Layla

Fuck!!

Waking up covered in sweat and I'm not even sick. What the fuck is wrong with me...

Damn, those nightmares again. Since mom died, I have those constant nightmares about her death. I remember being next to her hospital bed and holding her hand.

I was a nerve wreck back then, couldn't hold my tears in check. Diego and dad were constantly arguing and I remember that mom wanted me to play her favorite song which at the time was Saturn "Sleeping at Last" and while we listened to the music I realized that her grip on my hand is getting weaker and weaker until I didn't felt it anymore.

The pain that I experienced at that moment was like being in agony. I started uncontrollably crying and screaming "mom come back, I still need you!" but at that point, she was already gone.

Every time I have this nightmare again I'm waking up in sweat screaming the same way. Thankfully, my room is soundproofed, I asked my trusted security guard to do this as a favor to me, so whenever I am waking up screaming, no one can hear a thing.

Good, because, I can just imagine this bitch Gloria going to my dad to tell him to send me away or something else. I should stop thinking of her fake face cause I won't stop killing her in my mind and I should start getting ready for school.

***

As soon as I went downstairs I heard Maria, our housekeeper rumbling in the kitchen, she was preparing breakfast and morning coffee as usual.

Maria is pure Hispanic so, to make her feel at ease I always talked in Spanish to her. She is living with us since I was about 5 years old. After her husband died in a car accident and her daughter went to college she had no one in the city so when my parents hired her she said, she's happy to have another purpose in life.

Every year since then when her daughter Carmen came back for winter or summer break she was staying with us, so, it's almost like we had an older sister. Recently Carmen was undergoing an operation after having an ice-skating accident... So I made sure to ask Maria about it too.

"Hola Maria, Como estas?" (Hello Maria, how are you)

"Estoy muy bien señorita Russo. ¿Dormiste bien?" (I am very well miss Russo. Did you sleep well?)

"Lo suficientemente bien. ¿Cómo está tu hija?" (Well enough. How's your daughter doing?)

"La operación salió bien, gracias por preguntar. ¿Quieres un café?" (The operation went well, thank you for asking. Would you like some coffee?)

Almost right before 8 am I heard the devil steps entering the kitchen and I knew that I absolutely can't deal with her attitude today...

"In my house, we talk in English, I already told you that Maria! English only or I will fire your old ass, am I clear?" Gloria's voice rang in my ears a little bit too load for my liking.

"Of course Mrs. Russo"

"Now, fetch me some eggs and coffee, asap"

"Gracias Maria. Tengo que irme o llegaré tarde. Adiós!" (Thanks Maria. I gotta go or I will be late. Bye)

***

I had to teach this bitch a lesson, we, Russo's, we always respected our servers, Maria's been with us the longest, she's been my nanny when I was still a child and I won't let Gloria or anyone else treat Maria with no respect.

Ohh bitch, you have no idea who you messing up with.

"Gloria, can I have a word?"

"If you must" she answered giving me yet another of her 'famous' eye rolls. Which made me annoyed with her even more than I already was.

At that moment I closed the distance between us and I took out my small pocket knife and I made sure only Gloria will see or feel, how I touched her stomach with it. The fear that constantly appeared on her face was priceless.

Yes, bitch, fear me...

"If you ever again talk to Maria like that, this pain you feel right now, you will experience 100x worse. I don't give a fuck, that your my daddy's slut, I am an adult and you have no power over me, and let's be honest if he would have to choose between me and you, I wouldn't expect him to choose you. So, next time, choose your words carefully."

Seeing the way her face went pale and the fear in her eyes, was better than any morning coffee.

She didn't say a word, she just looked at me with such terror in her eyes, Ohh I loved it so much.

"Have a good day Gloria. Toodles."

***

Bitch had it coming, I swear to God, one more minute with her, and I would cut her tongue out.

I need to take a few deep breaths. And finally, I should get myself to college. Daddy and Diego left before I woke up, my brother is working with dad.

Because he's older, he will automatically inherit the company when dad will step down or die. Diego was always better at following orders, I just wish he wouldn't be such a puppet sometimes, he should be tougher.

Thankfully I managed to lose all the bodyguards, they always follow me like hawks, so annoying. I study international languages, I love different cultures and, yes, languages themselves. I speak fluently in English and Spanish, we have Spanish roots, after all, I can speak some Italian and Russian too. I had to learn, mostly for my undercover work. Those street bastards are always Eastern European, no idea why, but learning those few Russian words proved to be quite useful.

***

I don't have many friends, the only one I have is visiting her parents, her mum got cancer, Layla had to be there for her, I know what this feels like, after all, I lost my mom too.

Anyway, Layla and I met 2 years ago when I started college, at first I truly hated her, she was spoiled and rude, don't get me wrong, I grew up sleeping on money, but it never changed me, I never wanted it, it was and it is my family's wealth, maybe that's why I am having this double life.

Being around the poorest part of NYC, makes me feel better about myself. I never enjoyed taking part in all of the gala's and other stupid rich people parties, it wasn't my scene at all, when mama was still with us, she made all of this easier. With her, everything was easier. I hope that Layla won't have to watch her mum die.

