Home Again

A Story by Unknown

Revision of my book "Escape". I lost Ideas for escape so this is my revised version of it. "Home Again"

Prologue

I ran as fast as I could. Every few seconds I would check behind me to see if they were following me. “Find the girl!” One of the men said. I ran faster. Breathing heavily as I stopped to find a hiding spot. That’s when a vine touched my arm. I grabbed it and tugged on it to see if it is sturdy. I started climbing up the vine. They came right under me. “Where’d she go?” The other man said. “The footprints stopped.”

“Hey nitwit, how about you look up.” The first man said.

They saw me. They started to climbing up the tree as soon as I jump down. I start running. That’s when I reached the gas station.

Chapter One

It’s crazy. I can’t go back to school like this. I thought to myself as we waited for my blood tests to get back

“Everything is going to be okay, Layla.” My mom said.

“Mom they kidnapped me.” I responded. “Everything's not okay.”

I looked out the window to see a rose right in front of me. The pedals look so defined. It’s a bright blood red. I always loved the color of roses. I hate them now. Every time the guy would come into my cell he would bring me a rose.

Doctor Hays walks in saying, “everything looks perfectly fine.”

“Thank goodness.” My mother says with the biggest smile on her face. My mom grabs my hand and squeezes it.

“But, Layla, you are pregnant.”

My eyes get big and they start to water. The thought of being pregnant scares me. My mom’s eyes are also big and watered. She hugs me.

“Everything’s gonna be okay Layla I promise.” She says.

“Layla we’re gonna do an ultrasound to see how far along you are and if the baby is okay.” Doctor Hays cuts in. “We can consider an abortion if you would like.”

“No thank you.” I say. “I am strongly against abortions.”

Doctor Hays brings us to a room that has the ultrasound machine in it. I lay down on the bed. He raises my shirt up above my stomach. He then puts the gel on my stomach. It’s cold. The next thing I know I see my little baby.

“You’re about 20 weeks along, Layla.” Doctor Hays says. “So we’re gonna take a look at the heart now.”

We see the heart and it’s beating.

“The heart seems to be okay. The blood pressure is high but that’s okay as long as you keep it down.” Dr. Hays says.

“Okay.” I say.

“We do need to check your blood pressure as well because you could have a high risk pregnancy.”

“Okay.”

Dr. Hays puts the cuff on my arm, and starts checking my blood pressure.

“Your blood pressure is a little high but it’s not that high.” She says.

“Okay.” I say.

I start thinking of all the things that have happened since 20 weeks ago. I remember that night. I was so scared. I was tied up so I really couldn’t do anything but cry. He visited me every night. He would kiss me on my forehead, move my bangs out of my eyes, and tell me I was his. Everything just comes flooding back.

“Layla, are you okay?” My mom asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine mom.” I say as I wipe the tears.

* * *

“You want anything to eat?” My mom asks as we pull out of the doctor’s office parking lot.

“Sonic. Vanilla shake.” I say while I look at the baby picture. “I didn’t want this to happen but I’m already attached. I can’t give it up mom.”

“I know. Just focus on school right now. You have school tomorrow. Tell Kaleb.”

“How do I tell my boyfriend I’m pregnant? Especially with another guy’s baby!”

“I don’t know. But what ever happened to the promise ring he gave you?”

“They took it off. They sold it.”

“Oh sweetie.”
“I know. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

We pull into Sonic. My mom orders. I can’t help but to think of what Kaleb is going to say. Everything is going to change between me and him. What about Rosie? The thought of Rosie finding out makes me laugh. I know she’s not going to tell anyone. She loves children. She’s been asking me when am I going to have a baby, I kept telling her, when things settled down after college. She’s getting what she wanted a little earlier than expected.

We get our food and leave. On the drive home, we don’t talk much. We talk a little bit on baby stuff. The drive is short.

When we get home, I walk in my house. My dad comes running to me.

“How’d everything go?” He says.

“Good. But dad-” I say before I could say it my mom interrupts me.

“She’s pregnant.” She says.

He’s speechless. I show him the pictures of the baby.

“Dad you’re gonna be a grandfather. I can’t give this baby up. I’m already attached.” I say.

“Oh Layla.” He says as he hugs me.

“ Can I go in my room please? I need to process things before school tomorrow.”

“Yes you can.”

I walk up the stairs, and walk into my room. I walk over to my bed and sit down. I look at the pictures of my baby.

“Everything’s going to change now.” I say.

I pick up my backpack and get my binder out. I put the pictures in my binder. Then I pull out the picture of me and Kaleb. My face was red from crying. He gave me my promise ring that night. I was so happy. I put the picture back in my binder and put it back in my backpack.

