the next day started quiet—too quiet. sara felt that strange heaviness again when she woke up, the kind that comes before something important happens. she tried to shake it off, but the memory of yesterday kept looping in her mind. that tiny shoulder touch. leo's hand almost brushing hers at the gate. his voice when he said "together."
she tried to act normal. failed instantly.
at school, sara placed her books in her locker, pretending to be invisible, but of course—impossible. leo leaned against the locker next to hers like he had been waiting there for hours.
"you're avoiding me again," he said, tone soft, not teasing this time.
"i'm… thinking," she muttered.
"about what?"
she swallowed. him. always him.
"stuff," she said.
"stuff?" he raised a brow. "sara, you think loud."
she rolled her eyes. "no i don't."
"yes you do. it's adorable."
that word—adorable—hit her chest too fast. she slammed her locker shut just to distract herself.
"stop talking like that," she mumbled.
"why? does it bother you?"
she wanted to scream "yes," but she didn't. instead, she walked away. he followed, steps slow, matching hers perfectly.
---
first break — hallway moment
sara's head was full. too full. every footstep felt heavy. she turned a corner and—boom—leo almost ran into her.
"you okay?" he asked, holding her elbows gently to steady her.
the touch was small, but it burned.
"i'm fine," she whispered.
"you're lying again."
"i'm ALLOWED to lie," she snapped.
"not to me," he said softly.
something in her chest twisted. she hated how he said it. she loved how he said it.
"leo, stop saying things that sound… important," she murmured.
"why? because you'll overthink it?"
her silence answered for her.
leo's expression softened, not smug, not teasing—just warm.
"sara," he whispered, "i'm not trying to confuse you."
"you ARE confusing me."
"okay," he said gently. "then let's slow down."
her eyes widened. "slow down?"
"yeah," he said. "you don't trust this yet. that's fine."
she looked away, embarrassed. "it's not that i don't trust you…"
"then what?"
she hesitated.
"i don't trust myself," she finally said, voice small.
leo froze.
"sara…" he whispered, "you don't have to be scared of yourself with me."
her chest tightened painfully. he didn't understand. or maybe he understood too well.
---
after school — the turning point
sara headed to the back gate instead of the front one, trying to avoid the moment where they walk together again. too many butterflies. too much pressure. too much everything.
but leo found her anyway.
"you really tried to escape," he said, slightly breathless, like he ran.
"no," she lied badly.
"sara," he said, stepping in front of her, blocking her path—not forcefully, just waiting. "look at me."
she shook her head.
"sara."
slowly, she lifted her eyes. his expression wasn't playful. it wasn't teasing. it wasn't even flirty.
it was honest.
raw.
soft.
careful.
"i need to ask you something," he said quietly.
her heart slammed against her ribs. "what?"
"yesterday… when i said we handle this together… did that scare you?"
she nodded once, barely.
"why?" he asked.
she swallowed. "because… because i don't know what this IS."
leo stepped one inch closer. her breath hitched.
"sara," he whispered, "do you want me to back off?"
her eyes widened. panic rose immediately.
"no," she said too fast.
he froze—soft shock, soft smile.
"okay," he whispered. "then… can i tell you something?"
she nodded, afraid to breathe.
leo leaned slightly, just enough so only she could hear.
"i'm starting to like you in a way that's not… normal."
her heart stopped.
"leo…"
"you don't have to say anything," he said quickly. "you're not ready. i get it. but i need you to know—i'm here. i'm not going anywhere."
she stared at him, eyes wide, lips parted, pulse racing.
she almost said it.
almost.
"i…"
the word stuck.
her throat closed.
leo saw. he stepped back gently.
"don't force it," he said, voice soft. "when you're ready… i'll hear it."
her chest burned. her hands shook. but for the first time, she didn't run.
instead, she whispered, voice trembling:
"don't stop being here."
leo's breath caught.
his eyes softened like melted gold.
"never."
they didn't touch. they didn't hug. they didn't kiss.
but something HUGE shifted.
something they both felt.
something that wasn't going backwards anymore.