Layla walked home in the dark, kicking rocks and murmuring annoyed curses to herself, quietly. "meh meh meh ill show them. I'm not some weak little girl.. I'm old enough to know how to do things!" she whispers to herself. Yet, despite her bravado she sounds pretty sad.

"No! No me lo quitáis!" grita aterrada mientras ve a sus cosas caer al suelo y a su peluche en las manos de esos hombres. Su corazón late desbocado y temblan sus piernas, pero no quiere mostrar miedo.

Layla sobs in relief as she takes her beloved bunny back, hugging it tightly to her chest. Her breathing is ragged and tears stream down her face, but at least she has her one true friend again. She looks up at the boy who saved her things and swallows thickly before murmuring a quiet "thank you... thank you so much..."

Shaking her head slowly, Layla sniffs loudly and wipes at her eyes with the back of one hand before muttering, "I'm fine... just shaken up." She finishes picking up what's left of her belongings, stuffing them roughly into her bag. "Thanks again..." she whispers softly, not quite trusting herself to speak louder without breaking down completely.

Surprised by the boy's question, she glances up at him. His face is still shadowed in the dark, but she can make out some of his features. "I-I'm Layla..." She stammers, feeling a bit strange talking to someone who isn't one of her tormentors for once.

"Well, thank you again, Layla," she manages, finally finding the courage to meet his gaze fully. There's something about him that makes her feel... safe. "You really didn't have to help me like that."

She takes the small notebook he offers with a shaky hand, her fingers brushing against his as she does so. "T-Thank you, Zine..." She looks down at the item in her hand and then back up to him. It's unusual for her to receive such a nice gift from someone she doesn't know. "I... I don't know how to thank you properly."

Her voice trails off as they stand there in silence, both seemingly hesitant to speak or move just yet. The night air is cool against Layla's skin, but somehow Zine's presence makes her feel warm and protected.

Nodding slightly, Layla falls into step beside Zine as they begin walking home together. "Thank you," she whispers, feeling a strange mixture of gratitude and wariness creep over her. It's not often that someone offers to help her without first trying to make things worse. She glances at his profile out of the corner of her eye, taking in his tall figure and broad shoulders beneath his jacket.

"I hope you don't mind me asking," she starts, feeling a bit awkward now as they walk along. "But why did you help me like that? I mean... usually people just make things harder for me."

She lets out a small sigh as they walk and thinks about his words. "Yeah... I guess so." Even she has to admit that it's true; she was an easy target tonight. But still, most people would have just let it happen instead of risking getting involved themselves. It's strange how someone like Zine can see past all the negativity and treat her with kindness. Maybe he's not so different from her after all.

As they walk along in silence, Layla finds herself wondering what else she could say to him or ask about himself. This is uncharted territory for her; most conversations with boys like Zine usually don't end well. But something tells her that he's different, and it leaves her feeling both curious and slightly nervous at the same time.

Layla hesitates before answering. "I... I used to have friends," she says quietly. "But people started treating me differently after what happened with that guy at school." She chews on her lower lip, glancing away from Zine for a moment. "They all started avoiding me or acting weird around me... even my best friend." The mention of her former bestie only serves to make Layla feel more lonely and miserable.

She wishes she could meet someone like Zine earlier; it would have made things so much easier for her these past few months. "And what about you?" she asks, hoping to change the subject and learn more about him instead. "Do you have any siblings or anything?"

Layla smiled back at him shyly. "That's nice." She paused, thinking about what he had said earlier. "I bet you have lots of friends too...you know, with how you stepped in and everything." Her cheeks flushed slightly as she realized how stupid her comment sounded out loud.

"But enough about me," she continued hastily, wanting to shift the focus away from herself. "What do you like to do for fun? Any hobbies or favorite activities?"

Layla nodded slowly as Zine explained his interests. "Oh... well, I used to go to the gym with my friend before everything happened," she said quietly, feeling a pang of sadness at the memory. "I'd kind of forgotten how much fun it was."

