Layla. Chapter Five: And You And I.

1986.

Dingo's was a rebuilt version of The Dingo. The Dingo had been burned down in a stove fire in the year 1972. The original owner's son had the place rebuilt and completed in 1973, being renamed Dingo's. There were slight changes and improvements made to its appearance and structure, but otherwise, it looked the same as it originally did. It was a Tulsa favorite, not matter what side you were from, and ever after it being rebuilt, it was still a hotspot in the city- especially to the city teenagers, just like it once had.

"It's always pretty cool how your mom worked here," Carter said, looking at her friend with jet black hair.

Layla shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess so," she mumbled, "I think every woman her age worked here at some point."

"Rain Mathews on the radio said she never worked here," Beck commented.

Layla thought for a moment. "Oh yeah, she told me that."

"I think it's pretty cool that you know Rain Mathews from the radio station," Tommy chuckled.

The most popular radio station through the state had two most popular radio DJ's: Andy Brown and Rain Mathews. The two radio DJ's had their times and schedules changed a few times over the years, and were presently on from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon during the week, and eleven in the morning until two in the afternoon on Saturday. People all over the state loved their show and the music playlist they played best. Even people outside of Oklahoma could get their signal in the surrounding states loved their show.

Rain Mathews had come from a troubled home, abused as a child by her father and mother. She eventually moved in with the Curtis brothers- including Layla's "uncle" Sodapop Curtis- once she was of legal age, pressing charges against her parents. Apparently, her parents were guilty of too many other charges and received the death penalty. She'd been friends with the three brothers and their friends for a long time now, all of that somehow bringing them closer once they were older. This was how she knew Layla's parents and their friends.

When Layla's father's friend, Two-Bit Mathews and former girlfriend Kathy broke up- remaining friends- he and Rain started to go out. When she was nineteen and he was in his early twenties, they got married. In a period of ten years, they had three kids together. With the two of them still being friends with Steve and Evie Randle- as well as the rest of their teenage clique- Layla Randle was usually the one who was called for when a babysitter was needed. This always impressed the oldest Randle child's friends, her knowing a state celebrity so well.

"I guess I just don't see it cause I've known her for a long while now," Layla shrugged.

"Probably," Beck agreed.

"Hey," Carter interrupted, "I hate to change the subject, but could I ask you four a favor I need from you guys?"

"Depends on what it is," Tommy answered hesitantly, receiving a light backhand slap on his upper arm from Layla.

Carter rolled her eyes at her blonde friend. "I'm ignoring you right now. Anyway, my Arts teacher asked me to decorate the gym for homecoming."

"Ok," Beck nodded skeptically.

"She also asked me if I could get a few others to help and-"

"No." The other three teenagers present had somehow answered that perfectly in unison.

"Oh, come on, you guys!" Carter groaned, "It won't be that bad! I already got Maggie, Connor and Rusty to agree, so we'd all be together!"

"If you already have them, why do you need us?" Layla asked.

"Cause it'll show that you have school spirit?"

"No," Tommy laughed, holding out the "o" for about one or two seconds.

Beck shrugged a bit, giving her a slightly apologetic look. "Sorry, Carter. Not interested."

Carter looked at the other female present with a hopeful expression. "How 'bout you, Layla?"

"Homecoming's not really my thing," Layla answered with a light shrugged.

"Fine," Carter huffed, "Oh, but did I mention that my teacher said whoever helps out gets extra credit for whatever class their worst grade is in?"

As Carter smirked at them, Layla, Tommy and Beck all exchanged eager looks, then looked back at their creative friend before once again, saying in unison, "We'll do it."

-/-/-

"You gonna go to homecoming?" Tommy asked randomly.

Layla looked up suddenly from her textbook and her spiral notebook, then back down. "Probably," she answered with an annoyed sigh.

He gave her a surprised look. "Seriously?"

"We agreed to help, so we kinda need to go."

He was silent for a moment. "Oh yeah…"

She let out a laugh, trying to hold it in, but failed miserably.

Tommy had gone over to Layla's house again with her for help in British Literature. They were working on the story by William Shakespeare, Macbeth. While she- somehow- understood all that was going on and all the was being said in the story, he only understood that the character that the story was named after was killing people after being persuaded by his crazy wife so that he could get closer to the crown and become king. He only knew that Lady Macbeth was freaking out cause of the daggers that Macbeth brought back out after killing the first guy who was king.

"I guess I'm goin' too then," Tommy chuckled.

"We all are," Layla confirmed, "Unfortunately."

"Are you gonna go with someone?"

His question made her tense but she hoped that he didn't notice. "I doubt it. I'll probably hide out in the bleachers all night or by the food table, or somethin'."

"Wanna unofficially go with me?"

Layla's eyes widened and she felt her heart begin to beat a little quicker. "I don't know, Tommy," she stuttered a bit, "I just-"

"It won't be as a date," Tommy clarified, "Just as friends like when we were younger. You don't even have to wear a dress."

"What would I wear, then?"

"You could wear jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. We can boycott the dresses and tuxedos."

Layla let out a weak chuckle. "I don't know…"

"Ok, how 'bout this: you say yes to go with me. Then we're officially going with each other. If some creep asks you to go with him, now you can say that you got a date and won't be lyin' about it."

She thought this over. "I guess that's true."

Layla really did want to say yes to this offer, she really did. It was appealing to her- since she had to go to homecoming anyway, and she'd rather be going with a friend than with some random guy at school. Not to mention the fact that Tommy had said that she didn't need to wear a dress if they went together. But she couldn't help but overthink the situation and think there might be some hidden intention behind his reasoning.

Screw it, she thought.

Before she could answr, Tommy got on his knees on the floor in front of her. "Layla," he began to say in a teasing serious voice, "You got me on my knees. Layla, I'm beggin', darlin', please."

Layla couldn't help but laugh as he quoted Eric Clapton, like usual. "Get up, you idiot," she managed to get out through her laughs.

Tommy was laughing with her as he got up off the floor and sat back down on the bed. "So? How 'bout it?"

"Fine, we'll go together. But realize I'm takin' you up on that offer for not wearing a dress."

"It's part of the deal."

This chapter was partly a filler. I think it's pretty good as far as fillers go, though. What'd you guys think of me bringing in my character, Rain, into this story? For those who don't know, Rain Mathews was originally Rain Johnson from my fanfic stories: "Before the Love", "To Love A Greaser", and "The Power of Love" (I'm not too proud of "The Power of Love", but the first two I am proud of).

Any thoughts yet on Tommy and Layla? If you couldn't tell, there's gonna be romance between them.

Ok, so in the next chapter, get ready to have a blast from the past, with Steve, Evie, Cherry and Soda- since this is a spinoff from my story "Loyalty", Cherry and Soda are married. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter, next update should be in two to four weeks, no more no less. Peace from all the hippies of the world =^-^=