Discovered (6 page)

Layla rushed
out the door to Julie’s car, a few choice words silently running across her
mind. Once again, it was going to be humiliation walking into Schultz’s class.

“I want every
single detail,” Julie demanded. “Why were you over there the entire weekend?”

“Well, I can
tell you that we still haven’t started our project yet,” Layla said, smirking.

“So what did
you do?” Julie pushed.

“Mostly hung
out. Jay has some friends in town, so we spent most of the weekend with them.”

 “So, are you
like an item now?” Julie asked.

“I think so,”
Layla replied, hardly believing the turn of events over the weekend. “We’re
involved, whatever that means.”

“I’d say it
means you’re an item,” Julie confirmed.

They rushed
into Schultz’s class and breathed a sigh of relief when they noticed he wasn’t
there. Layla and Julie took the first two desks, threw their book bags on the
ground after taking out their textbooks and looked more than settled by the time
Schultz returned. Thank heaven for small miracles.

When the bell
finally rang at the end of the class, Layla shoved her textbook back in her bag
and stood to leave. Jay was next to her in an instant. “Walk you to your next
class?” he asked.

“Sure,” she
responded, smiling sweetly.

“See you at
lunch,” Julie butted in, giving Layla a knowing smirk.

“I’ll save
you a seat,” Layla called after her.

As they
walked down the hall, Layla had a sneaking suspicion that something was
bothering Jay, as though there was something he was reluctant to say. “Is
everything alright?” she asked apprehensively.

“No…yes.” He
shook his head as though trying to clear his thoughts. “Everything is fine,
it’s just, we never did start our project yet, and I was wondering when would
be a good time for you to work on it.”

“Anytime,”
she said. “How about you?”

“I’m not sure
about today or tomorrow. Can I get back to you about it?” He looked straight
ahead, walking stiffly, not bothering to keep pace with her.

Layla felt
her heart sink. The easy, comfortable way that she and Jay were together all
weekend seemed to be gone. He was like an awkward stranger to her somehow. She
felt a sharp pain in her gut, wondering if maybe he had a change of heart about
their new relationship status. This was what she had feared most, the
understanding that if a romance between them was to fail, it would ruin the
friendship that they both seemed to enjoy.

To make
matters worse, when he left her in front of her next class, he barely said good-bye
before walking away without looking at her.

‘What was
the point of that?’
she thought
bitterly. He offers to walk her to her next class then barely says a word.
Maybe he was reluctant to say whatever it was that was on his mind. She felt a
bout of nervous anticipation. She bit on her lip, stared after him, then
squared her shoulders and walked into her next class, knowing that she was too
distracted to pay much attention.

Running Jay’s
strange behavior over and over in her mind, Layla was relieved when it was time
for lunch, so that she could confide her fears in Julie.

She entered
the cafeteria and looked around for her friend. Seeing Julie wasn’t there yet,
Layla picked a deserted table to the side of the room and sat down with her
tray. She pulled out her phone and was responding to a text from her mother
when she heard the chair in front of her screech. Looking up to smile at Julie,
she felt instant agitation. It was not Julie in front of her; it was Kevin
Hartley. She put her phone away and tried to smile as sincerely as she could,
but her heart just wasn’t in it. She needed Julie there fast.

“How was your
weekend?” Kevin asked. “Did you miss me?”

“I was too
busy to miss anyone,” Layla said, wishing to all that was holy that he’d just
go away. She really didn’t have the patience at the moment.

“So do you
know if you’re going to New York for Thanksgiving yet?” he asked.

“We haven’t
really decided yet,” Layla answered truthfully. “My mom was going to decide
this morning after she talked to her sister and tell me later today.”

“Well, in
that case, I was thinking…” Hartley trailed off and squared his shoulders
slightly. “If you don’t go to New York, why don’t you go to the Thanksgiving
dance with me?”

“Because
she’ll be going with me,” a voice said from behind Layla. She turned to see Jay
towering over the table, glaring at Kevin.

“I will?”
Layla asked, looking at Jay with confusion. That was counterintuitive to what
she had worried about for the last two classes.

Jay must have
misjudged her expression because he suddenly looked awkward and regretful.
“Well, assuming I asked you very, very politely, and that you graciously agreed,”
he said ruefully.

Layla giggled
at his response.

Kevin looked
back and forth between Jay and Layla, scowling. “I’ll just mosey along then,”
he said with utter disgust, standing up from the table. “Later, Layla,” he
added before walking away.

 “That was
incredibly rude of me,” Jay said apologetically. “Not to mention,
presumptuous.”  He walked to the far side of the table and sat in the seat that
Hartley had just vacated.

“Yes, it
was,” Layla said firmly, but then a smile broke on her lips. “But under the
circumstances, you’re forgiven.”

“Circumstances?”

“Hartley was
acting like his typical conceited self, as though I should have been thrilled
that he asked.” She didn’t bother telling him that the rest of the
circumstances were due to her misunderstanding his previous demeanor and
assuming that he wanted to end their relationship so soon.

“Sorry,” Jay
said again.

“No, that’s
okay, but did you have something you’d like to ask me?”

“No…” Jay
said, looking confused.

“Really?” she
replied, widening her eyes.

“Ah!” Jay
blurted out, the penny dropping. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me
to the Thanksgiving dance?”

“What a
gentlemanly proposal,” Layla said. “I’m impressed.”

“So is that a
yes
then?” Jay questioned.

“While I was
impressed by your delivery, I still need to weigh up my options,” Layla said
light-heartedly.

“Of course,”
Jay replied, nodding as seriously as he could manage through his playful smirk.
“A lady can’t appear too eager.”

