𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗜𝗫: WHITE FLAG
𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗢 OF SEASON TWO

——

Don't feel stupid for wanting it too much.
It's your heart that has chosen, there's no need to surrender every hope and dream your heart beats towards because of an obstacle in your pathway.

To peel away expectations of who and where you're supposed to be.
Waiting for their own permission to simply allow yourself to live the life you want.

Within a single moment where you humbly surrender, soften the outer shell.
Soften the walls and choose yourself.

A dream is the thing with feathers.
The feathers that perch into the soul, singing tunes without the words, and never stops,

So you ask yourself.
What is it to dream?

To close your eyes and let your imagination fly away, while twisting with the splashes of colour that trace your mind.
Letting the colours of your heart take control and paint the dream you once dreamed in the palm of your hand and along your flesh.

Hold on to it tightly, my love.
Nurture it.

Yet allow it all the room in the world to grow, yet when you finally reach your dream, open you palm to let the colours go.

——

"Hello?" she echoed into the phone, hearing a soft chuckle respond back as the chuckle sent streams of memory down her back.

Her heart leaping at the opportunity of the caller.

"Hi Pumpkin" it responded back to her making her eyes want to cry a million tears.
Yet only feeling the one single stream down after wasting the rest on the blonde boy that she left still staring up at the stars.

Her throat going dry as she felt her knees grow weak and her mind fuzz over.
As everything she'd grown up to think would be a lie.

Her whole life would be a lie.

"Dad?" she whispered back into the cold phone that rested along her cheek.
The curve of the electronic that dove into her jawline resting ever so gently against her skin.

Hearing the soft scrapes of static that break into her ear, letting it ring out as the light tear slowly trailed its way down her reddened cheek.

Her skin becoming more hot, with her clammy palms feeding into the phones plastic.

"Hi baby" his voice echoed through her head as it was cut off by the short ring of static that bled its way into her mind.

Hearing the long pause that signalled the disconnection of the other line.

Her heart jamming its way into her throat as she stared at the wallpapered walls that cram all different colours into her vision.

The lights beading their way, complementing the soft skin of her palm as she placed the phone down on the table showing the end of the call.

She didn't know what to think.
And quite frankly all she felt was numbness.

The sensation of pins and needles threading their way into her legs and scratching their way up her legs causing her body to feel lighter.

"W-what was that?" Layla asked, her head spinning around to face the males figure that had his eyes resting upon her face.

Her eyes not looking towards the blonde women who had gently placed her body on the steps, attempting to block out the dissatisfaction of the phone call.

"I'm not here to cause harm, Layla-Rose" his voice spoke as he began lifting his palms upwards facing towards her body in a surrendering motion.

"I'm here to make a deal with you" he suggests.

Her eyes filling with tears that she didn't let fall, feeling the liquid soak up her eyes covering her vision and creating a blurred effect over the top.
Blurring his figure to her naked eyes.

Her eyes turning to face the women who had cared for her.
Watching her blonde hair cover her face as she looked down towards her legs, rocking her body gently as her arms hugged her body closer in an act of comfort.

Before they gently move back to the male's outline.

"What's the catch?" she asked, yet her voice coming across more quiet than she had intended making her feel so small.

"No catch" he shook his head.
"I'm only asking for your help in return" he finished.

Her head looking back at the women who was now looking at the young girl with a soft expression.
How she missed that motherly look.

Her eyes scanning Linda's face, as she watched her pale skin light up with her wrinkles fading across her forehead and her pink lips curving into a gentle smile which made her heart throb.

"Can I think about it?" she whispered, her light eyes meeting his darkened ones as she watched him nod his head, before hearing his footsteps thud towards the door.

Hearing the soft click symbolising his exit.

The young girls feet pattered against the floorboards as each creak and crack sent more shivers along her skin.

The feeling of each hair standing up taller and taller with every moment of waiting in silence that passed by her like the wind in the trees.

Her body falling gently on the step beside her, as the old women let her hand rest gently on the young girls making Layla turn to look at Linda.

"Thank you" Linda whispered making Layla frown.
"Thank you for showing me what it's like to have a daughter, Layla" she smiled as her fingers caressed the young girls hand.

