Nervous feet tapped on the white tiled floor as the owner rose the painted nails to bite away in jitters before stopping and pulling back in midway. Sighing,she pushed back her hair, bending forward, supporting her elbows on the knees as she hung her head down with closed eyes, sitting on the five seated bench in the waiting room.
"You look like you are waiting for some surgeon to pop out and give you some sort of bad news." A dark blue code dressed boy, seemingly in his twenties with a white mask over his face spoke, finally grabbing the girl's attention who stood up abruptly.
"Oh please. Is it successful?" She questioned in anticipation as the other could not help but chuckle.
"It must be so important for you to be acting up this way." He commented for which Leona smiled nodding her head.
"You have no idea. Now please?" Her doe eyes fixated on the boy's face in expectation.
"You are in! Senior manager made few arrangements to get you a part-time job in the hospital's medical store." Hearing that Leona face lit up grabbing the boy's palms and shaking it violently.
"Thank god! Thank god! Thank you so damn much!" She gushed.
"You should be! If it was not for my smart, polite, friendly self,you would have never managed to get a job in such short notice." The boy snickered.
"Definitely. Damn! You amazing boy." Leona chuckled shaking the other's hands once more before the other pulled it away.
"My hands are going to get dislocated. Joining date and all the other details will be mailed to you by evening,today." Saying that he handed her a form to sign.
After that was done, Leona hugged the boy once more before leaving the hospital premise.
"I owe you one Rue. Will catch you later,got some important work to do!" The said boy shook his head seeing the girl practically sprinting away, wondering what bought such changes in the girl so suddenly, before he walked away.
Rue was George's brother working as the head nurse in one of the main hospitals in the cities. Leona had grown a brotherly bond with Rue and not just her, the whole group was close to the elder ever since George had introduced him to the group three years ago.
Leona had rung a call to the boy right after coming back to home the other day from school asking if any part-time jobs can be arranged right away and by god's grace she had just landed one.
Although when asked the reason she had answered with a vague answer as to wanting to put her free time into use.
Leona got down the bus, quickly taking steps towards the open cafe which was a road away from the bus station.
Arriving at the place,she caught sight of the person that had waltzed into her life and almost knocked her off balance in just two months.
The boy had his head hung low,looking into the menu settled between his hands.
Pulling her hands out of the brown, one piece jumpsuit. Leona approached the small table with one chair already occupied by the boy and pulled out the other empty chair, opposite to him before settling down.
Hearing the screeching noise, Austin looked up,an instant smile filling his face.
"Hey!" Leona smiled at the enthusiastic greeting feeling sad for what she was about to do.
Austin was interested in her, infact the boy had grew a strong affection towards her. She was completely aware of it. And the fact that she had been on a date with the boy only added to his feelings.
Leona could not let that continue any longer than it has already. Austin deserved better. And she herself deserved someone with whom her heart settled. And that was not the blond haired boy in front of her.
Not the nineteen year old, dance student sitting in front of her.
"Shall I order two lattes for now?" She heard him ask in his gentle voice as usual with a bright smile constantly tugged on his face, all directed towards herself.
No. It had to happen right away. Right now. She had to break it out now.
Taking few calming breaths and rubbing her sweaty palms over her thighs, Leona bore a determined look at the boy who caught on to the seriousness as his attentive eyes was not one to miss any slight change in the other's dropping expression.
"Firstly, I am so damn sorry Austin." That sentence confused the elder boy as a puzzled expression settled over his sharp features but stayed quiet.
"You are an amazing guy, like very, very amazing person." Leona smiled genuinely as she locked eyes with the boy who smiled unsurely as to where this conversation was going.
"But" It was such a simple word. Just three letters in it. But whenever that came up, nothing ended well. Anything following that word will only end up in something tragic or bad.
Austin fisted his hand under the table already having an hunch about what was about to happen. He was so excited, he had so many things planned for the day when the younger had invited him by herself. But things seem to not go as per plan and if he asked someone, they would just say that's how life is.
"I cannot continue this Austin. Am so sorry, I have lead you on. I am truly sorry but my heart does not belong here." Leona spoke in a quite voice, eyes casted down as guilt and sadness overpowered her with each word rolling out of her lips not letting her to look into the heartbreaking eyes of the boy.
There was absolute silence for few minutes. Neither spoke anything. Austin trying his best to hold it together, had dropped his head down, squeezing his eyes shut as his medium long hair fell over his closed eyes.
Leona bit her bottom lip as she felt tears pricking at her own eyes but spoke nothing. Waiting for the boy to gather himself, 'he did not deserve this' was the only sentence running through her mind.
"Is it because of me or someone else?" Leona closed her eyes, as she puffed out a soft breath hearing that question. Well aware what the other was asking about.
"It's not because of you." Was all she could muster out. The other was smart enough to understand the meaning, she did not feel like telling him directly and hurt his already paining hurt more.
Austin gave a short nod although the other still had her head down and missed it.
After pulling in a huge breath, the boy straightened up calling out her name for which Leona looked up slowly to see him wearing a sad smile as his eyes shined with unshed tears.
