His Sweet Revenge

Chapter 45.

THREE DAYS LATER.

He hates me. He has to hate me. There's no way he doesn't hate me.

I never got to tell him I love him.

"What about The Princess Diaries?"

I pull at a loose thread from the pillow on my lap. "I'm not in the mood, Iris."

She frowns, stacking old CDs and sliding them to the center of my bed.

"Layla ..."

A tear slides down my cheek and I wipe away before she can notice. "I'm fine. Could you please just leave me alone for a while?"

She sighs, getting up. "I'll come back in an hour."

I want to smile but my mouth won't let me. So instead I nod. She clicks my door shut on her way out. And once she's gone, I can't control the sobs that escape me. I cry like I've never cried before, my heart breaking into millions of pieces, and I feel actual pain in my chest.

I cry so hard I get nauseous. But I keep crying, crying until the tears finally dry. My heart is yearning for only one person in this entire world. And I can't have him. I probably won't ever again.

The ache is followed by emptiness and I stare at the paint of my wall for what feels like hours.

"Hey," my mom says, stepping into my room. "Lunch is ready."

She used to be a woman I used to look up to. Someone I aspired to be. I still do. But I lost a lot of respect for her. How can you tell your own child who they can and can not love?

"I'm not hungry."

She's not happy with that answer. "Layla, you have to eat. My wedding is in a week and I'd appreciate it if you looked fed in the pictures."

I scoff. "Could you be any more selfish? I had a gun to my head three days ago and you're worried about how I'm going to look in your wedding pictures? Make sure they lather their best foundation all over my neck too?"

"Layla, I get it, you're upset. But please don't act this way with me. I'm trying to give you some normalcy."

I shake my head. "I'm not upset." I'm miserable.

She leaves me in the silence of my room. After a while I get up and head downstairs, my muscles aching from sitting all day.

Nate left this morning to propose to Grace, so it's only Grandma, Grandpa, Hale, and Mom left in this house. They're all in the living room.

I make my way to the kitchen and grab the Tylenol from the medicine cabinet, washing two down with water. Crying has given me a massive headache.

Hale walks into the kitchen. He looks tired. His beard is growing and unshaven, and he has exhaustion present in his gait.

"All right?"

I nod, setting my glass in the sink. Then I clear my throat, shifting on my feet. "How's Gray?"

Hale hesitates, rubbing his stubble. "He seems okay ... considering the circumstances."

"Can I see him?"

Hale clicks his tongue. "Layla ... your mom wouldn't agree to that, you know that."

"Well, I'm not asking my mom ... I'm asking you."

He sighs. "Don't do that. Don't put me in that position. That's not fair."

I nod, swiping the rag over the already clean counter. "Have you talked to him today?"