Good humor or not, Layla stopped her. “Sayo, no, please. You can’t tell her. Please, I’m begging you.”
Suddenly, the air in her lungs felt thick and Layla grabbed onto Sayo’s arms, hoping that the worry in her eyes would make her understand how very bad it would be if Autumn learned the truth.
“Hey, hey… what’s wrong?” she asked when Layla looked around them, eyes stretching over the crowd as she pulled Sayo close, fingers squeezing into her arms as though she would keep the blonde grounded on that sidewalk. “God, Layla, did he, he didn’t force himself on you, did he?”
“No.” Layla closed her eyes, shook her head as though that small movement would keep the memory of her and Donovan together from her thoughts. “God. Most time he gets me so worked up I’m this close to begging for it.” Sayo flared her nostrils and Layla cringed at herself for that admission. “I’m sorry. It’s very, um, well, it’s a lot hotter than I thought it would be, but honey, you can’t tell Autumn. Not yet. Please.”
“Layla… she’s my best friend…”
“I’m asking you to keep this secret for me.” The frown returned to Sayo’s face and Layla could tell she was annoyed that she’d put her in the position of keeping anything from Autumn. Layla was desperate, anxious about the redhead finding out. She loved Autumn, she really did, but God, the woman had a big mouth. Trying to keep herself from truly freaking out, Layla took a breath and folded her arms, blinking once before she spoke. “I’m calling in my favor.”
Those black eyes of Sayo’s grew round, and as soon as Layla noticed how quickly her friend’s features shifted, moving through surprise and shock, straight back to unguarded annoyance, she knew Sayo wouldn’t say a word to Autumn. She also knew that Sayo didn’t appreciate how dirty she fought. “Layla, we were seventeen.”
“Uh huh and you didn’t study because you were hung over from Leslie Anderson’s party. It was my mom that got that covered for you, remember and that test was the single most important one of your life. At least, as a senior in high school, and I caught so much shit for faking that seizure to give you a diversion.”
Sayo looked down, worked the tip of her boot into the cracks in the sidewalk. “I had to pass that test, Layla. It was the only time.” She looked back up at her, annoyed still, possibly hurt. “It’s the only time I ever cheated and Sister Allen was shit at remembering to lock her office. It was the only time I didn’t work my ass off in class and I’ve repaid that little karmatic screw up a thousand times.”
“I’m sorry. I feel shitty for asking, Sayo, but Autumn would tell Declan, you know she would.”
They watched each other for a moment, quiet, still and Layla only released her held breath when Sayo lowered her shoulders and grunted once. “Okay, she’d totally tell Declan.”
“Yep and he’d kick Donovan’s ass. It would be very bad.”
Sayo shook her head. “Last semester you would have paid money to see Donovan get his ass kicked and now you’re trying to avoid it. I knew you liked him.”
“I like how hard he makes me come, Sayo. I have zero problems with him getting his ass kicked, but Declan doing it would be damn inconvenient not only for the drama it would cause between our group but because my dad would bitch for weeks.” Layla closed her eyes, her shoulders shaking at the idea of her father’s loud, annoyed voice. “I hate when he does that. Besides, Autumn has her classes and Declan and Donovan have Conference coming up, the whole squad is stressed out and there is just too many stupid things that could happen if they find out about me and Donovan.” She took Sayo’s hand, hoping she’d made her see reason. “Just let it go for now.”
“Find out what about you and Donley?” Walter said, standing right behind Layla.
Layla let her head fall back, cursing her luck, cursing herself for having this conversation with Sayo out on a public sidewalk. Walter stood four feet from her, dressed in that stupid campus police uniform with his walkie talkie on his hip. She half expected him to be pouting when she turned toward him and had to force herself not to laugh at the scowl he gave her. He looked like a violently hacked off puppy dog.
“Walter, what are you doing here?”
“I know this shithole is your favorite place to get loud and drunk,” he said, nodding toward the pub behind them. Then, he touched her shoulder. She hated when he did that. It made her feel like a kid. “You didn’t answer my question. What’s going on between you and Donley?”