The warmth spreading across her skin like honey.

"Thank you for loving for me, Linda" the girl whispered back, her voice so quiet you could hear each bird calling outside along with the subtle wind they soared through.

"I will always love you, my lovely" she told her as she let her hands find the blonde girls cheeks wiping each tear away.

Her hands finding her short blonde hair as she twirled it around her fingertips before pressing a motherly kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you" she smiled sadly.

——

With the sound of the car door slamming shut behind her.
Her feet snapping against the crowd as each footstep echoed through the cut.

Her blonde hair gently swaying behind her as her hands rested neatly in her pockets.
Her eyes scanning each sensation of movement before her as the wind gently passed through her limbs.

Seeing the three familiar figures sit at the end of the dock, packing up their backpacks and having a casual conversation pass through their lips.

As they had grown closer.

The sound of footsteps snapping them out of their thoughts as their heads tilt up.
Noting the small blondes presence float towards them, her face holding a neutral expression yet her body felt like it was carrying the weight of a thousand men.

All her worries lacing each part of her brain.
Causing the small migraines to sizzle at every step her foot made connection with when hitting the ground.

Her eyes watching as the three pogues stopped their conversation.

The dark-skinned boys eyes watching the young girl grow closer, with nothing but a guilty expression.
The mixed-raced girl holding nothing but a blank expression as her own eyes watched the girls body.

Yet the blonde boy whose head instantly tilted to the ground, not making contact with the blonde.
As he felt her soft stare burn against his flesh.

"Welcome back, stranger!" Kiara called, her voice holding frustration and annoyance as the blonde girl could already tell this conversation would lead to an argument.

Popes hand lightly hitting Kiara's wrist in a way to tell her to cut out the drama for one conversation.

"Can we talk?" Layla asked, her steps halting as she stopped on the pathway.

Her nose twitching at the sent of burnt logs as her eyes slowly moved to the small bonfire that had clearly been put out the night prior.

"What's up, Layla?" Pope asked as her offered her a small smile, not enough to cover the constant guilty look that smothered his expression almost drowning his facial features.

"I-i have a problem" she spoke, her shoulders gently shrugging as her eyes couldn't help but flicker to the blonde boy who never made eye contact.

His hands twisting at his wrist where his bracelet relaxed along his tanned skin.

"And, I don't know how to fix it" she finished with a sigh as her eyes connected with Kiara's feeling the annoyed glances she was throwing her direction.

"So, you ditch us and now you want our help?" Kiara asked, sarcasm hinting throughout the venom that laced her words.

"I didn't ditch anyone" Layla argued.

Watching the brunette girl scoff while shaking her head, the argument that she knew the Carrera girl couldn't wait to fire at her.

It had been like that since JohnB and Sarah left.
It had been like that since Aven died.

"I went into the drain with you, Kie" Layla explained, "Only someone else pulled me out, that is literally the only difference"

"Did you plan it?" Kiara asked shaking her head in disbelief.
"I'm very curious actually, did you plan the whole water thing so Rafe could come to your rescue and we'd lose the murder weapon?"

She felt her heart hit against her ribcage, her eyes circling to boys beside the girl with the big mouth.

"Is that what you all think?" Layla asked the group, her eyes that were once light, darkened with the wet tears that built up to cloud her vision.

Watching the guilty expressions fill both boys faces as they looked at each other before back towards the ground again.

"I mean, it makes sense" Kiara answered.

"You run away with Rafe, break up with JJ that night then come crawling back when you've supposedly got problems?" she snapped, but the three words that ran through Laylas mind on repeat blocked out the end of her sentence.

Break. Up. JJ.

"I-i didn't break up with JJ" Layla shook her head, her eyes wondering towards the blonde boy who eventually looked up towards her.

His teeth chewing aggressively at his bottom lip, as his eyes ended the words that fell at Laylas tongue.

"Well, that's what JJ told us" Kiara argued, her eyes turning to face the blonde boy who looked towards the Carrera girl in frustration.

While the blonde girls heart broke.
They argued, and he ended it without telling her.

