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Layla sits at her locker with Janet on her right.

"I actually can't wait for your guys' next performance." Janet says, "I'm so happy you're singing and writing again."

"You can thank Julie for that. I had no intentions on actually singing." Layla chuckles

"Well, she obviously knows that there is something going on with you and Luke." Janet smiles

"Yeah, but Luke isn't exactly real. I'm not sure how much longer this is gonna last." Layla says

"And that scares you?"

"Yeah." Layla scoffs, "And it's different because we don't just connect when we're performing or writing, but in other ways, too. We both know what it feels like to lose our moms."

Janet smiles sadly as Layla closes her locker. She sighs as she turns to her, "I wish I could help him, you know? He never got the chance for closure."

"Maybe you can write him a song." Janet shrugs, "It's something you guys both understand."

Layla's eyes widen, "You're literally a genius. I love you so much."

"Duh." Janet says playfully

"Wait, this isn't making you uncomfortable, right? Talking with your ex about their new crush?"

Janet scoffs, "No, you're still my best friend." Layla smiles as Janet wraps her arm around her. The two start walking down the hall, "Now if we would've ended badly, then maybe."

"Well, good thing you didn't let me push you away."

"No way. I'll never let that happen."

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Layla takes a deep breath as she makes her way up the driveway. She had a plan to give Luke's mother the song he wrote about her. She exhales slowly as she steps onto the porch. Just as she was going to push the doorbell, she hears a whooshing sound. She turns to her right with wide eyes.

"Luke!" Layla exclaims

The boy frowns, "What are you doing here?"

"Okay, um, look. I... I just wanted to know more about you, you know, just curious. Um..." She stammers, "So, I came here last week on your birthday."

"You were spying on me?" Luke reiterates. When Layla stays silent he steps closer, "Even after all your speeches about boundaries? You were spying on me?"

"I know." Layla says looking up at him, "I'm sorry. It was wrong. But I'm worried about you."

Luke steps back, "You don't have to be."

Layla's face softens, "I get it. Trust me, I know how hard it is when you want to speak to someone you love and can't. I've felt that way my whole life."

"I don't even know what I'd say to her, even if she could hear me."

"Yes, you do." She nods, "You've already said it. Trust me."

Luke keeps his eyes on her as she looks toward the doorbell. He reaches over and rings the doorbell. As they wait for the door to open, he steps behind her. Layla looks up as the door opens revealing an older man.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"Hi. I'm Layla. Um... I believe you had a son named Luke?"

"Yes, that's right. And you are again?"

"Layla Jimenez. Um... your son's band used to play in my family's garage?" She says. When the man frowns, Layla pulls out a piece of paper, "I... I came across this song that he wrote and figured you might be interested?"

"Um... Well, yes. Uh, please... please come in." He says stepping aside and holding his hand out, "I'm... I'm Mitch."

Layla takes his hand shaking it gently, "Nice to meet you."

As Mitch continues on, Layla turns back to Luke nodding to him. He hurries in as she closes the door behind them.

"Can I, um, get you something?"

"Oh, no. I'm good. Thank you." Layla says walking in. She looks down at a picture frame sitting on a side table, "Is this your son?"

"Yeah, that's Luke." He smiles sadly, "When he was two."

"Do you have any other children?"

Mitch shakes his head, "No."

"Did I hear the doorbell?" Someone says. Layla turns as an older woman walks in and stands beside Mitch.

"Hi, hon. Um, this is Layla."

"Hello, Layla." The woman says with a warm smile. She then looks down, "Oh, that's a beautiful sweater."

"Thank you. It's my mom's." Layla smiles

"Layla lives in the house where Luke and the band rehearsed. She was just telling me she found a song that Luke wrote." Mitch says

"It's a song about a girl named Emily?" Layla says looking down at the paper

"Emily..." Mitch whispers

"Oh..." The woman says stepping closer, "I'm Emily."

"Then I think your son may have written this song for you." Layla says handing it to her.

Emily takes it slowly as Mitch rests his hands on her shoulders. She unfolds the paper as she becomes emotional.

"Oh..."

"First things first

We start the scene in reverse

All of the lines rehearsed

Disappeared from my mind."

Layla feels her heart break a little as she hears Luke sing what was written on the paper.

"When things got loud

One of us running out

I should have turned around

But I had too much pride

No time for goodbyes

Didn't get to apologize

Pieces of a clock that lies broken."

Layla watches as tears fall involuntarily down Emily's cheeks.

"If I could take us back

If I could just do that

And write in every empty space

The words "I love you" in replace

Then maybe time would not erase me

If you could only know

I never let you go

And the words I most regret

Are the ones I never meant to leave

Unsaid Emily."

Layla sighs shakily as she shifts her weight from side to side. She picks at her fingers as she stands there.

"Silent days

Mysteries and mistakes

Who'd be the first to break ?

Guess we're alike that way

He said, she said

Conversations in my head

And that's just where

They're gonna stay forever

If I could take us back

If I could just do that

And write in every empty space

The words "I love you" in replace

Then maybe time would not erase me

If you could only know

I never let you go

And the words I most regret

Are the ones I never meant to leave

Unsaid Emily."

"Ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah."

"If I could take us back

If I could just do that

And write in every empty space

The words "I love you" in replace

Then maybe time would not erase me

If you could only know

I never let you go

And the words I most regret

Are the ones I never meant to leave

Unsaid Emily."

Layla sniffles as Emily holds the paper to her chest.

"Thank you." Emily cries. Layla smiles sadly.

"Um..." Mitch starts, "You... you have no idea..."

"I write music in the same room that he did, and I can tell you it is a magical, happy place." Layla says wiping under her eyes.

"That's so nice to know." Mitch says as Emily smiles.

"I know he was only 17 when he..." She trails off as she looks down, "But he lived doing the one thing he was born to do. Not many people find that, but Luke did. He was lucky."

Layla's eyes close momentarily as she hears the whooshing sound behind her.

"It was so nice to meet you." Emily says holding her hand out. Layla takes it happily. "It was nice to meet you too."

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