Leonardo and Mariella
Monday approaches and Leonardo enters the art faculty building nervously, despite the constant pep talk by Martin and Ricci, and even Alfonso when he talked about his crush on Mariella to Ricci when he got distracted during his part time job with Ricci. Martin assured Leonardo that Mariella definitely feels something for him based on what Giorgio told him, while Alfonso told him to take the leap bravely, to live the moment especially in love matters, and Ricci told him that just in case things don’t work out, he will buy him a new game for his game console.
“I can do this. If things don't work out, then it’s fine.”
“What didn’t work out?”
“Oh, just- ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” Leonardo shouts when the target of his affection is right in front of him, one of her hands is on her hip, staring at him with an annoyed expression, “you shouted like you have seen a ghost. Am I that scary, or horrifying?”
“Wh-?! No! I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
When Mariella didn’t say anything further, Leonardo grabs his phone out of his pocket and tries to stay calm by looking at his lockscreen, showing a group photo of him and his friends and only family, and he keeps it back, “are you going to be in the auditorium for vocal class?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Short reply, maybe she doesn’t really like me as a potential date or boyfriend. Leonardo got a little cold feet but smacks his own cheeks as encouragement, making the pinkette flinch from the sudden odd behavior, and he sighs, “can we like, meet up for 10 minutes after class? I have something important to tell you.”
“Okay? What’s so important that you can’t tell me now?”
Everything. Just when Leonardo wants to bail so he can focus on dance practice for the time being without getting distracted by a possible rejection, a group of guys wolf whistles and approaches the pinkette, and her face expression immediately becomes as angry as she was when fighting with Rizzo last week, “are you new, girl? Damn, you look hot despite hiding under the baggy looking trench coat.”
“I’m not interested, get lost.”
“Come on, let’s skip class and hang out with us! We can show you a good time~” one of the creepy guys reaches out and tries to grab a hold of Mariella, but Leonardo is faster, grabbing the creepy guy’s hand and quickly stands in between, blocking Mariella from their view, “she said she is not interested, dude. Get going.”
“Oi shorty! Are you her boyfriend? Girl, you deserve so much better!”
“Yeah! We are a better catch than him.”
When Leonardo feels like punching them in the face for being so pushy, he feels himself getting hugged from behind, and Mariella whose face is near his shoulder hisses, “so what if he is my boyfriend? Get out before he crushes all of you.”
The creeps don't budge and are still trying, but Leonardo quickly low kicks one of them and he falls down, gripping his leg, “owwww!!! What’s the deal with you?!”
“Yeah! Wait till we report you to the police for violence!”
Before Leonardo can beat them up, he sees Professor Larue and another professor where he remembers him as the game design professor called Seiji or something from afar, and he immediately shouts and waves, “Professor! These creeps won’t stop pestering a girl!”
“Shit, we should run!” the creeps start running off and one of them pulls the one with the hurt leg, and once they are out of sight, the two professors are already approaching them, “what happened here?”
“Thanks Professor Larue! They were trying to pick Mariella up and won’t leave her alone.”
Professor Pierre Larue starts talking about how low some American kids can be, and the Japanese professor asks with concern, “Mariella? Are you alright?” and when Murai looks at how Mariella is hugging tight at the guy, he smirks and asks, “is this your boyfriend?”
“What?!” Mariella immediately releases Leonardo and he pouts a little from the lost, “we were just acting! I swear I’m not dating, Murai!”
“I won’t forbid you from dating, as long as you don’t do anything without protection.”
“What kind of father are you, to encourage his daughter to- to-”
Leonardo’s eyes widen and he points to Murai and asks, “hold on, Professor Seiji? Are you Mariella’s father? Wait, if you are her father, that means Dr Seiji-”
“Yes, we are.”
Mariella feels really embarrassed and she starts pulling Leonardo along, “come now, accompany me to the auditorium! Just in case the thugs are coming back-”
“See ya, professors…” Leonardo waves and he follows the pinkette, with his own heart thumping with how she without hesitation called him her boyfriend. Even if it’s just to chase away those creeps, I’m so happy.
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Martin finishes his general studies class and exits the lecture hall, and when he see groups of students crowding together and watching something on their phone, giggling, he wonders what’s happening until his phone keeps vibrate, and when he checks it, his eyes widen when their group chat is being bombarded with messages by Ricci, who keeps sending video links, saying how crazy the situation is at the auditorium right now.
“Auditorium?” The brunet starts walking and he opens one of the video links, with someone streaming live, and that’s when he sees what the fuss is about.
Leonardo is dancing on stage, with a love song playing in the background, and in front of him is Mariella, who is stunned and looks surprised, standing still. There are lots of people cheering behind the camera, and some are shouting for them to kiss already.
Right, Leonardo has his own fan base when it comes to his dancing. No wonder there’s so many people capturing this moment on video, and he quickly sends the link to Giorgio, and starts texting.
GMartinPistols: chk this out
GMartinPistols: leo dancing fo Mariella
GMartinPistols: hav u done wit clas
Giorgio: oh wowwwwwwww
Giorgio: how does Leo know how to woo her with either dancing or singing
Giorgio: Mariella is gonna say yess
GMartinPistols: reli?????? dam leo will grad frm single life
Giorgio: btw my class going to end soon
Giorgio: lets meet in cafeteria?
GMartinPistols: althgh I wan 2 bother leo but maybe later
GMartinPistols: I dun wan 2 b crush by his fans
GMartinPistols: c u later in cafe!
And when he goes back to the stream, it seems the song ended and Leonardo is looking nervously at Mariella, and when she finally nods, the crowd goes crazy and they start chanting ‘kiss’ non stop, and while Mariella is blushing, Leonardo grins and he leans forward to kiss her, and the one holding the camera is shaking so much with excitement it drops, and the stream finally ended.