First Edit: 10/08/2017
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"This is stupid," I mutter as I take another turn up another street in a nearby neighbourhood.
I'm officially the stupidest person I know. How I managed to walk out into the city of all places, in the middle of the night of all times and get lost, only I can manage.
The light breeze is making me shiver quite a bit and I stick my hands into my pockets to provide me with some kind of warmth.
This is what you get for getting lost.
The city lights brighten up the street I walk in and I give a big sigh in frustration. It's pass eleven now and I've been walking for more than two hours. Heaven only knows where I am now.
Even if I could, I am not ready to go back to the apartment. Will was unreasonable and even if he thinks I lied, which I didn't really, he should've at least given me a chance to explain, but he didn't.
This is all his fault.
The streets are oddly quiet and I feel quite safe compared to how unsafe it is back in South Africa. You'd be mugged, raped, killed and kidnapped if you walked alone in the streets at night as a woman.
Not that I think these streets are much safer, but I don't wanna think about that.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I take it out, seeing who is calling me.
"Hello?"
"Hi! I hoped that you would pick up," the husky voice says, "what are you doing?"
I look up and down the street before crossing it, "I'm just wandering around," I say, "you know, getting to know the city."
"Oh you're out? Do you want me to join you?" Justin asks.
I let out a nervous giggle, "Sure," I say hesitantly, "there's just one problem."
"Yeah? What's that?"
"I have no idea where I am," I blush, even though he doesn't see it.
This is the second time I've admitted that I don't know where I am.
"Are you out alone?" he sounds worried.
"Yeah, I kinda just took off and walked around the neighborhood, but I guess I must have walked a little too far."
"You mean you're wandering around the city by foot?" he almost yells at me, but takes a deep breath, "send me your location, I'm coming to get you."
I want to argue, but I don't. I'm cold, lost and kind of tired of walking. So I do what he says and send him my location.
Why didn't I think of this sooner?
I find a little grass patch and bench between all the buildings and decide to go sit down and wait for him.
My phone rings again. This time I'm not so keen on answering.
"What do you want?" I hiss.
Will takes a deep breath on the other side of the phone, "Where are you Leah? It's getting late!" he says in a nonchalant way. Wow, way to make me feel special.
"I don't know where I am, I'm lost," I say.
"You're such a bîtch, first you lie and then you walk off getting your sorry ass lost in the mothereffing city! Heaven knows!" he sighs, probably rolling his eyes, "Just stay where you are and send me your location so I can come get you."
I contemplate what to do and decide against it, "That's okay, you can just carry on thinking I'm a liar and not even give me a chance to explain. I'll be fine on my own, I always am."
I end the call with a huff.
I feel a tad of guilt wash over me for being rude to him, but shake it off in an instant. I won'tallow myself to be manipulated, Will didn't even give me a chance to explain! I'm glad I opened my mouth this time.
Even if it's just over the phone. From a safe distance. Where I don't have to see him face to face.
Still, it upset me that he assumes the worst.
"Idiot," I mutter.
After about twenty minutes, the grass starts ruffling and I look up. A silhoette approaches me with quite a fast pace. Why is this person jogging towards me?
Oh shit!
I look around nervously. There has to be an object I can use for self-defense. I'm not about to be mugged or attacked!
The figure nears me very quick and I decide to stop looking.
"Screw it," I mutter to myself and clench my fists. Best way to face an attacker? Head on
I run forward like he is to me and start charging with a battle cry. The person suddenly stops, but I take it as my chance to kick him. I lift my leg up for a kick, but he catches it.
"Whoa! Whoa! Leah! Stop it's me!" Justin hold my foot and takes off his hood. He has wide eyes of shock and lifts his hand, "Easy girl," he says, "it's me."
Oh.
I study his eyes a while longer and feel a blush creep over my face. Of course.
This isn't South Africa you idiot!
I feel incredibly stupid, again, and hop around on one foot, "Uh, can you let go off my foot?" I ask in a low voice.
Welcome to he land of stupid. Stupid!
He looks down and then at the foot he is holding, "Oh! Right!" he says, releasing it, "Sorry, I was protecting my crown jewels."
I laugh and shake my head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you."
He holds his hand out, "Come on, let's get out of here." I take it and turn on my heel to walk with him. His warm touch sends shivers down my spine and I can't help but feel like a school girl that has her first crush. "By the way," says he, "what did you think I was gonna do back there?"
I shake my head, "I thought you were going to mug me or something."
He chuckles and shakes his head, "I couldn't see you from the location you sent me, so I decided to climb out and look for you. Thought you were scared or something, but turns out I should be."
We both laugh and he looks at me when we are back in the street, "What was that, a martial art stunt or karate? I was genuinely afraid that you would kick me so hard I wouldn't be able to get back up!"
I blush, "Something like that, my family was really in to survival stuff when I was younger."
"Yeah?" he lifts his brow and smiles.
It makes me want to tell him everything. I don't though, that would be too risky. So I tuck a loose curl behind my ear and inhale, "My dad, he made me attend every survival and self defense class he could find. Not to brag or anything," I tease, "but I was quite the badass."
