the things you ran from

54.4K 2.4K 732
                                    


"It's a lonely thing, protecting a breakable heart."




𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦,
𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥.
𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵?
𝘐'𝘮... 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺.
𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬.
- 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦


Leo ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. What the hell is she running from?

He had so many theories, so many questions he wish he could simply ask Annie but he knew that couldn't happen.

As guilty as he felt reading her personal thoughts, he was too far in to stop now. He felt like a fish caught on a hook he couldn't escape from.

"What's going on with you?" His best friend, Justin, appeared by his locker. Fast as the speed of light, Leo shoved away the letter before Justin could notice it. That was the last thing Leo needed.

Leo feigned an innocent look. Casual as ever, he asked, "What do you mean?"

Justin tossed his friend a bland look. He was the one person in the world who knew Leo, really knew Leo beyond what was displayed on the surface. He was also perhaps, the one person in the world Leo could trust. Yet, when it came to Annie, Leo didn't dare risk it. "Come on, man. You've been-weird. On edge or something, lately. Not to mention lost in your own head and all-weirdly quiet and distant. What's going on?"

Leo shut his locker, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He started walking down the halls towards his classroom, Justin following beside him. "It's nothing. I just haven't been sleeping well. Must be the nicotine."

Leo thought that would be enough to get Justin off his tail.

"That's bullshit. I know you better than that, man."

"It's nothing," Leo snapped, growing frustrated. "I-just leave it. Would you?" He sighed softly, shaking his head as he stopped walking and turned to look at his friend. "Please."

Justin's eyes narrowed, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. "Is it a girl?"

"No," Leo rolled his eyes. "I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah. You haven't been sleeping." It was Justin's turn to roll his eyes. "Seriously, it has to be about a chick. God knows you're well off in the academic and athletic categories."

"It's not-"

"It so is! I knew it!" Justin beamed a smile, slapping Leo's shoulder. "Come on, who is it? Tell me, then. I've never seen you this flustered-hung up-over some girl! God, she must be good-"

Leo cut Justin off by grabbing his arm and pulling him aside in the hallway, away from the middle of the corridor and all the people that could overhear them. "Shut the fuck up, would you!" Leo cautiously glanced around to ensure there were no snarky eavesdroppers nearby. "Jesus, dude. I said drop it."

He knew was the kids in this school were like. He knew what his own "friends" were like, aside from Justin. The last thing he wanted was anyone to start taking note to or talking about Annie, judging, making their own stories and rumours, or butting their heads into business that didn't belong to them. For Annie's sake.

He knew what she was like. He knew more about her than even she knew-and Leo knew she was comfortable in her spot away from the drama and the crowds. She was more than shy. She was anxiety-ridden and nothing good could come from certain people learning of Leo's infatuation. While Leo trusted and depended on Justin, who he had been best friends with his whole life, it was their other friends and peer who Leo knew would only cause trouble and more problems that Annie didn't deserve to deal with. He also refused to believe that he was "flustered" or hung up over Annie - because he was not. He simply worried for her and wanted to look out for her, even if she didn't know that was what he was doing. With each letter he read, he only wanted to learn more about her. He only wanted to protect her more and more. Sure, he was intrigued and in awe, but how could you not be? She was too pure and precious and kind for Leo to want to see her hurt. He wanted to make all her hurt go away.

Justin's eyes widened. "It's a girl. You're so whipped."

"Oh, shut up." Leo groaned, running a hand down his face. "It's nothing like that. I'm not-whipped, for Christ's sake."

Justin quirked an eyebrow, smirking. "I call B.S."

Leo stared at his friend blankly, not amused. "Too bad."

Justin rolled his eyes. "Come on, dude. It's me. You can tell me. I want to who you're crushing on- who has got you all riled up and-"

"There is no crush."

"Really?" Justin crossed his arms over his chest. "Then why are you being so defensive? Why have you been so weird lately?"

Leo gave Justin a flat look before he started walking down the hall again.

"Come on," Justin kept whining. "I want to know the tea, sis."

Leo ignored him.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me." Justin's childlike manner was no surprise to Leo. This is how Justin had always been, since birth, and not once had he grown out of it. While typically Leo could find some sense of endearment in it, right now, he wanted to whack Justin upside the head.

"Dude, shut up."

Justin pouted guilelessly. "I just want to know who's won-"

"Nobody's won anything, alright!" Leo halted, turning towards Justin. "She's just-someone. Someone I am trying to understand and-there's no-" Flustered, Leo ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "There's no crush or being riled up or whatever bullshit you're going on about."

Justin held his hands up in defence until Leo turned and began walking again. "Whatever, man," he mumbled. "Stay in denial." He cracked a grin. "It's adorable."

Justin laughed as Leo's groan sounded down the hallway.



𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒Where stories live. Discover now