Chapter 18

The sound of a door opening roughly wakes me from my sleep and I jolt up in my bed.

I see my Lucy in the satin blue dress from yesterday and her makeup smudged as she rushes over to my bed.

"Oh my god Sunny!" She's trying to whisper but she's never really been good at it.

Still half asleep I try to awaken all my senses and I smell the faint hint of musk on my sheets.

Leo! Leo and me and tea. Leo and me and my keys. Leo in my bed asleep next to me. Oh goodness I asked him to kiss me, more than once! Those were completely my decisions and not the actions of someone under the influence but the sleep deprivation and alcohol really nudged them along. I'm more than mortified. I practically begged him to be my friend and now I'm coming onto him so shamelessly, completely violating his trust.

"So?" Lucy grips my arm and pull me from the bed.

"You're still wearing pants?" She asks frowning in confusion.

"Lucy!" I pull my arm from her tight grip, "What do you mean I'm still wearing pants?"

"I mean I came home and wanted to use the bathroom but it was occupied by your very hot friend ergo he spent the night." she rolls her eyes at me as if I'm the nutty one here, "Ergo you gave him Sun burn" she grabs my arms and shakes me.

"Oh Lucy no, that did not... we did not-"

"What do you mean no?" She moves backwards as if being struck.

"I mean we slept in the same bed. Well I slept under the covers but he didn't so... no we didn't do anything plus I don't even think he sees me that way so-"

"Unbelievable!" Lucy protest ignoring my words, "After all that work." She mumbles to herself.

"Work?" I'm confused for a moment but then it hits me, "Lucy you did not!" I raise my voice and she shrinks back further.

"Sunny I-"

"Lucy you're not Cupid. You cannot play with peoples lives like that," I reprimand the girl who never learns, "You promised after Lawrence you'd stop." I remind her.

"Lawrence was different okay. I'm s-"

"Who's Lawrence?" A voice calls from the door.

The sight of a Leo shirtless before me turns me into a vegetable. It does the same for Lucy who has also gone completely still beside me.

He walks further in the room with a suspicious expression on his glorious face.

"Lawrence is my cousin." Lucy says finding her voice again, "My very attractive cousin who Sunny-"

"Lucy out." I demand before she reveals her failed matchmaking attempt.

She rolls her eyes at me and exits my room not before getting one last look of Leo as she does.

"I thought you left." He shrugs at my words and continues into my room.

"Leo I want to apologize." I begin rubbing my face trying to soothe my embarrassment, "For last night. I'm so sorry I was so inappropriate and I know I told you I wanted to be friends and I'm sorry if I might've ruined it so I understand if you no longer want to be friends anymore." I finish not able to lift my eyes from my carpet.

"It's cool." He says.

I look up at him in shock, "That's it?" I ask.

"Yeah." He shrugs.

I'm staring up at this beautiful boy in utter confusion.

"Are we good?" He asks sitting down on my bed.

"Yes, I guess." I reply uncertain.

My cellphone buzzes on the bedside table and I reach for it as Leo watches my movements.

It's from Gerald See you in 5.

Sunniva you silly girl! I facepalm. I can't believe I forgot about our breakfast this morning. He was trying to talk to me about tutoring his dyslexic niece because I mentioned my interest in getting experience with kids who have learning disorders.

"What?" Leo asks, snapping me back to reality.

I immediately begin rushing around my room in search of my favorite blue skirt.

"I'm supposed to meet Gerald for breakfast this morning and I'm already late." I explain scanning my closet for options, "You met him yesterday, he was the blonde guy who helped move the car."

Leo is next to me in seconds and removes the white frilly top I have in hand, "This." he eyes my brown turtleneck sweater before handing it to me.

I giggle tracing the pink flamingos that are dancing on the sweater and down the right sleeve.

"That's great, Leo." I remove the sweater from the hanger, "Thank you."

I grab my clothes with me and rush to the bathroom. In the shower I stop suddenly and reflect on the horrid manners my Gran would surely smack my hands red for. I'm leaving Leo in my room to meet up with another friend. Really Sunniva!

"You should come." I tell him when I re-enter my room. He's sitting in the same spot I left him in granted I was less than two minutes in the bathroom.

He looks to be internally battling with my offer. He probably just wants to leave after spending all night with me.

