the present 

Late at night in the windy city, the car rolled up in front of a two-story house. Two teenagers stepped out of the vehicle to the walkway towards the front door. It appeared the latter came from a high school football game by the teenage girl's cheerleading uniform and duffel bag with the school's logo patch. The teenage boy who stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, breathed out coolly after stealing glances of the girl walking next to him. Silence settled between them from the car to the front porch. It wasn't an awkward silence, more so, a comforting one which happens often.

When they approached the porch, the girl spun her body to face the boy visibly nervous. He's never acted nervous or on the brink of self-doubt in anything. However, since meeting her—he finds himself completely tongue tied.

"Thank you for driving me home tonight, Kelly." She shyly spoke up, gnawing her bottom lip with her brown orbs staring softly into his blue ones. "You didn't have to."

He shrugged his shoulders, "It's no problem, Layla. I don't mind at all. I-If you ever need a ride just let me know." He elicited a small grin while his heart thumped loudly in his eardrums.

She uttered a fit of giggles, "I'll take that in mind."

It became quiet once again, neither knew what else to say though in their eyes shared the same urges. Yet, they both refrained to take that leap of faith due to the fear of rejection or regret. Typically, how it is when it came to high school crushes. The two have only known each other for a few months from sharing a mutual friend, April Sexton. You could say it was love at first sight in a Chemistry class when Layla waltzed inside after dismissal bell to pick up her friend. When April introduced Kelly, Layla's eyes practically lit up delighted to meet him. While Kelly already knew of the girl as the beautiful ballerina dancer and member of the cheer team.

Upon shaking hands, the latter couldn't stop staring in each other's gaze—being quite taken of one another. It started to become a bit obvious as time went on.

Eventually, Kelly broke the silence when he cleared his throat. "I-I should head out. Um, have a good night, Layla." He nodded off shortly before departing from the porch.

A hand gripped onto his arm causing him to halt then turn to Layla closing the gap between them. He practically melted into her brown eyes directed deeply into his blue ones. Her lips parted to whisper out. "Kiss me."

Kelly didn't hesitate to smash his lips against hers with his arms snaking around her body. Layla slithered her arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly. The tension suppressed had finally been lifted from their chests to their relief.

Layla pecked his lips once more before resting her forehead against his. She felt his hands rubbing her back in a circular motion.

"You know, I've been meaning to do that." He admitted, earning laughter from the girl.

"Oh really? Then what took you so long?"

His face softened as he took in her infectious smile and admirable beautiful features. "I was scared because you're someone special to me, Layla. I didn't want to ruin anything between us."

In Central Park, a paw patrol firefighter toy figure pup, Marshall, raised into the air by a toddler's arm along with a water rescue toy figure pup, Zuma in the other hand. The toddler brought the firefighter one to the raven-haired woman's face as he sat on her lap. She smiled down at him, gladly taking the toy into her hand playing along.

After a few minutes, the woman noticed the incoming figure carrying two coffee cups. She returned the toy to the little boy before lifting him up and buckling back into his stroller next to the bench. She rose on her feet and pushed the stroller to meet the figure halfway.

"Thanks for watching him." The blonde woman braced a smile of gratitude, glancing down at her son distracted by the toys in his hands.

Layla reached out for her coffee cup. "Thanks for buying the coffee." She enlightened.

The two women began to take their stroll through the massive park as the raven-haired woman continued to push the stroller. Rochelle, a model, who Layla met on her tour in Europe at a nightclub several years back was visiting the city with her family.

"You're so good with him. Kind of surprised you haven't had one of your own yet." Rochelle remarked as she seen her son is fond of her friend.

"My life is currently busy to raise a child. Plus, I would need to not be single for that to happen." Layla mentioned the obvious explanations. She surveyed the city she grew to love before continuing with a deep sigh. "At one point, I did plan when I would have one, but life doesn't follow an itinerary."

The blonde nodded in agreement, "Clear example for me." She jokingly motioned to her toddler in the stroller. She was lucky enough to have a great partner, now husband. "Your day will come, though. No rush. But have you thought about dating?"

"Don't tell me this is your attempt to set me up with someone."

Within the last year, Layla's friends have insisted to set her up on blind dates. Considering all the woman does is push herself into her career rather than relishing in a life outside of it.

"Someone should try. Come on, Layla. You are one of the best people I've known in my life. Beautiful, crazy talented considering you're a principal ballet dancer, and devoted to anyone that crosses your path. I could go on." Rochelle dramatically listed on, hoping to convince her friend.

