Jail time, jail time, JAIL TIIIIIME!
Disclaimer: I own no one familiar to the movie. End of disclaimer.
Never thought that Lash and Layla had a past relationship beyond the movie? What? You never thought they could have been friends? Are you kidding me? Here! Have the story! My goodness, you've been missing out.
Past
He stared dumbly at the empty chair in front of him.
"Sorry, Livingston." A hand came to his shoulder, and he left it alone, still in shock that she had walked away. Tipler grabbed strongly to his shoulder, and pulled him to his feet. "Real sorry." He had smacked his back a few times in a comforting way, and Lash just moped, staring at the ground.
"This sucks."
--
When lunchtime came, he sat with Speed. He didn't want to sit with Penny - he didn't want to sit with the debatable Gwen. Those two, were not his friends. Lash didn't even understand why he agreed to that stupid thing - he could only remember anger.
"Hey, you gunna eat that?" Speed muttered, pointing to the chocolate pudding by Lash's left index finger. He grumbled a 'no', and looked around. Quickly Speed had grabbed it, and then tilted his head to the side, looking over to his friend. "What's eating you?" He snickered at his own words.
Lash looked both ways before speaking. He didn't know why he thought it was so important to sneak words to his friend. "Layla came by today." Speed gave a frown, but raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I know."
"What did she say?"
"Nothing. I just opened my damn mouth and she hung up the phone on me. She left." He sighed, and ate a bit of the Sloppy Joe remnants. He grimaced.
"Why?"
"How should I know?" He sulked, and poked at most of his food. The only appetizing item that was served to him was the chocolate pudding, and Speed was already halfway through with it. He pushed it away. "But she looked absolutely tired. Pissed off."
Speed rolled his eyes as another spoonful touched his lips. "Sorry, man."
"Do you think she'll come back on her own?" He muttered, taking a sip of his canned Sprite. Speed shrugged. "Me either."
----
Layla had to her eyes to the sky the entire ride home. She ignored Sarah's questions; she ignored her mother's voice. She ignored pretty much everything except the fact that Lash was sitting in front of her only minutes ago, the phone to his ear. His eyes were just full of shame. Burying her face into the crook of her elbow, leaning against the back door, she breathed a shaky sigh. What was happening?
--
Later that evening she sat on the couch with Will. His hand was wrapped around her own, and she was tapping lightly against his skin as they watched a movie.
"So what did you do today?" He whispered, leaning into her shoulder. She shrugged, causing him to sit up straight and look at her instead.
Sighing, she closed her eyes against the back of the couch. "I went to the jail today. Saw Lash." Will's face perked up at her dark voice.
"Oh? What happened?"
"Nothing." She whispered, taking her hand and ruffling his hair lightly. "Nothing important." I just saw my best friend, that's all, she thought, a distant look on her face.
----
Lash rolled into the cement wall with hate. He hated the fact that this was his own fault for being here. That it was his fault that he went along with Gwen's lies. Gwen's fucking plan.
"Tipler." He groaned, hearing the man's keys jingling down the hall.
"My main man, what's going on." He muttered, leaning into the bars and peering up at him. Tossing himself to the corner of the bed to face the built man, he sighed.
"I screwed up." Tipler chuckled, his eyes turning up as he laughed, and he pointed down the hall, the entire prison buzzing as Lash's door opened. Stepping inside, Tipler placed his hands on Lash's bedframe as the boy's eyes opened. He scowled at the older man.
"Yeah, well, that's what happens to get in here." He snickered out, and Lash groaned again, a dark look in his eyes.
"But I'm getting out, right?"
"End of Spring." Tipler said, nodding his head as Lash sat up on the bed.
"Good. Can't wait to get outta here."
"Hah, why's that?" Lash gave him an expected look.
"The food? Tipler, how the hell can you fucking stand that shit?" He tossed his head back. "And I hate not being able to see Layla everyday at school. Who knows what the hell Stronghold's doing to her right now..."
"Well, I don't eat prison food. I get KFC and Olive Garden. That type of shit. Delivered." He snickered loudly at Lash's dropping jaw.
"What? That's not fair!"
"Actually it is - now if you didn't go along with Sue Tenny's plan, then you wouldn't be here - you'd be able to eat KFC and Olive Garden whenever." Lash shook his head.
