Chapter 9

Layla was so caught up in the moment that she was a bit dazed when the kiss stopped. It was simple and sweet. Not too pushy, but much more than a quick peck. She looked up at Warren, giving him a small, unsure smile. He watched her reaction (to make sure she wasn't repulsed?) before breaking into his heartbreaking smile.

The two parted ways a few minutes later, Warren reluctantly saying goodnight first. She watched him walk away, disappointment flaring up just a little. She couldn't help but think that Will would have walked her home, but she had to remind herself that Warren was not Will and it was unfair to compare the two.

Wasn't that why she was interested in him in the first place? Because he was almost the polar opposite of her best friend, the one who stomped all over her heart after breaking it into a million pieces? Okay, that wasn't fair. It's not like he knows she has feelings for him but still. Even as a so-called best friend he had distanced himself from her, leaving a sense of desertion. Warren was right. She deserved someone who would give her the time of day, not someone who would drop his friends at the blink of an eye.

She walked home slowly, lost in her own thoughts. What would happen now? Did this mean her and Warren were dating? Boyfriend and girlfriend? She really wished she had more experience in this department.

He liked her, and she liked him. They kissed. But she couldn't imagine Warren having a girlfriend, or at least claiming to have one anyway. Would he ignore her in public? Would they have a secret relationship? Could she tell anyone? Would he tell anyone?

Layla groaned in annoyance. Just once couldn't she just live out something without having to overanalyze it?

She arrived home, closing the front door behind her. Her mom was in the living room, carrying on a conversation with the family cat.

"Hey mom," she called out, distracted as she passed by.

"Hello sweetie," she responded to her daughter, "Will called this afternoon. I told him you were out but you would call him back as soon as you got home."

Layla paused on her way up the stairs, turning around to face her mom. There was no way he could have found out about their kiss already, had he?

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"Not really, just calling to talk I guess. Are you guys okay? I haven't seen him around lately."

"Everything's okay, we're just... busy. With school."

"Alright," her mother replied, that concerned mother instinct starting to kick in. Layla didn't think she quite believed her, but she didn't push the issue and for that she was grateful. Layla grabbed the cordless phone, making her way to her bedroom while dialing the familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mrs. Stronghold, is Will around? It's Layla."

"Layla, of course! How are you?" greeted Will's mother, pleasure in her voice. Layla guessed her mom wasn't the only one concerned about the two teenagers.

"I'm good, just busy with school and stuff."

"Right. Well, Will's in his room. Give me just a second to go get him, alright?"

"Thanks," Layla responded, making herself comfortable on her bed.

She could hear muffled talking on the other end of the phone, Mrs. Stronghold handing it over to her son after telling Layla to "Take care, honey!"

"Layla?" questioned the voice.

"Hi Will," she responded.

"I tried to get your attention after school, but you looked like you were in a hurry."

"I was, I had something I needed to do."

"Your mom said you went out?"

"Yeah..."

"For what?"

"Just... stuff."

"Oh," he responded, sensing Layla's hesitance to talk on the subject. "Look, I know this is last minute but today at school a bunch of us were thinking about going to the dance together, and I thought of you. So, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go with me. I mean, with us. As a group date kinda thing."

He said the last part quickly, and Layla wondered if it was because he was setting boundaries and didn't want her to get the wrong idea. Will knew how touchy she was about things between them lately, but it didn't have to be awkward right? They could still go out and hang like friends normally do... couldn't they?

"I don't think I'm going," she replied, a bit annoyed. "And I'm not sure that your girlfriend would like me hanging around you guys."

If what Warren claimed were true, then Layla wasn't sure she wanted to hang out with Gwen either.

"Your mom said she thought you'd like to."

"My mom?" Layla asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I asked her about it earlier because I wasn't sure if you were even going, but she said that you and Magenta had gone dress and everything. I already talked with Zach and he and Ethan are in."

"Oh," she responded. The last thing she wanted to do was go to the dance and be around Will and Gwen, especially after the night she had. Talk about a great way to ruin her weekend. Goosebumps rose on her flesh as she replayed the kiss in her head.

"Layla?"

"What?" she answered, snapping out of her daze.

"I asked if you were going to come with us?"

If only she had spoken up weeks ago and told him how she felt, then maybe she wouldn't be getting the pity invite instead of a great date. Layla sighed. She guessed it couldn't hurt to go along. It's not like she had another date after all, what with Warren's suspension. Besides, maybe this is just what their friendship needed. Insensitive or not, Will was still her best friend, recent actions not apply.

"What time will you pick me up?"

A/N: I wrote this about a month ago and reading back through it I made a pretty big change that hopefully didn't make this chapter come out too weird because of it. Originally I had Will and Gwen getting into a fight and him asking Layla to come to the dance last minute, but it seemed forced and tacky that Will would turn right around and ask someone else. So I went with the group date instead. Anyway, the next chapter will get to the good stuff :)