Matt's POV:
It's been about month and a half since mom went into rehab. It's been tough readjusting, but as much as I hate to admit it, it wasn't as hard as it should be.
My mom hasn't been a mom in a while, so it really hasn't been that much of a difference around the house. Despite the fact, of course, that now when we see her, on the rare occasions when we're allowed to visit her at rehab, she looks like the mother I once had, which is defenitely s good change.
She looks like she's genuinely trying to change.
One thing that I'm looking forward to, and at the same time dreading, is the fact that school ends in two days.
I'm very ready for Summer vacation after a year of hard work, as is probably everyone. One thing I am most certainly not ready for, is to say goodbye to Leo, that won't be here next year.
He applied to a lot of colleges, some of which he was actually interested in, and others'swith good football programs, for the sake of his father. He got accepted at his father'sdream school for his son, as well as his dream school.
He's still trying to decide. I know which one he wants to choose, but according to his dad, if he chooses to follow an art course, he won't have his dad support. It's not like he needs it financially, seeing as Olivia will always stand by his side and support him, he is, however, very bummed that he won't have his dad by his side. He's still trying to come to terms with his final decision, that he will announce next Friday dinner, after his graduation ceremony. A dinner that I will attend, probably for emotional support.
I don't mind either way, I want to make the most of the time I'll have with Leo. We still don't know what we're gonna do this Summer, but we're gonna enjoy it and make it the best of our lives, that's for sure. We'll probably hit the beach with the others and go out, possibly on dates, but we'll see when the time comes.
Jackson did invite us to go spend the first two weeks of August at his parents beach house in Los Angeles. Yes, his parents have various vacation houses around the country. It'll be good for everyone to just relax.
John is going through a tough time right now. His break up with Charlotte was unexpected and hit John harder than he'd like to admit, but unfortunately, she's moving to some country in Europe for College instead of the college she was supposed to go to in the state over, and even though they'll keep in touch, they didn't think they'd be able to make their relationship work.
So, John will probably benefit the most of this trip. Unfortunately for him, he'll have to spend the first few weeks of Holiday at his grandparents house somewhere in Texas.
I'm snapped from my thoughts by a pair of arms hugging me from behind an pushing me against a hard chest.
"Hello, Leo, how are you?" I ask and close my locker, that I was currently emptying.
"How'd you know it was me?" He pouts after I turn around in his arms to look him in the eye.
"Well, I hoped it was you, it'd be a little awkward, not to mention creepy, it it was somebody else."
He makes a humming sound as some form of agreement and bends down slightly to peck me on the lips. Well, it was meant to be a peck, but I guess he got kind of carried away, because one thing led to another and I'm leaning against the lockers, with Leo kissing me a little more feverishly than we should for a public space. A school nonetheless. But at the time, I couldn't make myself to break the kiss.
The bell did the job of snapping us out of our trance, though, and we pulled apart, but not without difficulty.
Lately, because of school and college applications, we haven't had much alone time. Needless to say, we're both a little...needy.
"Guess we should get going," Leo whispers, but leans down to kiss me again.
"Yes, we should, which means you should probably let me go now."
"I know, but I don't want to... I miss you."
"And I miss you, too," I answer against his lips. "But we'll be together on Friday for dinner at yours, we'll have some alone time then."
"I guess, but I don't think I can go without 'till then," Leo whines.
"Leonardo Bryant, if you're suggesting we skip, then you better get that idea out of your head, because I'm not skipping again," I scold.
"C'mon, babe, please," he insists. "We're alreay late, migh as well skip. Besides, what are you gonna learn today?"
I consider it for a while. I mean, he's right...to a certain extent. It's not like I'm gonna learn anything that valuable on one of the last days of school.
"Ok," Leo interrupts my thoughts. "We'll be out for the rest of the morning classes and we'll be back for the afternoon ones! Think about it...just the two of us...we could go to the lake and then eat at the diner or something...lots of kisses..."
Finally I agree with a reluctant sigh, "Fine, but we better not be late for the afternoon classes, you hear me mister?"
"Yes, I love you, let's go," an with that,he takes my hand and pulls me in the direction of the door all the way to his car.
"Thanks for doing this," he says, turning to me once we're in the car. "It really means a lot to me, I needed a break and all... besides, think about it this way, it's the last time we'reboth gonna skip together."
I smile, "I don't know...knowing you, you'll probably come out of nowhere one day and swoop me away to the lake."
"I will not deny nor confirm that thought."
The ride to the lake was quiet and peaceful, just the both of us holding hands and enjoying each other's company. It's a good moment. Well, every moment with Leo is a good moment.
When we arrive, Leo goes to the trunk and takes out a blanket for us to sit on, along with a box of cookies, and that's when it hit me.
"This was not a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing was it?" I ask and point to the cookies.
