Kaleb's POV

"I hate all of y'all" Whitney whines trying to hide behind Daniel. "Who even picked that movie? I'll never sleep again for the rest of my life."

"It's okay, baby. You can sleep next to me tonight. I'll protect you from crazed lunatics." Daniel says.

Layla laughs, "I liked the movie."

"Of course, you did. You picked it out." Summer states.

"We're sleeping with lights on tonight." Winter whispers.

Jake smiles. "I'll protect you, Winter. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I can't believe how scared all of you girls are." Connor complains. "It's just a movie." Layla reaches for the pillow beside me and throws it at Connor hitting him on the head. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I was not scared." She says sticking her tongue out in a childish manner.

Connor rolls his eyes. "I'm not your friend anymore, Layla." Everyone freezes at his words.  Why in hell would he say that?

Layla gives him an unreadable expression. "I thought I already told you, that I didn't want to be your friends." Connor has a hurt expression, and everyone is starring between the two of them. I feel like punching my best friend in the face. Why would even say something like that to her? I'm about to say something to break the tension in the room, but Layla starts laughing. "Oh, my gawd. You should see your face Connor." She laughs even harder. "I was just kidding." It takes a moment for everyone to realize what just happen before we are all laughing. Well not Connor. He is just sitting there in shock. "What?" Layla ask innocently. "Mr. Ego can't take a joke?"

"Wait. You, what? Joke? You laughed?" Connor says dumbfounded. "You were joking, and you laughed? You laugh!" Connor says with excitement.

Layla nods her head , but squeal when Connor grabs her off the couch and throws her over his shoulder and starts jumping around like a five-year-old child on Christmas morning. "Ouch! Connor, I'm still hurt."

Connor's face goes white as he sits her next to me. "Oh shit, Layla. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I was just surprised to hear you laugh and all."

She pats his shoulder while she wraps her other arm around her stomach. "It's okay. It was just a little pain and you didn't mean it." She breathes heavily. "I don't get while you were so excited that I laugh though."

We all give her a deadpan look. "Seriously?" I ask her. She nods her head. "No one has ever heard you laugh. I mean it was a real laugh. It was amazing to see you so happy and to hear you laugh."

"Oh." She says looking down.

"Hey," I say as place my hand over hers "It's a good thing. It means you are starting to feel comfortable with us."

"I-I guess." She whispers. I wish I could tell her just how beautiful her laugh is, but it would probably embarrass her more than she already is.

"So," Jake buts in trying to get the attention off Layla. "What do y'all want to do now?"

"Not another movie. After being half scared to death, I need something else to distract me." Whitney says.

"Babe, I can distract you." Daniel tells her kissing her cheek.

"Nope." She says as she pops her 'p'. "I want to do something with Layla. What do you like to do for fun, Layla?"

"As long as it has nothing to do with us leaving the house. My dad wants us to stay in." I remind everyone.

"Umm. I don't know. Since my mom passed away, I normally just read or listen to music." She whispers as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What did you do for fun while your mom was alive?" I ask as I put my arm around her shoulder. Connor and Whitney are both giving me a knowing smirk, but I just ignore them.

"Um, we used to bake. My mom loved baking and I always enjoyed baking with her. I stopped once she passed away."

"Let's bake then." Summer squeals.

"It's okay." Layla says as she bites her bottom lip. "Y'all can choose something else that y'all want to do for fun."

"Nonsense. Let's bake." Summer grabs her and pulls her to the kitchen. Everyone follows beside her except for Connor and Whitney.

"We saw that." Whitney smirks.

"What?" I say.

"You put your arm around her, and she didn't even flinch." Connor says patting me on the back. "You were also able to get her to watch a movie with us. And if I might say, its pretty cool that she wanted to watch a horror movie."

"And I can't believe what she said to Connor." Whitney laughs. "I've never seen her joke around or laugh before and it was amazing."

They're right. Connor reaction was pretty hilarious. "I guess she is starting to feel comfortable around us."

"You mean you." Whitney smirks.

"Whatever." I say rolling my eyes.

"So, how did you get her down here?" Connor asks.

"We sat on her bed and I comfort her. She kept telling me she wanted to go home, but I told her that we couldn't let her go home because it was too dangerous. There's just something that is bothering me. I told her that our parents would make sure she is never forced to go back to her dad's and that she would be safe, but she kept telling me that none of us understand."

