TODAY WAS the day that Seaford High would be holding their Date Auction in order to save up money for the band to get new instruments.

One by one each of the students would walk up and someone would bid a certain amount of money in order to win that date. The highest bidder would win.

Simple enough.

"And that brings us to Layla Beasley." Milton smiled into the microphone, "The most popular and probably most beautiful girl in California and possibly the world. This is want you saved your lunch money for, people."

The group of students applauded the girl as she stepped out from behind the red curtain.

"Do I hear 50?" Milton asked.

"Yes, you do! You do! You really do!" Albert smiled.

"Albert, President of the Mathletes with the first bid. Do I hear 60?" Milton smiled, "Nicolas, captain of the football team. Do I hear 70?"

"70." Albert repeated.

The bid on Layla went back and forth until Albert raised his sign and bid 200 dollars on the girl.

"Going once, going twice... Sold for a record breaking 200 dollars to Albert."

And after a few more bids on different people, the Date Auction finally drew to a close and Layla would be waiting outside the Bobby Wasabi dojo for Albert to show up.

"I know it's for a good cause, but are you seriously going to go out with Albert?" Kim asked.

"Yeah." Layla smiled, "He's a nice guy and it's just one date."

"Here's a little trick if you want the date with the nerd to end early." Milton spoke, "You lean in, blow in his ear. He'll faint. You run."

Milton and Kim began going back and forth on how stupid and/or genius it was and left Jack and Layla alone.

"Uh, hey, Layla?" Jack called, "Uh, you're not gonna have to go on the date with Albert."

Layla furrowed her brows, "Why not?"

"Well, he did the bidding, but it wasn't for himself. It was for me."

"Why would you do that?" She asked with a smile.

Jack stood to his feet, "I don't know, I guess... The thought of you going out with some other guy... To be honest, it kind of bothered me."

"I want you to say it."

"I'm saying that maybe we should go on a..."

Layla smiled, looking down at her feet. It was clear that he was nervous and didn't want to say the word "date" especially with the hint of rejection that may come with it. Because if Layla Beasley rejected you... you'd most likely be banished from Seaford.

"An outing?" She asked, raising her brows.

"We can do an outing." Jack smiled.

"Why did you just bid on me yourself?"

"I don't know. I guess... I thought it would weird our friends out. Especially Jerry."

"I guess you're right." She sighed, "I guess the minute Jerry would find out that we're going on an actual date, he'll treat me differently... which may be a good thing."

"So we'll keep it to ourselves?" Jack questioned.

"I can do that for now."

"For now?"

"Layla Beasley never stays single for long."

"Layla!"

Jack and Layla turned towards the sound of her name finding Albert running out of Falafel Phil's.

"What's wrong?"

"Layla," He panted, "I'm glad I caught you. Give me a second. Whoo! Oh, I just ran all the way from Phil's."

Mind you, the dojo was right across from Phil's would only take you two seconds to get to each spot respectively.

"Jack, forget our agreement. I realize that I, too, have feelings for Layla and I'm gonna take her on a date."

Jack crossed his arm, "Who doesn't like Layla?"

His question was ignored and Albert went on to list the things that he and Layla would do on their date.

Layla brushed past Jack, leaning close to Albert and blew into his ear.

"Nerd down." Albert sighed before falling towards.

"Glad to know that actually works." She smiled, turning towards Jack, "Do you know how many people will be off my back now?"

THE NEXT day Layla sat in the dojo and Jack soon came rushing inside.

"I got us a reservation at Portaccini's."

"That's literally impossible unless you're me." She smiled.

"Tomorrow night, 7:30, table by the fountain."

"You've gone all out." She smiled, "I have to return the favor of course. But not a word to anyone."

"For now."

She smiled, "For now."

Jack return smile and made his way towards the back of the dojo.

As for Layla, she turned towards the bench that she'd been sitting one once before when Jerry entered the dojo.

He was talking to someone on the phone and seemingly annoyed. He placed his phone inside his locker and slammed it shut.

"That's was Carol Thompson. Clingy. Layla, I can't stand clingy girls."

"I don't think I asked but thank you for that information." She softly smiled, "I'm sure the right person is under your nose."

