Chapter 37

LAYLA

I am looking through all the cupboards for something to eat and then I hear a voice behind me. I can not help but jump from the surprise of the voice and then when I turn to look who it is, I see it is Jason.

Suddenly everything that Rita has told me about what happened last night comes back to me. I do not know how to react and I try to be as normal as possible. But I make sure to take a step back.

"Oh hey, thought everyone was sleeping"

He laughs while he looks down and then he takes a step forward.

"No, I do not sleep much on planes"

"Oh, okay"

"I guess you are a bit peckish?"

I take another step back to the counter, trying to bring some sort of distance between us. I keep it as calm as possible as I do not want to alarm him in any way.

"Yes, I am a bit hungry"

"You disappeared last night?"

I swallow deeply and I think a thousand miles per minute trying to come up with some excuse. He takes another step closer to me and I start to feel uncomfortable.

"I did not feel too well so I thought the best thing for me is to just go home"

"Well, I hope you feel a bit better now?"

I smile and then I start to concentrate on making myself a sandwich. I have to get back to my seat as quickly as possible before things spin out of control. I do not look at him but I focus on the sandwich.

"Yeah, I am feeling much better thank you"

"That is good news"

Luckily, he is standing where he is and not coming any closer.

"So, I guess you are hungry too?"

He frowns and then tilts his head while looking at me.

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, you came to the kitchen? Or are you thirsty?"

I can feel my heart starting to race as I do not know what his agenda is.

"Oh yes, I just came to get to a bottle of water"

He walks even closer to me and I can feel myself breathing rapidly. But I stand my ground fixing my sandwich. Then just as he is almost an inch away from me, he bends down and opens the fridge exactly where I am standing.

He takes out a bottle of water and I breathe a breath of relief. I almost thought for a second that is coming for me. It is clear to me that the memories of what happened to me have not completely disappeared yet.

I guess in some ways, I will never forget it. Then he smiles as he takes a few steps back and then he turns around saying.

"You have a good night"

I smile out of pure relief. Then I say to him.

"You too"

I quickly finish my sandwich because I do not want to get stuck in this kitchen again with anyone else. I make my way back to my seat and I love that I am sitting in the middle as if I am somehow safe this way.

Then after eating my sandwich and feeling much better, I find myself not able to sleep again. I decided to put on my earphones and watch a movie. I need to occupy my thoughts somehow.

JAKE

I wake up with a jump. I remember that Layla is still sleeping on the couch not too far away from me. But then when my eyes can focus, I see that she is gone. I want to stand up but then I realized that someone took a blanket and cover me with it.

I realized that it must have been Layla. I can not believe how much she cares for me even if she does not know who I am. This just proves to me that she is a caring person and that I will not hurt her in any way.

She must have got up when she woke up and thought that she should go back to her seat. I can not stop the sadness filling my heart because I really enjoyed having her here. I know that I had to sleep in order for me not to do anything that I would regret later on.

But right now I find myself regretting that I did not stay awake and just enjoyed her presence. Then my stomach growls and I realize I am a bit hungry. I remember the protein bars that I got for myself. This hunger is not like human hunger, this is a wolf hunger.

I take one or two bars out of my bag as I know that it would usually be enough. But after eating them I find myself thirsty and then I make my way to my fridge. Unfortunately, the water is finished and I look at my watch.

I realized that it is almost two in the morning and that no one would be awake now. So, I decide to make my way to the kitchen. I stand up and walk through the aisle. I see everyone is sleeping. I realize that it must be very uncomfortable to sleep like that.

But then I can not help myself, unknowingly looking for Layla. If I can just see her sleeping I would be happy. Then I would know that she is feeling better or at least on her way to feeling better.

But then without warning our eyes lock. She is wide awake and it looks like she is watching a movie but right now she is watching me.

LAYLA

I see someone moving out of the corner of my eye and when I turn to look, to my surprise I see Jake. I really did not think that I would see him again until the rehearsal but I find myself enjoying every moment.

We just stare at each other and then I see a slight smile appearing on his face. I can not help but blush as I quickly break eye contact. He makes his way to the kitchen and I realized that he must walk this way back again.

I do not know what I should do. Should I ignore him and just watch my movie or should I lay my eyes on him again? I start to wonder what that smile meant but god knows it was perfect. The way that he carries himself just sweeps me off my feet.

I can not stop myself from breathing rapidly because I know that he is coming back. I quickly do my hair as if it is going to make me look any better but then I shake my head because I know we can never be a couple.

JAKE

As I make my way into the kitchen I feel myself to be confused. When I stare into her beautiful blue eyes I was so consumed by them that I can not remember what I am doing in the kitchen. She has this way of just make me lose every thought that I have.

I have to really think hard about what I was going to do here and then I remember I was thirsty. I have to readjust my pants as I am starting to make my way back to my room. I know that I will be seeing Layla any moment now and I could not stop my eyes from looking in her direction again.

This time she smiles and bites her lip. Suddenly I slam right into someone's chair. It is almost as if she got me drunk with her beauty. I quickly grab the person sitting on the chair trying to not let them wake up.

But then I realize that Layla is smiling and covering her mouth. I can not remember when last I felt like a fool in a girl's presence. I can feel my cheeks flaring up and I walk as fast as I can back to my room trying to avoid her eyes.

As I close the door behind me the embarrassment just takes its toll on me. I realize that from now on I should really concentrate when I walk when she is around. I plunged down into my couch and I realize that she stole my heart.

LAYLA

I let my head fall back on my chair as I can not stop smiling about what just happened. I did not realize that I have bitten my lip but then I knew that it caused him to stumble. I shake my head once more because it can not be.

The great Jake Anderson can not be swept off his feet by me biting my lip. I am sure that I am seeing things and maybe he just missed a step. I smile as my eyes finally find dreamland and I know I will have a peaceful sleep.

I wake up just as they announced that the plane is about to descend and we must put on our seatbelts.

"Welcome back, sleepyhead. You must have been very tired"

"Just a little bit but I am glad we are here"

"Me too. Where did you go yesterday?"

Then I remember how I did not want to stay in his room because of the jealousy. I do not know if Rita will be jealous if I tell her that I lay on his couch yesterday.

"They told me that I have the job as his stylist"

"Wow, congratulations!"

"Thank you"

"But I mean, you stayed away a long while? I was waiting for you to come back but then I got really tired. What happened to you?"