She needed time apart.
Not to end the whole thing they spent so long craving.

"I didn't say we broke up, Kie" JJ shook his head.
"I said we were on a break"

Watching the betrayal flood through the mixed-raced girls features as she licked her lips, tilting her head to the side.

Her body language falling into herself, as she felt almost embarrassed at the misread emotions.

"Look" Kiara spoke turning her head away from the blonde boy and towards the blonde girl.

"Sort your own problems out Layla, we did" she answered.

Pulling her backpack onto her back and securing her hand around Popes wrist as she pulled him away, making their own way into the château which still didn't feel the same.

The blonde girl pulling the jacket closer to her body as the breeze picked up against her body blowing her hair.
The feeling of the knots making their way into her blonde locks made her instantly cringe at the thought of brushing it.

Her feet carrying her back towards the vehicle before his voice called out to her.

"Layla!" JJ spoke, as she stopped hearing the soft footsteps that jogged towards her figure making her turn around.

His ocean eyes instantly connecting with hers making the feeling of her stomach melt spread instantly across her body.
Those eyes that she could just stare into at let time pass as if it was nothing.

"I want Rosie back" his voice croaked, as the pain streamed across his features making her heart feel heavy at the comment.

She nodded, the memories that gently passed through her head of everything they had done and been thorough.

Their first time holding hands.
Their first kiss.
Their first time.
Their first love.

But nothing would bring that back.
Because the girl that did all them things with the blonde boy who stood in front of her, his eyes practically pleading.
She was still responsible.

"Rosie killed her sister, JJ" she whispered back towards the boy with a heartbroken expression.

Everything would always lead back to the downfall of the blondes life.
How everything good left her yet she was still trying to survive alone.

The downfall of how she lost her parents.
Martha. Aven. Her friends. JJ.

She lost everything, as she didn't know how to stop it from leaving.
So she ended up letting it go.

Just like she let him go.
Each footstep bringing her closer to the car and further away from the boy that had her heart wrapped around his pinky.

——

When she was younger she'd run out to play hide and seek.
Her legs would sprint as they counted to ten, and she'd place herself in the smallest places around the house or the garden.

As her eyes wondered around the room, her palms clamming with excitement and nerves as she waited to be spotted.

She could play this game for hours, since each new turn was a thrill that made her tiny heart beat faster.
Knowing that she could escape the world.

But the thing about hide and seek, is she got too good at the game.
She ended up finding herself hiding in everyday life.

Blocking her ears when the earth called her name, all the people she turned her back on being the seekers.
Yet they were so unaware that she needed to be found.

But in a world with millions of people, there was bound to be one person that was talented at the game she played.

Someone who is playing their own little game, hiding in the places she once hid too.

Maybe they should've have played together.
Maybe they should've helped each other find everyone else rather than hiding from one another.

But when growing up, the two twin sisters would play hide and seek, finding each other after long moments of peace.

And that's what she thought about.
Her hands shaking as she knew she was playing the game she once did when she was younger.

Her fist knocking of the tall door as it stood in front of her, waiting for the male to answer.
She knew this was a bad idea, yet her fingers that clicked as she tugged them hearing the satisfying popping sound and the small relief of tension the left her bones.

It opened.

His figure so tall, yet so dark.
As his eyes sent a sharp glare yet he held a peaceful expression.

Her game was about to begin, and he knew that.
Her eyes settled on his figure, as each click of her fingers letting the bones snap where the countdown of hide and seek.

Using her fingers to count just like she did when she was younger.
Yet this time it was from nerves.

8 snap. 9 snap. 10 snap.

"I'll accept your deal" he voice spoke, and her face fell at the sight of his murderous smirk that he felt cam off so innocently.

"Come in, Layla-Rose" Ward offered.

——

Her head that leant against the car window, after leaving in the bright an early morning to head on a flight with your exboyfriend and his dad.
Who were both murderers.

The girl just wanted to close her eyes.
She wanted to take a deep nap and not wake up till hours later.

Yet after getting off the flight and landing in the hot heat that burned her skin.
The male figure forcing her to stay in the car, threatening her with the idea of finding the only family she had left.

Her father.

