Layla

Chapter 4

It had been a few days since Layla started living with her brothers. She started warming up to them too.

Today was her first day of preschool. Hamish found a school through the internet just a few blocks away. He even met the teachers and examined the building to make sure the school was good enough for his little sister. Nik and dee found someone to work nights too. Everything was sorted.

"Can you braid my hair?" Layla asked Nik who was currently half asleep on the couch. Layla slept in his room last night. He really needed to get her room done. His back was starting to hurt. Their couch was quite small.

"I don't know how to do that, but I can put it in a ponytail."

"Okay," Layla said, handing him a furry yellow hair tie.

Nik did a surprisingly good job with Layla's hair. He did have experience after all. Nik had luscious hair that grew a little below his shoulders at one point in high school. Rough times.

"Come on Layla, it's time to go. You don't want to be late for your first day at preschool." There was nothing Hamish hated more than being late. He would rather be an hour early than ten minutes late.

Layla ran up to her brother and latched on to his hand, grabbing her bag with the lunch Nik packed for her on her way.

The car ride of five minutes to Hathway Preschool was quiet. Layla was looking out the window, daydreaming about something that she wouldn't remember later.

Hamish and Layla walked hand in hand into the preschool. The building was small and cozy. It seemed to be a house that was converted into a school.

"You must be Layla!" a woman exclaimed, walking up to the two.

Layla nodded, giving the woman a small wave.

"My name is Mrs. Hathway," the woman said, bending slightly to reach Layla's height. She looked like a sharp and well-put-together woman reaching her forties.

"Layla will have a great time here Mr. Campbell. There is no need to worry" Mrs. Hathway said, giving Hamish a bright smile.

"Okay Layla, I need to go. Nik will pick you up at five. You can always call either of us if something goes wrong."

"Come on then darling, let me show you your classroom," Mrs. Hathway said extending her hand, waiting for Layla to take it.

Layla looked at Hamish for approval and eventually took up Mrs. Hathway on her offer. She gave Hamish a small wave, bidding him goodbye, and went into the classroom with Mrs. Hathway.

***

"Are you new here?" a little girl asked Layla. Layla was instructed to sit at the green table opposite a girl named Melanie.

Layla nodded her head.

"My mommy made me banana bread for lunch," Melanie said out of the blue

Layla stared at her with a blank expression, confused as to why the little girl with the pigtails was telling her this.

"And you can't have any" Melanie said, offended by the fact that Layla didn't have any reaction to her tasty lunch.

"Okay," Layla said. 'When did I ask?' layla thought to herself.

"What did your mommy give you?"

"Nothing"

"Okay then, what did your daddy give you?" Melanie asked, rolling her eyes.

"I don't have that."

"You don't have a daddy or a mommy?

"I have a mommy. She's just not here"'

"Why did she leave? Does she hate you? you must have done something wrong."

"No, Mumma likes me"

"Then why did she leave?"

Layla was silent. She didn't know what to say. Why did her mother leave? Does she not love her?

"I don't know, but my brothers like me"

***

Nicholas walked on the cobblestoned footpath with his hands in his pockets. The distance from the skatepark he worked at and his house was only a few kilometers away and Layla's preschool happened to be on the way. Walking was his preferred method of transport.

He walked into the preschool to see a bunch of little kids and parents scattered around, talking to each other. He also spotted a group of kids sitting on a flight of stairs waiting for their parents to pick them up. Layla was one among them.

Melanie saw Nik waving at Layla before Layla did. "Who's that?" she asked "I thought you didn't have a daddy."

"That's Nik, my brother," Layla said, picking up her bag and already walking towards her brother.

'Brother? How come I don't have a brother?' Melanie was jealous, to say the least.

"Hey kid! How was your first day? Did you like it? Did you make any friends?" Nicholas was more excited than Layla for her first day.

"No, didn't make  any friends"

"No? Who was that girl you were talking to then?"

"Melanie"

"She's not your friend?"

"No"

"Okay" Nik chuckled, ruffling Layla's hair. "Let's get home. Deena and her girlfriend will be coming over in a while. They're really excited to meet you. Oooooh, and Jace and I are going to the store tomorrow so we can do up your room. You'll finally have your own room! Wait you never told us what colour you want your room. What colour do you want to paint it?"

Nik had already told Layla all about himself in past few days. She was very excited to hear Nik had a food truck of his own. Nik even told her that she could come with him someday.

"Any colour is okay"

"Alright then, let's go," Nik said, taking hold of Layla's hand

Summer vacation is coming to an end, so I don't know how often I will be able to update considering the number of assignments they're going to dump on me, but I'll try my best to keep up my schedule.

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter and please vote if you liked it <3

-M