Running from Leo

CHAPTER 24: The truth

I tried to take a step ahead, but my legs went weak so I supported my body by grabbing the sides of the door with both my hands.

My face remained blank as I finally take a look at him. "You knew."

It was a statement, not a question. It was the most simple truth.

He closed his file, got up from his chair and leaned by his desk.

His silence told me everything.

"You knew...and you didn't tell me." A short laugh escaped from my lips. "Since when?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled sharply. "Since I challenged you."

"Don't lie to me!" I spat. "We both know that's not the truth. I want answers. Honest answers, Leonardo. How long have you known?"

Then I remembered something.

"T-That night, in the kitchen, on the day I-I landed on you. I never told you about my highschool life." I whispered in disbelief, "But you knew."

Oh my God. I covered my mouth in shock and tears pooled in my eyes.

"You have known it all the time." I said in realisation. "You knew that...that my parents, my brother and my friends had left and considered me as runaway or dead or whatever that is! YOU KNEW!" I cried, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You knew and you didn't tell me." I sniffed. "Why?"

He played with his cufflinks and looked everywhere, avoiding my eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me, Leonardo?" I asked, feeling my legs pain as I took three steps in his direction, "You could have told me but you didn't. Why?"

It's like everything he spoke to me on that specific night came back to me as a slap on my face.

"Is this about me being too proud and stuff?" He shot me a look and I chuckled humorlessly. "Oh my God, it is. Me being too proud, having my head high up in the clouds, too much talking and your way to get me down. Wow," I clapped sarcastically as I gave him a pure fake charming smile. "I didn't see that one coming, Leonardo. In fact, I want to thank you for bringing me down to Earth. You know, you actually opened my eyes, removed all the hope, the happiness and every positivity I had in me which actually helped me survive the past years here. Thank you, capo, for taking out your valuable time and going after a girl who has been dead to her loved ones for years."

He kept ignoring me and sighed deeply.

"Oops!" I giggled, "Am I talking too much? I'm sorry, but I'll try my best to not to talk now because that's what dead people do or maybe I should search for your brother and ask him to cut off my tongue. I'm sure he'll agree after a bit of persuasion."

"Are you out of your mind?" He sneered, still not looking at me.

"Yes." I answered honestly. "Yes, I am. I am completely, utterly out of my mind, but worry not because this is the last time."

He treated me with silence again.

"I should have known." I whispered, tears already falling on my face. "I should have seen it coming. I should have thought in the negative manner. Nobody was going to wait for me after all these years. Why would they? They have their own lives, own responsibilities, own happiness, so why to waste time on me? But you..." I laughed bitterly and shook my index finger at him in a naughty way, "You knew this and you didn't tell me."

"And you would have listened to me?" He asked, coldness washing over his face. "If I had told you everything, you would have believed me?"

"Probably not." I answered. "But I would have had an actual possibility beside that fake hope and shit. You would have got the opportunity of rubbing it in my face by saying 'I told you so' and then I would have stayed away!" I cried. "You were the one who didn't let that happen. Don't try to change the cards here, Leonardo, because I am sick and tired of it! If you had told me all those months ago that my parents considered me dead and they have left, then I could have stayed away from getting shot, stayed away from your brother, stayed away from the men and I would have stayed away from...you."