"No, not really. I'd still have that school crap." Tipler chuckled, and shook his head.
"I'll sneak you in a meal." Lash threw his hand in the air like a child.
"YES!" He sighed, and then relaxed against his mattress. "Hey, I gotta tell you somethin'."
"What is it?"
"You've been coming in late at night, waking me up."
"Yeah, cause you keep screaming and hitting and kicking shit in your sleep."
"But do you know why?" Tipler shook his head. "I have these dreams. About Layla. And Sky High..."
----
Layla sighed into her empty bus seat. Will decided not to go to school today. Well, he was given the option this morning when the Mayor called. He gave her a kiss on the cheek as they were literally flying out the door, and she knocked herself into Josie's flowerbeds. Ethan sat down beside her on the bus, and brushed against her shoulder.
"Got a bit of dirt there..." He muttered, looking away and into another conversation. She sighed again, looking into her lap. She couldn't stop thinking about Lash. She kept wondering if he was alright. If he was okay. She felt extremely guilty for what she did that day at the jail. I mean yeah I was pissed, she thought, but he could have at least said something to me before I... Ripping out a pen from her bag she scribbled a note to herself on her hand for later. Afterschool.
"Visit Lash."
--
"I'm leavin, Mum." She called, grabbing a hairbrush and taking it to her head, running it through a few times before exiting the house, tossing the brush onto the couch before her mother yelled for her.
"Where are you going?"
"Out. I'll be home by 7!"
"Okay, I'll leave a plate in the microwave for you." She muttered, and Layla closed the door. The redhead looked to the Stronghold's home, and gave a small smile. She'd talk to Will later about her trip, maybe. Her feet carried her down the walkway, and up the street - she was going to have to wait for a bus.
----
"Jah-hear what's going on around the city?" Speed asked him, nudging his shoulder to get Lash's attention. He merely shook his head.
"No, what?"
"Greenery is turning russet and gold."
"I didn't know you knew the word 'russet', Speed." Lash muttered, a smirk on his face as they crossed the yard. It was freetime out in the courtyard, and they took to a stack of bleachers off to the side. He looked out into the open area, to the street, where there were a few moping, goldened leaves on trees, their amount becoming larger.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Speed asked, hitting Lash in the shoulder.
"I never think what you think, man. What the hell are you thinking." He said simply, his face turning back to the concrete courtyard.
"Hey, hey man, look." He whispered, pointing to a bus that was leading the trail of dead plants. The public bus itself was stopping in front of the jail, and a single person was crawling out of it.
"Layla." He murmured, watching the red hair flow smoothly behind her as she walked into the jail. He gasped as the bus pulled away. "And she's come alone!"
"Dude!" Speed cried, almost as shocked as Lash. They heard footsteps coming towards them only minutes later.
"Hey, Livingston." The boy in question turned his face to the voice, and smiled.
"Tipler, what's the news." He smirked as Tipler's hand raised to bring him along.
"See yah, man." Speed grunted, and waved him away, his face now clearly bored. Lash stalked away slowly, a grin plastered on his face as he entered the jail building.
"Do you need a shower or something?" Tipler whiffed the air. "Cause you smell." Lash chuckled hoarsely, and knew he was kidding.
"Dude, I already saw her, lemme in man." Tipler shook his head as he rolled his eyes.
"Watch it, kid. I might be able to sneak in a Chicken Parma, but not the breadsticks from Olive Garden if you keep up with this attitude." Lash merely scoffed as the man laughed, opening the door with ease, letting him through. Tipler gave him a stern look, trying to search for something.
"What?" Lash asked, feeling the older man's hand grab his collar to tug him along.
"What if she just bolts again?" Lash shook his head with a smirk.
"She came alone. If she wanted to bolt, she wouldn't have showed up." Tipler placed his head to the side, agreeing with the boy behind him.
"Alrighty then," he muttered, opening another door and leading him inside. It was brighter than before, but Lash only thought that was because Layla was by her lonesome, sitting there impatiently. When their eyes met, she gave him a smile, a smile that he's missed greatly. Tipler let him go as he made a dash to his seat, picking up the phone and leaning in a bit close to the glass. He felt the earth shake with new life.
--
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