“No, she
can’t,” Layla agreed, playing along. “And a gentleman should be left to wonder
the nature of the lady’s affections.”

“It’s only
proper,” Jay added, nodding his approval.

Layla smiled
with relief to see the familiar, sweet and attentive Jay back.

Julie showed
up at that moment and sat down next to Jay. “Hey, guys, what’s up?” she asked.

“It looks
like I’m going to the Thanksgiving dance,” Layla informed her.

“You are?”
Jay questioned like it was news to him. “With whom?”

Layla picked
up the cap of her water bottle and flicked it at him, causing him to laugh.

“Well, since
you’re taking her,” Julie said, turning to face Jay, “I think I should inform
you that it happens to be her birthday that day.”

“Julie!” Layla
screeched. “How could you?”

“What’s the
big deal?” Julie answered. “It’s not like you’re turning fifty.”

“Eighteen?”
Jay questioned, looking expectantly at Layla.

“Yes,” Julie
answered for her, then ducked another water bottle cap.

“So I’ll be
taking a woman to the dance,” Jay said with amusement flashing across his face.
“That adds an interesting new dimension to the night.”

“You have a
really big mouth,” Layla scolded, glaring at Julie.

Layla was
quiet during most of the lunch break, watching Jay and Julie banter like old
friends. She laughed inwardly at the idea that she thought he was having doubts
about their budding relationship. Now he seemed overly eager to win the
approval of her friend.

Sure enough,
when the bell rang, Jay leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I
just got a call from Ben, and he doesn’t need me tonight after all, so if you
want to work on the project…” he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders.

“Is that like
a code-word for something else?” Julie butted in. “Because I’ve had it from a
reliable source that there hasn’t been any project being worked on between the
two of you.”

“You really
are a big-mouth,” Layla scolded.

Jay laughed
at Layla’s petulance. “No, Julie, we really just haven’t gotten around to it
yet, but I’m confident we can make a big dent in it this evening.”

The rest of
the day went much more pleasantly for Layla.

After last
class, she threw on her backpack and went to meet Julie by her car, but when
she got there, Jay was already standing with Julie, both engrossed in a casual
conversation.  

“Hey,” Layla
said, smiling up at him.

“How about
six-thirty?” Jay asked, his typical warm smile back in place.

Just then, a
loud whistle caused all three of them to turn. Joey was running toward them,
smiling broadly. “Jay, there you are,” he called out.

“I thought
you were going back up north?” Jay said when Joey came to a stop in front of
them.

Joey ignored
Jay’s statement and looked Julie over. “And who is this?” he said, staring at
her appreciatively.

“Joey, this
is my friend, Julie,” Layla said by way of introduction.

“Julie…” Joey
sighed. “As in Juliet?”

“Actually,
that’s my real name,” Julie replied, smiling.

“Juliet…”
Joey said with a smirk. “I would be your Romeo anytime.”

Julie let out
a girlish giggle.

“So why are
you here?” Jay said loudly, causing Joey to turn on his heels.

“Issy and I
need you to drive us to the airport,” he replied.

“Where’s Ben?”
Jay asked.

“He had
something he needed to do. We were going to call a car service, but Ben
suggested that he drop us of here instead. He knew you wouldn’t mind taking
us,” Joey said, smirking in Jay’s direction.

“So
thoughtful,” Jay answered sarcastically.

Layla wondered what Ben
needed to do that was so important, considering the fact that he was only in
the area to spend time with Jay, but just then, the sound of someone calling
her name caused her to turn and expel the thought from her head entirely.

Issy was
jogging over, smiling. “Layla,” she called out.

“Hi, Issy,”
Layla replied, happy to see her new friend again. “What time’s your flight?”

“In a little
over an hour,” Issy replied. She smiled in Julie’s direction.

“This is my really
good friend, Julie,” Layla explained.

“Hi, Julie,”
Issy said. “Any friend of Layla’s is cool by me.”

“Thank you,”
Julie answered.

“Juliet,”
Joey amended.

Issy rolled
her eyes. “I hope my brother hasn’t been bothering you,” she said. “You look
like his type.”

“Not at all,”
Julie replied, seeming flattered by the compliment.

“We’d better
get going,” Jay piped in. “I’ll pick you up at six-thirty,” he added, smiling
at Layla.

Issy turned
on him quickly as though that statement surprised her. She gave him an
‘oh, really’
look then smiled broadly.

“
No me mires así,” Jay said quietly, putting his hand on
the small of Issy’s back and leading her toward the Range Rover.

“They seem really
nice,” Julie said, staring after them.

“Yes, they are,”
Layla agreed.

When they were seated
in the car, Julie turned to Layla with a quizzical look. “Why was Jay speaking
Spanish to Issy?” she asked.

“It’s just
something they do,” Layla replied.

“Don’t you find
that odd, though?” Julie pushed. “I mean, Jay looks Spanish, but his last name
would suggest otherwise.”

“Maybe his mom is
Spanish,” Layla replied, shrugging her shoulders. “I never thought to ask him.
It seems none of my business what he and Issy do. Jay, Issy and Joey have been
friends since they were tiny kids, along with their other friend, Ben.”

“Still…don’t look
at me like that. What did that mean?” Julie questioned.

“What do you mean?”
Layla asked.

“Honestly, Layla, I’ll
never understand why you decided to take another science class instead of
Spanish. That’s what he said to her. After he told you that he’d pick you up at
six-thirty, she gave him a look like that surprised her, and then he said
‘don’t
look at me like that’
. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it just
seemed odd.”