Maybe she was crazy.
But all she knew was that she needed him, more than she had ever needed anyone before.

Her eyes watching the groups of people run around behind the gate that closed off the property.
She knew that she never knew anyones story, how they looked so casual and care-free.

Yet you'll never know the truth, unlike a person knows themselves.
They'll always have an excuse of why they're feeling the way they do.

Wether the excuse is genuine or not depends on the person.

Hearing the back of the truck unlock, her head swishing around to see Rafe throwing down the top of the trunk and letting it rest.
Before hearing the rattle of similar trucks pull up into the gates almost surrounding the one single truck.

She felt crowded and she didn't know whether to freeze, or run.

Her eyes looking towards the tall figure who had began to pile crates of something into the back.
His eyes and head twitching to the side almost signalling the girl to perform the action he requested.

Her body gently falling downwards to lie on the seat, hearing his throat clear as the sounds grew louder and louder.
Surrounding her body with a whirlpool of commotion.

The slam of doors, the sound of Ward talking.
The room flooding her mind with the thoughts of everything around her and the suspense filling her lungs with the unknown.

Hearing the talking quiet down, before the click of the passenger side door makes her eyes lift up.

Her body pressed further into the seats, the feeling of her hair sticking to the soft leather and her legs leaned against each other.
The feeling of her thighs sticking together from the sweat that hung on her flesh.

Her breathing becoming more shaky as her palm made its way to her lips covering the soft pink tissue that trembled between her teeth.

Her eyes straight past the male in the passenger seat, as she felt his eyes burn into her.
But her eyes were focused on the figure she saw in the side window.

His figure walking around, talking with Ward acting as if there wasn't anything wrong with him.
His clothes becoming a lot more casual as he spoke a conversation with the males father.

Her nightmares.
The reason her life didn't have much purpose now was because of this man's selfish needs.

"Don't move" Rafe whispered.

The blondes eyes tilting up to the rear view mirror where she saw his eyes looking down at her.
His body facing forward yet his eyes scanning her shivering body.

Hearing the footsteps that made their way towards the vehicle the two was sat in.
Hearing the ruffle of a coat and jacket as she slammed her eyes shut.

She didn't know what was more terrifying.
Knowing that this man would see her and she wouldn't see him.

Or seeing him see her.

Yet, her eyelids blocked out the light skies before the shield of warmth was being thrown over her.
Covering her vision with more darkness that clouded her body.

Her eyelashes fluttering as her eyes slowly peered open to see a jacket has been thrown over her, while she brought her legs closer to her chest attempting to curl into a smaller ball.

The sound of the door clicking open as his voice soaked through the oxygen the girl was trying so hard not to breathe.
Yet his voice smoke clear words, as they sender streams of fear and anger through her shaking body.

Before it closed, and she felt her body sway with the movement of the vehicle.

Her hand leaving her mouth to throw off the coat from her figure allowing the light to instantly pierce her eyes.
Her hands making their way to her hair to flatten it down as she pulled her figure from the chair to glare directly at the man driving.

"You didn't tell me he would be here!" she spat coldly, her eyes connecting directly with the side of his head as she heard his deep lungs manner up a chuckle.

"Scott's always been here, Layla Rose" Ward simply stated as if the man had done nothing wrong to the girls life.

As if he hadn't taken away her best friend.

——

Her eyes peering through the window as her head led on the leather seats once again.
Her cheek which rubbed against the leather made the friction burn at her flesh with every turn and steer Ward took the van down.

Her knees curled into her chest, and her head was tucked neatly behind her ears as her fingertips twisted at the small studs that pierced through her ear lobes.

Each jump that the van took as she watched the sun glisten from her eye line.
As the feeling of a palm slithers against her kneecap, causing her eyes to fall to his hand that gently stroked at her skin.

Her hand pushing his away, as she saw him look at her through the mirror.
Watching the frustrated expression relax on his features, almost in an annoyed manner.

Her nose taking in the scent of the market that surrounded the streets, with the soft, colourful fruits that shone on display.
And her skin prickling at the warm breeze which made her body relax more into the back seats.

