09

"Why are the students watching so much?" Dan asked Layla after they pulled out of the hug.

"It's because it's me, I've always been stared at," Layla said.

"Oh, I'm so honored to be sitting with a celebrity," Dan teased and she laughed loudly.

"It's a yunno class!" Chloe screamed from her seat, startling them.

She's been burning with rage ever since she saw them hugging.

"I'm sorry to bother everyone," Layla said.

"It's okay Layla" most of the students said.

Chloe faced her table with a breath.

She was so angry right now.

She wants it all to herself, she's the queen of the school and she should date the best.

Maybe she should find a way to bring her seat closer to his.

Then she could talk to him more often and he would see that she is much better than that fat African!

She's so sure Layla could use jazz on him, why else would a handsome guy get close to an ugly person who once bit him.

Maybe jazz was in her teeth!... Chloe's eyes widened at the thought.

She turned to look at Daniel who was smiling as he spoke to Layla.

'And now the cutie is trapped' she thought sadly.

She wouldn't mind using a jazz to trap him either.

"I told you, they're ready to turn their bad story into a good one," Sabrina said.

"Just shut up!" Chloe shouted.

•°

"And…how's your back?…I mean the teeth are biting," Layla asked, shyly pressing her lips together.

Dan smiles. "Better, how's your leg?" »

“Long cured,” Layla said.

There was only a scar now, raw and it's still quite painful.

"Looks like the little finger doesn't like you," Dan told Layla.

"She doesn't like it and I don't like it either," Layla said.

"Of course" Daniel smiled, he turned to the guy who wanted his attention.

He chatted with him for a few minutes before turning back to Layla whom he caught staring at Dylan.

Wow.

She rubbed her cheek, embarrassed when she realized Dan had grabbed her.

"He wanted me to help him with something," Daniel told Layla, referring to the boy he had been chatting with for a few minutes.

"Oh" smiled Layla.

She feels so excited that Dan told her, it really confirmed that they were friends now.

“Do friends tell each other everything? She asked.

"Of course, close friends tell each other almost everything," Dan said and Layla nodded thoughtfully.

Maybe Dylan shouldn't be blamed.

He had told his friends how he felt when he kissed her just because that was what friends should do but his friends had gone ahead to spread it throughout the school.

Dylan shouldn't be blamed, she felt so bad for blaming him..

Maybe he feels guilty approaching her, she should say hello to him later and let him know that it's okay, no big deal.

"The teacher is here," Dan said.

"Hey guys my friends want me to eat with them today" Anne said to Dan and Layla.

Her friends are pissed at her during the times she eats with Layla instead of eating with them and now she is happy that there is Daniel to keep Layla company while she is with her friends.

"Go ahead" smiled Layla.

"Okay" Anne walked over to her friends, they went to get their lunch then sat down around the table to start eating.

She looked at Layla and Daniel, they were already eating, chatting as they went.

Anna smiles.

"Your brother is so handsome" Jessie smiled admiringly.

"And I heard he was smart too," Kate said.

"Of course Dan is just perfect" added Sarah chewing her fries, she's the closest to Anne and she's been to her house many times, she had known Daniel even before he started Ocean High School.

"He's so friendly too, I said hello to him and he replied with a smile. God, I almost melted" Jessie smiled.

"He responds to all the other people the same, don't feel too special" Kate rolled her eyes, she's the naughtiest of them all.

"I know, you don't have to tell me. At least I'm one of those he smiled at," Jessie hissed.

"Anne, you should tell him to eat with us another time. I want everyone to see how lucky we are to be your friend, they should be jealous when they see that we are closer to your brother than 'them. I bet everyone would like to join our group of friends' Kate smiled.

Sarah sighed and shook her head at the thought of Kate.

Kate uses her flat mouth to overturn unreasonable talk most of the time.

"If you want him to join us one day, I hope you know Layla will come with him," Anne said, knowing that Kate was one of the people who didn't like Layla.

She is most pissed at Anne whenever she eats with Layla and would refuse to talk to Anne and Anne, being the cool girl that she is, would go ahead and talk to her anyway.

hissed Kate. "Should she come with him?"

"If you don't want her to, then I won't join you to eat because there won't be anyone to eat with Layla," Anne said.

