Falling for you

Chapter 4

Leanna found herself caught in the midst of her own turmoil on the drive back home. Sitting in the backseat between her two nosy sisters, she watched as her parents exchanged worried glances, their concern evident in the furrowed lines of their brows.

"Is everything alright, Lea?" her mother asked gently, her voice tinged with worry. "Why did Leo want to speak with you?"

Leanna forced a tight-lipped smile, her mind racing with the events from earlier. "Everything's fine," she replied firmly. "Leo knows me and Athena have some issues with each other. He was asking about that."

Her mother wasn't convinced by her daughter's reassurances, her eyes narrowing with concern as she regarded Leanna with a knowing gaze. "That's all?," she pressed gently, her voice filled with concern. "You seem troubled."

Before Leanna could respond, her younger sisters Isabelle and Sophie chimed in with excitement, their voices bubbling with enthusiasm. 

"She's lying mom. She was talking to Leo the whole time today," Sophie teased, her voice filled with playful insinuation. 

Leanna rolled her eyes at her sisters' teasing.  "It was nothing," she replied hastily, her voice tinged with defensiveness. "Just idle chatter."

But Isabelle and Sophie weren't convinced by Leanna's dismissive tone, their eyes twinkling with mischief as they exchanged a knowing glance. "Come on, Leanna," Isabelle urged, her voice tinged with excitement. "I think Leo sees you as something else. Potential lovers maybe?"

Leanna's heart clenched at her sisters' well-intentioned words, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. "I think not," she replied quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. "And besides, even if he did, my past is too difficult to overcome. It wouldn't work out anyways."

Isabelle and Sophie exchanged a puzzled glance at Leanna's mysterious response, their curiosity piqued by her evasiveness. "What do you mean?" Isabelle pressed, her voice tinged with bemusement. "What happened?"

Leanna's heart clenched at the memory of the pain and heartache that had defined her past, her throat tightening with unspoken words. "It's complicated," she replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just trust me when I say that some things are better left unsaid."

But before Isabelle and Sophie could press further, their mother intervened, her voice firm yet gentle as she silenced their questions. "Girls, that's enough," she said softly, her eyes filled with understanding as she turned to Leanna. "I know you've been through a lot, sweetheart. It's your choice whether you want to talk to Leo or not."

Leanna's heart swelled with gratitude at her mother's words, a sense of relief washing over her. "Thank you, Mom," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Trust me, there is nothing going on between me and Leo and there never will be."

Leanna's mother, sensing the need to change the subject, turned her attention to Isabelle with a gentle smile. "Isabelle, how are things going with Adonis?" she inquired. 

Isabelle's cheeks flushed with a rosy hue at the mention of Adonis, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Things are going well," she replied eagerly, her voice tinged with enthusiasm. "He's been so sweet to me. He just texted me saying he wants me to have lunch with me at his house tomorrow."

Leanna's heart sank at Isabelle's words. "Isabelle, you shouldn't be talking to Adonis," she interjected sharply, her voice tinged with frustration.

Isabelle's brow furrowed in confusion at her sister's sudden outburst, her eyes wide with surprise. "But why not?" she asked, her voice filled with innocence.

Leanna's jaw clenched in frustration as she struggled to contain her rising anger. "He's a playboy. He's toying with you Isabelle!" she snapped, her tone tinged with bitterness. "He's going to use you then throw you away just like every other girl!"