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"Layla! Hey, Layla! You coming in soon?" Henry called out as he hung out of the back porch door, "Mosquitos are gonna eat you alive!"
The pair of dolphins eating from the girls hand swam off when she gave a minor whistle, turning around as her hair blew in the wind and sun caught her eye perfectly, "Coming!"
"What I tell you about feeding those dolphins? They're gonna get needy soon." Henry spoke as Layla walked up the small hill, back up to the small sugar shack and away from the docks.
"They're my only friends here." Layla said honestly as she walked into the house, the back door shutting behind her, "Besides, they like me."
"They like you because you feed em." Henry said as Layla sat down, "Finish your school?"
"We only had orientation and a essay about our summer." Layla nodded as he laid the plate before her, "My summer essay was all about dolphin training."
Henry gave her a minor grin, "I know this is hard, not being with your friends."
Layla shrugged, "It is but what can I do? Go home and be sent to a church school that is actually just border line conversion therapy?"
"The lawyer has a good case going right now. You get to stay with me until the trial is over and then I got custody and we move." Henry spoke as he looked across the table at his niece, "No more homeschool, no more Raymond, and no more of you having no friends."
Layla cracked a smile, "You're my friend."
"You bet your ass I am." he said back with a grin, tearing into the mac and cheese. Layla was about to do the same before her phone buzzed, making her eyes cast over at the screen. The Unknown number shined up at her as she dropped her fork.
"That your dad again?" Henry asked, being ignored as she stared at the screen with wide eyes, "Layla?"
The image of Sarah and John B sent Layla into a void, clutching her phone as she blinked.
Kiara: WTF is this you???
Unknown: Is JJ there?
JJ: I'm here Bree
Unknown: Did you pimp my short board?
Layla gave a sudden laugh at how familiar the words were, bringing her comfort to know John B was there. Her eyes swelled with salty tears as she began typing through the blurry vision.
Layla: And Sarah?
Unknown: Feel like making out in a bathroom again?
Layla laughed suddenly as she cried, her heart thumping as she stared at her phone.
"You're scaring me." Henry said as his niece looked up with a bright smiled and tears, "You smilin'? Cryin?"
"They're alive." Layla said as she stood up, "My friends. They're alive."
