28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Layla

"Do you know where Josh went?" I ask Asher as I scan the backyard.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Not after he stormed off during your little matchmaking sesh."

Ugh, that was the absolute worst. I can't believe my parents had the audacity to sit there and continually put me in that position. It's so awkward and completely unnecessary.

"Yeah, that was brutal. Did you see his face? He looked wrecked," Liam joins in.

"I don't know why he stormed off. If he stayed, we could have put an end to it right there and just told everybody about us."

Why did he storm off? I know it's annoying, but I thought he wanted to tell my parents. William is an asshole. He always will be. I thought we were passed that.

I walk around the yard three more times, then go back into the house. Then I go outside to the driveway, and my breath catches in my throat. He's gone .

I can't believe he left. He left without telling me. What the hell?

Tears begin to burn my eyes as panic begins to take over. Did I screw up? What did I do wrong?

I didn't realize he was even taking the entire thing seriously. I think about his confession to me about not being good enough in the eyes of my parents. How he dressed completely unlike himself tonight to impress them, and how nervous he was.

All this just to have his worst fears thrown in his face before we can even tell my parents.

Shit. I fucked up. I should've stopped that conversation immediately and told everyone at that table proudly that Josh and I were together.

I'm just so shitty in those awkward situations. Surely, he will forgive me for not knowing what to do. Right?

I pull my phone from my pocket and call him again. With each ring, tears start to run further down my face. No answer.

Charlotte and Asher are walking out when they spot me.

"Layla," Charlotte says as she walks up to me. "Sweetie, are you crying? What's going on? Did you find him?"

"He left," I say through thick tears.

"Without telling you?" Asher asks, surprise evident on his face. "What the fuck?"

I wipe my tears away with the back of my hand. "I screwed up. There's a history there with him and William. I should've stepped in. I should've said something sooner. "

"You can't blame yourself for this, Layla. You didn't do anything wrong. It was just unfortunate timing." Charlotte rubs my arm soothingly.

I shake my head back and forth. "You guys don't know all the details. It took a lot for him to be here tonight to tell Mom and Dad. I could've handled it better."

Asher scoffs. "Well, even if that's true, him just leaving you behind without a word is bullshit. Didn't he drive you?"

"Yeah," I whisper.

"I'm gonna kill him." Asher looks between me and Charlotte. "He's dead."

Charlotte rolls her eyes. "Okay, he messed up. But let's not pretend like you don't know the guy. He's not all of a sudden a bad guy. I'm sure he'll cool off and apologize. Don't pretend like you haven't screwed up before."

Asher huffs at Charlotte's response, but luckily doesn't have much to say back. He has screwed up before and can't deny it.

I mouth a silent thank you in her direction. I'm already in panic mode. I don't need to worry about Asher beating the shit out of my boyfriend.

"Come on." Charlotte throws her arm around me. "We'll drive you home."

The car ride is silent. My eyes are glued to the phone, waiting for him to call. His silence is deafening, and I hate to be that girl, but I decide to send a text.

Me: I'm sorry. I should've said something. I'm not good in those situations. Please call me back. Asher and Charlotte are driving me home right now. Do you want to come over and talk?

By the time we get to my house, there is still no response.

"Do you want us to come in?" Charlotte asks after Asher parks the car.

"No, thanks. I'm just gonna get in my pajamas and relax. Thanks for the ride home."

As I climb out of the car, I hear Asher mumbling something about Josh being a dead man again. I don't have the energy to respond, so I close the door.

I lock my front door and head straight for my bedroom. There's nothing I want more than to get in cozy clothes, hop in my bed, and turn on a comforting show. In moments like these, I need the comfort of a show that I've seen a thousand times.

It's like having your best friends right there with you.

I put on New Girl, but Nick and Schmidt aren't making me even crack a smile. Nothing at this point is going to make me feel better.

My phone rings, muffled underneath my pillow. I grab it quickly and see Josh's name.

"Hey," I answer quickly, trying not to sound too desperate.

"Hi," he replies faintly.

"Josh, I'm so sorry. I know tonight was a complete disaster."

He laughs bitterly. "Yeah, you can say that again."

"Why did you leave me?" I falter in the stillness of the room .

I can just make out the sound of a sigh through the phone. "I'm sorry, Freckles. I shouldn't have done that. It was a huge mistake, and totally uncalled for."

"I had to get a ride with Asher and Charlotte."

"Do they hate me?"

"Asher's not pleased," I admit.

"I deserve it. That wasn't fair to you. I was just so angry."

"At me? Is that why you left?" I ask, my voice fragile.

There's a long pause on the line. It makes my stomach ache with dread as I wait for his response.

"I was mad at everyone. Mad at your parents for thinking someone like William would be a good match for their daughter. Mad at William for playing me like that again. Mad at you for not standing up for me."

I knew it. He is mad at me. I should've said something.

"I'm sorry, Josh. I'm not good in those situations. I don't know what to say to my parents, and I don't want to be rude to my dad's clients," I cry. "But you didn't have to leave me. I don't understand that reaction. It was childish."

He sighs. "It was completely out of line. You're right. The person I'm mad at most is myself. I reacted just as William wanted me to."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. He just winked at me a couple of times, knowing exactly what it was doing to me. He wanted to get under my skin, and I let him. "

William really needs a kick to the groin. Someone needs to put him in his place.

"I'm sorry he did that to you. It was totally uncalled for."

I can't believe this is how the evening turned out. I was so excited this morning to tell my parents. I've finally found someone that I love. Someone that I can see myself spending the rest of my life with.

"Do you want to come over?" I ask, needing to feel his arms around me. I don't want to go to bed alone after our first fight.

There's this hollow feeling inside of me that only he can fill.

"I think I'm just gonna crash here. I'm exhausted. And about how I acted tonight, Freckles. You deserved better, and I fucked up."

"Oh, um, okay. I forgive you. It was a shitty situation all around."

"I'll call you later. Alright?"

That doesn't sound promising. Call me later, not see me later. Nothing about this feels right, but I'm too scared to press him on it.

"Ok," I whisper, trying to hold in my tears.

"Goodnight," he says.

"Goodnight."

I hang up the phone, and the last fragments of my composure are swept away. I slide down my pillow as my breath hitches in my throat. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. For a moment, I try to blink them away, but the effort is futile .

Then, like a dam breaking, sobs wrack my body as I bury my face in my pillow. The room around me fades as I lie alone while my thoughts spiral.