Hope you enjoy this first chapter! if you do i will post another one soon, but I want to see how this goes first. I would appreciate some reviews and thanks for reading! :)

I quickly ran down the hall, holding my shoulder bag in my arms. I frantically looked at the map in my hand, trying to follow the directions from it that cal tried to explain to me last night down the phone- they weren't easy to follow at all.

Damn it, I was so late! My professor is going to frickin' kill me.

I felt the worry begin to lift from my chest as I saw the door I had been looking for. I pushed through it and without me seeing him in time, I ran straight into someone. We both fell to the ground hard, me on top of the person of whoever I crashed into.

I opened my eyes to see a man in his 50's, my face immediately turned bright red. I seperated myself from him as fast as I could and began picking up the papers that were now scattered around the room.

"Shit, I'm so sorry!"

The man slowly got up, straightening out his suit and glasses. He didn't look impressed with me or the language that I just used.

"I'm guessing you're the new student?" He said as he watched me pick up all the papers.

"Yeah, I'm late, I know."

The professor cleared his throat.

"Take a sit miss Daniels..." He ordered.

I looked around the room to see all the students watching me, especially the boys. I scanned the room to look fo- there he is!

The seats next to him were taking but the blonde boy next to him had a free sit and it was act the only free seat. The blonde boys head laid on the desk lazily, but when he saw me and the professor collide he suddenly took an interested in the lesson. He watched me obviously amused as I slowly made my way to the seat next to him.

I sat down and he looked at me for a few moments until he laid his head backdown on the desk. I turned and saw cal grinning at me, he was even more amused than the blonde boy.

"Nice entrance lays" he joked.

"Shut up cal, it was your shitty map which made me late in the first place." I whispered as the professor carried on with his lecture.

The blonde boy between us perked up again, looking at cal surprised.

"You know her?" He asked shocked.

"Layla's family is a friend of my mothers." He explained to the blonde.

Caleb Danvers, I hardly visited here in Ipswich but him and Evelyn always visited me and my dad, which was nice but I always wanted to see what Cals life was like since he knew so much about mine. Evelyn and William knew my mom and dad from growing up here. I hated how my parents never wanted me to see the hometown they grew up in. But now, I'm here for college and I get to live my life, how I want to! It was so exciting and new to me, I couldn't help but grin like an idiot at the thought of it.

"This is Reid." Caleb motioned to the blonde boy who laid his head back down again.

I looked at his hands which had fingerless gloves on them, I don't know why I found it odd- but I did. I wasn't sure if it was for some sort of fashion thing or just because of the cold wet weather.

It had been a long day and now it was finally lunch. Caleb showed me to the table he sat at and all his friends were very welcoming so far. I had already met Sarah and Kate, who were lovely and we got on really well in the short space of time we had met. I could tell Reid was the 'player' of Ipswich, the amount of girls who had tried to talk to him was unreal- the boy must have got around.

"This is Pogue and Tyler!" Sarah said excitedly as she sat next to cal.

Kate instantly sat next to Pogue and he put one arm around his shoulder. I eased myself between Tyler and Reid as they both began to steal Cals fries.

"So, what made you come Ipswich Layla?" Kate asked as she watched Pogue take a bite out of his burger.

"Well my parents are from here so I thought I would come here for college, but enough about me- what about you guys? Are you all on the swimming team?" I asked looking at each one of the boys.

They all nodded in response.

"Do you swim?" Tyler asked me

"Um..."

"She can't swim" I gave cal a thankful smile for stepping in.

"Well are you good at anything?" Reid asked sounding quite harsh which surprised all of us.

"Layla sings."Cal came to my defence, I couldn't help but grin at his father like tone.

I heard a slight snicker from Reid, who I gave a dirty look.

"You got a boyfriend?" Reid asked again, he was sure coming our with the questions all of a sudden.

"Nope, and I don't want one." I said sounding a little snappy.

Boys were a touchy subject with me, I wasn't really keen on talking about my love life nor was I going to with this womaniser.

"I'm going to get some food." I muttered under my breath as I got up from the table.

I began dishing up my food on my tray until I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. I didn't take any notice at first but then they greeted themselves.

"Hey, I'm Aaron." A boy with longish brown hair said as he suddenly appeared at my side.

I kept my attention on the food I was dishing up as I spoke.

"Hi... I'm Layla." I said feeling awkward at his greeting.

"So you're new here right?"

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"That better be a rhetorical question."

His face suddenly dropped as soon as I said that.

"I meant becaus-"

"Have you seen me here before?"

He shook his head and stood there awkwardly.

I turned away from him and began walking back to my table until I felt his hand on my arm.

"I'm not done talking to you." His ego was obviously hurt by the way I had just spoken to him, and I could see from the corner of my eye his buddies laughing at him.

I looked at him for a moment shocked at how rough his grip was.

This is my problem with boys, they always got a bit too hands on with me. The last time this happened to me I actually broke the guys nose, I was so freaking scared and I just lashed out, it also got me kicked out of one of my schools. The wonders that money can do to get you into colleges.

But this time I wasn't that tough persona, I was that day. I was now standing completely shocked and I couldn't move. I tried pushing male attention away as much as possible because of the misfortune I've had in my life with them will forever cloud my judgement.

What happened in the next few seconds I cannot explain to you, so don't get me to try to.