Yet the soft sounds of the tires hitting the road clashed with the noise of children yelling.
As the truck came to an instant stop in the road and the patter of tiny handprints slapped the glass.

Her teeth meeting her bottom lip as she tried not to laugh at the males attempts to remove the children from the space.
Their yelling and commotion mixing with the sound of the horn as his hand slapped down on the steering wheel.

"What's going on!?" Ward yells out in frustration, the children swarming the road and street in every direction.

"There are children banging on the van" Layla emphasises as her sarcasm lingers making Ward slam his eyes shut.

Her eyes watching the wrinkles appear more prominently across his forehead as his head falls downwards.

"Do not test my patience, Layla-Rose" Ward sighs, as they watch one child climb on top of the bonnet of the vehicle and spray the screen with water.

With the more yelling, and screaming that filled the streets.
Along with the children being ruthless, the blondes head gently looking from underneath the window allowing her eyes to peer over the frame.

A small smirk on her features as she watched the millions of children gather together to stop each and every truck.

Before the voice of the male was yelling out into the streets caused the three in the truck to pause for a moment.

"It's a trap!" it rung out making Ward slam his hands onto the steering wheel once again.
Feeling the truck vibrate under his pressured smacks.

"How much are you paying this guy?" Layla asked her eyes glimmer in amusement and her smirk shining through her palms, as her head jolted up to rest in between Rafe and Ward as they both turned to glare at her.

Watching her eyes peer straight through the window where the children were banging either side.

"No joke, I've met bread smarter than him" she sighs before the children begin to grow silent running away from the truck causing the three pairs of eyes to stare directly at the group of men carrying wheelbarrows and shovels.

The two males panicking as Ward fiddles with the gear stick and steering wheel.
His feet scrambling onto the peddles as he pressed into them hearing the scrape of tires.

"We gotta get out of here, or we're going to jail!" Rafe spoke up, his fingers scraping at his forehead out of stress as they plant their way through his dirty hair.

The sudden motion of the vehicle making their bodies fall foreword slightly as Ward pushes it back onto the main road.

The blonde girls lips closing together to blow the air from her lips at the single strands that covered her eyes to move the hair.

"You don't want to end up in jail, it's not fun" Layla shook her head making Rafe turn to look down at her with a confused frown.

"You've been to jail?" he asked confused as he watched the girl look up at him through her lashes which made her eyes glimmer in the sunlight that shown through the pained glass.

"Once" she breathed as she looked at the boy.
Her lips twitching upward and dark eyes glinting with amusement.
"In monopoly" she finished with her eyes facing the front window once more.

Trying to bring light into the dark situation.
To scare their nerves away with humour, scare her own nerves away.

"Layla-Rose, I will not ask you anymore!" Ward began to shout as his eyes kept snapping to the mirrors before facing the road once more.

"Lay back down, and shut your mouth" he spoke and she swore she saw him turn red in anger.

Her breath realising from her throat as she planted herself back against the leather seats, each turn and knock being thrown at her through the uncomfortable driving.

——

"Are you kidding me?" his voice spoke after a moment of silence making the girls eyes flicker open watching the driver panic in front of her.

"What do we do, there's no where to turn?" he asked watching as his son looked around the field for a different pathway to escape through.

His head coming to his eyes as he rubs them between his thumb and fingers.
The stress creating a pounding headache that rested on his skull.

"Get the gun, Rafe" his voice spoke calmly making the girl push herself up slightly as she looked at the blonde boy reaching for the gun and tucking it into his waistband.

"You can't be serious" Layla spoke shaking her head at the turn of violence the man was creating an idea of, if things didn't go his way.
"You can't just shoot everyone in your way, because you were to thick to think everything through!" she argued.

"Layla!" Ward growled making the blonde girl roll her eyes before pressing her body back against the seat.

The sound of rattling as Rafes hand picked up the jacket handing it to the blonde girl who placed it on her body.
Her eyes adjusting to the dark space as it shielded her from view.

Yet the heavy feeling in the pocket made her brows fall, as her hand slipped into his jacket pocket.
Her fingertips feeling the clash of cold metal which sent shivers of pain through her body.