"Why are you so obsessed with this girl?" Jessie wondered aloud.

"She really needs to be asked that question!" Kate said raising her voice.

"Hey! Do you have to spit your foul spit out of your mouth onto my food just because you talk!" Sarah said angrily to Kate.

"That was a stupid thing to say! My spit isn't foul and I don't spill it when I talk!" says Kate.

"Oh, my sight wasn't clear, was it?" »

"Probably" Kate raised her eyebrows.

Sarah pushed her fries angrily away.

Kate approached her and continued eating where Sarah had left off.

As serene as Anne is, no one would know she has crazy friends.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you intentionally did that just so you could eat my fries. Stupid greedy!" Sarah said.

"I'm not for you right now. Anne, you really have to answer that question," Kate said, chewing on the fries and giving delicious sighs just to piss off Sarah.

Sarah huffed.

Anne passed her remaining fries to Sarah.

"No, I'm fine, you don't have to do that," Kate said.

"I've already finished eating, you can have the rest" said Anne, swallowing some water.

"Thank you Anne" Sarah smiled, giving Kate a 'I-won' look.

Kate ignored him and turned to Anne.

"Anne, you haven't answered our question yet, why are you so obsessed with this girl?" She asked again.

"Maybe because everyone avoids her, maybe if she hadn't been avoided by everyone I wouldn't have felt the need to always get close to her," Anne said. .

"I don't know exactly her offence, why do people hate her so much?" Sarah shook her head.

"Stop talking like you haven't hated her once too!" Kate rolled her eyes.

"I did it because I was so stupid for believing Chloe's slander," Sarah said.

"But now...it's clear to everyone that Chloe tarnished Layla's image just to make everyone hate her," Anne added.

"Yeah and any sane person should have stopped hating the poor girl after realizing that," Sarah said and Kate glared at her.

"Anyway...get your brother to eat with us another time," Kate said.

"But how come your brother is so close to her just a day after taking over? Is obsession running in your blood? Or could the girl use some jazz! Oh my God! Yunno, she's African," Kate said and Anne laughed.

"Layla doesn't use jazz, she and Dan have met before now," Anne said.

"Oh, no wonder they're so close," Jessie said.

"Yeah" Anne said.

They talked about other things while eating.

•°

"We're officially friends now, I want you to tell me more about yourself," Dan said.

Laila smiles. "All right"

They were done with their lunch, then decided to wait and chat before the bell rang.

"I am Layla Moremi Williams, part African. My father Michael Ajagun Williams is Nigerian, from the Yoruba tribe, which automatically makes me a Yoruba too. My mother Celine Marton Williams is American, which makes me part American too. , I'm sixteen, I'll be seventeen in two weeks..."

"Wow, Moremi," Daniel smiled, interrupting her and there was that feeling in her when he mentioned Moremi.

He will be the first person, the first friend of hers to call her by her original name.

It stirred a feeling in her that she didn't even know existed.

“Did I understand the pronunciation? he asked hopefully.

"I can't say, you pronounced it like I did and I'm not sure I have the correct pronunciation myself, if you're so determined to get the pronunciation correct, you'll have to listen to my aunt pronounce again and again"

"I don't mind, I love the name," Daniel said.

"So" He smiled.

"Thank you" Layla smiled "Should I tell you the story behind this?" asked Layla.

"Yes please" Daniel said impatiently.

"Okay... Moremi was the queen of the kingdom of Ile Ife, Osun State. Nigeria..." Layla began with a smile.

•°

"Wow" Daniel said, intrigued by the story.

"It's a hell of an intriguing story, it captivated me," he added, making him love the name more.

"Yes, there are so many fascinating stories in Africa. My dad called me Moremi because he loved that name too and wanted me to be the best of me," Layla said.

"I'd love to start calling you by your original name, Moremi," Dan announced and Layla's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I thought Layla was a beautiful name until I heard Moremi. I love her, maybe because it's rare. I'll stick with that name," he said. -he declares.

"Do you have to… do this?" People will…” Layla was saying.

"I don't have to worry about what people would say, as long as I'm happy doing what I want," Daniel said.

"Wait…you don't like your original name?" " He asked.

"Of course I do, so much," Layla said.

