The One That Got Away

WELCOME TO STRANGELAND

Layla woke up to find herself in the middle of a meadow. After a few unsuccessful efforts that caused the strongest dizziness she had ever experienced, she managed to sit straight. It was night, and the most star-filled sky she had seen in her life was smiling down to earth. A couple of miles ahead, she could make out the lights of something that seemed like a town. She didn't recognize any of it.

Where the hell was she? And how did she end up here?

She looked at herself. She was wearing a dress. A very nice one actually, although it had suffered a bit, as if she had just survived a fall or a fight. She carefully stood up and tried to fix it as best as she could. Where had she been? She couldn't imagine wearing something like that in anything less than a wedding- She froze.

The memories crashed into her mind like a tsunami.

She was at Lucas's wedding. He wanted to speak to her. He did speak to her.

Oh, the things he said!

Layla started replaying his words inside her mind. Alex had been in love with her, he said. Both he and Liv knew about it, he said. And he was going to confess his love to her at Sofia's party, he said.

All the pain and sorrow returned with a vengeance, as Lucas's revelations kept echoing inside her head, as her best friend's story of betrayal was unfolding again. Right then and there. In the middle of an unknown meadow. Under the stars of an unknown sky.

"Liv is jealous of you, something rather obvious to everyone but you, Layla. And she was angry he had rejected her. So, she tried everything to stop him from talking to you. She sent people to interrupt with various excuses. When finally Alex suspected her game, she took out the big guns. She told him she was sick and needed his help. You know how Alex was, he wouldn't refuse her. He had him stuck into that bathroom, God knows for how long until fate intervened to make matters worse. You went up to find them.

"She took great advantage of it, of course! After you stormed out, they had a huge fight. I stepped in, I had never seen him so angry. I thought he would kill her! Alex, after he calmed down, explained to me what happened and left to find you. And unfortunately, he had been drinking.

" You were so devastated by his death, I was reluctant to tell you the truth. I suspected you were in love with him too, even if you didn't want to admit it. I saw how you looked at him! How you looked at him when you thought nobody was watching.

"Then, we ended up together, I struggled with myself. To be honest, I was kind of selfish. I knew that if I told you, it would change things between us.

"All this was a burden to me for years. I finally spilled out everything to Sofia a few weeks ago. She was mad at me. She specifically invited you to our wedding for me to make things right. If you hadn't shown up, she would have found you and told you herself.

"I swear, everything I told you is true, Layla. I am willing to repeat it in front of that snake if you need me to. See if she has the nerve to call me a liar."

He went back inside the room, opened a drawer, and returned holding something in his hands. "He had bought this for you. A gift. The medics found it and gave it to his parents. They asked me if I knew who it was for. They gave it to me after I promised them it would find its recipient. I am so sorry, Layla. I just hope that someday, you find it in your heart to forgive me."

Layla, alarmed, touched her neck. It was there. Relief washed over her. A necklace of two hearts intertwined. She had put it on before going to face Liv. Before she shoved her ex-best friend against a wall. Before she never heard her deny any of these. Before she cried her heart out. Before she ran. Before she had taken her car to drive aimlessly around the city. Before the truck hit her-