"I am so happy that I got to spend some time with you and got to know you Leon. Really. It really would have been amazing if we both could work out but it doesn't seem like it." The speaking boy paused for a moment, averting his eyes elsewhere controlling his tears from flowing down before looking back at her.
"But I get how it is for you. And I cannot jump back to the normal, just friends state that easily after growing feelings for you. Hope you understand." Leona nodded slowly, her own eyes shining with tears.
Austin mirrored her actions as both sat there for a minute just staring at each other before the boy rose causing the other to stand up too.
It seemed like the boy's arms itched to pull her in a hug but deciding against it, he settled for a hand shake which Leona took instantly.
"I really want to accompany you back to the bus station but I am not able to hold myself any longer, am sorry. I will leave now." Leona could not help saying anything but mumble a small "I am so sorry" before the other turned, walking away.
Leona sat back on the chair, crying silently as she grabbed a tissue, dabbing away at her damp cheeks, trying to hide her crying face from the people walking around.
Everything seemed to have crashed down on the younger girl as she continued crying in silence, unmoving on the chair for almost twenty minutes.
Finally, letting out a breath of relief Leona gulped down the glass of water sitting on the table. She thought about how light she already felt that even if the confrontations and breaking things off was difficult and painful at the moment, Leona understood that was for the better.
This would only make all the things right and result in a good thing. It will eventually bring happiness taking away all the bitter feelings floating around.
With that on mind she checked the time in her phone,noting that it was time for next class which means the others would be free for few minutes,she dropped a text in their friends group, titled: 🌚Five cool people 😎
She had skipped school for the day wanting to fix things first handed and she was up to date with all her notes so missing one day did not seem harmful in any way. She could cover it the next day.
"I did it!" Popped her text in the group chat.
"You already had sex? Like seriously? We all had decided that we are going to wait until we turned eighteen because we should be healthy!!" Andie typed away.
"Betrayed😞" George added.
"You made my baby sad leon." It was Easton obviously.
"Shut up you all. What happened Leon?"
"Best girl Khloe to my rescue! We are surrounded by idiots."
"I could feel you rolling your eyes through the screen!" It was George.
"Blame Lia for that." Khloe added dryly.
"What did my sweet girl do to you?" The girl questioned offended.
"Oh, it's 'my sweet girl'. Noted." Easton's text came in accompanied with side eying emojis.
Leona felt herself getting shy as she typed in again asking what was it about her Lia for which she got a reply saying that,
"You keep saying how the other likes rolling her eyes at everything and you obviously picked it up." for which she sent in a shut up but did not deny the fact otherwise.
"Damn! We are surrounded by lovesick puppies then!" Andie Maris obviously.
Ignoring the girl, Leona typed in "I spoke to Austin and finally ended it and also got a part-time job!!!"
A series of "damn girl!" "Congratulations!" "Go bestie!!" "My brother is indeed useful at times. That's nice." filled in the chat but again there was the most confusig question again "why a part-time job tho?" before she dropped a text saying 'I will brief it all when we meet' and locked her phone before sliding it in her jumpsuit pocket and walked back to the station after getting a takeaway hot coffee.
Cursing herself for not wearing a jacket during this chilly day, almost falling into noon which did not feel like it at all, she waited for the bus.
Just as she finished the last sip, the bus arrived, talk about the perfect timing.
The reason was for the part-time job was she wanted to save up money. Money to go visit the elder.
She remembered how that one time the elder had confessed about saving up to go to meet her by chance. And that was probably the first moment the wall that had built up around her heart and mind since that week of no contact cracked. How could she disregard that?
The elder had gone to all those lengths just to come see her, meet up with her. How huge that thought was set in her heart unwaveringly.
So, when she discussed with her friends yesterday in the cafeteria and decided to make things right, one of the main thing was to go visit the elder in person because Leona was sure the elder was broke in ways that just reconciliation through texts and calls alone was not enough to heal the other's heart.
And she wanted to meet the elder sooner. Bring the other closer to her body and wrap her in a warm hug, sooth all her pain away and wipe her tears. And let out all her own frustration and yearning too.
Leona wanted to drown and dip in the elder. So much so that she wanted to forget what it feels like to not be merged with the other.
She wanted to finally confess her love for the other. Say those three words out loud. Crystal clear for Lia to register it in her forever. Nothing should make her doubt her feelings for the elder, that's how much faith she wanted to provide the elder with.
With that happiness soaring through her, she dropped a 'hi' to the elder before waiting for her reply on her way back home overwhelmed with the joy of making things right and sharing the news of getting the part-time job and also to finally put it out there that, Austin was no longer in the picture.
That it was Lia. Lia all along. Lia Pearl alone had taken her heart.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Guys... Hello...
What are your thoughts about the chapter? Please do comment and vote, I would love to know what you all think.
I am making shorter updates to keep the focus completely on one aspect alone at a time. Too mahh things happened in the previous chapters, so thought of breaking it down a bit.
Hope you all are enjoying it!
Catch ya in the next chapter!