I then pick up my phone and call Kaleb. He told me to call him after the doctor’s appointment. The phone rings.

“Hello?” Kaleb says.

“Hey Kaleb.” I say.

“How did everything go?”

“Good.”

“That’s good.”

“They found something out. Kaleb I’m scared to tell you because I’m afraid you’re gonna leave me.”

“What is it? Nothing will ever make me leave you.”

“Kaleb, I’m pregnant.”

“Layla. You told me everything that happened, I’m not surprised”

“I know. I didn’t know that I would end up pregnant though.”

“I know baby, but I promise I will always love you no matter what.”
I start crying.

“Layla everything is gonna be perfectly fine. I promise.” He says.

“Okay.” I say.

“I got a present for you.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow after school.”

“Okay.”

“You’re coming to my house. I already asked your parents. They said you could come.”

“What do I wear?”

“Anything nice. We’re going out to eat.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay, Layla?”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He hangs up the phone. My heart starts beating fast and my face turns red. I stand up and walk to my closet. I pick out my short red dress. It has a silver rose on the belt. Then I pick up my silver heels. I pick out my favorite bag to put my clothes in. I then get my makeup bag and put it in my bag. Then I set my bag down right next to my backpack.

I look at my clock it says, “2:33.” I have time for a nap. I lay down and close my eyes.

* * *

“Layla.” My mom says at my door. “Supper’s ready.”

“What?” I say as I wake up from my nap.

“Supper’s ready.”

“Okay.”

I look at my clock and it says, “6:13”.

“First time I actually slept since I came home two weeks ago.” I say.

“That’s good. Hopefully you can sleep tonight.” My mom says.

“Yeah.”

I walk downstairs to see my favorite things to eat. Fried chicken, mac and cheese, and homemade biscuits.

“I’ve been craving this all day!” I say.

“Good, because we cooked it.” My dad says.

I sit down and wait for my parents to sit down. We say grace and eat.

“How do you think school is gonna go tomorrow?” My mom asks.

“Good. I told Kaleb about the baby.” I say.

“Oh, how did he respond?”

“Better than I expected. We’re going out to eat tomorrow. I don’t know where though.”

“Yeah, it’s a surprise. He told us where he was taking you.” My dad says.

“Oh, okay. As long as you two know where he’s taking me. I’m excited but then again nervous.”

“I’m sure.” My mom says.

Once we get done eating, I empty off my plate and put it in the dishwasher. My mom starts cleaning the pots and pans as I walk upstairs to the bathroom. I take shower before I go to bed.

Chapter Two

“First day of senior year here I come. Let the rumors begin.” I say as I walk into the school. Sometimes I think starting school on a Friday is crazy but oh well.

“Layla!” I hear my best friend Rosie yell. I turn around and she’s running down the school hall. Her brown curls bounce as she runs towards me. I run towards her and hug her trying not to cry. Rosie pulls away and says, “Are you okay? I missed you so much! I was so worried!”

“I’m fine Rosie. Just sore.” I said. “I’m sure you were worried. I was too.”

“I’m just glad you’re back, Layla.”

Rosie hugs me again and this time I start crying. Crying has become normal to me because I have night terrors and flashbacks to when they kidnapped me. I think about the moment I found out I was pregnant.

“Layla?” I hear a familiar voice say. I turn around and it’s Kaleb!

“Kaleb!” I yell. I run towards him and when I reach him I hug him. He hugs me back.

“Layla.” Kaleb says. He starts crying. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Kaleb cry.

“Don’t cry, I’m fine. I’m back baby, nothing can take me away ever again.” I say.

He pulls away and looks at me in my eyes. Gosh I’ve missed those baby blue eyes. He hugs me again and this time he picks me up. I can feel my face burning red. He puts me down.

“What’s your first period?” Kaleb asks.

“Mrs. Grans for math.” I say.

“Me too, we better get to class before we’re late.”

“Okay.” I say laughing.

Kaleb grabs my hand and it’s the best feeling ever. We walk to class and sit by each other.

* * *

Being in class was strange because it was my first time in over a year. My new teachers are understanding of how I am now. Trying to recover from something like this it tough. Every hour a memory pops up in my head. I get so scared I shake and cry. Sometimes I scream. I have a class with Rosie or Kaleb each hour so they’re there to help me through the memories.

A memory pops up in my mind and I stop in my tracks and start crying. “Layla is everything okay?” Kaleb asks.

I shake my head “no”.

“Another memory from when I was kidnapped.” I say as I wipe tears from my face.

“I’m here okay baby. No one else will ever hurt you again. Take your time Layla, it’s lunch.” Kaleb says.

