Sterling's Daughter

"Laya!" she heard Zena call, and stopped, but didn't turn around. Laya heard footsteps on the pavement behind her, and seconds later Zena appeared at her side. "Where you going?" her sister asked. "The bus is that way."
"I just need some fresh air," Laya replied, not looking at the other girl directly. "I'm going to take the long way home okay? I'll be fine."
"Are you feeling alright?" Zena asked.
"Yeah. Like I said, I just need some fresh air. I'll see at home, later," Laya hoped that Zena would just walk away. She really needed to clear her brain.
"Fine," Zena shrugged. "See you there then. But if you stop anywhere, tell me or mum so that we know."
"I've been doing that since I was a kid," Laya said. Did her sister think she was a baby? She watched Zena walk away for a bit and then began to walk herself. She closed her eyes after a few steps and an image of Will's smile from the talk in the music room flashed before her. She snapped her eyes back open again, hurriedly.
She had to stop thinking about Will Hamilton. And fast.
***
Laya was lost. How could she be lost? This was her hometown and she knew it almost back to front. So how did she come to be wandering down an alley way on her way home from school? She growled in her throat in frustration, then yelped as something jabbed into her leg. She glanced down to see a piece of wire poking out of a fallen rubbish bin that lay on its side on the dusty ground. A trickle of blood made a small trail of red down her leg and over her ankle. As she reached down to dab it, fingers brushed against hers. Looking up, Laya found herself staring into dark, mesmerising eyes that could only belong to Will. She frowned as that smile spread slowly across his face.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Helping you. Is there a law that I'm not allowed to help you?" he responded, looking at her closely. "Is your leg okay?"
He was way too close for comfort, but it was though some force was holding her there, next to him. His head was tipped foward a little bit and he was watching her through those eyes that seemed to shine brighter that they usually did. Her heart pounded in her chest and her palms felt sweaty. He was coming closer and closer and still Laya didn't move. He reached out a hand and then quite suddenly, she was falling.
Laya woke up with a jolt as she landed on the ground. She gasped as her eyes flew open and she blinked, trying to make sense of her surroundings and where she was. So it turned out, she'd fallen out of bed. The tangled sheets looked like they'd been tossed and turned rather a lot, and Laya groaned as she realised she'd been dreaming. She found her feet and stood up, swaying as she rubbed her bleary eyes before crawling back into bed. But sleep had decided to abandon her. She lay there, blinking into the darkness as her mind turned over her dream. Will had been going to kiss her, she just knew it. It had felt so real, like dreams or nightmares always did.
But we don't like each other like that, she told herself. We're equal. Nothing more.
So why the dream? A voice argued in the back of her mind.
"Arrghhh," she groaned out loud. She picked up the pillow and jammed it over her head. Where was sleep when she needed it?
***
For the rest of the week, Laya barely saw Will except in a few classes and on the bus, and she decided that she would be contented with that. She didn't need him to distract her or to get her into trouble like he seemed to pretty good at doing.
"Hey Laya!" Rose appeared at her side, startling her a bit.
"Oh, hey," Laya replied.
"Party at mine Saturday night," Rose announced. "Keen to join?"
"Is Will going to be there?" Laya narrowed her eyes at the other girl. Her instincts told her not to trust Rose or Melindy, since what happened the night of her and Tempo's accident and Will 'happening' to be hanging at Dylan's for the day.
"Haven't asked him," Rose shrugged.
"Okay," Laya nodded. "I'll talk to my parents."
"Awesome," Rose grinned widely. "Can't wait to see you there."
She spotted someone she knew in the crowd of students and gave a small wave to Laya before disappearing in the direction of that person. Laya wondered if it was a good idea if she went to this party, considering what happened last time.
"Let's go together!" Kirsty suddenly jumped in front of her and Laya slammed on the brakes before she crashed into her friend. "My dad will pick you up and you can come with me to Rose's! It will be so much fun!"
Laya hesitated. Kirsty seemed pretty hyped up about the whole idea of going together, and she didn't want to ruin it for her friend. She plasted a smile on her face and nodded energetically.
"Great idea!" she grinned. Then she couldn't resist a little teasing. "You're not going with Ty as his date?"
Kirsty blushed a little.
"No, he can't come," she said.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Laya taunted. "Maybe next time."
Kirsty grumbled under her breath.
"Now," Laya put an arm around her friend's shoulder, "you know exactly how I feel."