Episode 18

Laila woke Hail was still sleeping, she pulled herself up out of bed tiptoeing out of the room into the bathroom. She looked into the mirror tears rolled down her face what the hell was she doing? She knew that she couldn’t fall for him again she knew she could never love him again after all he’d done, after all he’d put her through.

‘Sorry I didn’t mean to I thought everyone was sleeping.’ Ging said sleepily.

Laila wiped her tears dry.  ‘That’s okay.’

‘You alright babe?’

‘Fine.’

‘Look at me.’

She turned her eyes puffed.

‘No need for tears Laila we’re all in this together.’

Ging placed his thumbs under her eyes wiping the remaining tears away.

He placed his hands on her face.  ‘Look things aint that bad.  We all got what we wanted, and if this movie takes off it’ll be even better.’ He smiled.

She slipped a smile.

 ‘Was that a smile I saw?’

She tried not to smile, but it slipped through.

‘That’s better.  Hail doesn’t know just how lucky he is to have you, you may have screwed up but he needs you more than he lets on.’

He took his hands off her face. ‘Now chin up.’ He said tapping her chin with his fist.

Her head bowed.  Hail may have needed her but did she need him?

‘Head up babe it’s me you’re talking to.’ Ging said lifting her chin so they were eye to eye with one another. ‘Come on babe you’ve got a pretty face don’t hide it.’

She smiled.

‘And there’s that gorgeous smile.’

She looked at him.

‘You’re gorgeous Laila don’t let him tell you different he’s a fool if he ever looses you.’

She looked at Ging.

He leaned forward placing his lips on hers kissing her, she returned his kiss. What was she doing she didn’t even like Ging so why was she kissing him?

She quickly pulled away.  ‘I -I -I’m sorry.’

His hand dropped. ‘That’s cool our secret okay.’  He smiled.

She returned his smile.

‘Have you finished in here I need a slash?’

‘Yeah.’

She walked towards the door. Ging grabbed her hand pulling her back quickly kissing her. ‘Now you can go.’ He said dropping her hand.

She opened the door and walked out closing it behind her. What was happening? Were they playing the other off, or was it genuine? She had to get out of there, but she didn’t even know where her passport was.

Hail flung his arms round her kissing her neck. ‘Morning babe.’

She smiled.

‘Where were you going?’

‘For some fresh air.’

‘Where’s Ging?’

‘Bathroom.’

‘Oh, we’ll go outside then.’

He dropped his arms from round her and took her hand leading her out of the shack. They sat on the steps where he lit a cigarette and draped his arm round her taking the cigarette out of his mouth blowing the smoke out of his mouth.  ‘Its great out here aint it?’

‘Yeah.’

‘You can live out here and no one would even know you’re here.’

‘How did you know about it?’

‘Ging’s old school bud owns it he rents it out during the summer, but we could only have it the one night cause he’s coming back today.’

‘So what about the keys?’

‘Ging will put them somewhere safe.’

‘There you are.’ Ging said.

Hail turned looking up at Ging. ‘Laila wanted some fresh air.’

‘No time for that Mav’s back in an hour we’ve got to go.’

Laila looked at Ging. ‘I aint had anything to eat.’

‘We’ll grad something on the way.’

Hail took his arm from round Laila. They pulled themselves up, he stubbed his cigarette out on the dusty pathway.

Ging bent down, pulling up the welcome mat placing the key under it then placing it back over it. ‘Come on let’s go’

They all walked over to the car, Ging unlocked the doors and they all got in closing them he revved up and drove away.

‘So where are we stopping next?’

‘A motel about three hundred miles down.’

‘Same arrangements as last?’

‘Yeah.’

Ging pulled into a diner they all got out of the car closing and locking the doors. ‘We’ll grab a bite to eat and carry on.’

Hail grabbed Laila round her waist as they walked away from the car and into the diner where Ging ordered three coffees and breakfasts.

They all sat down and the waitress brought over their coffees and large fried breakfasts. ‘Enjoy.’

‘We will.’

The waitress smiled before she walked away.

They all shovelled their breakfasts down them then sipped their coffees. Lailah looked at Ging who winked at her, sliding his foot up her leg as she sat nervously.

‘You know you should hide them their on show.’

‘How?’

‘Wear a long sleeved top.’

‘It’s too hot.’

‘Don’t threat bro they’ll be gone by the time we get to Hollywood.’

‘I hope you’re right.’

‘Course I am. They’ll be completely gone and healed by the time you get this movie sorted.’

‘So you are serious about it then? The movie I mean.’

‘Deadly babe deadly.’

Ging dropped the money on the table.  ‘Come on we better get going.’ He said pulling himself up.

‘I need the bathroom.’

‘Sure we’ll wait by the car.’ Ging said sly looking Hail to say go round the back.

Ging and Hail walked out of the diner as Laila walked into the powder room.

She freshend up, her eyes looking worse than they had before they had arrived. They were so black she couldn’t even tell if she had bags under them, or two black eyes.

She looked into the mirror what was she going to do? Ging wanted her, Hail had her she had to get out of there, she had to run she had no other option she couldn’t take it any longer.

She looked through the corner of the mirror she saw that the window was slightly ajar, she smiled. It was her only chance of escape. She walked over to the window pulling herself up onto the windows ledge opening it slightly so she could pull herself through it. She lifted one leg out at a time slipping through the window straight into Hail’s arms. ‘Going somewhere?’

‘Let go of me!’

‘Not until you’re in the car.’

‘Please Hail I promise I won’t run.’

He dropped his arms from round her forcing her wrist onto her spine.

‘Owe!’

‘Come on.’

Hail pushed Lailah forward towards the car he opened the car door pushing her in then slipping in besides her closing the door.

‘So she went round back?’

‘Tried to climb out of the bathroom window.’

‘We’ll have to keep a close eye on her.’  Ging said driving away.

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