𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒

i ignored my instincts

𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵. 
- 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦

Leo felt a sharp pang of guilt pierce through him as he carefully unfolded Annie's letter, each word a testament to her vulnerability and pain. He couldn't deny the sinking feeling in his chest as he realized that he was the cause of her distress. They hadn't spoken in nearly two weeks, a silence that weighed heavily on Leo's conscience ever since their last encounter at the smoothie shop.

All he had wanted was to shield her from harm, to spare her the pain he had seen reflected in so many others. Yet now, he found himself inadvertently inflicting that very pain upon her. He understood the significance of their budding friendship to Annie, how rare it was for her to open up to someone outside her tight-knit circle. The thought of betraying that trust filled Leo with a profound sense of regret and self-reproach.

Leo wrestled with conflicting emotions, torn between his desire to protect Annie and his own uncertainty and confusion. 

"I messed up," Leo confessed, his voice heavy with remorse as he approached Justin at his locker, his expression etched with guilt. Justin turned to him, concern flickering in his eyes as Leo bared his soul. "You told me to reassure her, to show her I wouldn't hurt her. But instead, I pushed her away because I panicked and didn't know what else to do."

Justin's hand found its way to Leo's shoulder, offering a comforting gesture of support. "You really care about her, don't you? You gonna tell me who she is?"

Leo's lips twitched with a hint of wry amusement. "No chance."

"Fair enough," Justin conceded, closing his locker with a resolute nod.

Leo's frustration was palpable as he ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing with uncertainty. "What should I do?" he implored, desperation lacing his words.

Justin chuckled softly, sensing the depth of Leo's turmoil. "Talk to her, apologize for shutting her out, and show her that you care. Take her somewhere special, somewhere that matters to her."

Leo's skepticism was evident as they began to walk down the crowded hallway, their footsteps echoing against the tiled floor. "She's not going to want to see me after I disappeared on her like that," he muttered, his tone tinged with resignation.

Justin draped an arm around Leo's shoulders, offering a reassuring squeeze. "Maybe not. But it's worth a shot. Just be sincere, Leo. Let her know that you're sorry and that you want to make things right."

Leo nodded, albeit reluctantly, his thoughts consumed by the daunting task ahead. Uncertainty loomed like a shadow over him, but deep down, he knew that he had to try. For Annie's sake, and for his own.

✉

When Annie caught sight of Leo approaching her in the library, his demeanour sullen and his gaze fixed on the floor, she swiftly pushed aside the letter she had been writing and feigned indifference to his presence.

"Hey, Annie..." his voice was sheepish, tinged with uncertainty, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "How are you?"

Annie narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of hurt flickering in their depths. It had been almost two weeks since he last spoke to her, and his sudden appearance left her feeling unsettled. "Did you need something?" Her voice was soft, carrying a tinge of vulnerability.

Leo sighed, his own discomfort evident. "No, not really. I just... wanted to talk to you."

"Why?" Annie's question was laced with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

Leo hesitated, caught off guard by her response. "I, uh... I don't know. I just realized we haven't really talked in a while."

Annie nodded, masking her inner turmoil behind a veil of quiet composure. She longed to voice her frustrations, to confront him about his sudden disappearance, but her reserved nature held her back.

Internally, Annie seethed with annoyance. 

She resented Leo's casual disregard for their friendship, his tendency to reappear only when it suited him. She refused to be treated as a mere diversion, a temporary source of entertainment. The sting of past betrayals lingered in her memory, fueling her reluctance to let her guard down.

Leo sensed her hesitation and took a seat nearby, his expression a mixture of contrition and uncertainty. "Look, I just wanted to say sorry. I know I've been... distant lately. I didn't mean to... neglect you like that."

Annie couldn't help but wonder if his absence had been deliberate, a calculated decision to distance himself from her. She couldn't shake the feeling of being overlooked, of fading into the background of his life.

"Why are you really here, Leo?" Her voice was soft yet pointed, a subtle challenge in her words.

Leo blinked, caught off guard by her directness. "Because... well, I missed you, Annie."

Annie regarded him with a mixture of skepticism and resignation, her resolve unwavering. She rose from her seat, gathering her books with deliberate precision.

"Where are you going?" Leo's voice carried a note of hurt, his gaze pleading as he watched her prepare to leave.

Annie met his gaze with a steely resolve, her tone firm yet tinged with sadness. "My kindness isn't a weakness. I'm not a fallback option, Leo. You can't just... waltz back into my life when it suits you." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Leo to grapple with the weight of his actions.

✉