Leo
I hadn't slept in days. I was so worried that something could've happened to her while she was away from me that it took me hours to finally fall asleep. I would just toss and turn and try to focus on something else but no matter what my mind always went back to her.
But now she was here. She was right here in my arms sleeping soundly without a care in the world. As always her presence was enough to make any worry disappear.
She rolled around in my arms and stretched before rolling back around to bury her face in my chest and hug my torso.
I couldn't help but smile.
She's so adorable.
"Are you up?" I asked stroking her messy hair.
How does this girl still manage to look beautiful even with messy hair?
"A few minutes more" She said her voice muffled.
I chuckled and kissed her head wrapping my arms around her tighter, "Okay sweetheart"
I should make breakfast for her while she's resting.
I tried to get up but she tightened her arms around me. I could've left anyway, but since she didn't want me to go I stayed.
"Sweetheart, I need to go make you breakfast" I said trying to get her to let me go.
She rubbed her head on my chest and mumbled, "No"
I didn't even think she was fully awake and aware she was doing this.
I sighed, but I was actually happy she was acting like this. It was so cute that I wanted to squeeze her and kiss her all over, but I restrained myself.
I wrapped her legs around my waist and stood up with her in my arms.
She looked up at me with half opened eyes, "Where are we going?" She asked.
"We are going to take a shower and then I'm going to make breakfast"
"Shower? Together?" She asked.
I smirked, "You don't seem to want to get off me so yes"
She looked at me for a few seconds before saying, "You're right" and dropping her face to my chest again.
So cute.
I want this everyday.
Forever.
I went to the bathroom and made her sit on the counter.
"Do you have a hair tie?" I asked her.
She straightened her hair yesterday so she probably didn't want it washed today.
Well some of the hair got sweaty last night and there were a few curly strands here and there, but still.
"It's in my bag" She mumbled.
I went to get it and when I came back this sleepy girl was already half asleep on the counter.
I shook my head and made her sit straight, "Why are you so sleepy today?" I asked tying her hair up so that it wouldn't get wet.
She glared at me, "Oh I don't know. Maybe because someone didn't let me get any sleep"
I brushed my teeth and then helped her brush hers since she was so tired and tired and then we got in the shower.
"You don't have to do all this, you know" She said as I washed her body.
"You're tired"
"You still don't have to do it. I feel like a spoiled child"
I laughed lightly at her words, "Well if you don't like it, I can stop" I said.
"I like it" She muttered.
"Then I'll keep doing it"
"Can I wash you?" She asked looking up at me.
Fuck.
"You don't have to" I said and went back to washing her.
"You don't either, but you're washing me. Let me do it, I want to do it" She said suddenly wide awake.
It's really hard to say no to you, but if you touch me like that I'll make you even more tired so
"Maybe next time. You're tired right now" I said.
She rolled her eyes and leaned against me, "Fine" She said.
"I'll make breakfast" I said when we got dressed.
I saw her nod, but then she narrowed her eyes, "Can we go out for breakfast?" She said with a smile and looked at me.
Out?
Out.
Like last night.
But last night there was that suspicious man and I was stupid enough to leave her alone. Stupid. Stupid.
But that man was taken care of.
"You don't want to?" She asked with a sad look.
Fuck. Don't make that look.
She's right. Why shouldn't we go out? We're a couple. It's perfectly normal.
She's safe with me.
I gave her a tight smile and said, "Sure, let's go"
"Great! Thank you" She said and hugged me.
_________
"This is my favourite place for breakfast!" She said with a big smile on her face as she was getting ready to eat.
It was a coffee shop close to her school and they also served breakfast. This was the same place I met her for the second time when Ares dragged us here because he wanted to check on Serenity.
"It's also close to my house so I can walk there when we're done and I have to go back"
I almost choked on my food when she said that.
Walk there?
Go back?
Yes, she's going to have to go back to her place at some point, but does it have to be that soon?
"You're not walking there" I said firmly.
"You don't have to drive me there, it's so close it's only a five minute walk"
That's not close. Anything could happen in five minutes.
"I'll walk you there then"
"Why? I can walk alone"
Alone? No.
I smiled at her and put my hand on hers, "I just don't know when I'll see you again and I want to spend as much time with you as I can"
"Oh alright" She said with a smile, but then she looked down, her smile fading, "You know, my dad is worried about me"
I raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
"I've been lying to him to hang out with you, but he caught me lying and he's upset about it"
"I'm sorry Tess, is there something I can do?"
"Well, you could-" She mumbled the last few words and I didn't hear her.
"Do what? I can't hear you"
"You could-uh-I mean I-"
I'd never seen her so nervous before. I wondered what it was.
Does she want me to talk to him?
"I mean I could introduce you to my father" She finally said.
I'd love that but-
My job. If he ever got to know about my job-
"You don't seem to like the idea. I'm sorry it was dumb, we just got back together-"
"No, it's not that-"
"I mean we could always break up again and what am I going to tell him? He'll be upset"
"Break up?"
At that point, I heard a glass shattering and felt a slight stinging pain in my hand. I looked at it to see I'd broken the glass with some water in it.
I've been clenching it this whole time? I didn't even realize.
"Gosh, is your hand okay?" Tessa asked and rushed to take my hand. It had some cuts and it was bleeding, but I couldn't think about that at that moment. I wiped the glass shards and the blood off and a waitress came to us to clean up the mess and Tessa and I both helped her.
