Chapter 1

Layla

As soon as I walked through my apartment door the messages started coming in. I dropped my handbag on the table and checked my phone. I was added to a group chat. Oh god, how Did they get my number?.I kept staring at my phone, while people were added.

These were all the people I went to college with,my college friends. I kept looking at the group chat patiently waiting for the two people to be added. I saw when she added him ,his picture popped up, then the other picture popped up. I needed to leave this group chat. As I opened the screen to type I saw it.

“ Dean has left the chat”

My anxious heart felt a bit less anxious.

GROUP CHAT

LAYLA : Mallory , what is going on and How did you get my number?.

MALLORY : Oh come on Layla, don't you dare leave.do you know how hard it was for me to track down everyone?.

MACY : Seriously?, I'm in the middle of a nail appointment

NELLA : my my my the troublemakers are together

REA : What now , I'm busy. This better be good.

ANDREW: Hello hello,my people it's been too long

CHRIS : God Damn, these girls are looking better than ever.

“ Dean was added “.

CHRIS : My man ,Dean, what's up?. Where's Aleck?.

ALECK: Right here

CHRIS: Hey Layla be a sport and drop a pic .

LAYLA : Not in the mood to deal with you Chris ,Mallory, What is this about?.

MALLORY : Well, we're having a get-together in a month. It's a two week vacation. So I need everyone's attention and opinion?

LAYLA : I'm not interested, Mallory .

CHRIS : Ah come on Layla be a sport. You disappeared and ditched all of us after graduation. Hey Dean,Aleck , talk to your bestie,get her to come.

“ Layla has left the chat “.

I turned my phone off and threw it onto the sofa. God there's a reason I stayed away from them. Well the reason was Dean and Aleck. Who were no other than twin brothers and who used to be my best friends ever since Kindergarten.

I pushed them out of my mind and went about my business. After I Did some cleaning, I went to the gym. When I got back to my apartment it was eight in the evening. I made a simple pasta dinner and ate it. While relaxing I turned my phone on and the message started coming in again. Before I could check it ,my phone began ringing. It wasn't a number I knew.

I answered but the person on the other end didn't say anything.

“ Hello ?”. No answer

“ Hello?”. No answer. I ended the call and opened my messages.

GROUP CHAT

” Layla was added “

I groaned out loud.it seems like there was no avoiding this. I opened the chat and began reading.

MALLORY : Everytime you leave someone will just add you back. EVERYONE HAS TO COME.

CHRIS : I'm in , wherever and whenever

ANDREW : me too

REA : same here

MACY : Okay Fine,if you're all so desperate to see me , I'll come.

CHRIS : that's the spirit,Macy

NELLA : Okay fine.

MACY : Dean, what about you?.

DEAN : I'll let you know soon

CHRIS : Come on man. Aleck , you in ?.

ALECK : I'm not sure either.

MACY : Guys come on. We understand that you're important business men now, but you still need to have a little fun and relax. We're the best to have fun with.

REA : What about Layla?.

MACY : It's her choice

Mallory : Macy , I can do without the bitching. Layla will come.

ALECK : I doubt that, but you guys can have fun. Sorry Mal

Mallory : God you're all just hopeless.

DEAN : Mallory I'm not sure if I can make it. Besides, I have back to back meetings. I can't just leave on the spur of a moment for a week.

ALECK : He's right. We both can't just leave for a week. We have a company to run. Maybe next time.

CHRIS : Damnit, Mallory if they don't show up then it's really gonna suck.

Mallory : Don't worry we'll have fun.

They weren't going. I wouldn't see them. I couldn't handle being around both of them. I wasn't a teenager anymore, I was twenty five years old, I was an adult and I could handle this. I made sure to keep it hidden and I'll continue to hide it. Besides, I need some time away from here after the shit Josh pulled.

GROUP CHAT

LAYLA : send me the time,date and location. I'm in.

CHRIS : Holy shit. She's coming, I can't wait to see how much you've changed in the last five years.

LAYLA : I'm still the same.

MACY : Well That sucks for you

LAYLA : At least I'm still me. Good night.

I put my phone on silent and went to bed. I laid in bed thinking about them.Dean and Aleck Cavanaugh. They were twins, not identical. They were both twenty six years old now. The first time I met them was in kindergarten. I remember crying and both of them comforted me telling me it's okay.

Ever since that day we became joined at the hips. My mom was worried because they were from the other side of the community,the filthy rich, also about their parents' approval ,but she had nothing to worry about. That was never an issue, we were so close,we shared everything with each other. We had sleepovers.

My mom was never scared to leave me alone with them because she knew they would never hurt me. It all changed when I turned eighteen. We were in college when it all happened and it happened so fast that I had to put distance between me and them.

They tried reaching out but I didn't reply. I know they want an answer as to why I cut them off,but it's not an answer anyone should hear. I stopped thinking because my mind was going places it shouldn't.

Three weeks later Mallory messaged us the time and date. I checked in with work for time off and got it. I was standing in my bedroom unsure what to pack for. Mallory didn't say where we were going. I stood looking at myself in the mirror. The last time everyone saw me was graduation day. Back then I was Pettie, my skin had always been flawless and clear. But over the years I've changed.It's been at least three years since any of them have seen me.

My normal blonde hair was now red. My breasts were bigger and my ass was nothing to sneeze at. I don't know what happened but suddenly I was no longer the Pettie girl I was . I had curves in all the right places and can turn heads. I grabbed my phone.Over the years I decided to get a few tattoos. I had one on the top of my stomach, a few smaller ones on my arms and there were two on my neck below each ear. Those two were never seen mostly because my hair hid them. All.in all I was no longer the girl they remembered.

GROUP CHAT

LAYLA : Mallory , What are we packing for?.

NELLA : Yea about that ,bitch you didn't say where.

MACY : Whatever it is , I'm packed for everything

Mallory : Sun ,sand and the beach.

LAYLA : Sure

MACY : You lucky ducks are going to see me in my bikini.

CHRIS : Well I look forward to it.

I exited the group chat and started packing my suitcase. There was no mention of Dean and Aleck in the group chat and I was happy about that, Maybe. Just maybe they weren't going to show up.

The following morning I left at nine for the location Mallory sent. When I pulled up ,it was at an airfield. I parked the car and sat there mentally preparing myself. I could see a few of them standing in the hanger with their suitcase. I guess this was it. I got out and grabbed my suitcase. I locked the car and made my way over to them.

“ Holy fuck. Layla?.”

“ Yes Chris”. I said smiling. Mallory ran over to me, hugging me. ” Oh my god . You look amazing “.

“ You're looking pretty hot yourself ” ,I said smiling. “ Hello Macy “.

“ Hey “. She said uninterestly.

” God damn Layla, you're hot and I mean smoking hot. What the hell happened to you?, you have tattoos?”. Chris said, smirking.

“ Shut up . Where are we going Mallory ?”. I asked in all seriousness.

“ Well a friend of Mine has a private island and he's letting me use it for two weeks if I do his taxes for him,also he's letting me use his private Jet”. She replied smiling.

” Okay “.