FRIENDS || LEON GORETZKA ✔

Chapter 4

August 2017

Alright, I know what he said couple weeks ago about us marry each other in the future was just a crazy idea and a total joke came inside his brain which probably wasn’t worked properly after all the euphoria of German won the 2017 Confederation Cup.

And I should have known him better to not overthink about that ridiculous night, shouldn’t I? Late night conversation is always make anyone went little bit out of mind, right?

Instead I found myself always ringing about those words for some times and I don’t like it. I don’t like to look at him in a different way than before, I didn’t like to feel special whenever he laughed and smiled because of what I said or did, I didn’t like the way he treated and talked to me as if I was his one and only.

I must be out of my mind.

“Liz!” Leon called my name, made me startled and jumped back to reality, vanished everything that have been on my mind. I looked at him who was standing in front of barbecue roaster. We’re at Ellen’s house to celebrate her birthday party having barbecue at the backyard. “Do you still with us?” he asked.

“What?” I said in confusion.

His lips curled up then sighed. “Could you pass the sausage, it right toward you?”

I still felt awkward to find a plate full of sausage before pass it to Leon. “Sure.”

----

I help Ellen and the girls to bring the beverages at the backyard and almost bumped into someone. Luckily the glass on my trey wasn’t fall over and broke into pieces.

“Whoa, careful there.” said a boy, I glanced to find Jonathan. He’s law student at our University. I know him and Ellen are known each other at photography club.

“I’m so sorry.” I smiled awkwardly.

“Well, at least you’re bumped into right one.” He took one of the glasses and took a sip of the mojito. “I need this.”

I chuckles. “We brought these at the backyard, in case you need more.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“God, I never expected I got lots of company.” I glanced to Ellen who spoke to Leon and Max by the barbecue toaster.

“We run out a sausage.” Said Max.

“Thank you, Max.” she replied. “Could you go out and buy some for me please?”

“I’ll do that.” Leon offered himself. “I’ll go with Liz if you don’t mind?”

Ellen smiled meaningfully. “If you want to have some time with your girl, you should tell us, Leon.” She winked.

He chuckles. “Yeah, you know me.” he looked at me. “Let’s go.”

Leon walked out after Ellen threw her car key while I followed him behind, leave my tray to Jonathan who seemed didn’t mind after all.

“Oh, and grabbed some snack or pizza, I thought we might need it.” Ellen shouted.

----

We drove in silence for couple minutes and I choose to look outside the windowpane than to rest my eyes on Leon who focus on the road. The street wasn’t too crowed at the time like this, I scanned my eyes to the skyscrapers along our way and night scenery of Gelsenkirchen seemed could turn my mind a little.

“Is something in your mind?” Leon started a conversation.

I glanced at him then shrugged. “Just have lot of thought.”

“Is the men bumped into you, was in your thought?”

I glanced at him, strangely. “Jonathan?”

He nodded. “So, his name is Jonathan?” the way he smiled, I hate it. “You like him?”

I scoffed. “I don’t even know him, what’s wrong?”

His lips curled down then he shrugged. “Just curious.”

----

Leon never let me by my own for the rest of the night at Ellen’s, is it just me or he was acted like he’s some sort of shield to protect me from anything however he seemed so preoccupied with his mobile and typed something in there, but he never keep his eyes off me.

I know it’s weird and I hate to admit that deep inside my heart, I don’t mind at all he treated me that way.

“For you.” He handed over a plate full with delicious barbecue.

“Thanks.” I was about to start eat it when I glanced at him again, preoccupied with his mobile all over again, completely ignored his own plate. He didn’t usually ignored food.

“Who keep you busy tonight?” I asked.

And I swear I saw that awkward smiled when he looked at me and put his mobile inside his jeans pocket. “Nobody.”

I suspiciously squinting my eyes. “Nobody?” I said, copying his voice. “Right, I noticed you couple times, you’re so busy with your mobile and I know that desperate looked on your face, you clearly waited for someone to reply your chat. That gave me some sort of sore eyes.”

He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his hair. “Alright, alright, I do wait for someone to reply my chat.”

“Oh?”

“You know, when I told you I was in Berlin with Max, we’re accidentally bumped to his old friend and yeah… she is… okay.” He said, clearly looked so awkward just to tell about it.

“And you have a crush on her?” those words slipped through my tongue with a little bit strange stung inside my chest. Whatever he says next, I don’t feel like wanted to know at all. I want to lift my palms and cover my ears.

He rubbed the back of his hair again. “Yeah, maybe.” He smiled sheepishly.

I swear to God, I don’t want to admit that I don’t feel happy with the thing he just told me about.