Layla's POV

"Miss Malik, your mother specifically told me that you are not supposed go out no later than 9, and you also have school tomorrow Miss,"

"It's Edwards, and she was just over exaggerating. I'll be fine don't worry Freida, it's just studying." I said to the annoying maid my mum hired to "babysit" me while she was doing a concert or something important. She's quite better than the other maids hired here, but like all of them, she's a nuisance. I still don't know why my mum put me into a high school, I mean I'm going to leave this place in a few days anyway!

"But Miss,"

"I'll be fine! Don't worry! If you want to call my mum about this she won't mind! I'm going to June's house to study!" I responded back angrily, finally silencing herself. These maids can get very bitchy every once in a while. Freida didn't say a word to me after that, which was a good thing because then I could finally get out of the hotel!

I grabbed my bag, and some extra change of clothes, and I headed out the door to my friend June's apartment in Birmingham. She lives about two blocks away from the hotel here, so it's an easy walk to where I'm headed, excpet for all the muggers out running in the streets. So that's why I ran two blocks just to get to her apartment.

"Hey Layla! C'mon in, my parents are asleep." she whispered as we silently shut the door and walked over to her room on the other side of the apartment.

"Danny and Peter are gonna be here any second so you have to change super quick." said June as I walked towards her bathroom and changed. Stripping off my uniform, I put on a small pink top, sexy short skirt, and black heels for the night. June and I were fixing each other's hair and makeup, putting my messed up blonde hair tied up and June letting her short red hair down.

"They're here!" She whispered excitedly as we both went down the stairs, quickly and quietly. Once we were out, we saw Danny's truck full of people in the back, drinking and smoking and laughing the shit out of themselves.

"How's it going Edwards?" I heard someone say, seeing Peter lift up his bottle to me.

"Since when did you give a fuck about anybody? Oh, and don't drink too much Peter or you won't be able to drink much at the club!" I yelled back, opening the door of the truck.

"Layla Edwards, what a surprise to see you here." said Danny, taking hold of my fragile hand.

"I always come," I slightly laughed, taking out a packet of cigarets from his jacket.

"Where's the lighter?"

"Somewhere..." he said mischievously, his hand sliding down towards his pants.

"Very funny," I said, placing my hand on his thigh as I reached in for the lighter.

"You're quite the tramp," he said, lifting my head up as he grabbed my neck and kissed me passionately, his hand sliding down my spine.

"Danny boy! When are we leaving?" said a voice, our lips breaking apart.

"We should get going,"

"Yeah we should," I said, fixing my hair as I lighted the cigarette. The taste and smoke of it surrounding my mouth, letting all the smoke out between my lips.

"You're quite the smoker,"

"Oh shut up! It's not my fault I smoke! It's a habit that's quite entertaining, and it also relieves stress too." I said, exhaling the smoke again.

"I wasn't saying that it's your fault, it's just that I've never seen a girl smoke and drink and party like you." said Danny, taking a sip out of his beer.

"What does that suppose to mean? That I'm a slutty bitch?"

"No, more like a sexy hardcore partier I believe." he said, laughing as I shook my head at him.

"Fuck you," I said, pissed off at him as I continued to smoke the whole ride to the club. The lights flashing and the people crowding, we parked a mile away from it, needing to walk just to get to the back of the club.

"C'mon guys, let's go before Omar leaves!" said Peter as Danny, I, and six other people rushed towards the club.

"Peter! How's it going?" said a tall man, hiding in the shadow of all the commotion.

"Good, now how much do I owe you..." said Peter, taking out cash from his wallet as they mumbled to each other.

"When are we gonna fucking go inside?" I said annoyed as the man opened a door, letting us go through. The lights were dim and the club was crowded, people drinking and smoking and talking all around.

"Come here Edwards," I heard Danny say, pulling me close to his chest.

"Hey, get me a Bloody Mary for the lady," said Danny as we sat down near the barks he placed small kisses around my neck.