"I'm really sorry" I told the waitress.
She smiled and nodded and then left. The moment she was gone I looked back at Tessa.
"What did you say about breaking up?" I asked.
"I said we might break up again. I wouldn't want that, but who knows-"
"I'd love to meet your dad" I blurted out.
I couldn't let her think I'm not serious about this. I couldn't let her dad think this either. Plus she couldn't fight with her dad because of me.
Great, her dad is upset with her right now because of me. Another problem I bring just by being in her life.
"Really?" She asked.
I hid all my worries again and smiled at her, "Of course"
She smiled brightly and held my hands, "That's great I'll let him know! Thank you!" She leaned in and hugged me.
I relaxed in her arms and hugged her back.
_________
Tessa texted me that same day and asked me if I could come over for dinner on Saturday and of course I said yes. Throughout the week we often texted and met up for at least half an hour a day. That made me feel a lot calmer than last week, but I was still tense when she was away from me.
Finally, Saturday came and I couldn't have been more nervous. I felt like it was building up this whole week and that day I felt like I was about to explode.
I mean yes, I'd met him before, but that was when Tessa was in the hospital.
And I lied to him.
He seemed like a nice man and I didn't want to mess up because I knew how important he was to Tessa.
How do dads act? I had forgotten about how mine used to act because it hurt to remember. All I could remember was he was very in love with my mom and he showed it daily. He also loved us.
But even these memories were hazy.
I had just finished getting ready and was fixing my hair a little more. I left a little earlier since I wanted to buy something for them as a gift.
My mom used to say you should buy even a small gift when you visit people's houses. She would always bake something for them and I would help her.
Why do these memories keep coming back now?
No. Go away.
I shook my head and looked ahead. I was driving to the pastry shop. Tessa said her dad liked pastries so I would get that.
As I walked into the pastry shop, I noticed a suspicious man inside.
I'm just paranoid.
But he kept staring at me.
I had asked Tessa to tell me what her dad's favourites were so I could get them.
I thanked the cashier and went out the shop looking around as I walked to the door. The man was gone now.
As I turned the corner to head to my car, I saw a figure hidden in the shadows and stopped walking.
"Never thought I'd see the day I would find Leo in a pastry shop" I heard the voice coming from the figure.
I walked towards him and as I thought, it was the man from before.
I knew he was suspicious.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Just a guy in the job don't get worked up" He said and chuckled.
A guy in the job.
No. They're not supposed to know me.
This cockroach got away.
Now I have to crash it.
"I don't hear a lot of people talk about you these days. I mean you weren't mentioned a lot, but now it seems like no one knows you"
Good.
"What happened? Did you leave the business?" He asked.
I stayed silent. This man asks too much.
"Maybe you found a girl" He chuckled.
I widened my eyes, "What?" I asked roughly.
"Seems like that hit home. Oh right, I remember something about you and a girl. I think I saw you together" He chuckled once again.
"That wasn't me. There is no girl" I said, my voice barely stable.
"It was, I even told my boss about it. He seems pretty interested in you-"
I dropped the pastries and put my hand around his neck pushing him up against a wall hardly, "Shut up"
"Hey! what the fuck is wrong with you!?"
"What do you know about me?"
"Your name is Leo-"
"You know too much"
I punched him as hard as I could making him fall down, "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" He yelled.
I punched him again and again and again until he finally passed out. I instantly texted Nate and Ares asking them to come here.
Tessa. I need to call Tessa.
I felt like I either couldn't breathe or I was breathing too much. My fingers were trembling, but I finally managed to call her.
"Leo? Are you on your way-"
"I can't come" I said.
"What? What's wrong? You sound like you ran a marathon-"
"I can't come something urgent came up" I said trying to act as calm as I could, "I can't come I'm sorry"
"...Okay. You sound really weird though. Can you tell me what happened?" She asked calmly.
"No, you don't have to worry about it. I just can't make it. I'm sorry" I said.
"Alright. It's okay, we can do it another day" She said.
"Yes. Yes, of course"
"Okay, I'll leave you to do your work then. Bye" She said.
"Bye"
The second we ended the call I dropped the phone and leaned against the wall sliding down.
How much did he know? How many others still knew about me? And he told his boss who is 'interested' in me.
Fuck. Fuck.
What if this was a friend of ours but I just punched him?
No, I would know if he was.
If the worst happened I could just say I mistook him for someone else and Ares would take care of it.
It's worth it. If she's safe it's worth it.
My glance fell on the pastries that were now messed up, half outside of the box.
I messed it up. I messed up my first impression on her dad. He'll probably think it's an excuse and I'm being irresponsible.
That's not it. It's really not it. It's not.
I buried my face in my hands and tried to calm myself down.
"Leo!? Are you okay?" I heard a familiar voice.
Ares.
"Hey man, stand up. Are you hurt?"
Nate.
"You don't seem injured. What's wrong?" Ares asked kneeling down to look at me.
At that point the man started waking up, "What's going o-"
"Shut up" Nate said and used his taser on him.
This fucking taser.
"He knew about me and Tessa. He said his boss is 'interested' in me. What do I do Ares?" I asked holding his shoulder.
"Hey, calm down. Let's take him with us and we'll talk about it on the way, okay? We'll take care of it. You don't have to worry"
"We will?"
"Of course" He smiled, "We can take care of everything"