Aaron suddenly flew back into one of the cafeteria tables, it made me jump causing me to drop my tray of food. My hand went over my mouth in shock as all the students watched the scene.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, I quickly turned around prepared to defend myself for any sort of accusation which was going to be heading towards me. But I was faced with Reid and cal.

"Come on, lets get you out of here." Cal said as he put his arms around my shoulders leading me outside into the rain.

"What the hell was that?!" I said as Tyler made his way to the three of us.

The three of them just shrugged.

"Whatever it was he fucking deserved it." Reid said angrily.

Cal and Tyler looked at him funny when he said that, it was like they knew something.

"He shouldn't of grabbed you like that, and only because you showed him up in front of the cafeteria."

My eyes widened.

"Everyone saw what i said to him?"

Caleb nodded.

"You're the new girl and news travels fast in every school you go to."

"Plus you're a major hottie." Kate added as she waltz over with Sarah.

"You look pretty pale Layla, you okay?" Sarah asked like a concerned mother.

"Yeah, it's probably just the lack of sun in Ipswich." I joked.

I splashed my face with water as I looked at my own reflection in the mirror. I began adjusting my long light brown hair. My eyes stood out on my face greatly as they were green with a golden colour in them- I definitely didn't look like any of the girls around here.

This day hasn't gone as smoothly as I hoped so. Maybe everyone would forget about me over night and I will just be another boring college girl. Oh, how I wish life was that easy but school never worked like that. Everyone remembers everything, doesn't matter how old you are- they're all gossips. Every single last one of them.

I collapsed on my bed as soon as I got into my dorm, I thankfully hadn't got a roommate surprisingly- I think it had something to do with Lucy.

Shit!

I quickly scrambled through my bedside table and dialled home.

"Lucy?!" I said before she could say anything.

"Layla? You okay honey? How's school?"

I sighed in relief and fell back on my bed.

"Uh, it's great. Definitely worth it, I know this will change my life for the better." I began to exaggerate.

She didn't sound very satisfied with my answer she just gave me a "uh-huh".

"How's dad? Is he getting any better?" I said hopeful, but sadly already knowing the answer.

"Honey, you know what the doctors said-"

"No I don't Lucy, dad wouldn't let me come to any of his appointments and he won't let me know anything about his illness." I said sounding harsh.

"Lays, your father doesn't want you to be upset..."

Silent fell between us as I sat there thinking about my father and what he'd look like now. He didn't want me to see him while he was ill, he said "I want you to remember me as being well, and healthy. Not an ill, dying man."

I hated it when he said that word.

Dying.

It felt like my heart had gotten ripped out and stepped on in front of me. The day I found out he was getting ill tore me apart, I couldn't take it.

I know what y'all are thinking, 'oh poor little rich girl, must of had such a hard up bringing having all the expensive stuff you could ever want' but let me tell you something, money doesn't bring happiness. I know it's just a saying but it really doesn't, sure it can make life easier but it can also make it hard. Money can't help my dad, money can't fix mine and my moms relationship. Money can't do a lot of things, but it can help some people forget. But then again, that doesn't even last long because reality will be banging on your front door, getting ready to knock you down with the sudden realisation that you've got nothing of importance in your life.

"Can he talk? Or at least listen?" I said, knowing that these barely conversations with him will be the few last times of me speaking to him.

I heard a slight crackling noise through the line, and then I began to hear my fathers soft grunts as he took the phone from Lucy.

"Dad?" I said with slight excitement.

"L-Layla?" He said, afterwards going into a fit of coughs.

It pained me to hear him like this, my own father.

"Don't talk dad, just listen." I said before telling him about school like a normal daughter would.

I told him about my dorm which was nice and spacious since I was by myself. I told him about cal and how he's been looking after me, which made him laugh! Well, by laugh I mean one slight laugh followed by another fit of coughs but I knew he was enjoying the little things that was happening to me, and it made me smile.

I felt a lot better after talking with him, but it worried the heck out of me that he wasn't getting any better. I know what was going to happen to him but I couldn't accept it yet, but who could accept something like that? No kid could and I definitely wasn't able to.

I stood there in my dorm, all my stuff neatly around the room. I'd done all unpacking yesterday, I didn't meet cal like I was supposed to because of it.

I jumped at the harsh knock coming from my door. I swung the door open expecting to see a different person instead of who stood before me.

I leaned against my door frame, complete confusion written all over my face.

"Reid?"

He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Caleb made me come and give back your bag as well as apologise to you." He said sounding bored.

"Apologise? For what?"

"He said I wasn't very nice to you..."

I laughed at him, cal was sometimes a bit over protective of me sometimes.

I waved him off.

"You wasn't rude to me, I know that's your general attitude. Thanks for the bag."

He looked surprised at the way I reacted to what he said. He passed me my book bag and I gave him a thankful smile.

"How did you get to the girls dorms anyways? I thought it was against the rules?"

He grew a small smirk on his face.

"Never stopped me before."

I rolled my eyes at him

"I forgot, mr Reid Garwin: the local ladies man." I said sarcastically

This made him laugh, which I never expected to hear from him. I was surprised he displayed any sort of emotions, especially a happy one.

"Thanks for the bag, ill tell cal you apologised, try to get him off your back."

He nodded.

"See you tomorrow then." He said as he walked off.

"See ya."

I walked back into my dorm and stood there like I was a few moments ago.

I felt kinda lonely just here on my own, I didn't know what I could do in such an empty room all by myself. I hated being on my own sometimes...