The feeling of pins and needles creating a wave of nerves through her lungs as her throat became dry.

The jacket peeling gently off her forehead as she looked directly at Rafe who only nodded his head through the rear view mirror.

Before the dark consumed her once more.
With the feeling of the gun that lied beneath her fingertips and rested against her thigh made her breath quicken.

Yet the muffling sound of voices that spoke in a calm
demeanour made the frown curve her face.

Hearing the sounds of the doors opening as the two voices of a male and female command the father and son on what to do.

Her vision growing darker and darker and her lungs felt heavier, collapsing like keys on a piano.
Her heart taking her full hearing as the only sounds that rung out were the mumbles of voices, her heart, and each sharp breath she drew.

Yet her legs cramped, from curling herself close and her body shook.
Her head feeling lighter that the clouds of a warm summers day.

Yet all the girl could feel was the overwhelming sense of dread and the cold trigger that rested between her painted fingertips.

How her body was so hot she felt the sweat leave traces of rivers across her flesh.
Yet that one hand was as cold as ice, the single thread to ending one's life.

How she didn't expect it to lie in her hands.

Yet the ringing and pounding in her head was cut off when the shouts of her name rang through the crystal air.

"Sarah! You're alive!" She head his voice yell out so loudly that it made her body tense in fear.

Remember the deal.
Remember the deal.

"Stay back" his voice spoke, and she heard it as clear as day.
The amount of time she had prayed to hear his voice again, the voice of the boy who protected her like he was her big brother.

Yet the sound of screaming and yelling flew around her, causing her head to spin in the million directions they echoed from.

And maybe she should've been more patient.
And maybe she should've waited.

But she felt her fingers creeping up to the jacket that hid her from the outside, and allowed the light to flood into her view.
Noticing the two figures that stood beside the door, looking at the dirty figures that stood beside her.

Yet, the click of the safety made her mind click.
Watching the way JohnB held up the gun in the direction of the distressed man.

Remember the deal.
The deal, Layla.
Remember the deal.

Her legs shifted as she opened the opposite door, trying her hardest to keep the noise as small as possible so no one would hear it.
Yet with the shouting and yelling it wasn't that hard to cover it.

She felt the sun burn into her back as the sweat from her palm gripped at the metal that trailed there.

Her figure appearing behind the two pogues that has fled for their own safety, yet his hands shook as the gun balanced between his fingertips pointing it directly at his girlfriends father.

And maybe he'd hesitate and wouldn't pull it, and the girl beside him would have her messed up family.
Or maybe he'd forget about that and pull it for his own revengeful needs.

And maybe it was his fault for putting her in a position which showed how cold her heart could actually get.

"JohnB?" her voice rose quietly, in concern watching his body tense at the slight sing of her voice.

The blonde girls head flipping around to notice her figure behind them.
Yet her eyes instantly trailed to the coldest metal placed delicately in her palm, as it hung by her side.

And his head span around so quickly you'd think he'd surfer from whiplash.
But his eyes shone wonder and guilt behind them as he stared directly down at her.

"L-layla?" he asked, his body taking a step but the strong clasp around his wrist stopped him.
And the small signal from Sarah allowed his eyes to travel to the gun cramped in her hand.

And his reflexes kicked, allowing him to bring up the gun and aim it in her direction.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, making her face wash over in betrayal.

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" She asked watching as the dark hole stared back at her.
The hole that contained the bullet that would ripple through her flesh and let her life end in a moment from the hour glass.

The boy that only stared back at her, while his hands rattled through nerves.

"Why are you here, Layla?" JohnBs voice cracked, while the blonde girl next to him only stood in silence.

Yet his voice blurred out in the millions of thoughts that swam through his brain.
And her eyes stared at the darkness of the hole as it aimed directly towards her.

As the hole glared directly at Laylas body, she wanted to turn her head around.
She wanted to see Aven standing there, and she wanted to make sure the bullet hit Layla, not Aven.

But this was not the moment that occurred that summer.
This was the moment that was happening right now.

But that dark hole that locked her body in contact made her replay that moment of grief in her mind.
The relapse of the moment she ruined everything.
The moment where she couldn't stop talking and just beg for Scott's forgiveness once again.

