"Oh, you can't just call me an old man and then move on," Leon said. He laughed, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards him.
Natalie's breath caught in her throat at the sudden action. She felt the urge to freeze, but Leon only continued laughing, shaking her hand like he was throwing a tantrum.
"Take it back," he said.
"No, I spoke the truth!"
"Take it back!" he repeated, shaking her hand more vigorously.
She laughed. "Okay, fine, I take it back. Oats are very good for you and very fibrous. Does that make you happy?"
The shaking stopped, but he didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he smiled down at her, his voice soft when he said, "Very."
Her face felt hot. That stare she gave him—it was like he could read her thoughts. Which would be very bad if he could. Her face turned hotter. Very bad.
A part of her noticed they'd turned silent. Her fingers were still clutched in his and they stood only half a metre from each other. She thought back to the day they almost kissed. She wondered if he'd do it again. If their lips would brush like that night before. A tingle went through her body at the thought.
She hoped he would.
"What else do you want to know, Natalie?" he asked. His voice was tantalising, and that tingle turned to a full-body shiver. "I'll tell you anything."
Anything.
Her mind reeled. Her mouth was entirely too dry for this. If he kissed her, he would probably notice. She tried to swallow, tried to find some words, but everything was impossible except staring into Leon's eyes and clutching his hand like he'd disappear.
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
Where to begin?
She didn't have time to answer his question. Really, she wasn't sure what she would've said anyway. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and Leon released her fingers.
Her hand fell to her side, and she took half a step back, realising how sweaty her palm had been. Her cheeks flamed.
She pulled out her phone and frowned.
"My mum's finished her team meeting. She wants me to meet her at the car," Natalie said.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" Leon asked immediately.
Natalie paused. Leon Hughes, asking if he'd see her tomorrow? She had expected him to vanish, disappear until who knew when she'd see him again. But here he was. Asking to see her again.
She felt as though something had changed that day when she'd taken him back to her place. That faded line between them had become just slightly blurrier.
She couldn't pass up this opportunity, the chance to blur it even more, except... her dad was already on her case about studying, and he was right. She was in Year 12. She needed to be serious. She couldn't drop her entire future for a cute boy.
Her schedule ran through her mind. Study group on Friday. Biology assignment due on Thursday. Not to mention that UCAT seminar she'd registered for to prepare for her medical school admissions test. When was that again? She ran through the dates again and frowned.
"Tomorrow's not good," Natalie said. "I have a seminar."
"Thursday?" Leon asked.
She supposed she could do her assignment here. She shrugged, but before she could speak, Leon groaned.
"Wait, no, I have a match Thursday. Need to get there early. Friday? I could make Friday work."
Natalie shook her head. "I have a study group."
YOU ARE READING
Bruised
Teen Fiction"Natalie," he repeated, her name like velvet on his tongue. He seemed to like the sound of it because he repeated it again, his voice turning low. "Natalie." Leon Hughes was a mystery masked by bruised cheeks and bleeding knuckles. He was a wraith...
