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Chapter 3, Part 2 - Falling for you.

Layton looked at me, his brows furrowed in frustration. When I let myself look to him, I just knew I needed to say something, something that would end this moment in a nicer way rather than us just being interrupted. I grabbed his hand and the second I did I could feel how big and strong it was as it sent a shooting quiver down my spine, and I could feel my hand starting to tremble, but I took a deep breath in and tried to ignore everything that was rushing through my entire body

“Layton whatever it was you wanted to say... well I’m always here if you ever want to tell me another time… ok?”

But what I really wanted to do was just put his hands to my lips and kiss It softly and tell him just how crazy he made me feel inside

Layton just looked at me and smiled ”Yea I know Lanna” and with his other hand he tucked a piece of my hair behind my ears so gently while looking right into my eyes...

"And believe me Lanna I will... thank you for everything this is a conversation I definitely need to have with you”.

But I desperately wanted it now ”ok... well”

“COME ON GUYS!” they all shouted, and we hesitantly got up and joined them ”come on Lil’s we’ll walk home together”. Sam smiled as he started to walk up the path that took us home.

It was the opposite way to Layton, so I looked back at Layton and gave a little wave to as I said goodnight… he gave me a thoughtful look as he nodded and said goodnight back to me.

When I got into bed and tried to sleep, my head was spinning and I knew I was letting my feelings for Layton get out of control, it was consuming me I couldn’t even make myself forget the way his touch felt.

I got home from training today, it was only 11.30 but I was exhausted, the training was getting harder now we had gotten passed phase 1.

Phase 2 was focused more on shifting quicker into wolf form and back into human form and we had to work on our hunting although we already knew how to shift, it was meant to help us shift quicker at a moment’s notice in case rogues came to our boarders we could shift before they attack. I did like being in my wolf form she was light grey and as my eyes were normally blue, in my wolf form they were a brighter blue with white orbs, she was beautiful, and her fur was thick and soft.

Today’s training had us running down our boarders and our territory in the forest to build up our speed and every time Gabel would shout ”TURN” we would have to quickly turn back on ourselves in the opposite direction, no matter how tired we got we had to remain quick. Then he’d give us a short time to rest before we moved onto hunting down scents that he had trained warriors rub on cloths and hide them in the forest. We had to follow a scent till we found a piece of cloth the smell belonged to then take it back to Gabel. I was first to complete the task which earned me time to rest before we had to repeat our running but by the time, I got home my legs were wobbly and all I wanted to do was eat, have a bath and sleep for the rest of the day and night.

But I suddenly groaned when I remembered that Sam had already planned a party at ours, even though it was only a weekday he was making the most of it while our parents and sisters were away for a few nights and because Sam and his mates were so popular, I knew I’d have to hear noisy, drunk giggly girls squealing all night long, well there goes my peaceful sleep tonight I moaned to myself!!

After I had my lunch I went to my room, undressed and wrapped a towel around me as I slunk onto my bed as I checked my phone, I was so relieved that none of my friends had text or called about coming to the party so least I didn’t have to force myself to get dressed and join the party.

Hours later I opened my eyes and seeing my towel around me I realised I had fallen asleep, I looked at my phone to see it was already 5.30 shit! that was a long nap, and I knew people would be arriving soon.

I quickly went into the bathroom and ran myself a hot bubble bath and as the water was running, I lit some candles, I turned on the bathroom radio and switched it to relaxing music. When the bath was full, I eagerly got in, sliding down into the hot relaxing bubbles, the smell of Camomile, Mango and Watermelon exploded around me as my body sank lower and I let my legs relax in the hot water.

I got dressed into my clean pyjama shorts and top and I could hear people arriving and loud music starting to play. Knowing I picked a classic poetry book from my bookshelf, sat under my duvet and started to get lost in the poems that were written during war time

’My gentle one, with whom someday I shall be happy, we shall have our long walks and our quiet evenings which I dream of every night, when all of this is over, and I am back in your loving embrace. Think of me before you sleep as I’ll think of you. My love, My Darling. Please do not fear, I will be home with you again,

My beautiful love.′

Reading poem after poem I could ignore the squealing and pounding of music beneath me, and I must have been reading for a while as when I peeked out of my window it was now dark.

Knock, knock

...the quiet tapping at my door startled me, luckily my door is locked seeing as I’m in here all alone and there’s a lot of drunk guys downstairs!

“Who is it?” I call out as I walked toward the door.

“It’s me, Layton are you ok? can I come in?”

As always, my stomach flipped just at his voice alone and I felt more shy than usual being dressed in my bedtime wear. I cracked open the door and nodded for him to come in and I didn’t miss when he walked in, and his eyes lingered on my legs as he suddenly cleared his throat ”Umm I noticed you weren’t downstairs just wanted to make sure you were ok”.

"Oh, I’m fine, I just had a long day of training and I was tired so just thought I’d come up and just relax and get some sleep You should go and enjoy the party”. I told him as I tried not to shift nervously on my feet.

"Oh ok, well I wanted to check, anyway I’m not missing anything”.

I chuckled. ”hmmm a house full of drunk giggly girls swooning over all of you and your friends, you sure about that?”

"Honestly… they’re annoying and I’m not in the mood to be down there” he just looked at me for a moment… “can I just hang with you?”

Damn… I couldn’t help but feel a little excited and nervous all in one go but ohh goodness help me!

“Um Yea sure, you can hang for a bit if you want.”

I opened the door wider and moved for him to come in, then shut it and locked it behind us. I sat back on my bed and grabbed my book as he sat beside me ”what you reading then?”

"well… it’s actually a book full of romantic love letters and poetry that lovers would send to each other during the war but the way they speak to each other, the love and feelings that are put into each letter, It’s amazing, like no matter how far away they are or how long they have to stay away... it’s like they know that no matter what, their love will bring them back together again one day I just love reading them I could read them all over and over”. I told him as I practically swooned over the book then I look at Layton who’s already looking at me.

"Hmm, that’s deep Lanna but I love that about you though... so much passion for different things and each one of them are all nice and different“.

"Hmm thanks” I smiled ”I just like to dabble in different things I guess”.

Layton led down and turned on his side still facing me, so I put my book down and led down to face him only to notice we were now just inches apart.

"Can I stay here… with you? It’s nice having your company“. He whispered

"Of course, you can, its late anyway. but beware i tend to starfish, I’m used to having this bed all to myself”. I chuckled

"Hmmm” he grinned “you can starfish all you like, I don’t mind.”

We both smiled and as he started to yawn I turned my lamp off and led back down facing him, leaving us in the dark and a few moments later as I was drifting between sleep and reality I heard Layton whisper in the dark ”Goodnight beautiful Lanna" as he slid his hand gently in mine.

“Goodnight Layton”. I smiled to myself in the dark.

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