Hopelessly Falling [book 2]

Chapter Fifty-Two

LII
• • •

Crystal's POV***

        Savannah, Scarlett, and I were all sitting on the couch, watching as Kevin argued with Eli about the correct way to tie a tie. Ashton was in the bathroom probably hyperventilating- and I had already tried a few times to get him to let me in, but I also knew that sometimes he just needed his own little space bubble to get himself together.

It took me a while after we started dating to actually understand that and know that that was okay, but I did now. It was just how he was, and how he always had been. I think that through our relationship he's started to understand himself that that's okay, too.

Layla was in her room getting ready- only the three boys were going now, and the rest of them would go up in a bit. The three of them needed to be there earlier apparently since Eli and Kevin were testifying. Layla originally had wanted to testify, but ultimately didn't trust herself to keep it together enough for it to not backfire on them. And Jake, well, I was currently holding him on my lap, and he had barely uttered a word all day.

"Eli can you help me with my dress zipper real quick?" Layla peaked her head out of the door, and he finished fixing his tie in the mirror before walking over. She quickly pulled him into her room and he let out an unexpected laugh as she shut the door behind him.

"They're cute," Savanah commented, smiling to herself.

"They're weird is what they are," Kevin corrected, plopping down on one of the seats. "I see Layla and think little sister.. I still don't know how the hell he sees her any different."

"Monroe's get all the hoes," Savanah joked with a shrug, and I burst out laughing.

"Please, the child," I covered Jake's ears, but he giggled and reached up to take them off.

"Speaking of said child, we gotta get going," Kevin said and stood up, sighing and making his way to Layla's room. I laughed to myself as I heard her react to Kevin barging in, and him returning a moment later tugging a slightly disheveled Eli behind him. Layla followed shortly after, her hair slightly messed up as she crossed her arms at Kevin.

"He was helping me with my dress," she told him as he let go of Eli, who then wiped a little bit of lip gloss off his lips that had clearly transferred over from her and fixed his tie.

"You're not wearing a dress," Kevin said, and she looked down at her outfit, which was in fact not a dress.

"Well I was trying to put one on, that was the point," she replied stubbornly and sat down on the seat that Kevin had been on before.

"Mhm, sure, we'll go with that. Anyway, we'll be in the car, Crystal can you hurry your boyfriend the hell up?" Kevin said as the two of them made their way to the door.

"I'll try," I replied, and they said goodbye before walking out. Jake went over to sit with Layla after I got up to knock on the bathroom door. "Hey Ash, Eli and Kev just went out to the car," I told him.

"Alright, one sec," he responded, and I frowned at the nerves clearly riddling his voice. When I sat back down on the couch, I looked over at Layla as she started talking.

"I don't get it, he's such a good kisser," she commented, thinking about Eli out loud, and I chuckled.

"Oh, they know," Savanah told her, and both Scarlett and I choked on air, our faces reddening slightly as she cracked up. I did us both the favor of shoving her in response to that little comment.

"Oh my god, right, sorry if I just made that awkward," Layla's hands went to her cheeks as she awkwardly smiled.

"You didn't," Scarlett chuckled, and Layla looked a little relieved.