Layla grabbed her gi from the bench and began to make her way towards the back to change.

"Uh, Layla, you dropped this."

He picked the bracelet up from the bench and examined it.

Remember when Jack lost his memory and before that he and Layla when back and forth on whether or not to make friendship bracelets inside of the hair tie thing?

Well, it wasn't a friendship bracelet per se. It was kind of a step up from a friendship bracelet... whatever that shall be.

Jerry gasped and held a large smile, "Is this for Jack? You guys are together?"

"No."

And she didn't lie... per se. Her and Jack weren't together and that was that.

"That's for someone else." She smiled.

Jerry smirked, "I'm someone else."

"That you are."

"Is this someone me?" He smiled.

Layla shut her eyes and sighed, "Sure... yeah."

"It makes so much sense now. The right person is under your nose." He chuckled, "Tomorrow night, we're on our first date. I can't wait to rub this in Milton's face."

"Uh, you know, Jerry, I—"

He turned placing his finger upon her lips, "You're gonna see the soft, sensitive side of Jerry Martinez. Just hang on."

Meanwhile, Jack stood by the flower cart near the dojo.

"That's perfect." He smiled, "You know I've never actually bought a corsage before. I'm pretty excited. It's for my new girl— person."

And his interactions didn't go any better than what Layla and Jerry had.

Milton had caught Jack with box and he claimed that it was a dead bird named Bucky and Milton wanted to throw Jack a funeral for the sea bird and it would be held tomorrow.

And when tomorrow finally came Jack and Layla met at the center of the mall, right in front of the dojo.

"Wow! Layla, you look amazing." Jack smiled.

"Thanks. You do, too." She sighed, "This was supposed to be our date at Portaccini's."

"Yeah, instead I'm going to a funeral for a bird that doesn't exist."

"Sound likes fun compared to my date with Jerry."

Milton and Jerry soon arrived and dragged the duo away.

And Layla's date didn't go over well with Jerry because he talked about himself the entire time.

"I will do you the biggest solid if we can make this date end sooner."

Jerry quipped his brows and began to listen. Layla promised that she would let every girl in school know that she had a fantastic time with him and they would practically be crawling all over him by Monday morning.

"Deal."

And just like that the date was over and a new day began and Jack and Layla were going to try one more time to get the table at Portaccini's, but they would only have 40 minutes.

"Okay, hey guys." Milton called, "Where are you going?"

"Yeah. And why are you all dressed up?" Jerry asked.

"Well, uh, I am dressed up because I am going to see the new play. Yeah, at the place... where people act." Jack said.

"Oh, you mean that 12-hour Shakespeare marathon down at the Palladium?" Milton questioned, "I am so in!"

"Great. So that's really gonna happen now."

"Well, since you and Milton are going to some dumb play. I need Layla to talk to these cheerleaders about how great I am." Jerry smiled.

The two boys began pulling the duo away once more when Layla stopped in her track.

"I'm sorry, Jerry, but I'm going to Portaccini's with Jack. We've been talking about this date for days and I'm not going to keep pushing it back."

Milton laughed, "Why didn't you just say so?"

And just like that (and a conversation about the truth) Milton and Jerry left the duo alone, but not before Jerry returned the bracelet back to Layla.

"This is for you, by the way." She smiled, slipping the bracelet onto his wrist.

"I had to hike up the side of a mountain to bury your corsage. All this just so we can go on a date."

"Was it worth it?" She asked.

"You're worth it."

The two of them held wide smiles and Jack laced his finger with Layla's and finally the two of them were off to Portaccini's.

Jack kicked his foot behind him and his foot kicked Layla from behind. She smiled and nudged him with her hip. Their hands still laced as he pulled her close. To Portaccini's they went.

And just like that, it was Layla and Jack, boyfriend and girlfriend.

— lucy has something to say !!

can we get a lucy w in chat for 20k reads

boyfriend girlfriend slayage epic 1.0 epic yeah yeah

milton is bff material for sure

JACK LITERALLY TOOK HIS FOOT AND KICKED KIM IN THE ASS IN THE MOST PLAYFUL CUTEST WAY EVER OH MY GOD IM VRYING

bye :))))