Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot! Songs, characters, products, NOTHING! Is that clear? Alright then, read on my happy readers!

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Layla couldn't believe what had just happened merely 20 minutes ago.

-xXx-

Layla was ranting on about dolphin abuse to her 5 month boyfriend and best friend, Will Stronghold. Will stood before her, looking ever so jittery and anxious to speak.

"Layla, I'm dating Gwen." Will blurted out.

"W-What?" Layla asked with a sheepish laugh. She thought he was joking.

"I'm going out with Gwen, Layla. We've been going out for a while. Layla, I just wasn't feeling the same. You're too...conserved. I wasn't going to push you to acting in a way you felt uncomfortable...so I kind of hooked up with Gwen because...she can reach up to my expectations in a girlfriend. Layla, I'm so sorry but...we're just not couple material." Will explained sadly.

Tears welled up in Layla's eyes but she held them back.

"Will...are you sure about this?" She asked. Her voice cracked.

Will nodded hesitantly. Layla looked as if she was going to strangle him with a vine. She took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"You're right, Will. I am too conservative. I'll work on that. I hope you like the new me, Will. Good-bye." Layla managed to say with an angry tone, despite her shaky breaths. She took one last glance at Will before storming off, leaving Will on her dimly lit porch.

"I'm sorry, Layla...I hope we can still be friends..." Will whispered as he walked away in the opposite direction.

-xXx-

Layla didn't know where she was headed. She just let the tears fall freely down her cheeks as she sobbed as silently as she could manage. She walked the dark, chilly street with her head hanging low. When she managed to control her crying, her stomach let out a manly growl. Even if there wasn't anyone around, she blushed.

Layla raised her head and could see the Paper Lantern up ahead. Lanterns hung from the entrance, giving the restaurant a pleasant, welcoming look. Layla felt the chilly wind pick up around her and picked up the pace towards the restaurant. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to warm herself up. She entered the restaurant and was greeted by a gust of cold air. She walked to the booth farthest from the entrance. The one in the left corner. She sat down and hugged herself tightly. Goosebumps trialed down her body as she glanced at the menu.

Layla heard a familiar voice from behind her but she couldn't quite make out who the voice belonged to. She glanced back and saw the voice was coming from a waiter. Tall, lean but muscular and well-toned, creamy tan skin, his light brown hair was tied up in a messy bun. He had a white apron hanging from his neck and other than that he just wore a simple red shirt with the sleeves cut off and sandy shorts.

Layla's eyes trailed down from his muscular arms, down his wide, muscular back, down to his...wait!

Layla! Get a hold of yourself! You just got dumped by the love of you life! What are you thinking? And to top that off, it's Warren Peace. Warren Peace! Your friend sort-of-speak. Layla mentally argued with herself.

The thought of Will caused her to drop her head onto the rather sticky booth. She ignored the pain and just groaned inwardly. She hadn't noticed someone was standing right beside her, looking at her like she had a big red nose.

"Hey." He said as the last customers left the restaurant. "What are you doing here, Hippie?" He asked as he slid into the booth across from her.

Layla lazily lifted her head off the table and rested her chin on one of her hands, not looking up at him. Layla had been the only one to ever see Warren's...softer side. That's why it was safe to say they were friends.

"What do people normally do at restaurants?" She asked sarcastically.

"I'm going to ignore that. You look horrible. What's up, Hippie?" Warren asked.

Layla looked faced away from Warren. She didn't want her tear-stained face and red, puffy eyes to give her away.

"Nothing, Warren. I'm just fine." Layla said, trying to make her voice cheery again.

"Not buyin' it, Hippie. Spill." Warren said as he leaned on his forearms, getting closer to her.

"Don't worry about it, Dragon. You wouldn't care much anyway." Layla said, waving her hand dismissively.

Warren snorted at her nickname for him. "Try me." He pressed on.

Layla sighed as she began her story. "Will came to my house this evening. We settled to just talking for a while and everything was fine. When I thought he was listening to me, he blurted something out." Layla said.

"And..." Warren pressed on curiously.

"He said he was dating Gwen. He was cheating on me with Gwen. He said he wasn't feeling it anymore. That I was too conserved and that Gwen would more likely 'reach up to his expectations'. He said we weren't couple material. I told him that he was right. That I was too conservative. I told him I would work on that and I told him that I hoped he like the new me. Then I just walked off and left him there." Layla said with a sob.

Warren sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So he preferred a whore, huh? What a dick." Warren said angrily. "Well, that proves it. He doesn't deserve you. He needed someone that was as low as him." Warren said trying to comfort Layla.

Layla would have defended Will but she hurt too much to give it much thought.

"Thanks, Warren." Layla whispered with a faint smile.

"Man, and the night before prom. What a shithead." Warren said rather casually.

Layla slammed her head against the table and shook as her sobs escaped. "Prom! Will was my date! I was looking forward to the Junior prom. I put so much effort into planning and decorating for it." Layla wailed miserably.

