Chapter Seis :)

Leon's hand cradled my cheek, his thumb tracing my jaw, and the kiss deepened. Our breaths mingled, warmth surging between us, hearts pounding in sync. Time stretched and contracted, the kiss turning from hesitant to something more desperate, more real. When we pulled apart, I got up immediately, rushing back to Emma's room silently, leaving Leon in the dark. I lay down, thinking about the kiss I just had, touching my lips to remember his on mine. I cannot tell Emma about this—she is going to be sooo pissed. It's bad because I liked it. Ughhh.

The next morning, I received a text from Xavier saying he would pick me up at noon. I went to get ready, got changed, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. I greeted Emma's parents as they relaxed in the living room, then started looking for cereal in the cupboards. I tried to get it, but it was too far for me to reach.

Leon walked into the kitchen and saw me struggling. "Do you need help?" he asked. "Yes, please," I replied. He came close to me and grabbed the Frosties. I turned around, accidentally facing him. I grabbed the cereal box and went to the counter to prepare my food. I sat down at the dining table. Leon is making things hard for me. Ughh. I watched TikTok for an hour, then Xavier called me to come out. I greeted Emma's parents and Leon goodbye. "Make sure you get back home early," said Leon.

I rushed to Xavier's car, and it was so cool. He had one of those convertible cars with mad spray painting designs and all. "Hi, are you ready to watch the best skater you have ever seen?" Xavier said. "Obviouslyyyyy! I want to see who you truly are inside and out," I said.

Xavier started to drive off. I put some Frank Ocean on the music player, and we jammed until we got to the national skate park. Xavier parked the car, then came to my side to open the door. He grabbed his skateboard and walked toward the board where they skated. I went to sit on one of the benches and watched Xavier and different people skate for fun. It looked so amazing, seeing Xavier's hair fly up with the wind and his body moving like a bird in the heavenly sky. I grabbed my phone out of my bag and recorded him for a minute or two. Actually, it was 30 minutes. Lol.

Xavier came out and walked over to me. "Do you want to try skating?" he asked. "Uhh, sure, I guess," I replied. Xavier grabbed my hand and took me to the board. Can't lie—I was fidgeting when he suddenly grabbed my hand. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long golden streaks across the pavement as Xavier dropped his skateboard onto the smooth wood. "I don't know about this," I muttered, kicking at the ground with my sneaker. Xavier grinned, flipping his board up with the tip of his foot. "Come on, it's not that hard. You just have to trust yourself. And me."

"Fine. But if I fall, I'm taking you down with me," I said. Xavier laughed. "Deal." He stepped behind me, steadying the skateboard with his foot. "Okay, first things first. Put your front foot here, right over the bolts." I hesitated but did as he said. "Now, push off with your back foot and place it on the tail." I wobbled as I tried to follow his instructions, arms flailing slightly. Xavier reached out instinctively, grabbing my wrist before I could tip over. "Easy," he said, his voice calm. "Bend your knees a little. It helps with balance." I did, and the board rolled forward a few inches. My eyes widened. "I moved!"

Xavier chuckled. "Yeah, that's kind of the point." "Heyyy, you did not have to say that," I said. He let go, walking beside me as I coasted forward. I started to gain confidence, thinking I could do it—until I had a subtle foreshadowing. A tiny crack in the pavement sent the board jerking slightly, and I yelped, windmilling my arms. Before I could hit the ground, Xavier caught me. "I got you," he said with his sexy voice, holding me steady. I laughed breathlessly. "I think that's enough excitement for today." "I wish someone recorded that, though. Your reaction was quite funny," Xavier said.

"Ahh, so you like seeing me hurt? What did I do to deserve such hate?" I said dramatically. Xavier rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to drop you off on the ground?" "Fine, sorry. Hmph," I said. Xavier chuckled. "Are you hungry? I think we should eat at Lorinax Café, the new café around here," he said. "Uhh, sure, let's go try it out," I replied. Xavier skated back to the car while I walked. He dropped his skateboard in the back seat and opened the door for me. I got in the car and put on my seatbelt. Xavier got in and started to drive.

I got a text from Leon saying, How's your date going? I sent him a reply: It's going well, thanks for asking—with a rolling-eye emoji. Xavier looked at me and said, "Your smile looks cute." Not me blushing at another person's message during a date. "Ohhh, thank you," I said, blushing. "We are hereee," said Xavier. I got out of the car, went to his side, and held his hand. "Wow, so you are craving my touch now?" he asked. I removed my hand, but then he grabbed it back. "AWESOMEEEE." We entered the café. It looked like an earthy cottage—so cutesy and all. I rushed to the counter and asked for the menu. IT WAS SO FREAKING CUTE!!!! I asked for a club sandwich and a matcha latte, then looked at Xavier. "What would you like to eat?" "Uhh, I think I'll take a club sandwich and a chocolate milkshake," Xavier said.

We walked and sat at our table. I tapped my fingers against the wooden table, glancing around the cozy café. The warm scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries filled the air, making my stomach rumble. Across from me, Xavier leaned back in his chair, absentmindedly flipping his skateboard keychain between his fingers. "You skate like it's second nature," I said, watching him. "How long have you been doing it?"

Xavier smirked, resting his elbow on the table. "Since I was thirteen. My older brother got me into it. He used to take me to the skatepark every weekend, and I'd just wipe out over and over again." He chuckled at the memory. "But once I finally landed my first trick, I was hooked." I smiled. "That explains why you look like you belong in the air half the time."

Xavier laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, it's just a lot of practice. And falling. A lot of falling." I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand. "What was your worst fall?" His expression turned thoughtful. "Probably when I tried to grind a rail downtown. I slipped, hit my shin on the metal, and rolled down five stairs. Ended up with a bruised rib and a cut on my forehead." I winced. "Ouch. That sounds awful."

"It was," he admitted, rubbing his jaw. "But I got back up the next day and tried again." I arched an eyebrow. "And?" Xavier grinned. "I nailed it." I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing. "Of course you did." He tilted his head, watching me curiously. "What about you? Any hobbies?" I hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing as cool as skating. I like painting and music, I guess." Xavier's eyes lit up. "That's dope. What do you paint and listen to?"

"Mostly landscapes. Sunsets, forests, the ocean—stuff like that, and when it comes to music, uhh Lana Del Ray, Tyler The Creator, etc." "It just… feels peaceful when I am in my art zone." Xavier nodded. "I get that. Skating kinda does the same for me. Everything else just fades when I'm on the board." For a moment, we just sat there, the conversation settling into a comfortable quiet. Then, Xavier smirked. "So, are you gonna paint me doing a kickflip over a sunset or what?" I laughed. "That sounds like the most dramatic thing ever."

"Exactly," he said, grinning. "It'd be legendary." Before I could respond, the waiter arrived, placing our food in front of us. My matcha latte was steaming, and the club sandwich looked way bigger than I expected. "Alright," Xavier said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's see if this place lives up to the hype." I picked up my sandwich and took a bite, humming in approval. "Mmm. Okay, this is amazing." Xavier took a sip of his chocolate milkshake, then nodded in approval. "Alright, Lorinax Café, you win this round." I giggled, watching as he happily devoured his sandwich.