"So, uh, do you think I could maybe start going again?" she asked timidly, looking up at Zine for approval or guidance. Her heart was racing at the thought of stepping back into the gym, but something told her that having him there with her would make it easier. "I mean, if you want to go with me or anything," she added quickly, not wanting to seem too needy.

Layla's eyes widened in surprise and gratitude as Zine offered to help her. "Really?" she asked tentatively. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she felt a warmth spread through her chest. It was almost impossible not to feel happy around him.

"I-I'd like that," she said softly, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation well up inside her. "Thank you, Zine." The words didn't seem nearly enough to express how much his offer meant to her. It made her wonder what else they could do together; perhaps spend more time just talking or even hanging out outside of the gym. She pushed that thought aside for now, afraid to get too excited about something that might not happen.

"So," she began, trying to find another topic of conversation as they neared her house. "What are you planning on doing tomorrow

The thought of spending time with Zine tomorrow filled Layla with excitement and anticipation. "I'd like that," she said quietly, not quite able to hide the smile that spread across her face. Spending time together outside of the gym was one thing; sharing a meal seemed almost like a date or something... but it would be just friends, right? She quickly dismissed that thought as well, reminding herself not to get carried away.

"What about you?" she asked brightly, hoping to steer their conversation back onto more neutral ground. "Do you have any favorite places to eat around here?"

That sounds really good! I've never been there before, but it'd be fun to check it out together. We could even explore a bit more of the town while we're at it... maybe find some new places that neither of us knew about. It felt strange not really knowing much about her own town anymore, and having someone to share these discoveries with made Layla feel a little less lonely.

She paused for a moment, unsure how to proceed. "So... I guess if we're going to eat together tomorrow... should we meet there or something?" She wasn't sure whether it would be weird to invite him over or not. After all, they had only just met today and all... but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a connection with Zine that she hadn't felt with anyone else in a long time.

She furrows her brows in thought as she ponders his words. "Oh... you mean you're new to the town? I didn't realize..." She feels a little embarrassed that she hadn't paid more attention when he was talking about himself earlier. It just goes to show how self-centered and absorbed she can be at times.

"Well, if you want, we could meet up there tomorrow," she says hesitantly. "I'm sure I could show you around a bit between classes or something." She smiles shyly, feeling nervous but also really excited about the idea of spending more time with Zine. Maybe this whole thing wasn't so bad after all.

"But, um..." she adds quickly, thinking it only fair to warn him. "There might be some people who don't like me or my friends hanging out with me... just so you know."

Her eyes widen in surprise at his confident remark, and she finds herself unable to stop the small smile that spreads across her face. "O-Oh... okay then," she says softly, feeling a little relieved and more than a little grateful for his offer of protection. It's sweet, really; she can tell he must be a truly nice guy deep down underneath all that muscle and tough exterior.

They fall silent for a moment as they near her house, each lost in their own thoughts about what tomorrow might bring. The night sky above them is slowly beginning to lighten with the approaching dawn, casting a soft glow over everything below. Layla suddenly realizes that it's almost time for him to go; he'll probably want some sleep before school starts again tomorrow after all.

"Well," she says hesitantly, "I should... I mean... thanks again for walking me home and

Her heart skips a beat as Zine's strong arms enfold her in a brief but gentle hug. It feels so good to be held like this, to know that someone cares enough about her well-being even after just meeting her once. As he pulls away, she finds herself wanting more of his attention and comfort, but at the same time realizes how strange that must sound coming from her.

"O-Okay..." she manages to stammer, still feeling a little dazed by their brief embrace. "Yeah... see you tomorrow." She tries to hide her disappointment as he steps back and turns to leave, already planning out everything they'll do together that day. It all seems too good to be true; maybe she should just enjoy the moment while it lasts instead of wondering what could possibly go wrong.

Embarrassed that he saw her reaction, she quickly ducks inside and shuts the door behind her. As she ascends the stairs to her room, her mind races with thoughts of Zine and tomorrow. Maybe things really will be different now that she's met someone like him; perhaps there is hope for friendship and even happiness after all. Her heart feels lighter than it has in a long time as she finally climbs into bed, drifting off to sleep with a contented smile on her face.

