Felicity stared at her phone, watching snaps from her streaks and stories roll in from Charity and her friends. She had made excuses earlier about having too much school work and deadlines whys he couldn't follow them to leave school, now they were off to an overnight party.
She had no desire to be caught up in their chaos tonight. Let them have their fun, she told herself. She had other priorities—and other people to think about.
"Felicity, you're really going to sit here and do homework while we're turning up?" Mope teased, peeking over her shoulder. Anjola and the others were buzzing around in the background of the phone call, clearly excited for the night ahead.
"I have a ton of stuff to get done," Felicity replied, forcing a shrug. She wasn't lying: she did have work waiting. But mostly, she wanted to stay away from Charity and the potential complications of being too close to her chaos.
Charity rolled her eyes at her. "Fine, nerd. Don't let fun pass you by." And with that, she was off with the rest of the group, leaving Felicity behind.
Meanwhile, across town, Leon slouched on his couch, phone buzzing continuously. He picked it up and froze. Snap after snap were videos of Charity, Mope and their friends spraying money, dancing, and laughing like the world belonged to them. She was right in the center, confident and untouchable.
Without thinking, he typed, fingers flying across the screen: So this is what you're out here doing?"
Charity read it almost immediately. The possessiveness in is tone gave her a mixed feeling, happy that she was finally wanted but insulted that he thought it he could just so easily come back and feel entitled enough to say that when he was the one that ended things. But that didn't matter. The important thing was that he cared. That much was clear.
Her mind was telling her "Don't falter. Not now" but that pull to Leon she couldn't resist.
Heart racing, she tapped her location and shared it with him. I'm leaving. I'll come to you. Now.
A moment later, she rose from the couch where she, Mope and the others were gathered and announced she had to head out.
"Were are you running of to?" Mope asked.
"I need to meet Leon. I'll tell you about it later." She replied.
Mope blinked, momentarily thrown. "But I thought….never mind" she muttered, not nearly as shocked as she pretended to be.
A guy quickly walked up to her. "You're heading out already?" he asked casually, with a small grin.
"Yeah" she said quickly, keeping her voice calm.
The boy leaned closer, a teasing glint in his eyes. "We could keep the party going, just us."
Charity laughed. "You? You really think I would consider you? Like I'm that easy. Get out of my face."
The boy blinked, stunned. Her tone hit harder than expected. He straightened up, rubbing the back of his neck as a few people glanced over. With his ego bruised and nowhere to put the embarrassment, he just muttered "aright, cool" and stepped back into the crowd
Charity had already ordered a ride and sent the details as well to Leon. "Bye girls" she called over her shoulder as she slipped outside and got into the waiting cab.
When she reached his place and pressed the doorbell, Leon opened the door with a careless flick of his hand, still carrying the same quiet irritation she knew was about the party. He didn't say a word, just turned and walked back to the couch, picking up his controller as if she hadn't spent the whole ride coming to see him.
"So that's how you're welcoming me?" Charity asked, shutting the door behind her.
"Especially when you haven't seen me in a while."
Leon glanced at her for a brief second before returning his eyes to the screen.
"Why are you even mad?" she continued. "I went with my girls, I wasn't entertaining anyone. And honestly…" her voice thinned with unspoken truths.
"I don't like you in that environment." He said finally. "You need to be safe."
"Well I was, you don't need to worry about me."
"Oh, I don't?" he echoed, arching a brow.
She hesitated. "Well…."
"Exactly" he said quietly. "That's why you're here right now."
"I just wanted to be with you tonight" she admitted, softer now.
"Okay" he said. "Then stay. It's fine. Nothing else matters right now."
She crossed the room and settled besides him on the couch, letting her body sink into the cushions. For the first time in the past hour, she could finally breathe. Leaning back—she watched him play—calm, focused, unbothered by everything swirling between them.
There was something about the way he looked in that moment that made everything feel even more tangled. A little wrong. A little too comforting. Both truths settling in her chest at once.
Tonight wasn't the time to start stressing or digging into anything deep. Charity knew she wasn't ready for that conversation yet. Just being around Leon again, feeling him acknowledge her—even a little—was something she'd missed more than she'd like to admit.
A small slipped out before she caught it. Everything from earlier—the music, the chaos, the boy that had approached her—felt distant now.
Right here besides Leon…yeah, this was where she wanted to be tonight.