Nights Ninjas - Chapter 2

The sun rose up the blue sky, waking Kai up. Birds twittered as they flew across the sky and disappeared into the distance. His nose began to itch slightly, but when he went to scratch it, his arm was stuck. Looking down, he noticed that Layla was still fast asleep resting on his arm. Lying there, she looked like a sleeping angel with her peaceful face. A single strand of her long black hair had fallen across her flawless face. As he put it back behind her ear, she fluttered her eyelids open revealing her beautifully, unique, purple eyes. Kai gave her a smile.
“Morning,” he whispered, watching her smile back, “How did you sleep?” She, gracefully, sat up and stretched.
“Alright,” Layla replied, placing her head on his shoulder again, “You?” Kai stroked her hair.
“Just fine.”

Slowly, Layla’s face faded from a smile to a very worried look.
“What’s wrong?” Kai said worrying.
“My parents are going to kill me.” Layla cried, tears streaming down her face. Kai gave her a comforting hug. He knew her parents had very high expectations of her. He also knew he was not meant to be anywhere near her because of the assassin he was. Even with the job he had she still wanted to be with him. She loved him for who he was and not what he did for a living.

Comforting her, he sang a lullaby that his mum sung to him before she died. Slowly, Layla stopped crying and just sat whimpering in Kai’s arms.
“I shouldn’t of let us come out.” Kai blamed himself.
“No, no,” Layla protested, “It’s not your fault.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. Kai got up and helped Layla up. They stood there, holding hands, looking into each others eyes.
“I need to get home,” Layla said braking the silence between them, “could you take me back?” Kai looked into her eyes. Would she really risk getting told off just to be with him? Kai just nodded in reply. Carefully, they climbed down the massive oak branch by branch. Reaching the ground, Kai took Layla’s in his own and they walked in silence towards her house.

Layla tensed up as her house came into view. Kai gave her hand a reassuring squeeze wishing he could do more. Suddenly, Layla hid her face in his chest and burst into tears. Kai hated seeing her like this but he couldn’t do anything but be there to comfort her when she was upset. He cuddled her waiting for the moment she would stop crying.

Layla could only show her feelings to Kai because he was the only person who actually understood what she was going through. The only person she could trust. None of the other girls in the village would talk to her so, as a result, she never made any friends. Kai began humming the lullaby he had used earlier.
“I’ll leave you to go back so your parents don’t see me.” Before she could protest, he gave her a kiss. Their first kiss. Every trouble in the world just melted away leaving the two of them in peace. Layla’s shock slowly subdued allowing her to enjoy this moment the two were sharing.

“Layla!” A voice interrupted, “What are you doing?!” Layla turned round to see her dad storming towards them. Kai put his arms around the trembling Layla as if to protect he from he father’s rage.
“Get your hands off of my daughter.” Layla’s father shouted hands balled into fists preparing for a fight.
“See you later.” Kai whispered into Layla’s ear. The weight from his arms disappeared. When she turned round he was gone.
“See you later.” She replied to the wind. A hand grabbed her wrist and dragged her back to the house.

“What have we told you about seeing that murderer!” Her mother shouted as they entered the house. All of a sudden, something hit her square in the face causing her to fall to the floor.
“That should teach you a lesson.” Was the last thing she heard before blacking out.

Kai knew there was something wrong when he had to open the window to Layla’s room to get in. Whenever he came back from the city she always left her window open for him to come in. Surveying the room, he noticed that nothing had been changed since the last time he saw it.
“Layla?” he whispered loudly to see if she was home. A groan burst through the quiet house causing him to jump to the rafters in fear. Silently, he ran across the beams towards the door. Lowering himself down, he spied the living room through the adjacent door. When he saw Layla lying on the floor unconscious he accidently let go of the beams in shock. When he got up again, he quickly ran over to Layla’s side. A big, purple bruise showed up on the left half of her face. Carefully, he picked her up and placed her on her bed in her room. Quickly, he ran out into the kitchen area, grabbed a cloth and placed it in a bucket of cold water. While ringing the cloth of excess water, he heard Layla give another moan. He ran to her side seeing she had woken up.
“Put this on the bruise,” He told her, “ It will ease the swelling. Layla sat up and place the cold cloth on her face.

Kai saw the silent tears rolling down her face and wrapped his protective arms around her wrecked form.
“Why? Kai. Why?”  her muffled cries pleaded.
“Hush, hush,” Kai whispered stroking her hair. “Where are your parents tonight?” Layla’s cries died down to small sobs.
“Big party for someone’s 18th birthday,” Layla replied through sobs, “ Staying the night over there since it’s in the next village.” Only then did the bruise begin to hurt as the cloth did its work.

Kai sat on the end of the small bed causing it to creak, slightly in protest.
“How did you get the bruise?” Kai inquired, placing his hand on her free one.
“For the f..first time e..ever,” Layla stuttered, “My dad hit me.” She began crying again, the tears falling onto her skirt.
“I..I can’t t..t..take it anym..more.” Layla sobbed. Kai, gently, began stroking her hand in an attempt to stop her crying. Trying to stop her pain. Just behind him, the dream catchers trembled,  unnoticed as if a invisible force was nudging them.