Disclaimer: I do not own American Horror Story. I only own my OC.

A/N: Guys, I need a hug...actually I need a lot of hugs after watching episode 9 of Season 8. OMG :/ I was not ready for that. I don't wanna spoil it for those who haven't seen the episode yet but ughhhh my heart still hurts. When you watch the episode you'll understand why that is. Now we only have one more episode left before the season is over. There's still hope for things to get better. They have to get better right? I have my hopes up way to high and I should know better because it is AHS but still... xD Anyways, despite the angst I felt, it also just made me more anxious yet excited for when I head into Season 8 for this story. Adding Layla into the mix with Michael is going to be interesting, considering how obsessed he's going to be with trying to get her on his side.

There's no Kyle in this chapter but he will be in the next one for sure. I just wanted to have more Layla x Zoe scenes because of the recent episode. Ugh. The next chapter will have Zoe x Layla x Kyle interacting and it will be all gushy and nice but we all know what follows after the meet up. Happiness never truly lasts, huh? xD

Also, if you guys don't follow me on Tumblr, you should.

My account name is: ava-marie-faye.

I post stuff for all of my stories but lately I've been sharing more stuff for How Soon Is Now. I've been posting edits for when we head into Season 8. Trust me guys, I have a specific idea with how I want to take this story for when we get into the Season 8 story-line. For instance, I plan to involve Kyle more into the story, along with Zoe because they're gonna play an important role for Layla. I've noticed that Kyle hasn't appeared let alone mentioned this season and that has me like "wtf" Don't worry he will be a part of the story with mine. Plus, I want him to have more interactions with the other characters, especially with Michael for obvious reasons.

Also new OCs will be introduced. One of them is the character of Harper Watson who's face-claim is Zendaya. She's one of the younger witches at Miss Robichaux's Academy in Season 8. Layla will be her mentor, the same way Zoe was mentoring Mallory, and she's going to form a sister like bond with her. The other OC is going to be the character of Elijah Turner who's face-claim is the actor Nick Robinson. He's another young warlock studying at Hawthorne School for Exceptional Young Men. He's a close friend of Layla's, and eventually seeks help from her and the other witches when he grows suspicious of Michael. And lastly the other OC I've been posting a lot about is Tessa who's face-claim is Millie Bobby Brown. If you're wondering what role Tessa is going to play and why she's an important character, specifically for Layla, you're gonna have to check out my Tumblr. I've posted edits about her, but if you don't want to be spoiled then don't look...but if you don't mind spoilers then go ahead. I'll tell you this now though, Tessa is a precious cinnamon roll that needs to be protected, especially from Michael.

Now to answer the question that seems to be asked the most of whether this is a Layla x Zoe or Layla x Kyle pairing, I actually want it to be a Zoe x Layla x Kyle paring. As the story goes on you guys will start to see how all three of their relationships with one another progresses. A lot of you guys are asking if Madison is still going to be involved in the relationship, and it's a yes and no. There will be feelings there but it will be one sided. You guys can take a guess as to who starts falling for who *cough cough Madison cough cough* But as we'll know, Layla only has her heart set on two people ^.^ I do, however, see Layla being a Biromantic Demisexual. Which just means that she can be romantically attracted to either gender, male or female, but in order for a more physical intimate relationship to occur there needs to be an emotional connection there. Which we all know there's going to be one between her, Zoe, and Kyle. :)

"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment." ― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever

Chapter 6: Strange and unexpected

The greenhouse turned out to be one of Zoe's favorite places in the academy as well. After Layla had completed the whole tour of the academy, they both went back there. They even lost track of time with just staring at all the different plants and flowers that were in there, and talking with one another. It was during their conversation that Layla found out that Zoe favored the rose in particular. Which was yet another thing they had in common.

It wasn't until Cordelia came in and told them it was nearing dinner time that they excused themselves. Neither of them saw the smile that was on the older blonde's face as they left the greenhouse. Cordelia, having stayed behind to work on some of her potions, was left feeling happy. She was glad to see two of her newer students getting along with each other. The older witch now could only hope that the rest of her students would follow said example.

It didn't take long for Layla and Zoe to join the rest of the girls. They were now all sitting down together around the dinner table. They waited and watched as Spalding the butler was serving them their soup to eat. They were all waiting patiently, all except for Madison who was just itching to cause some mischief. And that's exactly what she did after Spalding had set her bowl of soup down.

"Hey, Jeeves. Can I get some iceberg lettuce with a side of blue cheese?" Madison cheekily asked.

Queenie right away glared at Madison. "Girl, be nice to Spalding. Poor bastard ain't got no tongue."

Madison, however, payed no mind to what she had to say. She snickered as Spalding moved on to serve Zoe her meal next. "Is that true, Jeeves? Did you use your tongue for something wicked?" Her amusement grew when she saw how affected the butler was getting from her taunts. "Or maybe you just suck at going down."