Maybe Aven would still be breathing.
Maybe Aven would be stood beside Layla right now.
Maybe Layla would recognise her reflection with Aven around.

But she wasn't.

"Layla" his voice called out making her eyes snap up to focus on JohnB who was hesitant to put the gun down.

Her darkened eyes staring directly into his own, as his fingers grew tighter on the trigger holding the gun in both his hands.
The sweat that began to draw down his finger tips, causing his palms to grow clammy at his touch.

"Why are you here with-"

"-My dads alive" Layla cut him off.
Her voice so light that you heard the tiredness on her vocal chords as the rubbed together.

Watching the confused expression on the couples face, and the disbelief that followed it.

"What are you talking about? Who told you that? Them?!" He asked signalling the duo being held behind them.

"It's true JohnB! He called me!" She argued back, the feeling of her lip quivering lightly as she felt her heart begin to burn and her chest grow heavy.

"I heard his voice. My dads alive, and Ward knows where he is" she explained using her free hand to wipe the single tear that began to drift down her paled cheeks.

Her body felt as if it was on fire, starting with her head as the headache pounded through her skull causing it to vibrate on each side sending shots of pain through her head make it spin in a thousand directions.

And ending with her toes as she felt as if she was stepping on tiny pieces of glass, the small little stabs that made her feel uncomfortable causing her fingers to tread gently along with the gun that rested neatly in her grasp.

"Your losing it Layla" JohnB shook his head, making the girl frown. While the blonde stepped forward, her light eyes connecting with the girls dark ones.

"You said it yourself Layla, your parents died in the accident. They found the body" Sarah tried to explain watching as she brought her palm to her forehead and whipped away the sweat that rolled down it.

"No, no. I know, they said they found the body b-but...I don't know! He's alive and I know he is, which is why I am asking you, just this once to help me." she cried, as the tears began to fall more.

"JohnB, please believe me" she whispered watching his grip loosen on the gun as he tilted it down slightly.

Her eyes watching his every single move, trying to detect a moment which came across wrong, but the gun fell lightly.

Yet she still saw the distant look he gave her showing that he didn't believe a word that fell from her lips, making her heart rise into her throat.

"You still don't believe me" she told the boy who licked at his upper lip.

Her feet that paced froward walking past the duo watching their bodies tense and feeling the stiff atmosphere pass through them as she faces towards Rafe and Ward.

"Tell them" she told Ward, who looked at the girl with the shake of his head.

And the sound of the gun cocking behind her made her stop in her step.
Her body feeling heavier and heavier with the space of emptiness filling her lungs causing her breathing to spill out in irregular patterns.

The small tears that fell, with her head turning around watching her friend hold that gun back up to her.

"You're not going to shoot me" she whispered watching him flick off the safety and hold it higher.

Layla believed that the damage to her mind and heart was permanent.
And that her friends and family would be the one to mend all the hurt that had harmed her.

"You need help, Layla" JohnB told the girl, watching as she laughed slightly.
Using her palm to wipe the tears the scattered down as she watched her friend in disbelief.

"Screw you, JohnB!" she cried, as her eyes fell to the ground.

"I spent a whole summer, helping you look for your dad! When no one believed you, I was always there for you! Whether it was breaking into a lighthouse, or sneaking into a grave, getting shot at!" she yelled at him.

With his hands clinging onto the gun and his eyes watching her fragile body as she broke down the millions of layers that she had built up to protect herself.

She watched as his eyes showed guilt, but still no signs of believing the blonde girl in front of him.
Her fingers dusting over the cold metal in her hand as she watched his eyes linger on her body before rising to people in the background.

Her head turning to see the two strangers holding Ward down as he was putting up a fight and noticing Rafe looking at her.

"Do it" he mouthed to her, yet he saw the hesitant look in her eyes making him nod his head at her before she turned around to the sound of JohnB calling her name.

"Why are you here with them? You think that's what JJ would want? You here with them?" JohnB argued watching the two attempt to hold down Ward with his struggling.

"What would Aven think of you right now?" he asked and that one sentence sent pain and anger through her body.