He tenses for a while and then gives me an embarrassed smile, "oops...?"
I sigh, but still with a smile on my face, and sit down on the blanket next to him, immediately placing my head on his shoulder.
We spent a few minutes just chilling, looking at the lake and eating the cookies and I guess one thing led to another and we were both laying down on the blanket making out. The fact that nothing remotely sexual has happened since that time before my mom went to the hospital.
Which is probably we're both way too horny for just a make out session. An it's probably how we both ended almost naked in the middle of a forest.
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Friday came faster than we expected and I was currently sitting down at the dinner table with Olivia and Mr. Bryant, along with Cat and Liam, that wanted to hear Leo's opinion, too.
The air is a little tense, everyone knows why this dinner is being held in the first place,so there's a stuffy and terse silence, while everyone waits for Leo to announce what he'll do next year.
Probably having had enough, Leo clears his throat and everyone snaps their heads towards him, probably trying to be sneaky, yet failing tremendously.
"So," Leo starts. "You probably want to know my decision as to what I'll be choosing as my course next year."
Everyone holds their breath, waiting for him to continue, the food on the plates long forgotten.
"I have decided," Leo says. "To follow what I want and go to the New York Academy of Arts."
"Is that your final decision?" Mr. Bryant asks.
"Yes, dad, it is. I'm sorry if it's not the one you wanted to hear, but I'm doing what's best for me, and I hope you can see that, and that this is what makes me happy, if not today, then tomorrow,or in a few months."
"Very well," David then gets up and excuses himself out of the dining room.
"I'm gonna go check on him," Olivia says and goes over to Leo to hug him and congratulate him, before going after her husband. Before leaving completely, though, she looks back and says, "Don't worry, honey, he'll come to terms with it eventually. He may not say it often, but he does love you."
Leo nods, but can't completely erase the sadness from his eyes,.
Cat and Liam, however, are both crazy excited and go over to Leo's side of the table to hug him and getting excited enough for everyone.
"I'm so proud of you, little bro, you've made the right decision, this was your choice, it's your future and you have to think of yourself first," Cat says and kisses his forehead, before ruffling his hair in a sisterly way and leaves the room. Liam following after her, after a congratulatory pat on the shoulder.
"So..." he starts. "That wasn't so bad, right? Could've been worse."
I nod, "Yeah, I guess."
He looks at me, "What about you? You haven't said anything yet."
"I am incredibly proud of you, Leo, so so proud, that you have no idea. And yes, it will be tough, but we'll figure it out and when the time comes, if the time comes, we'll break up, I guess."
"Ok, seems fair, but I'd really rather us not breaking up, 'cause that would suck a lot."
"Yeah, same here."
Leo then comes over to me and kisses me tenderly on the lips.
"So..." Leo starts. "I have a surprise for you."
"Yes...?" I ask with a smile on my face.
"So, your mom is coming home from rehab in about a month, right?" I nod, encouraging him to go on. "So, what do you say about going on a little roadtrip with me, for a few weeks? Just the both of us and the road."
"Oh my God, are you serious?!" I ask excited, until I remember that I have some responsibilities. "I can't, Leo."
"What? Why?"
"What about Chris? I can't just leave him alone..."
"And that is why I already have everything planned out," he explains. "We won't be gone for too long and I talked and planned everything with Mrs. Pemberton and she's more than willing to do it. And if for some some reason she can't look after him, my mom is more than willing."
"Wow, you really thought everything through, huh?"
"Yup, I know you and this way you can't find any reason not to go."
"I still don't know, it doesn't seem very fair to Chris," I reason. "I don't want him to think I'm just dumping him somewhere so that I can have fun. I don't want him to feel like I don't love him and he's not important for me, because he is."
"He knows that, trust me, Matt. And I also talked to him and he says it was ok, but you'll have to call him."
"Ok, then," I say, once again allowing myself to get excited. "When do we leave?"
"Monday morning, bright and early so we can make the most of the day."
"Ok! Well then, I'll go home and make the bags then!"
I go to get up, but Leo stops me, "Well, you don't have to go now."
"I know, but I wanna spend some time with Chris then."
"Ok," he pouts. "I'll stop by your place on Sunday."
"Oki doki, I'll see you then," I give him a lingering kiss on the lips and get up.
I say goodbye to Liam and Cat who were in the living room watchin a movie on TV, but since I couldn't find either Mr. Bryant or Olivia, I just told Leo to thank them for dinner for me and I left to Mrs. Pemberton house, to thank her for everything and discuss the remaining details.
Three weeks with Leo on the road.
A month with my friends in a beautiful beach in LA.
This is gonna be a great Summer.
And I'm gonna make the most of it.
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A/N: There's only one more chapter left.
Would you like it if I write an epilogue, too?