"Extra bloody please!" I yelled, feeling his hand go under my shirt.

"Danny!" I screamed, getting up from his lap, feeling abused and slutty.

"You know I don't want to do it now! What's wrong with you!" I muttered angrily, seeing a smirk grow on his face.

"Asshole," I replied to him, sitting on a different chair beside him.

"I thought you'd like that? Since...well..."

"Don't you call me fucking slut-"

"Or what? You're already half way there!" he smiled, feeling the urge of hitting him! Kicking him in the balls or just pushing him to the ground at least! Yet, I couldn't. He's stronger, more clever, and he's riskier than me. He can do possibly anything to me!

"C'mon Edwards, you know I'm just kidding with you." Danny said, pinching my cheek.

"My name isn't Edwards, it's Layla." I responded back in fury, getting up from my seat.

"Hey!" yelled Danny, taking hold of my arm, his grip tightening.

"You listen to me Edwards! I call you whatever I want, I do whatever I can do, and you listen!" he threatened as I tried to take my wrist away from his grip.

"Let go!" I screamed, our drinks being served to us. Taking my Bloody Mary and dumping it all over Danny.

"I never do what I'm told," I muttered victoriously, taking my purse and walking out of the club, victoriously and hurt. Why would he do that to me? How could he be such a dick to his own girlfriend? I felt like crying, I felt like my whole world was falling down. He was the only person that understood me, that really knew what I was dealing with. But now he's shown his true colors, and now I know better not to trust a jerk, dick, and asshole like him.

I was walking in the streets, exhausted and tired, looking for a place to sit. I needed a nap, a place to calm myself down and get myself together. I'm not some slut who smokes and drinks every minute of her life. I'm a young lady who's not afraid, who's stubborn, and who's tough enough to live her life wild and dangerous. I don't need anybody to tell me what do to! I'm capable of doing things on my own.

After walking about a mile, I decided to sit on the curb since I just couldn't handle walking anymore. My legs felt like gummy worms, like twigs breaking, and the heels aren't helping at all. I needed rest! Hanging my head down, I began to think again, think about how sick and stupid Danny was. That was until I saw a familiar car driving past me, slowly pausing a few steps away from me. Until he showed up. Not Danny, or Peter, or anybody from the club, him, the man I disgusted the most!

"Layla! Is that you?" he asked me as I looked at him furiously, getting up from the curb and walking away. Still dizzy and exhausted, I tripped over nothing and fell, capable for him to come and rescue me like some hero he's been wanting to be for me. Yet, he'll never be a hero in my mind.

"Layla!" he said again, quickly running towards me.

"Leave me alone! I'm fine!" I snapped at him as he lifted me up from the ground.

"You're not fine Layla. Do you want me to take you home?" he asked me as I laughed.

"Of course not! Why would I ever want to go home!" I yelled angrily, tears falling down my cheeks.

"Oh great, now mascara's ruined!"

"C'mon, I'll help you-"

"No! You've done enough!" I snapped at him again, feeling sick, as if I was about to....

"Layla! Oh my god! Are you alright, what did you do, are you sick?" he asked me nervously, continuing to throw up my guts out.

"No...I'm fine"

"Stop saying that! You're obviously not fine! Let me take you home." he rubbed my back, about to carry me to his car until I jerked my shoulder away from his hand.

"No! Why don't you believe me that I'm fine! I'll walk myself...." I paused, my mind racing as quick as possible, numbness taking control over my fragile body. Echoes in the back of my head, lights flashing, the world spinning around me. Then everything just went black.

Silent.

***Britannia Hotel***

Cold, sick, exhausted.

That's how I felt once I regained conscience again, slowly opening my eyes to see a girl looking at me.

"What the fuck!" I screamed, frightening her, as I tried sitting up.

"Layla," I heard my mum say, quickly rushing her way towards me.

