By Morning Light

Her

~HER~

Leo.

She doesn't even know anything about his other than his name. It sounds strangely familiar to her. Something about it makes her mind want to go a million miles an hour trying to remember.

She ponders the chances of seeing him at the cliff again.Would he welcome her back and maybe loosen up, or stay silent most of the time like he did the night before?

It's a beautiful view and deserves to be admired as such.

Leah can't help but be a little disappointed though, that when she finally makes it back to the spot from the night before, Leo is nowhere in sight. Nor does he come that night. Or the next. Or the one after that.

For a week, Leah has made it a habit to go out on her "adventure" and climb to the top of the cliff. Not because she is expecting to see Leo, or that she isn't either, but because it truly is a breathtaking place. It gives her a moment to think. To let her hair down and bask in the silence.

She should probably be more worried about wolves or bears but it's not likely to come across either of those in the city. She still holds out hope that maybe if she gets here early enough, she can make it in time to see the sunset. She just never seems to get here early enough though.

Today, she just barely missed it. There always seems to be an excuse. Though, when she arrived the sky was a dusty grey color. It's only the blank sky and the moon-exactly how she likes it to be.

If she closes her eyes and tries really hard to clear her mind, she can almost imagine she is back home. With the sounds of nature calling to her and the scent of trees wrapping around her like a blanket. Can almost taste the cleanliness of the air. Can practically feel the ground rumble beneath her with the way the big trucks would pass by on the old, gravelly roads. She closes her eyes tighter and tries to remember more. How when the trucks would pass by a plume of smoke would follow right behind and the loud groans some of their trucks would make. How Old Mr. Greene's red truck would make a POP! sound every seven seconds (she counted).

Leah opens her eyes and realizes that there actually is a truck driving towards her. Getting closer and closer. The realization causes her to stand up just as an old red truck rounds the bend before stopping right where Leo had parked a week prior.

Leah didn't think she would see Leo here again so soon. She figured after the first few times he didn't show, that he didn't actually come here often and chalked it up to coincidence that they met. In fact, she was prepared to stop coming altogether because she had more work to do at home. But she couldn't resist the pull for long because she had found herself here every night since the first. And since the first she has been alone. Until now.

He seems just as shocked to see her as she is to see him. For a moment he just stares at her in barely concealed shock. She stares at him too and then shakes herself out of her stupor. Slowly, she turns back to the city and sits back down with both legs dangling precariously over the edge. Behind her she hears him step fully out of his car and close the door. She expects him to sit back on the hood of his truck like he did the first night but instead he folds himself down next to her.

"Hi."

"Hey."

She turns back to face the lights again just as he speaks.

"So, you uh, came here. . . again."

Instead of stating the obvious she just says, "Nice name by the way. Price." She looks at him through the corner of her eyes, "very suiting."

Despite his stiffening next to her she keeps the lazy grin on her face and closes her eyes as a breeze passes through.

"So. You know my name now." She gives a noncommittal shrug and goes back to breathing in the scent of greenery.

She can feel the tension rolling off him in waves. Like he wants to say something and she wants to tell him to just spit it out but he finally talks before she can get the chance to.

"Well, aren't you going to ask?"

Leah pops one eye open and looks at him. "Ask what?"

He looks at her curiously and bites out, "For anything. Like everyone else." He pays close attention to her reaction but there doesn't seem to be any surprise.

She lazily rolls her head around to look at him with a dazzling smile on her face.

"A little full of ourselves are we? I didn't take you as the self-centered type." Then she laughs while he stares at her confusedly.

"Oh. Well-I...uh. I thought that-" He splutters.

"That's why you haven't been here? You thought once I found out who your parents are I'd want something from you?" One look and she can see the shame and embarrassment written all over his face.

"Not everyone wants something from you, you know." She says quietly no longer looking at Leo.

"But most do." He whispers back.

"Yeah well, not me."