"What don't we understand?" Connor growls. "That here dad is a good for nothing piece of shit that uses his daughter as a punching bag. Does she not realize that her dad could take it too far one day? This isn't some game or joke we're playing. None of us want to see her get hurt."

"I get that, and I explained it her, but she said something that is really starting to bother me, but I don't know how to ask her without upsetting her more. She's slowly becoming comfortable around us and I don't want her close back off towards us again."

"What did she say that is bothering you?" Whitney questions.

"She said that her dad is not the one we need to worry about, and by not letting her go home we were going to lose her. When she kept saying she wanted to go home I thought maybe she had a sibling she was trying to protect, but she said she was her dad's only child."

"I'm worried now too. Her dad is the one that hurts her, right?" Whitney asks. "I mean, that is what she told us. Do you think she could be lying?"

I shake my head. "No. Eve said he was a good for nothing father and I believe he is hurting her, but there is something else. I just don't know what. I tried asking and all she says is she can't tell me."

Connor grits her teeth and runs his hand through his hair several times. Connor might like to friendly tease Layla, but he does care for her. I can just feel his anger radiating off him. He's trying his best to keep his temper under control and for his sake and Layla's, I hope he can. "She's not going anywhere tonight, and I doubt your parents are going to let her leave tomorrow night either." Connor says while clenching and unclenching his fist. "For tonight let's just forget all of this and have some fun. It doesn't sound like she gets to have fun very often and was nice to hear her laugh and see her smile. She also talking to us more tonight than normal, so let's not ruin it by bringing up things that will upset her."

Connor and I follow Whitney into kitchen but we are all in utter shock when we walk in. Standing in front of us is Layla and our four friends covered and all sort of stuff. Connor starts laughing at them before looking at Layla. "Hmm. I think you might have a little something in your hair, sweetheart." He smirks. Layla gives him a deadpan look, but it does nothing at stopping Connor's sly remarks. "I thought you said you knew how to bake. You do know you are supposed to make it in the bowl, not on your face."

Layla turns her back to him and walks towards a different counter. Whitney nudges Connor hard in his side. "What was that you were saying about not ruining her night dumbass?" She hisses at Connor. "Look what you've done know. You've upset her."

Connor looks down at the floor with a guilty look on his face. He walks over to her and place his hand on her shoulder. Once again, we are all surprise when she doesn't flinch. "Layla?" Connor says softly. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

We hear her sniffle a few times and I glare at Connor. "Y-You will be s-sorry."

Connor furry his eyebrows, "Don't you mean I should be sorry. If you are saying I will be sorry that sounds like you are going to do something to me."

Layla turns around and has an evil smirk on her face. "Yep!" She says popping the 'p'. Before Connor can even figure out what was happening, Layla throws two handfuls of flour on him.

Everyone is laughing as Connor stands there blinking his eyes in utter disbelief. "You weren't crying, were you?" She shakes her head. "You weren't upset by my comment either?" Again, she shakes her head. "You were messing with me in other words." She smiles brightly as she nods her head. "Layla," he says in deadly low tone.

"Hmhm?" she hums.

"Run." He growls. She throws another handful of flour at him before darting out of the kitchen as fast as she can. Connor is quickly on her tail, but she manages to stay just out of his grasp.

The timer on the stove goes off and Summer opens the oven and takes out two. "They need to cool down before we can decorate them. Plus, I think Layla is a little busy.

"Layla, come out, come out from wherever you are." Connor singsongs.

Jake smirks as we walk into the living room. "I guess we are now playing hide and seek. You're it, Connor, since you are already trying to find Layla." Connor glares at us and shakes his head as we all take off running in different direction to hide. One perk of living in a mansion is that there are more than plenty of places to hide.

By the time we finish playing hide in seek it's two something in the morning. We all decide to head to bed. The cakes can wait until morning and since we'll be trapped in door all day tomorrow it will give us something to do.

Having Layla here was more fun that I had expected. Not that I didn't think she would be fun, but I can't remember the last time anyone of us have laughed as hard as we did tonight. I can only hope Layla, realizes that she means a lot to all of us and we aren't trying to be her friends for some sort of joke or bet. If something ever happened to her, she would be leaving a wound in each of our hearts.