"Are you okay? Do you feel any better?" mum asked, wrapping her arms around me.

"Sort of," I said, looking up to see him again!

"You worried me Layla, I thought you were hurt or sick." he said, wrapping his fingers around my hand, jerking it away from him.

"Thanks for bringing me home, now leave please!" I snapped at him, my mum looking at me surprised.

"Layla! Don't you talk to your father like that!" she said, still looking at him disgustedly.

"Or what? Am I going to get a Spanky from my mummy?" I answered back, getting up from the bed and heading towards the little table at the corner of the room to get my phone. Until the little girl bumped into me and spilled her water all over me!

"What the fuck was that for!" I yelled at her as she looked at me nervously, about to speak.

"Layla! Where are your manners?" I heard my mum yell, pulling my arm towards the bed again.

"Say sorry to your father, and sister, and your brother!"

"Alright, I'm sorry that you guys were stuck with an asshole of a father-"

"LAYLA!"

"and that you guys couldn't choose who to go with since you were still babies." I said, very pleased at myself.

"LAYLA MAORIS MALIK! Apologize to your father,"

"He's not my father! He's just some guy that fucked you and made me!" I said in fury, my mum looking at me disappointedly.

"Layla, I'm still your dad whether I'm gone or not. I've tried to be part of your life as mush as possible but you push me away! Every damn year you pretend that your brother and sister don't even exist, that I don't even exist. You made yourself seem like an only child with a famous divorced mother and that's not all true! You are a young lady with a brother and sister and two parents who still love each other and this family all wants is to make you happy. To make you loved at least!"

"I HATE YOU! IS THAT NOT TOO HARD TO UNDERSTAND! I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE APART OF MY LIFE! I HATE YOU, I DISGUST YOU!" I screamed, rushing out the door. Why can't anybody understand me that I hate him! That I hate being a Malik!

I want to live with my mum and ignore everyone else because it's easier, it's more exhilarating, it's better. She lives a life of excitement and pride, while Mr. Malik lives a life of mystery and shyness. I'm not that! It doesn't matter to me if I hurt him, if I hurt his two kids feelings. I just want to ignore all that, I wanted to start off a clean slate, which is what I did! I made myself seem like a single child, sexy and dangerous, an Edwards that will live up to her mother's footsteps someday.

Famous and beautiful.

"Layla," I heard my mum say, pressing the 'down' button on the elevator repeatedly so it would close already, but it was too late. She got inside the elevator just as it was closing.

"What was that back there?" she questioned me. Silence and ignorance were my answer.

"Layla, why did you do that to your dad? He's wanting to be apart of your life you know. He wants to be your dad-"

"He's not my dad for the last time!"

"Yes he is, he's been your dad ever since you were in diapers. Taking pictures of you everywhere you walked in the house. He loved you, very much, you just began to push him away. Why?" The exact same reason why I pushed every single person in this universe away, because everyone just wants to be apart of my life. I don't want that! I want privacy too!

"You loved him so much when you were little, but you just started acting up once you went on tour with me. You made him and your brother and sister invisible. Do you even remember their names?" Of course not! I don't want to even let them know my name!

"Tonight, you'll be packing up your things and heading home, with your dad."

"What? No!"

"Yes, you'll be going home and you'll be staying there. No maids, or guards, or anything like that. You'll be seeing your house for the first time in four years! I don't even think you remember how it looks like too." It's true that I don't know how it looks like, but that's because for the past four years I've been trying to avoid going home. I've been going to Aunt Leigh-Anne's house and Aunt Jessy's house a few times whenever mum went home and I've stayed with Aunt Jade's family and my Grandma from my mum's side of the family's house every Christmas ever since.

"And if you even think of running away I swear I'll ground you for the rest of your life," she said demandingly, nodding my head, annoyed.

All these years I've been creating a life I've wanted keep, but now that life will quickly fall and I'll have to live my old life again. I haven't seen a comic book in ages....

Notes