All about Leo

The freak has a heart

Hazel closed the door behind her and sighed.

"Finally! Home sweet home." she said, feeling relaxed.
Flashbacks of school crossed and re-crossed her memory, but every time the clear picture of Leo comforting her got stuck in her head. Ailee had always been like this, but then there was always someone to protect her. If not for Eddie,there was Logan, Charles, Jack and many more people, who had all left her alone one after another. She was beginning to lose her fame and charm in school, and even the thought of it was choking her.

It was as if she couldn't breathe without the glamour and attention that she had always received in school. She was alone in the midst of an ocean of people where the waves were slapping her harder and harder each day. She was sinking deeper and deeper into this ocean of time and now, she was drowning, yelling for help but no one showed up to grasp her hand.
Or did someone?

At this point realization hit hard and her brain kicked in.

Leo!

He had always been there for me, extending his hand to save me but I rejected his help every single time!

Hazel sank to the floor and her hair fell on her face. Putting her head on her knees, she began to cry. She cried and cried until her eyes went red. Suddenly there was a knock on the door which brought her back to reality.

"Dinner is ready honey." Her Mom called from behind the locked door. Hazel shot up and quickly wiped her tears. Tying her long blonde hair in a messy bun, she raced for the bathroom. Splashing water on her face, she took a few deep breaths. Pulling the cabinet door, she took out a strawberry pink lipstick and neatly applied it on her lips. Combing her hair , she styled them into a perfect fishtail and looked at her reflection.

"Perfect!" She said to herself.

Although she had tried her best to look normal but her red,puffy eyes were enough of an evidence. Sighing, she decided not to look at anyone during dinner.

Just as she came downstairs,she collided with James on the last step, and his phone fell on the wooden floor with a smack.

"Hazel! Come on dude that was my new phone " He shouted.

"Im-im so so sorry Jamie." She looked at him apologetically.

"It's ok psycho," he sighed. "When will you grow up Hazel?".

"Oh come on, you came back after a year and now look at you, you are acting so grown up." Hazel laughed. "I still remember that boy who was crying like a baby at the airport."

"That was a different thing!"

"Yeah yeah, it surely was."

Laughing cheerfully,they both made their way towards the dinner table where both their parents were already seated, glaring at them.

"You are late!" They said simultaneously.

Hazel and James first glanced at each other and then at their parents and they all burst out laughing.

"This never gets old," James shook his head.
Hazel struggled to maintain her posture during dinner, and almost succeeded in not maintaining any sort of eye contact with her family when James suddenly glanced up and saw her puffy eyes.

"Wai......t! Are you crying? I mean were you crying earlier?" He asked in a steady voice embedded with concern.

"Are you alright dear?" Her mother looked worried.

"Um yeah, it's just- it's just that I had a fight with Jessica today so ....." She trailed off.

"C'mon seriously sis! You gotta stop fighting with everyone, alright?" James said softly.

"Okay," Hazel replied like a robot and pushed her chair to leave. Just as she was stepping on the first step of the old wooden staircase that led to her room, James grabbed her hand.

"Agh Jamie! You scared the shit out of me" She said with a pounding heart.

"Hazel, tell me what's really going on," James said in a monotone.

"Jamie listen, Eddie and I...." She stopped and shook her head. "I broke up with him because he was interested in Ailee."

"You don't look okay these days. Is something else bothering you besides Eddie?" He emphasized.

Hazel just shook her head vigorously.

"Alright then," James sighed. "But if you ever face any problem,do share it with me okay?"

After reassuring him she shot up the stairs like a bullet. Slamming the door shut, she sank to the floor while her back slid along the door. She tousled her blonde hair and rubbed her temples. It was then that she heard her phone ring.

Beep-beep-beep

'unknown number calling' was glowing on the screen. Confused , Hazel grabbed the phone and looked at the number. Then without thinking, she received the call .

"Hello?" She said cautiously.

"Hello Hazel," Leo's voice boomed at the other end.

A sudden feeling of comfort surged through her entire body, but it was short-lived. As soon as it came, the next instant the comfort turned from suspicion to annoyance.

" I never called or messaged you. Then how on Earth did you get my number? Huh? I never gave it to you."

Leo chuckled. Standing in his balcony, he gazed thoughtfully at the sky. His brown hair swayed briskly in the gentle breeze. His ocean blue eyes were filled with dark secrets.

"I never ask people for their numbers, I get them my own way."

There was something in this tone that captured Hazel's attention.

"Regardless of how you got my number, kindly don't call me again...."

"Wait!" Leo interrupted abruptly. A wave of frustration crossed his beautiful face. Twisting the silver bracelet between his fingers, he said;

"I was just concerned about you. Look Hazel I don't know what exactly happened but I saw Ailee White, Lydia Hudson, Ethan Barnes and Natalie Roosevelt bullying and hitting you. You asked me earlier today that why didn't I come to your rescue. Do you wanna know it now?"

"Ye-yes" Hazel stuttered. A bubble of some strange sensation had engulfed her and she was under his trance. He was saying in his melodious voice.

"I didn't help you because the people bullying you were girls, and no matter how much I wanted to, I could not hit them. I could not stop them. But watching that, watching you like this was not easy for me. It stabbed me as equally as it caused you pain. I just couldn't bear it a minute longer, it was as if I was beginning to lose control. I swear if this brutality had continued one more minute, I -I would have done the same to each and every one of them."

Leo clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He could still feel the pain of that sight.

Hazel was completely spellbound.

"Hello? Hazel? You there?"

"Hello?".

"Hello,haze-"

But she cut the call.

And the only words that came out of her mouth were "the freak has a heart after all!"

Leo sighed and shoved the phone in his pocket. Coming inside his room,he turned towards a large canvas, on which was painted a very familiar face- Hazel's face!
He smiled at the perfectly painted portrait and said" you don't know anything about Leo yet. I hope the day comes, when you say that you know all about Leo."