Anyway, one night during one of the college parties, it was like the first and last party I've ever gone to. I noticed Layla talking to this jerk Oscar, he is this frat boy, always surrounded by chicks, he isn't bad looking, I give him that, but he is stupid as fuck. Every single day I can see him talking to a different chick and all of them just making these sweet eyes to him, it honestly makes me want to vomit.

I was fine on my own. Just taking care of studies, not worrying about anything else. I was never like Diego, Diego had always many friends and he was the life of the parties, I preferred to spend time with, first mom, and then mostly at the gym with my bodyguard, learning new tactics and many different things.

That faithful night Oscar found himself joining And my black list, as he chose to act like a total scumbag.

FLASHBACK, DAY OF THE PARTY

2 YEARS AGO...

The party was thrown by another shallow chick from our college. She wasn't concerned about who is she inviting or who would come invited by someone else. I didn't want to go, but Diego dragged me with him and his friends saying that he would let me stay at home and sulk.

So, I agreed and as soon as we entered the house I regretted it immediately. The stench of alcohol mixed with sweat and vomit was horrendous. I remember thinking to myself, why would they not open any windows. The only open things were the back door and the front door because there will people coming into the party from every direction.

Thankfully, the party was big enough to continue in the backyard where was also quite big of a pool. Diego and I separated, he went to greet some of his buddies and I just went straight to the kitchen to grab some drink. If I would have to stay there long enough, it won't be sober.

When I was closing in to the kitchen I heard the squeaky voice of our college queen B and her clique. Layla was at that time the most popular girl in school, every girl wanted to be her and every man wanted to be with her. And she was using that to her advantage. But she wasn't even the worst.

Her 2 besties were thing 1 and thing 2, just absolutely terrible human beings. One was the daughter of one of the toughest lawyers in NYC and the second was the daughter of a police officer. Very corrupted too. I heard him talking dirty money on many occasions but because of his higher rank, no one could do anything about it. But I knew that someday, one way or another his time will get limited or he will get in the books of the wrong people.

"Look who's here girls, our church mouse" - thing 2 said in my direction.

"You, when you say something girly, are you gonna cry?" - thing one applaud and asked me.

"Do you see me crying bitch?"

"Ohh, feisty" - they answered making a mrauu notice.

"I just want to get a drink, so move your ass," I said and pushed past them. Grabbed the bottle of beer from the counter and started walking back to the main area when I heard Layla speaking about Oscar.

"Leave her, I have something to say. Oscar said he wants to dance with me later. Maybe he will finally ask me to be his girl".

In your dreams girl, I thought to myself. Oscar was a player, none of his 'relationships' were longer than a few days. And he would never ask a girl to dance, it was always pickup lines like "hey baby girl wanna go fool around" and the girls would melt and eat out of the palm of his hand. Gross.

Anyway, I stayed in the main area for a little bit, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Oscar and his friends, and right there on the other side of the room, Layla stood with her friends.

Finally, I saw him moving in her direction and I couldn't believe my eyes, he asked her to dance with him. But then I saw something that pissed me off. Before he left her for a bit, he asked if she wants to drink something, when she agreed, he went to the bar area and poured two cups of beer, and then he poured something extra into her cup. I was observing him all the time.

He came back to her side and handed her that cup. She drank about half the cup and then I noticed that her demeanor changed almost instantly. The legs started to get wobbly and she was swaying. It had to be GHB. That bastard. He couldn't just fuck her like every time with other girls? I know, I shouldn't be talking that way. But seriously, what was so different about Layla, that he had to spike her drink.

I saw him whispering something to her, from the lips I recognized the words 'I'll right back and then we will go have some fun" and he left, leaving her there. That was my cue. I walked to her, she hadn't even noticed who I was, it must have hit her hard. She put an arm on my neck and I grabbed her by the hips and practically dragged her out of the place.

I called for my partner and he drove us back to my place. I put Layla to sleep in my bed that day and asked Maria, that if she will need any help, to assist her. And in the meantime, I just went to pay a little visit to our little Oscar.

Let's just say that he will never forget this kitty that visited him, but at the same time, the look on his face when he realized I am pointing a gun at his crotch and then I said: "I hope you know what it means. Forget about Layla. If you won't, I will come back to cut it off", he just nodded.

It wasn't even a real gun. I bought a small toy gun at the nearby store. Poor Oscar was so scared he hasn't even noticed the difference. I like to feel powerful and I hate scumbags like him.

The next day when Layla woke up, I told her what happened, that I took her out of there before she will lose control over her body, and since then we bonded, I could even call her my best friend.

She changed completely. She stopped with rudeness, she changed her style. At first, it was hard for her to start being nice to people and her old minions kept walking by her and tried to convince her to keep being the queen B of the school. Thankfully, she was way past that phase and they finally gave up pursuing her. She even managed to convince me to give her some self-defense lessons. Just basics, for some unexpected situations.

END OF FLASHBACK...

Maybe that's why I miss her now so much when she's away, because without her here, I am just Aaliyah Russo, a girl who everyone's fear to talk to, they only know me as Leonardo's Russo daughter and that makes them weak in their knees.

***

I don't know if it's me or just today's been very very boring. People at school are just too dull for me. All these boy talk and gossips are doing my head in. This kind of environment is more Gloria's style The lectures that are usually interesting as hell, were dull today. Ohh Layla, come home.