Layla just shook her head at the blonde actress for making such a crude comment. Even though Spalding was definitely more on the worse for wear side, that didn't mean Madison could be a complete jerk to him. The Bradshaw girl hoped her taunting wouldn't get to him. He usually did well on ignoring what she had to say. Layla though could feel his annoyance, and it was growing. She wasn't at all surprised to see him express his frustrated and annoyed emotions by what he did next. Spalding had set Zoe's bowl down on the table in front of her. He, however, did that move with a little more force than was needed.

Madison just found this to be even more hilarious. "Oh, come on, Jeeves!" She called out as he left pushing the serving cart back into the kitchen. "Show us your stub! Maybe we can put it to use!" Everyone at the table was either giving her a look of disgust, or straight out disbelief. Madison though did a great job ignoring them. She instead turned to look at Zoe who was sitting next to her. "So, new girl..." She drawled out, coolly. "What are you in for?"

"Her boyfriend." Nan automatically announced.

"Nan, shut up before you get your ass in trouble." Queenie warned her.

Layla, who was sitting in between Queenie and Zoe on the side, narrowed her green eyes at the actress. "Just drop the question Madison."

"What? Like you're not wondering how she discovered her powers?" She looked at Zoe again. "Please tell me your story is more interesting than Plain Jane's over here." Madison gestured to Layla, causing the dark haired girl to frown. "She discovered her powers at school and had a panic attack. Boring." She let out a scoff. "Now, this boyfriend of yours...did you kill him?" She questioned without any ounce of sensitivity.

"Madison." Layla now said in a hard tone of voice. The nerve of this girl. Could she not see how much pain this topic of conversation was causing Zoe?

Zoe appreciated Layla's attempt on getting Madison to back off, but she knew she had to speak for herself. Even if it did hurt talking about what happened. "No." She quietly clarified. "It was an accident."

"It was an accident, Zoe." Nan softly reassured her. "And you will find love again." Her eyes flickered towards Layla very briefly and discreetly before refocusing on her again. "A strange and unexpected love."

Queenie's patience had reached its limit by now. She used one of her hands to slam down at the table. "Girl, are you deaf or just stupid."

"Tell us more about this accident." Madison insisted, disregarding what was just said a few moments ago. "And don't spare all the gory details." She smirked at darker blonde haired girl.

Zoe's expression turned into one of passiveness. However, Layla could feel the inner anxiety and even annoyance that she was feeling. Layla supposed this was how Zoe felt when she had been in the same room with Madison.

"So, why are you here?" Zoe decided to ask. Layla had admit that was a rather smart thing for Zoe to do. Reflecting the topic of conversation onto Madison, seeing as how much the actress loved talking about herself. Layla had done this a few times before too when she first arrived at the academy. She already knew Madison's personal story from a previous Midday Gathering session, but she still intently listened.

"My agent staged an intervention." Madison started to say after putting down her the glass of water she had been holding onto the table. "Ever since my drunk and disorderly, I get blamed for all kinds of shit that I didn't do."

"But you did it. You killed that man." Nan sternly blurted out.

Madison glowered at her from across the table in chagrin. "I get it bitch, you're clairvoyant." She let out a sigh, composing herself once more before turning to look at Zoe. "Do you want to know what happened?" Madison didn't wait for an actual answer from Zoe before she started telling her story.

Zoe listened with wide eyes as Madison started to say how she caused a stage light to hit one of her now then directors when he had been annoying her during stage rehearsal. "The light hit him just fine." She finished saying as if it was no big deal.

Layla knew better though. Besides that cold facade, she sensed guilt within Madison. It was just buried deep inside...really deep inside but it was there. She could fool others but she wasn't able to fool her. Layla then sensed a strong emotion of rancor and she right away knew where it was coming from. Her gaze went towards where Queenie was sitting at. Layla right away saw how Queenie wasn't the least bit impressed. In fact, she looked just as much as she felt upset.

"All he said was hit your mark." Queenie told her harshly.

Madison just gave a careless shrug. Her nonchalant response just irritated Queenie even more. She couldn't hold in the insult she'd been dying to say since the conversation had started.

"Why don't you just do the world a favor and take an acting class, you D-list, Botox Bimbo."

Zoe had to stifle her smile when hearing that. Layla did too. Well, she tried to not laugh period but it was hard not to with an insult like that. Especially since it was aimed at Madison. Layla had to give it to Queenie with how epic that insult was. She wished at times she could speak up her mind like her but for the most part, Layla was much too kind and quiet to do so. She only ever got the courage to do that when she was absolutely angry. She for the most part always turned the other cheek, or was the bigger person.

Kill them with kindness. That was her motto...and what a motto that was.

