Creative Writing

Falling in Love
Layla is seventeen. It’s her senior year in high school. She is student body president, head of the drama club and friend to all. She is also a cheerleader and is on the flag team. She and her older brother Eric, get along really well. Eric is twenty three and still lives at home, although he is hardly ever there except for dinner and video games. He is usually out on the town with his best friend Brennan, whom Layla has taken a liking to. One of those immature high school crushes where the boy’s name is written all over her notebook surrounded by little hearts with Layla plus Brennan written in them. Brennan is twenty two. He is taking night classes at the local community college. He is studying criminal justice. He works two jobs, stalking shelves at Hannaford’s, and delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut. He lives in a one bedroom apartment on the third floor of a walk up. His free time is usually spent playing video games with Eric, though sometimes they end up drinking. Brennan has had a history of breaking girl’s hearts. His last relationship ended quite sourly. His girlfriend came home one day to find his lover’s lipstick stains all over his favorite shirt. Eric has called him out on it more than once, expressing his distaste in the matter but Brennan just won’t listen.
Layla is home early today. She woke this morning feeling a little sick to her stomach, she thought she could make it through the day at school but by fourth period she was on her way home. Both her parents are at work and Eric is, who knows where. She is alone. She puts on her favorite sweats and lies down on the living room couch thinking she will sleep it off. Just as she is about to fall asleep, there is a knock at the door. It’s Brennan. She is struck with a feeling of sudden terror. She doesn’t want him to see her like this but she also doesn’t want to leave him waiting at the door. She looks in the mirror and shakes out her long dark hair, thinking oh well, and opens the...