Finding Heartbreak [2.5 Leo Dooley]

Chapter Four

Claps erupt in the theater as the final scene ends on the big screen at the front of the auditorium. That film is the new one that beat out mine just because of my bionic siblings. There's a lot I could blame these three for, but I can't blame them for this because they did nothing wrong in this situation. I blame the judges for this blatant disregard for a great film that was in no way tampered with. You could say that I'm only slightly bitter about this.

I don't bother going up on the stage when the other finalists do because I am cheated out of this experience. First, they didn't even bother to play my film for this festival. Second, it has forever been ruined because they would actually think that I would allow my bionic siblings to tamper with the film. I kept the secret for three years. Why would I even enter a film into a film festival before the whole world knew about them being bionic without making sure that their secret wouldn't get out because of it? Did the judges even think of that? Probably not. I hate them for it.

All the people on the stage bow one last time together before the lights all turn on at once. I have to blink multiple times to even see normally enough. By the time all the spots have left my vision, my family is already exiting our row without me. I scramble to catch up to them before they leave without me again. 

"Thanks for waiting for me," I mutter to Adam when I make it to him.

"Of course," Adam says brightly. I'm not really sure why he's acting like he actually did wait for me, but I never really understand what comes out of his mouth, anyway. "Anything for you, Leo."

When we finally get outside, I'm surprised to find most of the crowd still milling about the building, chatting with each other about the films that were played this year. Even though it's dark out, it doesn't look like that matters to these people. They must feel safe here in Mission Creek at night. 

"Donald and I are going to get the van, alright?" Mom asks us. "We'll come get you guys when we find the van."

"Okay," Chase says to them. He holds his phone up to them, and I'm surprised to see Emmie waving at Big D and Mom. "Emmie says bye to you guys."

"Bye, Emmie!" Mom says with a large smile. "Tell Zoe I say hi!"

"I will!" Emmie says, her voice coming quietly out of Chase's phone. "Love you, Tasha!"

"I love you, too, Emmie."

I look away from Mom and Big D and nearly fall down at the sight in front of me. My breath catches in my throat when I see her. She looks even better than she did at school when we were on speaking terms and happy. Her skin glows underneath the stars, making her look otherworldly, beautiful. Why does Maggie still get to me like this? And why is she even here in the first place?

"Maggie!" Bree says happily. She runs normally over to Maggie, attacking her in a hug. The two of them giggle together like they're little girls. Well, that answers one of my questions. Maggie is here for Bree. "I tried to find you before the viewing started, but I couldn't see through the crowd of people."

I turn away from them, trying to walk to the car with Mom and Big D. However, Chase steps in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest, a pointed look on his face. He holds up his phone, showing Emmie to me, and she has the same look on her face. Unfortunately for him, I'm the one with a bionic arm that has super strength, so I shove him out of the way easily.

"Leo, where are you going?" Maggie asks me. I can hear her voice above all the others out here. It's so easy for her to stand out in the crowd because she's so pretty and special. "I wanted to talk."

I slowly turn to face her and Bree. At least Adam and Chase are standing on either side of me because that means I have two people on my side while Maggie only has one. "What is there to talk about?" I ask with a shrug. "I told you to never speak to me again. I don't even know why you're here, Maggie, since you broke my heart and all."

Her face falls. Bree whispers something to her that I can't hear, but it doesn't matter to me right now. I don't care about either of them. But that's not the truth, is it? No, it's not. I had feelings for Maggie, and Bree is my sister. Against my better judgement, I still care about them. That's the whole reason why they hurt me so bad. If I didn't care about them, I wouldn't be like this. That's the worst punishment a person could get.

"So, Maggie," Emmie says awkwardly from Chase's phone, "Bree told me that you applied to a performing arts school. Have you heard anything about that?"

Performing arts school? What in the world is Emmie talking about? Maggie never mentioned to me that she applied to a performing arts school. 

Maggie takes a step closer to the rest of us and shrugs. Her eyes never look at me again as she says, "I got declined. They don't want me just yet."

Bree wraps her arm around Maggie's shoulders. "I even tried to help her film an audition tape for the school, too," Bree says with a nod. "I thought it was great."

"Why didn't you use our short film we made for school?" I ask her.

Maggie's eyebrows shoot up into her hair in surprise. I'm surprised, too, that I would even talk to her like I just did. Why did my mouth open and speak those words without my brain checking to make sure this is someone I actually want to talk to?

"Why would I?" she asks me with a frown. "It's obvious that you hate me, so why would I want to use something that has the person who hates me the most?"

"I don't think he hates you the most," Bree says to her. Her voice sounds choked up, like she actually cares that I can't ever be around her without being rude. "He hates me more."

"I don't think you two should fight about who Leo hates more," Chase says with a sigh. He shoots me a disappointed look, like this whole conversation is my fault. It isn't, though. He should be blaming his girlfriend for starting this conversation. "It doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that Leo should have won that award instead of that terrible film about the woman turning into a cat."

"Yeah, that one really sucked," Adam agrees. "Even the one about the person marrying the grilled cheese-turned human was better than that one. Why were all those movies about people turning into strange things?"

I clench my jaw. I also don't want to talk about this. Apparently, my siblings don't understand me or who I am. They want me to spend a lot of time with the two people who hurt me most. They want to talk about an award that was supposed to be mine but was given to someone else because of them. None of this is something I want to do. This night has turned out terribly. 

"Yeah, why did Leo not win the award?" Emmie asks from Chase's phone. "I thought he was supposed to."

"The judges aren't sure if me or Bree or Adam messed with the film since we're bionic," Chase explains to her. "That's why he didn't win it tonight."

"Wow, Leo, I'm sorry," Emmie says sincerely. "You totally deserved to win that award."

"I know."

We all stand there in silence. I hate that Maggie's here. I hate that Bree is asking her to come finally see the Academy and spend the night. I hate that my movie didn't win the award it would have if my siblings weren't outed as bionic to the whole world. That whole day was one of the worst days of my life because Maggie broke my heart and the secret got out, leading to so many worse things happening to us. If only I could go back in time and change everything, starting with me spending time with Maggie. But I can't, so I'm stuck in this life.

The van rolls to a stop next to us, and Big D honks at us. A few people jump and scream because of Big D. When I look at the van, I see him laughing in there while Mom looks angry. Classic Big D, wanting to scare everyone and embarrass the four of us all at the same time. 

"That's our ride," Chase says to Maggie. 

Adam, Chase, and I all start heading to the van, but Bree doesn't follow us. "Aren't you coming?" Adam asks her with a frown on his face.

"I'm riding in Maggie's car," she explains. "I don't think either of us are wanted in the van. Don't worry, though. I'm still coming back to the Academy with Maggie."

"Of course," I mutter to myself. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

My life is great, isn't it? I can't wait to be trapped on an island with both Maggie and Bree tonight. Maybe Mom will let me stay at home here in Mission Creek tonight instead of going back to the Academy. She's always saying that she wants me coming home more often. If I can't stay at home tonight, I'll probably just go crazy.