Layla couldn't help but let out a small gasp when she saw Madison flick her hand. This automatically caused Queenie's bowl that had her soup to be spilled onto her lap. Having seen this now, Layla let out a sigh. The amusement from before was now gone. "Here we go." She said in a rather unenthusiastic tone. If Cordelia had been there with them things never would have gotten out of hand...but she wasn't there at the moment. Since there was no adult guidance, Layla knew well enough what to expect. Especially since it involved Queenie and Madison arguing. Zoe on the other hand looked at her puzzled, before jumping in her seat because of what she saw.

"Ow!" Madison shouted as Queenie used the fork she had to stab herself in the hand. Due to her powers, Madison felt the pain as if she were the one doing the stabbing to herself. Zoe looked so shocked but she was more thrown off by how unresponsive Nan and Layla were. At least for the few seconds it appeared as if they were used to this craziness.

"Stop it, you bitch!" Madison continued to shout as she tried to stop the blood coming out from the puncture wound that was on her hand.

"Stop what?" Queenie asked faking innocence. "I don't feel nothin'. I'm the human voodoo doll. You like this?" She grinned as she then started wiggling the fork around. That just applied more pressure causing Madison to feel even more pain.

Layla started to feel Madison's agitation and fear, and right away noticed how much it tripled. Madison was really starting to freak out. The Bradshaw girl was about to finally say something to stop this nonsense, before Nan beat her to it.

"Stop!" Nan exclaimed as she jumped out of her seat. Since she was right next to Queenie, she went to grab the fork from her. "You're gonna get in trouble. Queenie stop!" She thankfully managed to get the fork from her but that didn't stop Queenie. She quickly grabbed the knife that was next to bread and held it up to her throat.

"I'll do it!" Queenie exclaimed as she heatedly glared at Madison.

Madison said nothing but her expression was one of immense hatred. Though inwardly Layla was able to feel just how relieved she was now that the fork stabbing had stopped. However, there was also a sense of fear now that Queenie had yet another weapon for her to use against her.

Zoe continued to watch the scene that was playing out with wide eyes, and a look of complete and utter shock.

Layla herself managed to keep her cool throughout all this. For one, she was used to disputing behavior like this. Madison and Queenie were always going at each others throats. It wasn't always physical though, more verbal than anything. Except Layla's home life growing up wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Not with the abusive father she had. Over the years, Layla had learned how to blend in during confrontations. A wallflower of some sorts. Not that blending in always worked out when it came to her father. She always ended up with bruises, but some days were far less worse than others.

However, what was happening right now was a bit different. Layla wasn't freaking out as she probably should have been because she knew Queenie wouldn't really kill Madison. It was against the witches code for a witch to kill another witch. Cordelia had told her and the other girls this. Still...that didn't mean Queenie couldn't hurt Madison, just as she had done prior.

Layla decided to try using her Pathokinesis right in this moment. The manipulating side of it. She had used this specific part of her power but only on Cordelia when she had been helping her practice. She had yet to use it on anyone else. Not that Layla wanted to. The idea of controlling and manipulating someones else's emotions to her liking seemed kind of wrong to her. However, she wanted to see if she could calm Queenie down from doing anything else to hurt Madison. Layla breathed in and out. She concentrated on Queenie and thought of nothing but equanimity. Calm down. As she did this, Layla played close attention to her. For a moment there it looked like Queenie spaced out before she blinked a few times, as if she were regaining her thoughts again.

"Let's just go for a walk." Nan suggested. Besides Layla, she was always the one to try to defuse the situation whenever it got really out of hand.

"A walk?" Queenie repeated in disbelief. The anger could still be heard in her voice but it wasn't really present on her face anymore. She let out a low scoff and then disregarded the bread knife down on the table. "Fine." She grumbled getting up from her seat. "I'm not hungry anyway." She added, following Nan outside for some fresh air.

Layla had no idea if Queenie had stopped because of her Pathokinesis or because of Nan. She assumed it was because of Nan but that thought went away when Nan glanced over her shoulder and gave her a quick knowing smile. With a slightly stunned look, Layla watched as she exited the room with Queenie. She was brought back to reality when she heard Madison's irritated voice again.

Madison glared at Queenie's retreating figure as she held her injured hand. "Like anyone believes that." Layla frowned hearing her say that. That was uncalled for. She wasn't the only who heard her comment. Zoe heard her too but she was still trying to process the disturbing scene that happened.

"Don't worry you'll get used to this...eventually." Layla spoke up causing Zoe to look her way. Zoe knew Layla wasn't referring to the whole stabbing fork incident but rather the oddness that followed being a witch. Zoe didn't say anything back to Layla. She just just nodded her head, inwardly hoping she would get used to this new part of her life. Like Layla and the others had.