“Okay.” I say as the crying stops. “It’s just been awhile since someone has cared for me like you do.”

“I know baby.”

We walk into the lunchroom and people just stare at me. I sit down at an empty table while Kaleb goes to get food. I’m scared to tell people that I’m pregnant because rumors between Kaleb and me.
“Hey Layla.” Rosie says as she sits by me at the lunch table.

“Hey.” I say.

“How was your doctor’s appointment yesterday? I forgot to ask.”

“Good. Everything looked normal. Except the fact you’re gonna be a Godmother.”

“Oh.”

I start smiling, waiting for her to figure out what I said.

“Wait what?” She says.

“I’m pregnant. Not by Kaleb though.” I say. “By a man back when I was missing.”

“Oh. But I’m still happy for you.”

“Thank you. Want to see the pictures?”

“Sure.”

I pull out my binder and show her the pictures from yesterday.

“It looks like you.” Rosie says.

“I know!” I say. “It has my nose.”

“Awe.”

“Here’s your food, Layla.” Kaleb says as he hands me my plate.

“Thank you baby.” I say.

“So what were you two talking about?”
“The baby.” Rosie says.

“Oh. Is the baby kicking yet?” Kaleb says.

“Not quite yet.” I say.

“When will it?” Rosie says.

“I don’t know.” I say. “Sometime soon.”

“Oh okay.” Kaleb says. “So are you ready for tonight?”

“I sure am. I have my makeup, my dress, and my shoes in my bag.”

“Okay.”

“What’s tonight?” Rosie asks.

“Date night.” I say. “I don’t know where we’re going yet. I brought my red dress.”

“You’re gonna look gorgeous!”

“Thanks.” I say.

Kaleb gives Rosie this look.

“What?” I say.

Rosie’s eyes get big.

“What is it?” I say as I start laughing.

“You’ll find out tonight.” Rosie says.

“Okay, fine.”

Chapter Three

Kaleb and I walk into his apartment (his parents are drug addicts so he moved out on his own so he didn’t become like them). I put my bags down on the green couch. I then turn around, and Kaleb surprises me and kisses me.

“You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.” He says.

“I’ve missed you too.” I say.

“Go get ready, our reservation starts at 6.”

“Okay.” I say as I grab my bags and walk to the bathroom.

As I pull off my shirt from today, I see all the scars from where they cut me. I try not to focus on them. Then I take off my pants and put on the red dress. I start doing my makeup when Kaleb walks into the bathroom.

“You look beautiful, baby.” Kaleb says.

“Thank you.” I say.

Once I get done with my makeup, I walk over to his bed, and put on my heels. Kaleb is in his button up black shirt and black pants. He comes over to me and kisses my forehead. He then grabs my hand and helps me up.

“Thanks babe.” I say.

We walk out of his apartment to his truck. He opens the door, helps me in and closes the door. When he gets in he starts the truck and turns up the radio.

“So where are we going?” I ask.

“It’s a surprise.” He says smiling.

“Ugh!” I say laughing.

Soon enough we pull into our favorite place to hangout. Our gazebo. It’s decorated with flowers, lights, and pictures of us are hanging everywhere. There’s a table in the middle with food and drinks on it. I start crying at the sight.

“Babe!” I say. “It’s beautiful!”

“Your mom, dad, and Rosie decorated it.” He said.

I start blushing and crying.
“Sit baby.” He says pulling the chair out from under the table.

“Thank you.” I say as I kiss him on the cheek.

He goes to the other side of the table and sits down.

“Baby, I’m going to raise this child as my own.” He says. “I promise you. Nothing is going to change between us.” He says. “I love you no matter what. I’ve sorta been planning this since you came home.”

“Awe baby.” I say.

He starts getting stuff out of the picnic-basket. He pulls out two sandwiches, strawberries (cause who goes on a picnic without strawberries), and sparkling grape juice.

“My favorite!” I say as he sets the sparkling grape juice down.

“I know.” He says as he looks at me.

He then gets the plates and glasses out.

“You went all out.” I say.

“Yep, because this is a night I want both of us to remember.” He says with the biggest smile on his face.

“I will.”

He hands me my plate with my sandwich on it.

“Thank you.” I say.

“Baby, what’s your favorite thing about me?” He asks.

“Everything. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Oh.” I say with food in my mouth.

“Hungry?”

“Yes! Lunch didn’t fill me up.”

He laughs.

“What?” I say.

“You’re funny when you’re pregnant.” He says.

I roll my eyes while smiling.

“You know I love you right?” He says.

“Yes. I know. And I love you too.”

“Wanna dance?”

