Chapter Four: Sparks and Shadows

Ella's POV

By the time Saturday rolled around, I told myself to keep things simple—this was just a date. But as I stared at my reflection, adjusting the strap of my emerald-green dress, I couldn't ignore the nervous thrill running through me. Leo made me feel things I hadn't experienced before, emotions I wasn't sure how to handle yet.

Was it excitement? Curiosity? Or maybe something deeper.

I shook off the thought and grabbed my clutch before heading out the door.

The place Leo had chosen was elegant but intimate, tucked away from the usual city buzz. A wall of ivy framed the entrance, and soft golden lights cast a warm glow across polished tables inside. As I walked in, I spotted Leo immediately.

He rose from his seat, his eyes lighting up when he saw me. "Ella."

"Leo," I greeted, feeling a bit breathless under the weight of his gaze.

"You look stunning," he said, stepping closer. His cologne lingered subtly between us—fresh, woodsy, and impossibly magnetic.

"Thank you." I smiled, my heart beating faster. "You clean up well yourself."

"Gotta impress, right?" he teased, pulling out a chair for me.

Once seated, conversation flowed easily between us. Leo was charming without being overbearing, his questions thoughtful rather than invasive. He had a way of making me feel at ease, even when my guard instinctively wanted to stay up.

"So, Zack," Leo said casually after a while. "He's a big part of your life, huh?"

I paused, caught off guard by the mention. "Yeah. We've been friends since college. He's practically family at this point."

"Family, huh?" Leo's brow lifted slightly, but his tone remained neutral. "Doesn't seem like he's just a friend to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Nothing bad." He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "Just that guys like Zack don't stay indifferent to women like you for long."

I laughed lightly. "Trust me, Zack and I have always been friends—nothing more."

"If you say so." His smirk lingered, but he didn't push the subject further.

We shifted the conversation back to lighter topics—work, travel, favorite movies—and the evening passed in a blur of laughter and shared stories. With each passing moment, I felt the tension of my past melt away, replaced by something unfamiliar and exciting.

After dinner, Leo suggested a walk through a nearby garden lined with flickering lanterns. The crisp night air wrapped around us as we strolled side by side, comfortable silence settling between our words.

"I'm glad we did this," I admitted softly.

"Me too." Leo glanced at me, his expression unreadable for a moment before softening. "You're different, Ella."

"Different how?"

"In a good way," he clarified. "You've got this strength about you, but it's like you're still holding part of yourself back."

His words struck deeper than I wanted to admit. "We've all got walls, right?"

"True." He smiled. "But I'm patient. I'll wait to see what's behind yours."

The air between us thickened, charged with something both thrilling and terrifying.

Before I could respond, Leo stopped walking and turned to face me fully. "Ella, I know this is only our second date, but I want to be clear—I'm not here to play games. I want to get to know you, for real."

His honesty hit me straight in the chest. After years of being invisible to Zack, hearing someone express genuine interest in me felt foreign—dangerously so.

"I appreciate that," I said sincerely. "And I want the same."

The distance between us shrank, and my breath caught as Leo's hand brushed mine. The quiet hum of the city faded into the background as his fingers intertwined gently with mine.

His voice was low and soft when he spoke again. "Can I kiss you?"

The vulnerability in the question left me breathless.

"Yes," I whispered.

Leo leaned in, his lips brushing against mine with a tenderness that made my heart stutter. It wasn't rushed or overwhelming—it was deliberate, like he wanted to savor every second of this moment.

When we pulled back, my chest felt light yet full, the weight of the past momentarily forgotten.

"Definitely worth waiting for," he murmured, his forehead resting against mine.

I laughed softly. "You think so?"

"I know so."

As we stood there under the stars, I realized something: with Leo, I could let go of the shadows that haunted me—even if just for a little while.

Back home, I replayed the evening in my mind, unable to stop the smile tugging at my lips. But my phone buzzed on the bedside table, snapping me back to reality.

It was a message from Zack:

"Can we talk? I need to see you."

I stared at the text, torn between the rush of my evening with Leo and the tangled emotions Zack always stirred.

Whatever Zack wanted to say, I had a feeling it wouldn't be simple.