"Well, that was disturbing." Madison nonchalantly said. She was going into actress mode, acting as if she hadn't just been stabbed in the hand. Or as if she hadn't felt fear. Layla though still sensed the remains of that emotion within her. She decided not to call Madison out on it since that would have just caused more drama. The whole fork incident had been enough for Zoe to endure on her first night at the academy.

"Given the choices around here, it looks like you're my new best friend." Madison snidely told Zoe and then gazed over at Layla. The dark haired girl was giving her a narrowed look. "Hope that doesn't anger you too much, Layla."

Layla had found Madison calling Zoe her "new best friend" rather annoying. Not that she considered herself to be best friends with the actress, but rather because she had been nothing but intrusive with Zoe. The seventeen year old let out a huff before gaining her composure. She then gave Madison a tight sardonic smile. "How ever will I go on knowing we're not BFF's anymore. The agony."

That caused Zoe to let out a laugh. Layla heard her causing her to smile an honest smile. Madison though didn't find her comment to be the least bit amusing. She was about to retort something back when she felt her cellphone that was on the table vibrate. She picked it and read the screen. Layla saw her eyes light up with slight interest.

"Do you own any clothes that don't come from the Gap?" Madison asked Zoe. Her judgmental gaze was all over the clothes she had on.

Zoe glanced at her, clearly not amused. "Not really." She dryly answered her. "Why?"

Madison gave her a scrutinizing look. "You can borrow something of mine." She told her before glancing down at her cellphone again. "Frat party tonight. Just got the tweet."

Zoe just blinked several times. She was more bewildered than thrilled by the invitation from the actress.

"I think what you have on is fine." Layla suddenly said, complimenting Zoe. She didn't like how Madison was dissing her clothing style. She thought what Zoe had on was cute. From the side she saw Zoe smile. Layla returned the smile but her attention faltered once hearing Madison's voice.

Madison scoffed. "Not for a frat party." She paused and then focused on Layla. She grinned at her. "What about you, Layla? You ready to man up and finally go outside into the real world again?"

Layla had to hold in the glare she wanted to release. Madison acted as if she never went outside the academy. She did, she just never went anywhere were there was a lot of people. This was a frat party, therefore she knew there was going to be a lot of people there. She shook her head. "I don't think so." She answered as she swirled her spoon in her soup.

Madison wasn't shocked by her answer. She was more annoyed. "Figures, you'd be too chicken shit to want to go. Guess it'll be me and Zoe then."

That caused slight displeasure to run through her. Layla inhaled and exhaled. She knew the smart decision would to be to stay at the academy and not risk having another panic attack again. However, the thought of Zoe going with Madison to that party without her made her feel left out. She figured that one night out in public wouldn't be bad. She'd just be extra alert with herself. "Alright...I'll go." She said rapidly before she changed her mind.

"Great." Madison exclaimed, glad that she once again got under her skin. "I trust you have something decent to wear in that closet of yours, unlike Zoe here. And don't plan on wearing heels. The last thing we need is you falling on your ass like last time when you fell down the stairs."

Zoe gave her a worried look. "You fell down the stairs?"

Layla felt her cheeks flare up. Madison just had to bring that up, didn't she? "It was a rather uneventful event." She nonchalantly tried to say. Inwardly she felt immense embarrassment. She did not like thinking about that moment. It wasn't like she got majorly hurt or anything. No bones were broken and she was fine. It was just embarrassing to think about because she had made a fool of herself in front of Madison and the others. And just how did she fall? By missing one freakin' step. Just one. Any normal coordinated person would have found their balance but not her. She was as clumsy as they came. Madison's laugh from when she fell still rang in her ears causing her to blush even more. Layla was just glad Zoe hadn't seen her when that happened.

Her embarrassment went away at the sound of Madison getting up. This caused Layla and Zoe to look at her oddly. The conversation about her falling went away. "Wait, aren't you going to finish eating?" Layla asked, bemused.

Madison gave her a smirk. "Don't want the extra calories for tonight. You two have fun eating but hurry up. We're leaving in an hour." With that being said, Madison made her way upstairs.

"Are you sure about this?" Zoe finally asked once it was just the two of them.

Hearing Zoe's question made Layla feel doubt about going to the frat party. However, that feeling went away when she stared into those light brown eyes of hers. She swallowed the lump she had in her throat. "Yeah." She uttered, nodding her head. "What's the worst that could happen?

Zoe gave her a reassuring smile. "I won't leave your side."

Layla found herself smiling once more. She also felt her cheeks warm up again. Only this time it wasn't from embarrassment. "Thank you." She was glad Zoe and her were getting more closer with each other. This was the first time, Layla felt like she had an actual friend, and unlike the past she wasn't going to distant herself. No, she was going to cherish the friendship that was blossoming between Zoe and her.