As her body moved quicker than her mind ever could, causing the gun to move from her side with the safety clicking off and it rising to aim in JohnBs direction.

"Don't bring her into this" Layla spoke.

Watching as Sarah tugged on JohnBs arm practically begging him to leave it and just get out while they still could.

"Look at yourself right now, Layla! You're acting crazy! Just like Scott would." JohnB told the girl watching every word he said break her in multiple ways.

"You're just like him" he shrugged.

And that hurt more than he would ever know.
Going through all those years of torment just to be compared to the bogeyman.

Having both Martha and Aven die in her arms because of that man, and having JohnB know that yet still comparing the blonde girl to her worst nightmare.

"I am nothing like him" Layla spat, increasing her grip on the gun that pointed towards his figure watching the boy tense slightly.

Her shoulders beginning to ache as they grew heavy on her body almost dragging her down with the worries and anxiety she carried.

And for everything she had done for the boy, yet he betray her in a second without hearing her out.
And that broke her.

"Look at yourself" he told her making her look forward at the gun in her direction.
Making her replay what her heart couldn't shake, she saw the gun the Scott held staring at her.

The gun that took her sister in the hands that took Martha away.
Her mind replaying the memories that made her feel the most guilt.

The memories that she never wanted to experience again, because those memories haunted her at night.

As she realised everyone died around her, and every death was her fault where she could've prevented it.

"I am asking you, to turn around and leave. Leave the truck, leave them, and just go." she asked.
"He knows where my dad is JohnB, the only family I have left! He's alive"

"I thought out of everyone, you would've understood how that felt" she told him as her teeth dug into her bottom lip.

"The difference is, I didn't drive myself crazy trying to find him" JohnB argued, "And I was on the right side, I didn't betray anyone to get want i wanted"

The sentence making the blonde girl chuckle.

"You know what JohnB, you are so right! For once I am being selfish, and I'm doing something I want to do that can help benefit myself!"

"My dad is alive! I know he is! And if they are going to offer to help find him, which is more than you've done. I'll happily play on the bad side" she told him.

The gun growing heavier in her grip as she felt her lungs burning and her hairs prickling up one by one.
He hair in its braid sticking to her neck from the sweat the gleamed across her body.

Letting the gun fall beside her and taking a deep breath as she turned her body around to leave the two to make the decision.
She was mad, but she didn't want to hurt him.

"You sure you want to find him?" His voice yelled out to the girl who froze in her step.

"I mean, won't you probably get him killed? You have a thing for getting your family killed you know?" he told the girl.

She was a killer.

Swinging her body around to look at the boy who threw his arms back up with gun in his hands aiming it for the small blonde girl.

Seeing him with that gun aimed at her created that single moment in her head that replayed.
The moment she lost her bestfriend, her twin sister.
And in that single moment JohnB wasn't JohnB, he was Scott.

Her fingertips finding their way to the trigger as she held it up in his direction, and applying the slightest bit of pressure.

Hearing the loud bang she was far too familiar with, which wasn't the sound a 17 year old girl should hear so often.

The sound of another bullet whizzing past her head as a crushing weight drags her to the ground.
Yet the ringing continued to drag through her head.

She did it.
She killed Scott.

But she didn't, because Scott wasn't there.
And neither was Aven.

"Layla! Layla!" the soft voice that broke over the ringing and breaking in her head that made it hurt.
And the hands that held her face holding it tightly through the moment she couldn't even think straight brought the warmth back into her flesh.

Her eyes fluttering open, to watch Rafe in front of her holding her face as she looks over to where JohnB was stood seeing no one, and no truck.

"Did I hurt him?" she asked panicking looking back at the blonde boy in front of her.

"No, no. You didn't hurt anyone" he told her using his arms to bring her closer to his chest and she leant into the embrace.

The embrace that felt so wrong, but right now felt so right as she leant in towards him.
Feeling the heat the brushed from him onto own body and the cologne that she smelt every deep breath she took.

While his hands went through her hair stroking each strand away, yet her eyes never left the space where the couple once stood.

While Wards fingertips typed the message and hitting send.

"I have her"

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