Laylah woke the next morning to the smell of eggs and biscuits. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and headed for the shower. Her stomach growled at the thought of food. Any meal Naiya cooked was delicious and she couldn't wait to sink her teeth into it.
She wasn't a morning person, but once up she did everything at a nice, quick pace. As Laylah put on her jeans, she smiled at the tee-shirt she chose to wear. The shirt was a favorite that Britta had given her. Its saying "Keep putting off tomorrow, what you put off today" was always good for a laugh, especially when Laylah felt down.
"Laylah, breakfast!" Naiya yelled from downstairs.
"Coming!" She grabbed her backpack, brush and hair scrunchie before running down the stairs. She nearly knocked Jacques down in her dash to get to the kitchen.
"Whoa! Slow down!" he admonished.
"Sorry, Jacques!" Instead, she burst through the kitchen door, startling Naiya. With a laugh, she dropped her backpack and sat down.
"Lord, girl, scare somebody!" Naiya shook a wooden spoon in her direction. "Sit before it gets cold."
"Or before I get a giant plateful." Jacques grinned as he sat down next to Laylah. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
"Yep. I guess dreaming about Britta's party helped." Laylah grinned and reached for the bread basket, missing the adults exchanging glances. "I still can't believe she wants to have one in the first place. She's always accusing our classmates of being shallow, petty and a waste of space every time one of them throws a party. I don't understand her reasons, but if it makes Britta happy, it can't be a bad thing."
"Laylah, don't go making plans without talking to your father first. And don't forget your veggie drink."
Naiya's concerned look made Laylah sigh. "Okay, I won't commit myself to going, but Britta really, really wants me to go. Father can hire a hundred bodyguards if he wants, but I have to go. How would it look if her best friend didn't show up? Britta's counting on me."
She made a face as she drank the veggie drink. Though she wasn't fond of it, she'd been having a veggie drink twice a week ever since she was seven years old. Naiya joked that it kept her strong, but Laylah personally thought it was another one of her father's strange orders designed to make her life miserable.
Excited by thoughts of the party, she ate quickly. The party meant a shopping trip with Britta, something Laylah did mind doing because her friend would find a way to foster some uncomfortable styles on her. She liked her baggy clothes. Comfort was her thing, not showing skin and wearing clothes so tight they threatened to rip if a person moved the wrong way.
Laylah helped Naiya clear the table, grabbed her backpack and followed Jacques to the limo. The ride to school was uneventful and she went inside.
Her happiness disappeared when Violet's number one follower, Teresa, shoved her face first into a nearby locker. Laylah didn't break anything, but it hurt enough to bring tears. This brought on taunting from Teresa and her friends who came to watch the bullying.
"Aw, look. Daddy's rich little princess is crying. Maybe, the tears are for her face that's now improved by that red nose. Ha, ha, she's bawling like a baby!"
Teresa's mocking laughter made Laylah blush and angrily she brushed away her tears. The comment upset her more than the bullying did. People who thought her father gave her everything her heart desired were all wrong. True, he gave her things, but what she wanted above all else, he denied her. All she wanted was his love. Laylah backed up two steps before fleeing from the bullies' malicious laughter.