"Or if you're feeling tired you could-"

"I'm coming." He says.

He watches me do my hair through the reflection of my mirror.

"I have one of my cousin's old sweaters you could wear, he's almost your size." I say, staring at the ink on his chest.

"Yeah." He responds getting up from my bed.

I reach into my closet and find the knitted yellow jersey. Leo looks at it for a seconds in hesitation.

"It looks small but it does stretch." I reassure him.

He huffs loudly and takes it from my hand to put on. I try not to notice the muscles that flex as he does this and I try even harder to not drool over how attractive he looks in the jersey.

My cousin Eric used to be a linebacker in college now he's an accountant and compared to the rest of our family he's relatively big, nobody in our family is that big, and I kinda grew up always seeing him as a giant but I guess now with Leo's stretching out his jersey my perspective has changed.

I smile at his slightly sulking face and try to contain myself when he frowns at me.

"C'mon." He huffs exiting my room.

We walk in silence down the hall and Leo reaches for my hand. I exhale a little relieved that he's not upset about my behavior last night. I was afraid he would be. He's not very good at expressing his emotions.

We take his car even though the diner is in walking distance but I guess the clouds are looking kinda grey so it's best not to risk it.

"Shitty place." Leo grumbles as we park in front of the diner.

"No, it's not." I argue but he doesn't respond.

Looking through the window I see blonde haired man sitting in a booth. I'm already late.

I hop out the car in a rush and Leo follows behind much slower but when I reach the door he's suddenly at my back. I stare at him curiously but he's not looking at me. His hard gaze is fixed on Gerald. Hopefully he's in a better mood today and he'll be kinder.

"Hi Gerald." I greet taking my seat across from him.

He looks up from his phone in surprise but his smile falters when he sees Leo who's practically taking up all the space beside me.

"You met Leo yesterday." I remind the nervous man, "I invited him. I hope you don't mind."

Leo raises a questioning brow in Gerald's direction.

"No... it's okay," He nods, "How you doing man?" Gerald holds out his hand.

Leo's never changing expression is still on his face as his eyes examine Gerald's hand for a few seconds too long until Gerald awkwardly retracts it.

"Gerald's niece is dyslexic and he says he might be able to talk to her parents about letting me tutor her for a spell." I explain for no reason other than that I'm very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"What's her name?" Leo asks suddenly surprising me.

Gerald equally surprised stutters for a moment, "Ju-Jessica." He says.

"That's a lovely n-"

"Is she your brother or sister's kid?" Leo interrupts.

Gerald's blinks frantically in thought, "Sister." He answers roughly.

"Wh-"

"How old is she?" Leo interrupts me again to shoot questions at a nervous looking Gerald. I'd be nervous too if dealing with the Leo's intensity.

"She's 10." Gerald seems a bit upset.

Before I can change the subject Leo continues.

"So when'd you guys find out she's autistic?"

"Last year." Gerald responds agitatedly.

"So she's not dyslexic?" Leo frowns.

"No, she is s-"

"She's your brother's kid you should know this." Leo basically snares at this point.

"Leo."

"I do know!" Gerald's loud voice makes me jump in my seat.

Leo's eyes rake me up and down before turning back to Gerald.

"You should probably get the fuck out of here." Leo's deep voice grunts.

Before I can protest Gerald eyes me guiltily and exits the booth then the diner.

"Leo..." I start but the hulking boy doesn't look up at me.

"Leo." I say louder, finally getting his attention.

His eyes are wild and his chest is heaving. He's looking past me out the window and I turn to see his eyes are fixed on Gerald hopping in his car. I turn back around to see his gaze still not fixed on me.

I put my hands on his face to direct his eyes to mine, "Leo what happened? What's wrong?" I whisper not wanting to frighten his already frantic state.

His eyes move behind me again when a car starts up and it stays until the sound of the car fades.

Leo looks back at me scowling. I can practically hear the echoing of his thoughts but he doesn't open his mouth.

"Sunny," he begins closing his eyes to take a breath, "I gotta go." He mutters urgently and rushes out the booth.

"What?" I ask, floored by this entire encounter.

He doesn't respond and continues out the diner.

I get up and follow until I notice him speeding up to avoid me. He starts up his car and is out of sight the next minute while I watch from inside the diner still.

What just happened?