Kaleb's POV

Things have been pretty good in the two weeks since Layla's dad signed his rights away. Each day Layla seems to be happier and more comfortable than the previous day. Layla kept to her word and left her schedule at school as is. Whitney and I did confess to her that we were the ones that I had initially switched her schedule. Layla wasn't too happy with us, but she didn't get mad at us either.

School has been interesting, to say the least. No one can get over the fact that the loner girl is hanging out with some of the most popular kids in school. There have been some really awful rumors going around about her, but we try our best to shield her from them. Layla is still on the cheerleading team and most of the cheerleaders have accepted her beside a select few. Whitney designated her as a flyer since she is so small and light.

Layla is my partner for English and has stayed in Connor, Jake, and Daniel's group for Spanish. One of the greatest changes that have happened with Layla is that every day she eats lunch with all of us. She will even still food from my lunch. The second greatest thing that has happened, is she now smiles more. Well, she smiles when she is near me at least. In the past two weeks, we have become closer. We are still only friends, but I know my feelings for her are growing and I hope hers are too.

When I get home, Layla isn't here. She went home with Whitney so they could meet up with Winter and Summer later to work on a new routine for cheerleading. I wanted to go with them because I don't like Layla out of my sight but I had to stay after school for track and Whitney told me it was girls only. I know Layla is safe now and her dad is in jail, but I can't stop worrying about her. I know there is still something bothering her, but for the life of me I can't figure it out.

As I walk into the kitchen, my mom and dad are having a heated conversation. I quietly eavesdrop on their conversation "Why hasn't her paperwork gone through yet, Michael?" My mom asks with concern laced through her voice.

"Abby, I don't know. I know we were thinking it was a computer glitch, but my office has since applied for several other families to get custody of a child and they've all gone through. I'm not sure why Layla's is still in limbo."

"Michael, you better figure this out. I refuse to let that girl be taken away from us. She is apart of our family now. I love her like my own and so does everyone else. Plus, I know our son has feelings for her. If she was taken from us, it wouldn't only be devastating to her, but to Kaleb, me, and everyone else as well."

My dad pulls my mom into a hug. "Abby don't worry. I'm not going to let her go anywhere. She has no other family, and I care for her too. Tomorrow I will go back to the courthouse and refile the paperwork. Maybe we made a mistake on the paperwork and that is what is causing the hold-up."

My mom looks at my dad for a few seconds before she starts biting her nails. She only does that when she's really nervous. "You're probably right, Michael. I hadn't had much sleep the night before I filled out the paperwork and with everything that was going on maybe I missed something." She smiles at my dad and kisses his cheek. "Thank you, Honey."

Since my parents have calmed down, I decide to make my presence known. I walk into the kitchen and sit on the island. My mom glares at me as I sit on the island and grab an apple from the fruit bowl and take a huge bite out of it. "Kaleb Andrew Knightly, what have I told you about sitting on the counter?"

I smile mischievously at my mom before jumping off the counter and sitting in the chair next to my dad at the kitchen table. "Where's Layla, son?"

"She is hanging out with Whitney, Summer, and Winter. They're working on a new cheerleading routine."

My mom pours herself a cup of tea before joining us at the table. "Is she liking cheerleading? I want to go to the first game she cheers at."

I shrug. "I don't know how she feels about it." I laugh. "Whitney said since Layla is so good at cheerleading that she won't let her quit the team even if she wants to. I think she will start cheering at next week's game. Whitney said she could wait until all of her bruises faded away before she had to cheer. Layla only has one or two left that are noticeable, but they should be gone by next week."

"Good! Good!" My mom cheers. "We will all go to next week's game. Including you, Kaleb." She says eyeing me. I don't normally go to football games. Daniel and Jake are on the football team, and I support them and all, but football is not my thing."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, mom." Since Layla will be cheering at all of the football games, I will be at all of them from now on.

My mom starts laughing and kisses my cheek before walking over to the fridge to pull out stuff to make dinner. "She's something else, isn't she?" My dad asks looking up from the paperwork he was going over.

"Who? Mom?"

My dad chuckles. "Well, yes your mom is something, but I mean Layla. You really care for her, don't you?"

"Ugh," I groan. "I can't stop thinking about her. Every waking and sleeping thought I have is about her. I'm constantly worried about her when she isn't with me, and when she is with me, I feel like I am on top of the world, but I don't think she has the same feeling for me."

My dad chuckles as he rolls his eyes. "I felt the same way about your mother when I met her. In fact, I was about your age when I finally had the nerve to ask her out. It took me forever to find the courage to ask her out, but it was one of the best decisions of my life. We had been friends for a little bit, and I was so worried that she would only like me as a friend. Turns out she had liked me as much as I liked her." My dad smiles as he reminisces about his past.

My mom walks over to him and kisses him on the cheek. "Honey," She says looking at me. "Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and hope it will all turn out for the best. But if it helps, Layla looks at you the same way I used to look at your father." She winks.

"Used to?" My dad smirks at my mom. "You still look at me the same way you did when we first met."

"Oh hush, you stupid man." My mom blushes.

"So, do y'all really think that Layla likes me back?"

"She's the closest to you. While she's made a lot of improvement over the past couple of weeks, you are the only one who can touch her without her ever flinching. When she's upset, you are the one she runs to and the only one that can calm her down. Yes, she has gotten better with the rest of us too, but you are the one who she has complete trust in." My mom says and my dad nods his head in agreement.

I rub the back of my neck nervously. "So, would y'all be okay if I asked her out on a date or would it be weird since y'all are trying to get custody of her?"

"Kaleb, your mother and I want you to be happy. Yes, we are trying to get custody of her and yes, we love her, but she's not your sister. If the two of you choose to be a couple, we just ask that you be responsible. She's only 16 and you just turned 18, but who are we to stand in the way of love."

"I never said love. Plus aren't we kind of young to be thinking about love?"

"Honey, you don't get to choose when you fall in love. It just happens." My mom walks over back to the stove to start cooking. "Kaleb, will Layla be home for dinner?"

"I'm not sure. I'll text Whitney and find out."

I pull out my phone to text Whitney, but before I can unlock my screen Whitney's name pops up on my screen meaning she is calling me.

"I was just about to text you," I say as I answer the phone.

"Kaleb," Whitney says with panic lace through her voice. I need you to come quickly. We are behind the diner."

"What happened? Is Layla okay?" I ask as I grab my keys and run to my bike.  I completely ignore my parents calling my name.

"I don't know what happened. We were all enjoying some cheese fries and milkshakes at the diner when something caught her attention and she freaked out. She ran out the back door and is now having a panic attack and behind the diner.  Everything was going great.  She was laughing and joking around with us.  I don't know what freaked her out, but now we can't get her to calm down. I don't know what to do. Hurry Kaleb."

What the hell happened? What freaked her out? I speed the entire way to the diner, worried about the girl that I have developed feelings for, and praying that I can help her.