Chapter 17

The words that slip through your tongue at the moment of anger and excitement are your true words. The words that you wish were never said.

"Come on babes, do you think I don't know your little secret" Kyle whispered. Layla pushed him away. Her insides burned and was suffocating. She had enough of people prying into her life, controlling it. Had enough of them hunt her down with her little secret. Wasn't she already suffering? Why won't they understand? Don't they see she is trapped and is struggling?

She pulled him by the collar, "Yes. I do have the secret. What? Are you gonna tell the whole world that the competitive Eren is no one but a girl? An insignificant human? A trash? Go tell them. I don't care!!! Screw you! Screw them!" She shouted and pushed him away.

She dashed out of the room slamming the door shut. Back in the hallway, she saw students glancing at her as she passed by and whispering behind her back. A new determined look, a new fire ignited her. No one is gonna step on her. Not anymore.

Back in the room 154, the atmosphere thickened that even a knife was hard to cut it.

Kyle gulped. He wasnt aware of her secret, he just wanted to get on his nerves. He thought if he pushed Eren's buttons he would spit his secret out which he did. Kyle looked around and saw Kay slumped, eyes out of life.

At that moment, a fist collided his jaw. Kyle rubbed his jaw and felt a hot liquid in his sleeve. He looked up and saw a strong figure looming over him.

"Seriously Jack! I thought you liked fair fights!" He got up and rubbed his bleeding lip with the back of his sleeve. Jack pounced again but Reki was fast enough to pull him away. Kay pulled Kyle away and out of the room.

"You bastard!" Jack shouted as Kay closed the door.

"Let's get you treated" Kay pulled his brother to the infirmary.

Chloe sat wide-eyed. Chill running down her spine. She saw Eren get angry and the truth of she being a girl made her happy. She felt guilty for feeling happy since Eren would be suffering like her from now on but she felt the best. Despite the atmosphere, she felt a warm sensation of comfort in her.

"Why! Let me go, you..." Jack tried to pry off his arms but he couldn't. Reki's grip was pretty tight and he had no intention of letting him go.

"Fine. I won't pounce. Let me go" Jack breathed. Reki slowly pulled his arms away. Jack gripped his hair and paced the room nervously.

"I will go get him... I mean her" Reki left and set out to find Eren.

Reki turned a left and a right searching for the pitch night shining head in the crowd as he passed . In vain, his search continued.

Layla buried herself in her own arms as her knees were drawn into her. The room was ghost quiet except for her quite sobs. The mops and dirty soap water lay around the room as Layla took the corner taking her time to compose herself.

She was angry and frustrated. Angry at herself for losing it and frustrated that why is this happening to her.

The world was a beautiful young lady with sinister plans, wasn't it? Layla painfully smiled as she realised there is no getting out. She needs to find a way to get out of this hell. And it made her realise how much coward she was to despise her past world.

She got up as she dusted herself off. Her foot slipped as it met with the dirty water puddle on the ground. Layla 's eyes shot upward in shock as her head hit the ground.

"Ow!!" Layla pushed herself up and rubbed her head. She saw her blood stained hands

And scoffed. "It will stop"

She saw Reki breathless as she closed the door. "Sir Reki, what happened?"

Reki looked at her awkwardly and breathed in relief. "You are fine!"

"ya I am why would I not be?" She commented as she passed him. Reki pulled her back.

"You are bleeding!" Reki alarmed

"Ya I know. You do know I have healing powers. It will disappear" the truth is Layla ignored the pain shooting in her head. As soon as she said those words, her vision blurred, Reki 's voice distant and her world turned dark.

____________

"Damn what happened!" Jack shouted as he pulled the curtain to reveal motionless Eren.

"Well, I found her injured when she came out of the janitor room. She must have slipped" Reki explained.

"Goodness. Is she alright?" Jack stepped closer to the bed. Layla's face was as pale as the moon. He saw her chest in rhythm with her breathing. A big white bandage wrapped around her head. Jack sighed, 'why do you have to suffer all the time'

He locked hands with her and kissed the back of her hand, "I am sorry I am a coward. A coward who can't protect you. A coward who ran away when you needed me the most" he whispered only for her hear. His lips resting on back of her hand.

WHO ARE YOU, JACK?