The sun shines brightly through her window, waking her up earlier than usual for school. For once, she doesn't mind the early start; today is the day she'll see Zine again and begin making new memories together. She quickly gets dressed in her uniform, eager to get to class so that they can finally spend some time together outside of walking home from it.

As she walks through the halls

says hi to her friends and looks around, hoping to spot Zine somewhere in the crowd. She finally spots him hanging out near his locker, looking just as handsome as he did last night. Her heart skips a beat as their eyes meet, and she feels an overwhelming sense of happiness wash over her. Today is going to be perfect.

As class after class passes, Layla finds herself glancing at the clock constantly, anxious for the final bell to ring so that they can finally head off to lunch together. Finally, it comes and she practically leaps out of her seat, sprinting toward Zine before he even has a chance to move.

"Hey!" she exclaims breathlessly, coming to a halt in front of him. "You ready for some food?" Her cheeks flush slightly as she realizes how happy and excited she sounds; it's been so long since anyone

Her heart sinks as she sees Zine talking to another girl and then kissing her on the cheek. She feels a stab of jealousy, followed by embarrassment when the other girl notices Layla standing there watching them. The color rushes to her own cheeks, and she looks away quickly, unable to meet Zine's gaze anymore.

"I-I see someone else wanted to talk to you..." she mumbles quietly, feeling a lump form in her throat as tears threaten to spill over. She wanted so badly for today to be perfect... but it looks like that was just wishful thinking after all. Maybe things really will go back to how they used to be; with Zine ignoring her or treating her like crap.

She turns abruptly, intending to leave without him, when a hand on her shoulder stops her in her tracks. "Hey," Z

"F-Fine," she says softly through her tears, feeling defeated. "Let's go." She wipes roughly at her eyes and turns back toward the cafeteria without waiting to see if Zine follows. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they just went their separate ways... at least then she wouldn't have to keep pretending that everything was okay when it clearly wasn't.

As they walk in silence, Layla can feel Zine's hand still on her shoulder; it feels kind of comforting, almost protective. It makes her wonder if maybe she should just tell him how she really feels... but what if he doesn't understand or gets annoyed with her? Better to just keep quiet and pretend that nothing's wrong.

She sniffles softly and glances over at him before looking away again. "I'm fine," she says quietly, hating the quiver in her voice. She really wishes he wouldn't keep asking her questions... it just makes her feel even more pathetic than she already does. But then, maybe that's exactly what he wants; to make her doubt herself and wonder why he would ever want to be friends with someone like her.

"I just..." she trails off, unsure of how much more she can take without completely falling apart right here in front of him. "Never mind," she mumbles, feeling a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill over again.

Layla looks up at him in surprise when he says this, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment before she quickly looks away again. "T-Thank you..." she stammers, feeling a lump form in her throat. It's been so long since someone has called her a friend; it makes her heart ache just a little less than usual.

"I... I should have said something earlier," she murmurs, still not quite able to meet his gaze directly. "About how I felt about you kissing that girl..." She trails off, feeling embarrassed and foolish for acting like such a child over nothing important.

As they reach the cafeteria, Zine guides her toward an empty table where they can sit in relative peace. Once they're settled, he leans in closer to her, his hand still resting gently on her shoulder. "It's okay," he whispers

Her eyes widen slightly at his words; he's not angry with her? It's a relief beyond measure to know that Zine understands and isn't upset by how she feels. "T-Thank you..." she whispers, unable to keep the emotion from creeping into her voice. She takes a shaky breath, gathering herself before speaking again. "I-I guess I just get jealous sometimes... with how everyone treats me and everything."

She looks up at him, hoping he doesn't think she's pathetic for feeling that way. Zine smiles gently down at her, his eyes full of understanding and acceptance. It feels like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders; being honest with him has made everything seem less overwhelming, less scary somehow.

"I can understand that," he says softly, squeezing her shoulder in support. "And you