It had been two weeks since I'd first met Leo, and it was as if it never happened. No word from him or mention of him from the people I knew. I wondered if I'd made it all up. Did he really show me all that attention or had it all been in my head? Had I overromanticized it? Of course, Jenna had been so preoccupied with Michael there'd be little reason to ask her. It's possible she didn't even remember who he was. I could ask Destiny... she'd seen it all. I think she'd even commented on it! But since then she had already gone back to NC and stopped asking me about him since I hadn't had any updates. I'm sure she didn't want to keep reminding me of it. I must've dreamt the whole thing happened... Granted, I did still have his jacket...
I pulled myself off my bed and walked to my closet. I slowly slid the closet door open as if it could escape if I scared it. There it was. Folded up neatly beside my shoes on a shelf. So I guess it was real...
"SYDNEY!!!"
I jumped, startled as if I'd been caught doing something wrong. I quickly closed my closet door so Jenna couldn't see me longingly gazing at an item of clothing.
"Sydney Sydney Sydney, this is great news," Jenna sang running into my room.
"Okayyyy what?" I said, a bit annoyed by the dramatics. She doesn't seem to notice.
"... We... got invited... to another thing!!!!! BY MICHAEL!!!!!" she shrieked. "Are you free tomorrow night? You're usually off Friday nights."
My stomach drops.
"Uh.. yeah I think so!! What would we be doing?" I ask, although that's not exactly the question that's burning in my mind.
She explains that there's a small show at a indie concert venue in NYC. I couldn't lie; it sounded like a great time. I hadn't been to live music since I'd gotten to NY.
"Oh cool!... So... who all would be there?" I ask, trying to find the right way to word my question without sounding too forward.
"Oh! Only cool people. Me, you, Michael, and I think a couple of Michael's friends. I don't know," she said, brushing it off as if it wasn't important. And I guess it wasn't.
"Okay, well, I need your help! Style me please. I really want to impress him. I don't have a cool girl style and I'm desperate. Please..." she pleaded, dragging me into her room by my arm. I helped, of course. I loved this stuff.
I quickly found an outfit for Jenna and showed it to her. She sighed.
"You don't like it?" I asked.
"No, it's great! I just feel like I'm not making a statement. These clothes are so boring because I haven't gone shopping in so long and my style has changed! Now I spend the little money I have on meeting clothes."
I paused for a second and told Jenna to wait as I went to my room. I returned with a white princess puffed sleeve shirt. She smiled.
"That's so cute... I couldn't make that work though... Definitely not for a concert."
I shook my head in disagreement. "You'll see; trust me."
All this styling made me forget about the fact that I may bump into Leo tomorrow. I suddenly remembered that I needed to find an outfit for myself.
I had to look cute! What if he's there?!
But no... I'm not gonna get dressed up for a boy who probably couldn't care less. Plus, who even said he's coming? He probably won't even show up. Maybe wasn't invited.
No... You know what? I'm dressing up for myself! I live in NY now! I'm going to a cool underground show! I'm a cool girl! I AM THE HOT GIRL IN THE MOVIE. I nodded to myself and picked out an outfit.
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It was getting closer and closer to time for us to leave for the show.
I'd felt nauseous all day at work every time i thought about running into him. But now I was putting on my makeup and trying to tell myself to just have a good time.
Jenna and I blasted an album throughout the whole house while we got ready. I finished my makeup and smiled in the mirror. I felt good. I walked into Jenna's room while putting on a last few swipes of deodorant.
"Hey, don't forget we have to take your car. I can give you gas money but my car is in the shop fixing my tint right now," I reminded Jenna. She was sitting in the mirror doing her makeup, still in her loungewear.
She shook her head. "Oh, don't worry about it! Michael's said he'll get us a ride! We have to be ready at 6:30." I hated the idea of riding for an hour with Jenna and Michael flirting back and forth but it was better than having to drive in NY traffic.
Jenna looked me up and down after finishing her lipstick. "Sydney... my God, you look hottttttttt. Like... d*mn (she cusses sometimes lol). Who's that for?!"
I blushed. "Can't I look cute for myself?? Thanks haha... You're gonna look great too! Put on your outfit."
Jenna went into her closet and put on the outfit. She stepped out and looked in the mirror. Her mouth dropped.
"Woah! I look hot too!!"
We both laughed. We only had a little bit of time left so I thought I should eat a snack. As soon as I got to the kitchen I heard Jenna screaming.
"Jenna, WHAT?!"
She had burnt her hair on her curling iron. I facepalmed.