“Sure.”

He pulls out his phone and plays our song, “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. I take my shoes off. Then he wraps his arms around me, I stand on his feet, then we start dancing. I put my head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat calms my nerves. I look up and him and he kisses me.

Once the song is over, he lets go of me, and pulls a box out of the basket.

“I asked your dad.” He says with the biggest smile on his face. “So before I get all cheesy I want to say I love you to death. Layla, you mean the world to me. I wouldn’t trade this for anything. You make me happy on the worst of days. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you so, Layla Grace Grover, will you marry me?”

I start crying and say, “Of course I will Kaleb Grayson Hunter.”

He stands up puts the ring on my finger and kisses me.

“Ask your parents if you can stay at my place tonight.” He says.

“Okay.” I say still crying.

I get my phone out and call my parents.

“Hello?” My mom says.

“Hey mom.” I say.

“What did you say?” My dad says.

“I said yes.”

“Oh sweetie.” My mom says.

“So I was wondering, can I stay at Kaleb’s tonight?”

“Sure you can.” She says.

“Okay thank you. I love you two.”

“We love you too.” They say as they hang up.

I turn around and kiss Kaleb.
“Tonight was perfect.” I say.

“Yeah.” Kaleb says. “By the way Rosie is here. She took pictures.”

“Rosie!” I say as I see her. I run up to her. She’s crying. “Oh Rosie.”

“I’m so happy for you!” She says.

“Thank you. This won’t change anything.”
“I know. I’m still gonna be your maid of honor though right?”

“Of course!”

“Okay. I’m about to go home and get some sleep. You should too.”

“I will.”
She turns around and gets in her car. She drives off. I walk back over to Kaleb.

“Let’s go home, baby.” He says.

“Okay.” I say.

We walk over to his truck and we drive back to his apartment. I fall asleep on the way.

* * *

As soon as we get to his place I wake up. He gets out and opens the door. He helps me out. We walk in, he turns around and kisses me. He walks into his bedroom and gets me a tee-shirt. I change in the bathroom and set my ring on the counter. When I come out, Kaleb is asleep. So I turn off the lights and climb in bed with him.

Chapter Four

When I wake up Kaleb is laying next to me looking at me.

“Good morning.” I say smiling.

“Good morning.” He says pushing the hair out of my face.

“How long have you been up?”

“Not long.”

“Okay.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Okay I guess.”

“You had a night terror.”

“I had a nightmare, but I didn’t know I had a night terror.”

“Yeah, you screamed and cried all night.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize baby. I understand. Just know no one will ever do that to you again.”

“I know.”

I move closer to him and lay my head on his chest. That’s when I feel it. I feel butterflies. The doctor said the baby kicking would feel like butterflies.

“Baby, I think she’s kicking.” I say as I sit up with my hand on my stomach.

“Let me feel.” Kaleb says as he puts his hands on where my hand is. “She really is!”

“The best thing about this baby is that you’re happy about it.”

“I love this baby. I love children. If you’re having a baby I’ll claim the baby. Even if it isn’t mine.”

I lean over and kiss him. Then I get up and walk to the bathroom and get my ring. I put it on my finger and walk into the kitchen.

“Where you going?” He says.

“I’m hungry!” I say.

“Want to go out?”

“I want eggs and toast. Oh and coffee!”

“Babe, you can’t drink coffee anymore.”

“Dang it! Your right.”

“What about IHOP?”

“Sounds good.”

Another memory from the Kidnapping comes back. I scream and run back into Kaleb’s arms crying.

“Baby, everything’s alright.” Kaleb says as he brushes his fingers through my hair.

As soon as I stop crying Kaleb kisses my forehead and says, “still want to go out to eat?”

I shake my head yes.

“Okay.” He says. He hands me my clothes from yesterday. I go to the bathroom to change. I put my hair up and my shoes and ring on. I’m ready.

“Babe, I’m ready.” I say.

“Okay.” He says. “I’m ready too.”

I walk into the living room and Kaleb takes my hand. We walk out of his apartment. When we get to his truck he opens the door and lets me in. He gets in, turns on the radio, and starts driving. We sing along to every track that comes onto the radio. We both sing off key to make each other laugh.

When we get to IHOP I hop out of the truck. We walk inside and it smells amazing! The waiter brings us to our table and takes our drink order. I order orange juice, he orders coffee. I give him the funny death stare.
“You got coffee!” I say.

He winks and says, “I know.”

“Ugh!” I say laughing.

He sticks out his tongue in a playful manner. He’s so childish! I say in my head as I roll my eyes.

“I love you.” He says.
“I love you too, brat!” I say.

* * *