Hopelessly Falling [book 2]

Chapter Sixteen

XVI
• • •

**Layla's POV**

Once Ashton, Kevin, and Jake left the car to head into the store, I awkwardly turned to Eli and smiled. He caught my gaze and returned it.

"So how's your day been," I asked, and he chuckled.

"You've been with me all day," he reminded me, and I gave him a smug smile.

"Must have been amazing, then," I mused, and he laughed, but then my gaze moved down to were I saw what looked like the top part of a bruise peaking out from under his sleeve on his arm. "How'd you get that?" I asked, and reached to lift up the sleeve a little. His skin was warm and soft in the quick moment that my fingers brushed against them as I moved it up.

"Football," he explained, and I nodded, "you should stay away from football guys, they all suck."

"Does that include you?" I grinned, dropping his sleeve again and looking back up at his kind, brown eyes.

"Yeah, actually," he admitted, and I rolled my eyes at him with a chuckle.

"Oh please, you don't suck," I sat back in my seat again. "You're right- they suck, but not you."

"Agree to disagree," he chuckled again, "you didn't really see me in high school."

"I saw you when you were 14, and you were nice," I countered.

"Yeah, well, a lot changed since then," he looked back over at me, and I nodded.

"A lot has changed about both of us, I'd say," I agreed, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes dance around my features for a moment as he agreed.

The car was silent for a little while before I decided to pick up my phone to scroll through it. However, in true Layla fashion, I somehow managed to fucked it up.

My phone slipped out of my hand right after I picked it up, falling backwards and defying the laws of physics to land behind Eli's seat. Without thinking about it, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed on top of the center console to reach down for it.

It took me much too long to realize that I was practically shoving my ass in Eli's face.

I jumped when I realized this and lost my balance, falling down on top of him in a very uncomfortable position. My stomach was on his lap, my head stuck under the steering wheel and my legs, well, let's just say that they were in a very compromising position on his.. ehem.. shoulders.

He was laughing under me as I tried to scramble off of him, hitting my head on the steering wheel. And although this was a terrible, unfortunate turn of a events, hang in there kids- cuz it got worse from there.

Trying to find a place on the seat to push down on to lift myself up, I accidentally put my hand on his.. you know.. private area. And it was, well... lets just say that his little buddy had been a little excited.

He knew I felt it. I knew I felt it. And he immediately stopped laughing. I usually would have laughed in this situation, but instead I removed my hand awkwardly and finally got myself back into my seat.

We both cleared our throats at the same time, starting to say something but not knowing what to say.

It was awkward, and painful, don't get me wrong... but like.. I made him feel that way?? Something in me fluttered a bit at the thought.

I finally let myself laugh after another few moments. And boy did I laugh. I don't know if I'd ever laughed harder. Or if I'd ever made anything harder, I should say.