"Please help me," she said quietly. I felt bad so I helped.
At 6:35 we heard a knock on the door. I was just putting the last touches on Jenna's hair. She got up and ran to the door. I cleaned up the small mess of bobby-pins and bows we had made on her bathroom counters.
"Aw, hey, Leo!!" I heard Jenna yell from the front of the house.
My stomach dropped. He was.... here? At the house?
I heard the mumblings of them talking. I took a deep breath and walked out into the living room. There he was standing in the doorway talking to Jenna. Not to be dramatic but he looked unreal. I tensed up.
"The cart's still running, you ladies can go ahead and get in," he said, smiling at something Jenna had said.
"Jenna, I just have to get my purse!" I yelled out as she quickly ran to the car not paying attention to me at all.
I quickly rushed to my room trying to search for my purse, check myself in the mirror, and mentally prepare myself for this car ride. I checked myself in the mirror, applied more lipgloss, and doubted my outfit choice. Did I have time to change? Of course not, he already saw me. Plus they were waiting for me in the car. Whatever, Jenna said I look hot. I rushed out of my room to the front door so I could lock up.
He was standing there.... just casually looking at the artwork and polaroids we had in our entryway. I came to a halt.
"Oh, hey," I said. Leo turned toward me, his smile growing big on his face.
"Ah, ciao Sydney!"
"I thought you were going to be in the car... We can head out now," I said, looking away from him and heading toward the door. He grabbed my arm to stop me.
"We have time!" he laughed. "Plus, I wanted to get my jacket back. I told you I would see you again!"
I had completely forgotten about the jacket.
"Oh yeah, sorry. I'll go get it." I went back to my room to get the jacket from my closet. I felt a tug in my stomach as I pulled it from my shelf, as if I was losing out on an opportunity. My mood had completely shifted for the night. I told myself to get a grip. I walked out and handed Leo the jacket with a forced smile.
"Here you go!" I walked out to the car standing tall making sure to not look back.
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LEO POV
I strolled to their door and took a deep breath, straightening out my shirt. I knocked.
I heard talking inside of the house, and I felt myself getting nervous. Sydney was inside.
I had asked Michael if I could pick the girls up so I could get to spend some more time with her. I knew I would see her tonight but a concert really isn't the best place to get to know someone.
The door opened. It was Jenna.
"Aw, hey, Leo!!" she smiled. I was relieved she had come to the door first. I small talked with her while keeping my eye out for Sydney. I hadn't seen her yet.
"The car's still running, you ladies can go ahead and get in," I said, hoping Sydney would come out to greet me. Maybe she didn't want to see me. Jenna ran past me out toward the car and I caught a quick glimpse of Sydney as she ran to her room yelling that she was getting her purse. She didn't seem to care that I was here.
I had been thinking about her since we met but hadn't had a way of reaching out without possibly seeming even creepier than out first encounter. My face got hot with embarrassment. I thought we had ended up on good terms but maybe she was just being nice. I tried to distract myself by looking at the artwork in their entryway. There were small paintings, an embroidery hoop, and some polaroids of the girls. I noticed one of Sydney and her friend that had been with her the night we met at the bar. She looked younger but still super cute. And happy. I smiled.
"Oh, hey," I heard. I turned to see Sydney. My heart stopped. I couldn't believe that she looked like a literal fantasy. She had on a short tennis skirt and a collared shirt like a school girl with white sneakers. I kept thinking that I was dreaming and quickly realized that I should say something so I didn't just continue staring creepily at her. I said hi and she responded walking quickly towards the door. She really seemed like she didn't want to be bothered with me so I tried to be nice. I stopped her.
"We have time!" I said with a laugh. "Plus, I wanted to get my jacket back. I told you I would see you again!" I added this hoping she would remember our moment before. Her face seemed to fall even more to a frown. She turned around and walked to retrieve it. My throat tightened. I'm so dumb, I thought. I should've just let her keep the jacket. Leo, you idiot. Now she's going to be upset.
Sydney walked out of her room and handed me the jacket with a smile. My heart fluttered.
"Here you go!" she said and walked past me. Before she was fully past me though, I saw her smile drop. I felt so stupid. No, I thought. I'll prove myself tonight.
She walked tall to the car, her hips swaying side to side. It was like she was moving in slow motion. I bit my lip. 1. because of how good she looked and 2. because I had probably messed up my chances with her. She opened the backseat and bent down to get in exposing a bit more of her legs. I took a deep breath and walked to the car.
