The Downfall Of Us [ LGBT STORY]

Chapter Four: Broken Glass

While Milo was parking his Cameo car in the free space near his friends, Leo was busy with practising his breakup speech with Leah to notice, they had reached their destination. Milo had to tap his brother on the shoulder twice and eventually pulled him out of the car. "You're totally a dork. Stressing over a girl" Milo smirked, finding his brother's difficulty to break up with someone, entertaining. 

 "Shut up," Leo said, punching Milo on the chest.

Leo was expecting another snarky comment or comeback, but Milo's eyes were looking at someone behind him. Leo turned to see what Milo was looking at and saw Leah walking towards him. He felt his throat get lumpy and found himself gasping for air. With each step she took, the clammier, his palms got.

She flashed him a cute smile and waved. All Leo could do was return the gesture with a weak smile that said: "I've got bad news". Her expression had changed into a frown as she sensed something was wrong. "Hey, what's wrong," Leah said, softly, her eyes filled with worry. She intertwined their fingers together and smiled, nodding her head in confirmation, that he could tell her anything. "I've got something to tell you," Leo said, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

Leo let out a breath and thought it was now or never. "Leah, you're an amazing girl. I just want you to know that you did nothing wrong, but I don't think me and you are working out right" Leo said, sending an apologetic smile.

Leah's eyebrows fumbled as she never quite understood what Leo was saying. They were the perfect people, the ideal couple. How could he just change his mind so easily? 'Was he playing her' she thought to herself.

"Say something," Leo said, getting worried that the news agitated her too much. "What do you want me to say? We've been together for two months and you just suddenly change your mind like that" Leah said, her face red from fuming.

"Our affection towards each other has changed," Leo said, copying the male words in his mother's favourite drama. If he knew Leah better, she was going to throw a tantrum, but he couldn't blame, in her perspective, it looked like he was just playing her. 

"Total bullshit. You're never going to find someone like me-". Soon Leah had stopped speaking and had trained her eyes to look at something behind him.

Leo noticed everyone was looking at something behind him and so he followed everyone gaze. Standing in front of him, were seven girls coming out of an SUV. Leo's mouth parted, rather dumbly as he stared at the girls. They were obviously new, he had been in the school as a freshman, but he knew, with the faces of these girls, he would have either seen them around or heard about them.

"I can't believe this. I was actually beginning to like this school" Milo's friend, Kristy said. Leo turned to look for Leah but saw she was nowhere in sight. He let out a sigh knowing his conversation with Leah wasn't done. "You know those girls," Milo said, suddenly curious about the girls.

"Yeah. I used to go school with them back in Ohio. We all lived in the same town. I'm not in great terms with them" Kristy said, lighting up her cigarette that was being held stiffly in her hands.

"You know girls with their 'fight with one of us and you fight with all of us' kind of rule," Kristy said, her eyes throwing daggers at Emily. Leo saw the look, Kristy sent Emily and he wondered if there was more to the story.

"The one with blonde hair and plump lips, to which all of you are staring at right now is Ronnie Husher. She's 18. She lived with her grandfather who was Italian. She's probably the only sane person standing there". They all averted their gaze from Ronnie except for Milo, who still stared hungrily at her lips. Milo, who was still staring took another minute to apprehend the broad shoulders that looked firm. Ronnie was in the midst of counting everyone trying to make sure everyone was there. After counting, she nodded in satisfaction. She totally didn't need a 'home alone' incident. (Yes, that had indeed happened before).