"Are you probably bothered that calling you by your original name would remind people that you're African and they'd start hating and avoiding you again?"

"No, I don't care if anyone avoids me. I have you and Anne now"

"Well, okay I understand that we are in an environment where they are not used to the name"

"Exactly" said Layla.

"What if I stayed with Layla and called you Moremi whenever I felt like it."

"Good" smiled Layla.

"Okay, so Moremi...please continue" Dan smiled.

"I lost my parents and only a younger brother, and now I stay with my aunt, Philia, who owns the cafe we first met," Layla said.

Dan stared at her, struck by what she had to go through losing both her parents and her only brother!

Coupled with how she had been treated at school and yet she still stands firmly on her feet.

God! She is so strong.

He doesn't think he can survive losing his parents and Anne, he can't even imagine his life without them.

Her pathetic life at this young age almost brought tears to his eyes and he is more determined to protect her.

"I'm so sorry about that Moremi" He rubbed her hand affectionately, staring at her pityingly.

"Come on, it's okay, I'm done with that. It happened a long time ago." She smiles and he knows that no matter how long it was, the pain will still be there.

"I'm so sorry again, from now on…you have me and Anne, okay?" We'll always be here for you,” he said reassuringly and she nodded.

"Thank you Dan, thank you very much," Layla said.

"Okay...I should continue" She smiled.

He likes her to smile often, it makes her more endearing.

"I have family in Nigeria, in Lagos State..."

"Really?" Daniel smiles.

"Yeah, Aunt Esther, it's my father, my brother and his son David, apart from my parents, they are the only ones who call me by my original name and well you too" smiled Layla and he smiled too.

"They are the only relatives of my dad that I know and I love them so much, they are still one of the best people I know, I'm so happy to have them in my life or I would have completely crumbled. I do calling them frequently when I still have my mom's phone with me," Layla said.

"And you don't have any more?" Dan asked.

"I do but not as often as I would like"

"For what?" Daniel asked.

"The phone is no longer in my possession, it is with Philia"

"You don't have your own phone?" Dan asked and Layla shook her head.

He sighed "I was thinking of contacting you so that we can discuss during the weekend"

"Ah, I'm sorry to have disappointed you" laughed Layla.

"That's fine, but the phone Philia has shouldn't stop you from calling them regularly, Philia should give it to you whenever you need it, it's your mother's phone and... she's not supposed to take it from you in the first place,” Dan said.

Layla shrugged. "I guess it's because she's always busy with the phone, doing business and everything"

"Oh," Daniel sighed.

"Yeah, that's all you need to know about me, at least for now"

"My turn" Daniel sat up properly, clearing his throat.

Layla laughed. "You look like you want to give a very important speech, all you need is a neat suit and a microphone"

Dan laughed too.

"I am Daniel Keyes, a full American, seventeen years old, I love getting along with people, I love making friends, I hate bullies and traitors. My parents and Anne are the people i love the most in the world i have a lot of friends but there are two special ones and now they are three i don't make someone my special friend so quickly because being "special " to me means i really love you and to really love you i would have studied you , it took me years to have these two special friends but there is this one person in particular that i feel like 'it doesn't take years to make one, I don't know what she did to me,' Daniel said and Layla blinked profusely.

Dan smiles. "Would you mind knowing their names?" Daniel asked.

"Of course not," Layla said.

"Felia Summers, Rylan Whitney and..Layla Moremi Williams" Daniel said and the bell rang.

Layla stared at him dazedly, not getting up.

"Come on, let's go to class. Daniel smiled, pulling her up. He knew she was surprised, if not shocked.

"Get in the car, we'll take you home" said Anne to Layla who was about to leave after saying goodbye to them.

"Yeah, we'll walk you home," Dan said.

"Don't bother," Layla said.

"We want," Dan said.

"My house is a bit far" said Layla.

"Isn't your house around the cafe?" Dan asked.

"Yeah" Layla nodded.

“Our house is further, miles past your coffee, so come in,” Dan said.

"Hm, I insist, it's not worth it, I'll take the bus. Bye" Layla motioned for them to flee before they could stop her.

"Coffee girl, see you Monday" Dan yelled at her and she laughed.

He was about to turn with Anne, heading for the car when Dylan stopped him.

