You Proof • Spencer White

Chapter One

After the rather terrible start to the day, Layla found herself ranting to Darren and quinni about her predicament. The trio were walking through the quad quite quickly but Layla tripped over her shoelaces and tumbled to the floor.

She groaned and stood up before dusting her knees and picking up her backpack from the floor.

"Darren can you hold this for me please?" Layla outstretched her arm and handed them her bag which was heavier than normal due to the copious amounts of alcohol she had stolen from her father's booze cabinet that he never checked.

Darren's face contorted into one of sheer confusion as the muffled sound of  bottles clinking and clattering come from the bag. They narrowed their eyes and smiled, knowing that she would share with them and quinni later.

"How was London?" Quinni perked up from the notebook she was writing in and looked at her friend with a questioning glance.

Layla sighed and bent down to tie up the laces of her boots tightly so that she wouldn't trip again.

"Great. You know I'm convinced people lie about the weather being shit there because it was actually alright." She exhaled and sat back up to take the bag back from Darren when one of the kids from a lower year level came running out into the quad screaming.

"There's a fully gacked sex map on the wall in the old stairwell!"

Confused and intrigued murmurs ereupted, everybody quickly followed after the frantic girl in search for some new gossip they could bully kids about for the rest of the school year. Layla honestly couldn't care less about the sexual promiscuity her classmates got up to, but she sure as hell hoped her sexual endeavours were not painted up on the wall for people to see.

Layla, Quinni and Darren scampered through the quad and through the old, tattered door that led to the abandoned stairwell, they pushed through the crowd of people standing around and gawking at the utter monstrosity plastered across the wall.

"What the fuck... Layla why didn't you tell me?" Darren exclaimed and clutched at the material of their shirt as they turned their head to the side to look at the brunette girl.

"Tell you what?"

"Look, it's right there on the wall for you to see." They say and point to the wall in frustration as the murmur of shocked voices and gossip rang through the small stairwell area.

Fuck.

Layla looked on in horror as her eyes met the green lettering of her name and the various lines sprawling from hers and onto other people's. According to whoever made the map, she had been very busy last year.

Layla could hear the conversations around her as the reality of the situation dawned on her classmates and peers; their sexcapades were scribbled over a wall that was now surrounded by half of the kids in their year level. Secrets never stay secrets in high school — especuially Hartley High.

"What the fuck Layla?" Darren creeped up behind her drawing the attention of unwanted eyes. "You had a fucking threesome with Spider and Ant?"

Layla rolled her eyes and jabbed Darren in the shoulder with her index finger.

"No!" She hissed. "I didn't have a threesome at all you fucknuckle."

The truth is, every line and scribble extending from the circle around Layla's name was false. The map was more than likely the product of gossip and backstabbing friends.

"This map is bullshit." She huffed and turned quickly on her heels so that she could try to make a quick exit, but she was stopped by a figure leaning against the doorframe of the stairwell.

Before Layla could even look up, she knew who it was. The familiar scent of his cologne and aftershave filled her nostrils, attacking the scent receptors viciously causing her nose to contort in disgust.

"Fuck spider, go easy on the aftershave." She winced and brought her hand up to clamp over her mouth and nose.

"We need to talk, ley." He ignored her insult and stood still, showing no signs of moving any time soon.

"I'm not interested right now, I need to get to English and speak to Miss Obah about the homework." She retorted and lifted her arm to shove him out of the way.

"At least talk to me later! Layla, you can't just run away!" He screamed after her as she rushed past him; bottles still clinking in her bag as her feet slammed against the floor.

"Fuck off, spider."