Kaleb's POV

"Dinner's ready." My mom yells from the bottom of the stairs.

It's unusual for us to not all run down the stairs, but we are worried about Layla. We walk into the kitchen and my mom has six places set. "I think you're forgetting some people, mom."

"No, the girls are eating in Layla's room. She's has a traumatic day and doesn't want to leave her room." I look at my mom with a worry expression, as do my friends. "Boys don't worry. She'll be fine, but you have to see it from her point of view. She's been hiding this secret of being abused for so long and hasn't had trust in anyone for years. She's gone from no one knowing anything to seven of her classmates that she barely knows finding out some of her biggest secrets in a matter of hours. She's ashamed and embarrassed."

"But, Abby, she shouldn't feel that way. Her dad is to blame." Daniel says.

"You're right." My dad says joining use at the dinner table. "But that doesn't mean that's how she feels. I wouldn't doubt that her dad has told her countless of times that it's her fault or that she's worthless. You can just tell by how low herself esteem is." My dad tightens his jaw. This whole mess is bothering him as much has it is bothering me. "I'm sure Kaleb's mom has already told y'all that you will all be staying home from school tomorrow. My wife and I will be meeting with your parents to explain this whole situation with Layla. The more people she has on her side the better it will be. It will also help us with whatever step we decide to take next."

My dad takes a bite of his pizza and continues speaking. "By no means are any of you allowed outside of this house tomorrow unless it is with Abby, I or your parents. We don't know how dangerous Layla's dad is and I wouldn't be surprise if he starts looking for her with how long she's been gone. There really isn't a reason why he would come looking here for her, but I still don't want to take any chances."

"Yes sir." We all say in unison.

"Also," my mom chimes in. "I don't want Layla to be alone unless she's using the restroom or changing clothes. Of course, the girls will be with her most of the time, but just in case they aren't, I want one of you to be with her. No asking her questions about her home life though. Let her tell you when she's ready. And Connor," She says glaring at him. "Don't say anything inappropriate to her. We all know how big your ego is but it can be a bit much for someone who isn't used to it."

"You hurt me, Abby." Connor pretend pouts.

Once dinner is finish, we decide we will watch a movie in the movie room. "Should we invite the girls?" Jake ask as he starts popping popcorn.

"I was planning on it. Maybe it could be a distraction for her. What movie should we watch?  I don't think it should be horror." I say, before I run up the stairs to Layla's room.

As soon as I am in front of her door, I knock on it. Within a couple of seconds Whitney opens the door and slips into the hallway. "What do you need?" She asks sounding stressful.

"The guys and I are going to watch a moving and thought y'all might want to join."

"Thanks, but I don' think that is such a good idea. Layla has completely shutdown on us. There is no possible way she would want to go downstairs and watch a movie."

"Let me try talking to her, okay? If anything, you, Winter and Summer can at least go watch the movie and I'll stay with her. You look beyond stress and we wouldn't want you to get aggravated with her because your stressed out."

"Fine, we'll go, but if you need me for any reason, text me."

"I will. Give us about fifteen minutes and if we aren't in the movie room by then than y'all can start it without us."

Whitney opens Layla's door and I follow her into the room. "Summer, Winter, can y'all come with me please?" She asks. The twins give me pain expression as they follow Whitney out of the room.

Layla is on her bed sitting with her knees up to her chest. "Layla," I say as I sit down beside her on the bed. Testing my luck, I move as close as I can to her and too my surprise she doesn't move away. Still testing my luck, I grab her hand and start rubbing circles on the back of it.

She doesn't flinch or try to pull her hand back. Instead she looks at me. The sight of her red eyes and the tears streaks going down her face breaks my heart. "Why?" She croaks out.

"Why?" I question her back having no earthly idea what she is asking me.

"Why won't you let me go home? Why did you tell your parents and your friends? I thought you said I could trust you." She cries. "I want you to leave me alone and let me go home. You're only making matters worse for me."

Her words pierce through my heart like a dagger. 'I thought you said I could trust you.' The last thing I want is for her to think that I gave her a reason not to trust me. "Layla, you can trust me. Please you have to understand why I did what I did. I can't bare the thought of you getting hurt. That's why you can't go home. If you go home that monster will only hurt, you more. I can't and won't allow that. That's why I told my parents and my friends.. And as for my friends, they want to be friends with you too. We all care for you , Layla. We really do. None of us are going to let him hurt you anymore. You're not going to be force to live there anymore. My parents, with help of our friends' parent are going to get you out of there."

She scoffs at me. "You know nothing about me, Kaleb. Forced to live there? It was my choice to live there." She mumbles.

"What?" I ask in confusion. What does she mean she chose to live there?

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it." She says quickly. "I need y'all to leave me alone and let me go home. I have to go home."

"I'm sorry Layla, but we can't do that."

"Please. You don't understand what y'all are doing."

I comb my finger through my hair. The more I talk to her, the more I feel like we are missing a bigger part of her story, but I don't know what it would be. What could it be? Her mom isn't there. She passed away. Wait, maybe she has a sibling. If she had a sibling of course she would want to go back home. She would want nothing to happen to them. No wonder why she is so upset. Well I'm sure if she has a sibling, we can get them out of that house too. "I know why you want to go back." I say a little to loudly causing her to jump in fear.

"Y-you know why I w-want to go back?" She stutters

"Yes, it's so obvious."

"I-It i-is?"

"Yes, there is only one reason why you want to go back. You want to go back, because you have sister or brother that is stuck in the same situation as you. It's okay, Layla. We can help them too."

Relief passes through her eyes, but I wasn't expecting to hear what she said next. "My dad has no other children. It's just me and him."

I don't understand. There is something more that she is hiding but I haven't a clue as to what it could even be. "Then why? Why do you want to go back?"

Her eyes start to water. "I-I can't tell you, Kaleb. Please can I go home?"

I wrap my arm around her shoulder, and she leans her head on me. "I'm sorry Layla, but you know I can't let you leave. Even if I could my parents and our friends wouldn't allow you to go back. And, honestly even if I could let you go home I wouldn't. We all care for you. I care for you and we can't allow for him to hurt you. What if he takes it too far, and, and we lose you?" I whisper as tears start flowing down my own face. I don't even want to imagine what could happen if he went too far.

She sits there quietly leaning on me, before she whispers something so softly that I'm not even sure if I heard her correctly. "You don't understand. No one does. By doing this you will lose me. My dad isn't the one to worry about." What does she mean by that? I want to ask her, but I can tell she already wanting to shut down on me.

"Come on." I say, as I grab her hand and pull her to her feet. We're going to watch a movie downstairs with everyone else.

She tries to tug her arm away, but I refuse to let go. "Kaleb, I don't want too."

"Please? It will be a good distraction, and the guys want to see you." I beg.

"Okay, but only on one condition."

"If it's that I will let you go home afterwards, you already know that answer is no."

"I know. The condition is that we watch something scary."

"You want to watch a horror show?" I laugh.

"I don't get it. What's so funny?"

"I specifically told everyone no horror movies."

"Why would you do that? Are you afraid to watch a scary movies?"

"Me? Of course, not. I thought you might be."

She laughs a little. "I already told you, Kaleb. There is a lot that you don't know about me."

"You are right about that." I grab her hand and pull her along to the movie room. There is definitely a lot I don't know about her, but boy do I wish I did. The more I learn about her the more I want to know.

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A/N: Comment. Vote. Follow Me!  ~KarenJ128~