"Anne, get in the car, I'll come and join you," Dan said.

"Okay" Anne said walking away.

"Hi" Daniel said.

"Hey" Dylan said giving him a piercing look.

"Do you want it all?" Dan asked after a few minutes, feeling uncomfortable with the silence.

"What is it with you and Layla?" asked Dylan.

"Oh" Daniel smiled then laughed.

Dylan frowned at him.

"You love it?" Dan asked.

He knew from the way Dylan had looked at him in class that he probably liked Layla.

"It's rude to answer a question with a question," Dylan said, irritated by Dan's behavior.

Seeing Dan take over Ocean High pissed him off a lot, he hates having someone to compete with, he was only the king of the school when this guy came along, stealing all the attention from him and even Layla who can't can't stop looking at him is now so busy with the new guy that she rarely spares him a glance.

The girl who was so obviously in love with him, the girl who almost broke down when he complimented her on her hair, she danced happily and he was laughing from where he was looking.

The most annoying thing is that the new guy turned out to be even smarter! the girls don't care about him anymore, they're all focused on Dan now.

This annoys him so much that he wishes Dan was gone.

He takes everything!

"Well...Layla is my special friend, nothing's going on with us, you're free to move on with her," Dan said.

"Go with her?" Dylan burst out laughing.

"Yeah…ah, you don't like him?" Dan asked.

"Like her?" Dylan sniffled.

"It's rude to answer a question with a question" Dan told him Dylan's words and Dylan bit the inside of his mouth angrily.

He hates that this guy here pisses him off without even trying.

"And why did you say 'like her' with such a disgusting look, like…she's not human or not worth loving," Dan said.

"It's because you really need to know that I don't love her, I don't even have a tiny bit of feeling for her." She's cool for a friend though. Dylan shrugged as if thinking about it.

"Not loving someone romantically shouldn't justify that look, of course everyone is free to turn down the person they don't want to have a romantic relationship with, it doesn't have to be that bad. J I heard you embarrassed her after a kiss. Come on, that's mean of you. That's really mean," Dan said, leaning on a car.

Dylan hated that Dan kept looking normal, his emotions weren't showing on his face and it pissed him off so much.

He had planned to piss off Dan but he's the one pissed off instead.

"Are you trying to force your own opinion on my decision? I have the right to make whatever decision I want," Dylan said.

"Of course you do, everyone else does, but there are decisions that lack common sense, for example, why would a sane person compare human lips to a dead log of wood and you even added that it wouldn't light up if ignited by a large, burning fire.I don't wonder why you felt that way, but go tell everyone...it sucks, even though you didn't feel anything kissing her, even though that moment wasn't special for you, even though your own lips were too stupid to feel anything, you should at least have cared about her feelings. don't even know if she hung on to that moment like gold you don't know how much the kiss meant to her I knew those words would hurt her and you still went ahead to Say it! How much of a jerk are you?" Dan asked, waiting for an answer like it was any normal question.

Dylan glared at him, wishing he had never approached him in the first place.

He never thought Dan would make him speechless, he had approached Dan so prepared and now there is nothing more to say.

Everything he had planned to say, the words he had planned to piss Dan off with completely faded from his head.

"Well…I wasn't expecting an answer for that anyway but you really have to answer this question…You pretend you don't like him, why then did you approach me to ask me what relationship we had together ?" Dan asked and Dylan decided not to let Dan prepare the last words for an answer.

"Because she needs to be protected from assholes like you! You're an impostor! You fake your friendly behavior just to be liked"

Daniel burst out laughing. "I was right, you're so petty, faking friendly behavior...you do this? it's bad, you should change your ways if you're guilty of this. Anyway, you have so much I didn't take over Ocean High when you hurt Layla but now you're not so lucky, hurt her and get to face me I just hope you're well trained in taekwondo, that's it. was my specialty at Prestige High School" Daniel smiles wickedly and Dylan wouldn't lie, he's got chills.

"Layla is my special friend and I go all the way for my special friends, so Dylan, be careful," Dan said.

"Please," he added before walking away.

He kept Anne waiting, he would have liked to speak with more common sense to Dylan.

Dylan looked at Dan as he got in the car, the car started almost immediately and he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

“What the fuck is this! He shouted in anger.