OFF-SIDE

𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝖊𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙

Nash
Layla stares at her phone for a moment before looking up and the expression on her face tells me that something is wrong, she clears her throat "have you texted Adrian today?" She asks and I raise a brow "no?" I reply, "have you?" I add and her cheeks redden already telling me the answer "um what? no." She says then releases a frustrated breath "okay maybe." She says and I'm sure the look I give isn't approachable.

"What?" She asks her eyes wide, I suck in a deep breath then narrow my eyes "stay away from him Layla, Jesus." I say and she makes a face at me, "what's wrong?" I ask and she seems grateful for the topic change, "I didn't really understand but he mentioned that some pictures were taken of us. And there is blood scattered on them or something like that, anyway, the point is, they want us all there." She says and I nod, this shit is getting out of our hands, someone is going to get hurt I can feel it.

"what are we gonna do?" She asks, her brows furrowed, I take my time trying to find an answer, but none of them make common sense so I go with the easier, "let's go and decide together, better than just both of us." I tell her and she nods understanding my point, "but first we need to go buy something." I tell her and her brows shoot up "what is it?" She asks, "we're buying Octavia a new fucking phone." I say rolling my eyes and she smiles.

***

I knock on the door and it opens, and I find myself staring at six feet four, an annoyed person, "finally." Adrian says dryly, then opens the door wider, "we are late for a reason." I say defensively, "I'm sure it's not convincing." He says his lips twitching "are you always here?" Layla asks him changing the topic and he raises a brow while shrugging his shoulder "this is like..my house just like it's Octavia's, I was raised here." He says and my brows shoot up, yes Octavia and him are close but it never crossed my mind that they're That close,

"Now come inside we have bigger problems than discussing my existence here." He says and strides towards the living room and we follow him, I find Octavia's older brothers sprawled across the couch, Brendan holding a book in his hand, Xander glaring at Cole who's calmly smiling at him obviously enjoying whatever the fuck made him mad, and then there's her.

She's sitting on the opposite couch and holding Adrian's phone while smiling, and the sight itself makes my mood lighten a hundred more times, she looks up as if she's sensing my arrival and her eyes immediately meet mine, and her smile widens, his phone rings in her hand and she passes it to him "your brother." She says making a face at him and he raises a brow as he picks up, "you're right on time." She mocks while raising a brow amused, "I had to stop to buy this." I say and shove the phone in her hand, her eyes widen and she gasps when she realizes what it's.

Adrian turns to look at me and a smile spreads on his face, a rare one, "so is it a convincing reason for you, darling?" I ask teasingly, "absolutely." He replies almost instantly and puts the phone in his pocket, as my grin widens, and I wink at him, "uh stop I'm blushing." He says dryly still smiling, And Octavia interrupts "you two, stop it." She says so seriously, "are you jealous of..a guy?" I ask as I drop down beside her, "he's bisexual" She says and I raise my brow already knowing this "and I'm not." I tell her and she sighs.

"Okay so since both of you are finally here, we need to discuss what's been happening and stop discussing my sexuality, I know I'm charming but that's not the time for it" Adrian states flat-out and Octavia grins, "love the fucking speech." Cole grumbles and Adrian glares at him, Xander groans as he stands up and walks downstairs, Brendan doesn't move an inch and Adrian just rolls his eyes.

"Okay so let's state our options through this situation-" Cole interrupts then stops and cocks his head to the side "what?" He asks pointing at me while raising a brow, "what?" I snort and he narrows his eyes "I just hate to break it to you, but we have no fucking options." I deadpan, "go fuck yourself." He replies, his voice calm and soothed like he's not even bothered and it drives me insane but I try to puzzle my expression not letting him win.

"Back to the point." He says to everyone as if I didn't just talk, I fight the urge to punch him just for Octavia, "we cannot, under any circumstances tell the police." He deadpans, his voice serious and edged, everyone clears their throat and nod trying to contain their panic, "and why is that, punk?" A voice comes from across the stairs as Xander jogs towards us, Cole remains unfazed "because the murder of our father will conflict badly on us and we were all there when he was shot, and if they dig into this incident and find out that he didn't actually shoot himself as we said, we will be thrown in Jail." He says and I feel the tension in the air slamming across my chest.

***

"Do you want to go out?" I ask softly and she startles "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" She asks clearing her throat, obviously drowned in her thoughts, "I asked if you want to go out." I tell her caressing her back with my hand as I set her phone up, I look up to see her expression, her eyes are..dull and empty, I don't like that look, at all.

I think of anything that'll make her change that look "You know you have a shitty taste in music." I lie and her eyes turn angry as she glares at me, good I'd rather have her angry at me than see that expression on her face again, that's not my girl, "fuck you." She says, "you wish." I reply and her pupils dilate, taken aback by my reply, I smile at her and then continue putting in my number, eventually, I pass her the phone "here, it's done." I say as she starts scrolling through it.

"You named yourself as my main fuck-boy?" She asks raising a brow playfully, I hold up my index finger "hold up, I'm gonna fix this." I say and take the phone from her then start typing rapidly on the screen and a feeling of satisfaction lingers through me after I change it "here, that's way better." I hand it to her, and a smile spreads across her face and that itself feels like a victory "so you're my ONLY fuck-boy then?" She asks teasingly, "the one and only." I grin and she rolls her eyes

"Do you want to keep going?" I ask suddenly and her brows furrow in confusion, "explain." She says twitching her lips, "I mean...the whole fake dating thing, I feel like you're not even benefiting from it." I say and she raises a brow, then shrugs her shoulder "Nah, I mean...I'm okay with it, and who said I'm not benefiting from it?" She says and my blood boils and red blurs my vision as hundreds of scenarios roam through my mind of how she's benefiting from it.

I clear my throat knowing I have no right to be mad, she's not...really my girlfriend "I didn't realize you were." I replied raising my brows, and puzzling the fire that is spreading through my veins, she puts a strand of her hair behind her ears "oh I'm." She says not giving more information and I don't press further, the only thought that keeps wandering through my mind is Nikolai's words, I have to keep her, convince her that it's not fake, but how am I gonna do that?
How am I gonna manage to do that when every single circumstance is against us? How am I gonna do that while everything is falling apart? Then suddenly I hear my father's voice in my mind, stop making excuses.

•a vote is appreciated 🫶