Gossip

Layla

When we are both ready to leave, his phone goes off and he tells me to wait as he leaves the room to answer his phone.

At the same time, my phone rings and I see mom's number on the ID. "Hi, mom."

"Hi, baby. Listen, Daniel, and your dad will be tied up at work today. Would you mind coming home instead? Your sister is on her way to get you, ok baby?" She sounded worried, but I didn't want to add to her distress.

"Ok, I'll see you at home. Bye, mom." I responded before hanging up.

He comes back into the room, and I can't help but see worriedness written all over his face. "Is everything ok, Daniel?" I say, making him turn as he goes through a briefcase, going through a bunch of papers.

"Uhh, yeah. Everything's fine. Listen... Change of plans." he says, scratching the top of his head. "I'm going to drop you off at home. I have an urgent meeting with your dad, so-"

I nod, grabbing my purse and placing it on my shoulder. "It's ok. Karla is on her way; mom just called right now to let me know. You go and do what you gotta do." I reply as he goes back to whatever he was looking for inside his briefcase. I make my way to the door to leave.

"Thanks, Layla. And listen," I stop at the door as he holds a stack of papers and grabs his phone, wallet, and keys.

"It was real nice seeing you again. I hope I get a chance to see you before you leave again." he says making me purse my lips as I look at him. "Yeah, maybe. Take care, Danny." I reply and walk down the steps and make it way out of his house.

My sister and Shawn are arriving just as I go out. Shawn gets out, and I get in the car and leave.

But as the day turns into night, dad is still in the office until late. I don't see him until the next day, and he looks like hell.

Whatever happened in there, both dad and Daniel refused to talk about it.

✨✨✨✨✨✨

The following two days go by. I'm stuck shopping with my sister for last-minute details until lunch.

"Where should we eat? I'm starving." I say, holding my stomach.

She chuckles, getting into her car as I sit in the passenger's seat. "Well, Shawn just called, he wants us to join them for lunch at a restaurant near by. I hope you don't mind."

"Join them as in?" I look at her while she starts the car. "Uh, Shawn and Danny." I groan, but I don't want to be rude.

"Fine. Let's go." I say, making her smile.

We make our way to a restaurant where Daniel and Shawn are already waiting for us. They both stand up, pulling the chairs out for us.

We sit together and eat. It's a little awkward initially, but we soon begin talking and joking around like in old times.

When we're done, we go for a walk, and I can't deny that I feel comfortable walking next to him. A few minutes in, he holds my hand as we walk together. He used to hold my hand like this all the time, so I think nothing of it.

That is until a random guy comes in front of us and begins to snap pictures, blinding my eyes. Danny and Shawn warn the guy making him take off.

"What the hell was that about?" I say while I turn to a little stand of trinkets, and my eyes widen as I see a picture of Daniel and me on the night of the club plastered on the front page of a local magazine.

In the picture, his hand holds me right around my waist while I kiss him. It was the moment when we pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and I was trying to calm him down while he argued with that douche who wanted to make a pass at me.

I gasp as I grabbed the magazine and read the headline. "California's most eligible bachelor, Daniel Halloway and Layla Garcia dating?" My eyes go wider, if even possible, as I put the paper closer.

"WHAT!?" I open the magazine and I feel like dying. There are pictures that look compromising. One where Daniel carried me bridal style into the water, another when he laid on top of me the second I fell on the sand. Even when he and I stood hand in hand in the water.

"Fucking hell. This can't be happening." I say as I put the magazine down, hitting my thighs.

Daniel grabs it way and sees the pictures, but it's as if he's amused. "Wow, we look pretty hot in these pictures." he pointed to the picture at the club when I kissed him. "This one's my favorite," he says, making me give him an evil stare.

"Danny, this is not funny. Who the hell could have published these?" I asked as my sister and Shawn looked at each other clueless about what to say.

"It says here-   not so long after Layla Garcia, daughter of Felix Garcia, Halloway's associate, gets cheated and dumpster by her boyfriend, is seen just days after the break up with this new hottie. The one and only heartthrob of the Los Angeles fashion district, Daniel Halloway, seems so loving with the beauty." I close my eyes, protesting.

I continue to read as Daniel chuckles the whole time, "The couple was seen being very affectionate a few nights ago in a club and later at the beach while they bathed and cuddle while taking a late night dip?" I raised my voice frustratingly.

Daniel kept laughing, making me get irritated.

"Not funny, Daniel." I swatted him on his shoulder making him flinch as he grabbed his shoulder as if I had actually hurt him. "Ouch!" he says playfully.

"Dont pay mind to these, Layla. No one believes these things anyway. Come on, let's get some ice cream." he says, throwing his arm around my shoulder. "Don't pay mind to it? This is one of the reasons why I left in the first place. I hate being the talk of these stupid tabloids, and now here I am. Everyone thinks you and I are an item."

"So?" he says, shrugging his shoulders. I pull his arm away, glaring at him. "So? What do you mean, so? It's not true, that's why!" I say as I close my eyes, whining.

"You're making this a bigger deal than it has to, Layla. Just leave it be. You're leaving in a few more days. Once you're back in Mexico everyone will see that you guys are separated and it will all be over." Shawn says getting swatted on his chest by my sister.

"Youre leaving? In how long?" Danny says, looking at me. "Yes, you knew that. And besides, you guys didn't expect me to leave my job did you?" I say as I begin to walk toward the ice cream shop.

Daniel follows me, pulling me by my arm and making me turn to him. "Well, kind of. I mean, the guy still works there, doesn't he?"

"And?" I respond turning to keep walking but he steps in front of me. "And, why would you go back?"

"Because it's my job."

"But the guy cheated on you, Layla."

"Yeah, and so did you!" I blurted out, suddenly regretting those words. I mean, he and I never really dated. But his betrayal of sleeping with me and then introducing me to the other girl felt pretty much the same.

I closed my eyes, turning away from him. "I have to go," I said quietly. "Layla, wait."

"No, Daniel. I have to go." I said, leaving them. "Layla." my sister calls out, but I stop and turn. My eyes betray me as I begin sobbing. "No, Karly. I need to be alone. Please." I say. She gives me a hug and nods.

I turned on my heel and walked away, calling for a lift, and returned home.