Chapter 5: Call Me John

" Too much for a dream. "

Layla said that with a smile before the light got turned off.

" We will close the place please leave. "

The Janitor said as Layla took her cross bag from the ground and ties her hair back climbing down the stage.

" I'm leaving. "

" You have a good voice, kid. "

" Thank you, sir. "

Layla thanked the janitor with an exhausted smile as she is heading off the road.

" Hah, too late for the last bus. "

Layla said looking at her phone and noticing the 81 missed calls before she puts her phone back, her phone starts ringing again.

She put it in her jacket looking at the cars following her slowly from afar then fixes her eyes on the road again.

She took some shortcuts to lose the cars.

" C'mon, give me a break. "

Layla starts to climb some buildings as she ran away again and again.

" How did he find me again, I can't let him find where I live this time. "

Layla exhaled as she notices the cars are getting far away, she smiled proudly when she succeed, she climbed down from the building she is on.

" Thinking about that company, It's not the first time I got rejected, then why I'm so sad? I don't like to act anyway, I was born to sing. "

Layla got her notebook to mark an X at the HAMSEY company.

" they're looking for an actor more than a singer, noted. "

Layla bought dinner and then check the time.

" It's too late, I should go back home fast, Fiona must be worried. "

Layla went to the small room she rented not so long ago, she keeps moving from one place to another.

" God please, let Fiona be safe. "

Layla prayed, afraid to see John Salas again.

He is a scary handsome-looking singer who happened to be Layla's high school friend.

but apparently, John is on a whole different page because he was OBSESSED with her.

Back in the day, Layla gave him singing lessons before he became a famous singer, but things went chaotic when Layla rejected his love confession.

Salas' father happened to be one of the big underground lords or as they call them, MAFIA, and a loan shark that Layla's father used to borrow money from him, and do deals for him.

in exchange.

Layla's father was a puppet for the Salas family.

He did all the dirty work for them.

Before he got killed... Obviously.

" Hah, I will pay my father's dept soon enough then I won't have to deal with this dirty family anymore. "

Layla said looking at her groceries bag and climbing the stairs.

" S, Salas? "

when Layla went home she saw him in front of her apartment's door which made her freeze at the sight of his appearance, resting his head on the door, as he stares into her eyes when she looked him.

" Good audition today? "

Salas asked directly with a faint voice and a simple smile as if he knows where she was exactly and what she was doing all day.

Layla gulps hard not because she is scared but, because her sister is right behind that door, his head is resting on.

The only one she cares about in this life

Salas is studying her reactions, looking at how her hands are trembling, so he started approaching her slowly.

" No, they didn't like my voice. "

Layla lied casually trying to avoid the reality of Salas is getting closer to her.

Salas took the steps to hold Layla's hand as she gets back afraid of his touch on her skin and almost fall down the stairs but he grabbed her back quickly.

" Don't be scared, I'm not going to eat you, I just missed you. "

Salas whispered as he is hugging Layla closer, sniffing her hair and neck, which always calms his rage down for disobeying him.

" They didn't like your voice? Nonsense. "

Salas mumbled the question in her ear which made her nod in silence.

" I never heard a better voice than yours. "

Salas continued moving his lips from her neck before he stops in front of her lips.

As if he asks for her permission.

" I love your voice. "

Salas whispered in front of her lips which made Layla look away rejecting his kiss which made him grin.

The words came out as if he says I Love you when he says he loves her voice.

"And I love it more when you're begging me not to kill your sister, and when you crying at my knees that you will do anything to let her go. "

Salas said dramatically with a wide smile playing with Layla's soft hair untieing it as it drops freely.

her hands trembled from the humiliation and anger as he started his blackmailing again, Layla looked at the fire extinguisher behind him as she wants to kill him right where he stands but that will lead to another disaster.

" Strange, you put make-up today. "

he touched Layla's lips with his thumb staring at them before kissing them, as Layla is ignoring his creepiness looking at her room's door.

" I had a long day, can I sleep now? "

Layla asked showing her shopping bag and how barely she can open her eyes to deal with him today.

" Why didn't you answer my calls? "

Salas asked fixing her hair up as he backed up a little to let her breathe.

" My phone was on silent mode. "

Layla lied again knowing he already knows she is lying.

" Was it? "

He grinned as his men told him that they lost track of her when they were supposed to keep their eyes on her to make sure she is safe.

Which leads to them being already dead for disobeying him.

" Sweet Layla, always made my men lose their jobs like that, I told you to take the bus or main roads only, but you're rejecting to take money from me for a taxi,

Do you prefer jumping on buildings more? Should I buy you a jet pack? "

John Salas continued to joke around to calm his anger laughing at how that was funny in his head.

His girl is defeating all of his men, the only thing that slows her down is her sister, Fiona.

That's why he is keeping her sister alive.

Layla stared into his eyes as the only thing she sees in those pale eyes is craziness.

" I don't need any money from you. "

Layla harshly said trying to flee from his grip on her hand to go home.

" We had a date today but I waited for you, and you never showed up, how are going to make this up for me? "

Salas asked her as he grabbed her again from her back and turned her around quickly which made her shopping bag fall.

" Salas! "

Layla hollered staring into his eyes as Salas lowers his hand on her back to be on her waist and he started to dance all of sudden.

" Call me John like you used to do, I missed it from your voice. "

Layla froze as Salas rested his jaw on her shoulder.

" Call me John, my Layla. "

Salas whispered as he sways with her.

" Why would I? You're not the same John I once knew. "

Layla scoffed as Salas bit her neck in answer.

" What are you doing? It hurts. "

Layla tried to shove his head away but it hurts more, he backed off on his own admiring what he did to her neck, as he is still swaying with her.

" I'm the same John, you're just, blind to see me, the real me, You killed my innocence, Layla when you left me! you rejected me! you chose someone other than me! That's how you change a person. "

......................

To be continued