"Shut up, Hippie. You're gonna get kicked out and get me in a shitload of trouble." Warren whispered at her angrily.

Layla bought her throbbing head up and wiped at the tears with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry." She sobbed.

"Listen, he is a pompous jerk that doesn't know he just traded a new toy for a used old rag. Wills' an idiot. Don't bug out over him, Layla." Warren said in his soft tone.

Layla nodded weakly. "He is a jerk." Layla said angrily.

"And Gwens' a total bitch. You'll get over it. Don't waste anything over those two numbskulls." Warren said encouragingly.

Layla's fist clenched and her jaw clenched. Warren smirked deviously and leaned closer towards his heart-broken friend.

"Do you want to get back at them?" Warren asked tentatively.

Layla looked into his dark brown eyes and saw the sparkle of excitement in them. Layla slowly unclenched her fist and thought about it.

Will had been her best friend for a long time and she was just too kindhearted. But...Will was so cruel to her tonight and Layla was crushed.

She took in a deep breath. "Hell yes, I do." She said. "What do you have in mind?"

Warren grinned. Layla couldn't help but smile back. His smile made her feel butterflies but Layla pushed that feeling away and replaced it with excitement.

"Well, how about we kidnap the bitch and lock her in a trunk full of rats and snakes until the prom party ends. We'll take Will and tie him to a tree. You can choke him out with some vines and I'll burn the dead corpse into ashes. How's that?" Warren said excitedly. Too excitedly.

Layla gave him a skeptical look. "As well as I know that you would love to do that, I think we should do something...less sadistic." Layla said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well then, Hippie, what do you have in mind?" Warren said skeptically.

Layla was thoughtful for a few minutes until she finally came to a ridiculous conclusion.

"Well, since we want to get back at him for what he did, why don't you and I go to prom together?" Layla said suggestively and slightly sheepishly.

Warren looked at her for what seemed to be an eternity. Layla gave him time to make up a polite enough response. What Warren said next, wasn't the 'Are you insane?' or 'Hell no, are you crazy?' that Layla had anticipated.

"Had it been for any other reason, I would have kicked you out...as it were, I'm in." Warren said with a faint smirk.

Layla's eyes widened. "Really?"

Warren shrugged. "Sure. So at what time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?" He asked casually.

Layla was about to answer when an angry man started yelling from the kitchen. Warren sighed and rolled his eyes.

"He said it's closing time. Damn, I didn't even take you're order." Warren said annoyed. He slid out of the booth and stretched.

"That's OK." She said as she slid out of the booth. "I guess I'll go home now. See ya, Warren." She said as she started walking away.

Warren grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "Hippie, it's 10:00 p.m. I'll walk you home." He said as he hung his apron up, grabbed his jacket and walked out, despite his boss yelling at him in Cantonese.

Layla followed him out hurriedly. "Warren, I can walk myself home safely. Don't worry about it." Layla said as she got in his way.

"Listen, Hippie, you're capable of stopping and talking to a tree for the rest of the night. I'll walk you, end of discussion." Warren said with his threatening glare.

Layla nodded as he walked around her. She followed him silently.

"Thank you for helping me, Warren." Layla said in her sweet tone.

"Hmph, don't mention it." He said without looking at her.

Layla knew that he meant it quiet literally so she was quite until Warren broke the awkward silence.

"At what time will you be ready?" He asked, still not looking at her.

"Is 6:30 alright?" She asked suggestively.

"Sure. Here you are. I'll see you tomorrow." Warren said as he turned and headed off without another word.

Layla watched him walk away. She knew it was a selfish thought but, she liked the fact he was only nicer with her. When Warren was only a speck in her sight, she entered the house. Her mother was sitting on the couch taking notes from a cooking show.

"Mom, I'm home." Layla said tiredly.

Her mother placed the pad and pen aside and walked over to her daughter. She put her hands on either side of her arms and looked into her eyes.

"Layla, where were you? You left without a word. What happened?" Her mother questioned worriedly.

Layla sighed. "Will came here to break up with me for Gwen. Rather rudely if you ask me. I just stormed off and went into the restaurant, Paper Lantern, and I ended up talking to Warren about it. He helped me out through it and then he walked me here." Layla said unamused.

Her mom blinked in shock. "Gwen? The stuck-up girl you can't stand? And Warren? The scary, dangerous, bad boy, pyrokinetic?" She asked the Warren part more shocked.

"Yes and yes...but...Warren isn't all that bad. He's actually really nice." Layla said with a weak smile and a yawn. Before her mother could question her about Warren, she walked up the stairs. "I'm exhausted, I'm off to bed after a quick shower. Remember to wake me up for dress-shopping with Magenta. Tomorrows' the junior prom."

"Alright honey, I love you." She called after her daughter. She sighed and walked back to the living room.

Layla took a quick shower and soon after plopped down into her bed, immediately falling asleep.

So, that was it! Review, flames welcomed because I know Warren was way OOC, just don't be rude. I'll try to update soon as long as I have enough reviews. I'm sorry this was really short! It'll work it's way into longer chapters.