My parents always encouraged me to learn as much about surviving in the wild and how to hunt and fight for my life ever since I was born. It's not something I was allowed to boast about back home, since every single guy that liked me immediately felt intimidated by my 'special skills' the moment I'd mention it. Their poor masculinity was in so much danger.
Mental eye roll.
Justin laughs, "Remind me never to get on your bad side! Should I be afraid?" he asks with a prod. I shake my head and laugh with.
When we climb into the car, he starts the engine and turns to me with those chocolate eyes, "You know, that's the first thing you've ever told me about yourself."
"You know that I work for HaperCollins," I point out.
He shakes his head, "No I mean about you, something personal about yourself. You are like a hidden treasure with a thousand clues to figure out before you find it, and I'm at clue number one."
I laugh, "I've always been a private person, one of my many flaws," I look down and fumble with my thumbs, "I've been accused of being aloof, cold, distant, not worth someone's time." I list the accusations as I remember them.
Suddenly, I feel his hand over mind and he squeezes it. I look up and see him giving me a glorious grin with those perfect teeth. "You're worth my time," Justin says.
I give him a genuine smile of gratitude.
No one has ever said that to me before. Not even...
My phone vibrates non-stop and I groan. Justin gives me the 'are you going to get that?' face and I sigh as I take out my phone.
Will: Where the hell are you?
Will: come home now!
Will: come, we can talk THIS OUtf
Will: u stupid stubborn bîtch
Will: ur a hot white chick walkin around in the middle of the nite, ur gonna get stabbed
Will: fine, get stabbed
Will: im sORry
Will: Leah, im sorry
Will: are you gonna anSWERr me?!?!
Will: plz dont be dead already
Will: come home!
Will: screw u, if u die, im washing my hands in innocence. STUBORNN BIAAATCH
Will: okay im sorry, forgive me plz?
I sigh and lean my head against the window of the car, looking into at the buildings as they pass in a swift.
"Everything alright?" Justin asks.
"Not really," I admit, glancing at him and smiling, "rough night."
"Want me to take you home?" he asks.
"Home is the last place I want to be right now," I mutter and explain further, "Will and I had a fight after someone stopped by to give me a visit earlier tonight."
Justin nods, "Is this someone worth fighting over?"
"The person? Not in this instance. What we talked about?" I cross my arms and exhale, "I guess so yes."
"Who is this someone?" he asks with furrowed brows.
It's cute when he tries to hide the jealousy that wants to creep out. I can see how he's trying to suppress it.
I bite my lip and deliberate whether or not to tell him. There's no harm to say who it is, but I hope it doesn't backfire in my face. If we grow closer to each other, he might come in more contact with him and that can lead to a whole other can of worms that don't need opening.
"His name is Mr. Frank Leigh," I say, "he's been like a father to me ever since I arrived in the US."
Justin turns his head in disbelief, "Wait, the mister Frank Leigh?"
"Uhh, I guess so, is there another famous Mr. Leigh?" I ask.
"No, definitely not!" Justin gasps, "I can't believe you know Frank Leigh! He's quite the man. A lot of us joke and say he's a ghost haunting famous people, since everyone knows and hears of him everywhere they go but so little people actually get to meet him in person."
I laugh, "Oh he's real alright, as real as the whiskey and cigar he drank and smoked in my apartment. It's still on the coffee table waiting to be cleaned," I huff.
Justin laughs, "This is crazy!"
"What is?" I raise my brow.
"You know one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry! And he's your father? That's crazy!" he taps the steering wheel with excitement.
"Sort of," I try to hide the smile, but he is so contagious, I can't help but to smile with him.
"And you're so chilled about it!" He leans back in his seat and exhales, "Where have you been hiding all my life?"
I shake my head and laugh.
We fall into a comfortable silence as we drive around. I don't even know where we are going, but I let him take charge. I like this Justin. He's laid back and so real. So normal. I forget that he is a celeb when he is like this.
Well, apart from the lambo we are driving in.
"So it must have been a pretty hectic fight, huh?" Justin breaks my train of thought as he looks at me when we stop at a traffic light.
"Yeah," I admit, "Do you know what bugs me about it?"
"What?"
"I didn't do anything wrong, but I'm expected to explain myself when I'm really in no mood to talk things out with someone that assumed the worst of me. Do you ever get that? You just don't want to see someone's face for a while until you're ready to deal with their drama."
He nods, "You have no idea." He looks at me and smiles, "I guess that's why I like you so much, I wanna see your face all the time."
Holy shit.
My heart is literally pounding against my chest at his words. He likes me? He just admitted that?
Justin chuckles at my paled expression and he speaks again, "So, you don't want to be home right now?" he asks.
"Not particularly," I mutter.
"Okay," he turns on his flicker and swings right when the traffic light goes green, "my place it is then."
I sit up straight at the sudden change of direction and frown, "What?"
"I'm taking you to my place," he says.
My poor heart.
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-euodiadem