederick!”

Stella shot off down through the cave not looking back.

I opened up my email page and sent what I wrote to my mom so Cameron can read it.

“Don’t you ever run out of ideas?” Abby asked looking over at me as she lit up her Newport.

I set the lap top beside me and echoed her actions lighting up my own cigarette. “Sometimes, but it’s the only thing that keeps me sane, so I come up with stuff.” I flicked my cigarette out the window. “It’s funny how drinking used to keep me sane.”

“Drinking made you insane, Layla.” Abby said snapping her head at me. “Remember that night I found you hiding in your room after an all night binger. You were cutting up pictures of you and Phoebe and were putting them in a scrap book.” She took another drag off her cigarette.

I looked over at her sadly. “I said I was creating new memories.”

“Yeah, shattered ones.” She said putting out her cigarette. “You’ve been doing good just drinking to have fun. Not to erase memories.” She took a sip of her wine. “How did your parents not know you had a drinking problem?”

I shrugged. “They have Cameron to worry about. They thought I was old enough to handle myself.”

I remember one summer when my mom came in my room and cleaned up all the alcohol bottles up after Phoebe and I were drinking all night.

“When was the first time you got drunk?” Abby asked curiously even though she already knows.

I gave her a ‘really?’ look. “You remember nothing.” I said shaking my head. It was at the Christmas party when I went home to see Josh and he had a girlfriend. Phoebe’s boyfriend then, Shane took us out in the shed and we drank a bottle of Penongrisio.”

“Oh.” Abby said sitting back in her seat. We passed under the bridge close to Newburg. “When was the last time you talked to Josh?”

I kept my head out the window and replayed the memory in my head.

New Years 2012..

I walked out onto the balcony of Broc’s parents house with Abby.

“She’s gotta pick up it’s new years. She said she would pick up!” I whined trying to read my screen. The sequins on my short dress sparkled under the moon.

It was freezing cold and my feet were shaking in my heels.

“Layla you’re drunk don’t even think about it.” Abby snapped taking a drink of her beer. “She’s not going to answer, you’re just making a fool of yourself.”

I snapped my head up at her. “She’s gonna answer.” I put the phone to my ear as Abby shook her head and walked back into the mob of people in the house.

Metallica was blaring through the loud speakers in the living room and I heard foot steps behind me.

I didn’t pay any attention just thinking it was someone coming out for a cigarette. I lit one up myself and listened to Phoebe’s voice mail.

When it beeped I nearly broke down, but I held my composer. “Phoebe, its me.” I took a puff of my cigarette. “Phoebs, you said you would answer.” I started to cry. “I don’t understand why you wont just talk to me. I miss you, I miss us why did this have to happen?”

“Layla?”

I turned around and saw Josh standing there. I took another hit of my cigarette and put my phone down. “You’ve got to be freezing.” He took his grey hoodie off and put it around my shoulders.

“I’m fine.” I said quietly pulling it around my shoulders.

“No, you’re not what happened? Why is Phoebe ignoring you?” He asked concerned not even noticing the burning cigarette in my hand.

“She left me.” I said a tear slipping down my cheek. “Her boyfriend doesn’t like me so she can’t talk to me or she’s choosing to ignore me I don’t really know.” I took another drag off my cigarette. “I haven’t talked to her since summer, but she promised me she would answer if I called on new year’s.”

He took the cigarette out of my hand and threw it over the balcony. “You really need to quit that, it’s terrible for you.” He shook his head. “So, I’m guessing she didn’t answer.”

I looked down at the wooden deck and shook my head. “Where’s Torie?” I looked up at him and he sighed.

“Inside with Eric playing beer pong.” He pointed his head in the direction of the kitchen. “I came out to see if you were okay, Abby looked a little steamed when she walked back in.”

“I’m just fine.” I said taking his hoodie off my shoulders. “I better go find her.” I started towards the door but he pulled me back into his arms.

I could smell the Armani on his shirt. “Just let me hold you for a second.” He wrapped his arms firmly around my waist and my arms were pinned to his chest. “You smell like warm vanilla.” He breathed in my hair and I suddenly got very mad.

“You had all the time in the world to hold me.” I snapped pushing him off me. “Go hold your girlfriend.” I pushed past him and walked back in the house towards the bar.

“At Broc’s New Year’s party.” I said simply opening another red bull. “The night you hooked up with Broc.” I looked over at her repulsed.

“Ah verdadera pasion.” She smiled. “True passion.” She looked over at me and clarified her language.

“How do you say disgusting?” I asked taking a sip of my red bull.

“De mal gusto.” She answered proudly. I nodded at her.

“Broc is de mal gusto.” I said in my best Spanish accent.

She laughed at me and shook her head.

We pulled up to my house and the night air hit my face as I stepped out of the car. There were no lights on it was past midnight so everybody was sleeping.

“Gracias Joe.” Abby said giving him a fifty dollar bill as a tip. He nodded his head and started taking all my bags out.

“We can go through the garage and leave the stuff in there.” I said starting to wheel my Burberry suitcase towards the garage. I had three other bags draped over my arms and Abby walked up with her one pink Louis Viton suitcase.

We opened the door up and set my stuff down in the corner by the tool table. We walked into my house and up the stairs to my room.

I turned on the light and stared at my room. I saw an old vodka bottle peeking out from under my bed. I walked over to it and picked it up.

“I’m gonna change and then call the guys.” She smiled putting her suit case on the bed.

I took a swig from the bottle and sat down on my bed staring at the blank walls that were once filled with happy pictures.

Seems depressing.

Depression fits you.

It’s a little too big for my size.

I walked over to my dresser and slipped out of my clothes, throwing on fresh panties and a bra.

I walked over to my closet and put on some black high waist shorts with my ‘Slayer’ tank top. “Can I wear your black Versace heels?” I looked over at Abby who changed into a tight fitted blue dress.

She flipped her wavy brown hair to the side, reached into her suitcase and handed them to me.

I slipped them on and walked over to my window opening it. I took out a cigarette and lit it up.

“Barry are you gonna meet us at “Red Hott?” I heard Abby from behind me making plans with her friend Barry.

I traced my finger nail over the engraving on my window sill that said ‘Phoebe + Layla=BFFS’.

I miss her.

She’s a c**t dude, she just got you suspended from your dream school after you busted your a*s in those finals to even pass on to the next year.

Right, back to reality.

I started scratching over her name but it didn’t go through.

“Okay, yeah were leaving now.” I looked over at Abby and flicked my cigarette out the window. “Oh, f**k are you serious?”

“What?” I asked worriedly. She waved her hand at me.

“Oh well whatever. We’ll see you soon.” She said and hung up. I stood up and ruffled my long blonde hair.

“What was that about?” I asked grabbing my keys off my desk.

Abby adjusted her dress and looked up at me. “Nothing. Let’s go.” She smiled walking out my door.

I cocked an eyebrow and threw my cigarettes in my bag and followed her out.

I smiled happily when I saw my lime green 1978 convertible bug in the drive way. I hopped in the driver’s seat and turned the car on.

I wanna touch you by The All-American Rejects started playing, but Abby switched it to rap.

“Why can’t I ever just listen to my music with you?” I wined. She put her bare feet out the window and propped them up on my mirror ignoring my question.

I shook my head and pulled onto the road.