A giggle escaped Layla's mouth, "I've dated several guys before."

"But you don't let them in. You have these walls built extremely high—"

"For a valid reason." Layla deadpanned, taking a sip of her coffee.

Her friend nodded shortly, "Agreed but it's been a few years since that incident. I don't know, it might be refreshing to give yourself a little love." She looped their arms and rested her head upon her shoulder, sparing a pout.

"I'll take that into consideration." She playfully rolled her eyes before checking the time on her watch. "I have a shoot and rehearsal. We can plan a dinner before you head back home."

Layla burst through the door of her apartment after a long day to a night of celebratory dinner and drinks with friends from the dance company. She slipped out of her black knee-high boots then removed a thick trench coat to stored inside the closet. Her keys were placed on a hook and bags on the table before sauntering towards the kitchen to pour a glass of wine and snatching a small bag of chocolate covered pretzels.

Once settling on her couch, she surfed through the channels until finding one to fulfill her entertainment for the rest of the night. These were typical nights for the woman to bask in the quietness after a day running around the city or spending the day in the dance studio. Even traveling around, she would find the time to find solitude and unplug from reality.

After opening the bag of pretzels and munching on a piece, the home line started ringing. She lowered the volume of the phone then laid the bag and glass on the coffee table before reaching out to the phone. The familiar number on the screen belonged to none other than her best friend April.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Light giggles were heard on the other line, "Can't I call my best friend who I dearly missed?"

"You wouldn't have to if you chose to stay with me in New York." Layla retorted in a sarcastic tone; aware her best friend would roll her eyes at the remark.

The New York apartment hadn't been that lonely when Layla and April lived together. Moving together after high school was a dream for the pair of best friends. It felt comforting and less homesick. Between studying and rehearsals, both women engaged into the city continuously romanticized in films and tv shows. 

"Now you have another reason to visit your hometown." Her curly haired friend declared.

Between the latter, April has returned to Chicago to visit her parents. She would make several attempts to persuade Layla to tag along though it never worked. Even her mother Catherine tried but it seemed the ballet dancer stood her ground refusing to go back.

Layla remained quiet on the line.

"I wasn't sure to tell you this, but I saw him today." April mentioned yet conflicted to bring up about Kelly's abrupt visit. "Scott Rice started working at his firehouse and must've talked about me working at the ER. He came by assuming we could chat like good friends again. The audacity to ask if I could join him and Scott a drink."

Finally, Layla spoke. "Considering you're on the phone with me, you rejected him."

"Oh, I did more than reject him. I set him straight that we are not friends after breaking my best friend's heart." She simply said in a proud tone. "It felt a bit relieving after holding it in all these years like a good slap to his face."

The raven-haired woman snorted, "Well, I'm happy to hear it felt good for you. I don't mind if you hang out with him, April. So many years have gone since then, and we both have moved on."

"Says the one who's too stubborn to dip her toe back into our hometown." April deadpanned then continued to speak. "But we'll see, he didn't hurt just you but me too." She truthfully said about the man who disappeared and left their friendship hanging without an explanation after that day.

Silence once again brewed on the line between the best friends. Layla drew in a breath to steer the conversation, "How are your parents? Are they glad you're back home?"

"Glad is an understatement. They're happy to resume our game nights together although it's an odd number without you here."

"I'm sure you three will suffice though I do miss your parents' cooking."

An hour surpassed when the conversation between the duo came to an end. Layla rose to her feet from the couch and grabbed the bag of chocolate covered pretzels and the empty glass to the kitchen. She stored the snack into the cabinet and cleaned her dish before turning in to her bedroom for the rest of the night.

Emerging back into her spacious bedroom from a refreshing shower, Layla slipped into her pair of silk pajamas. She proceeded to finish her night routine in the bathroom. Her mind couldn't disregard parts of her conversation with April neither with the distraction of reading a novel in bed.

Her feet dragged her into the depth of the closet where a container of several obtained a peculiar black box. She hasn't touched the container nor box since moving to New York. Once brought back to bed with her, her hands grazed the cover before removing it. The box unveiled various mementos of her past life back in Chicago.

Specifically, any significant memory of her first love Kelly Severide. 

-Welcome to the first chapter! A little insight of Layla's life and flashback with Kelly. Can't wait for you to learn more about her. We'll see a reunion between those old flames soon. Hope you like it! Tell me what you think! Don't forget to comment and vote! Stay tuned!-

WRITTEN: 4/22/22

PUBLISHED: 4/23/22