the next day started like it had been written weeks ago—same sunlight, same busyness, same predictable school noise. but for sara, nothing felt predictable anymore.
because now she knew how it felt when leo looked at her like that.
and she knew how it felt to look back.
she walked through the school courtyard, trying not to look like she was searching for him… even though she was absolutely doing that.
and of course—
he found her first.
"morning," he said from behind her.
she turned, and wow, her brain did that annoying glitchy thing again. "you're early."
"you keep saying that," he said, smirking. "maybe i just like being here before you."
"why?"
"do you really want me to say it out loud?" he asked, raising a brow.
she rolled her eyes quickly and walked away before he made her heart fall out of her chest. but he caught up in two steps, falling into rhythm beside her like he'd been doing it forever.
they entered class together.
her classmates noticed.
of course they noticed.
whispers curled around the room like smoke.
sara felt her cheeks warm, but leo?
he sat beside her again like he owned the seat.
like her being next to him was the most natural thing in the universe.
---
the classroom shift
mr. fernandez started writing notes on the board, and everyone settled down.
almost everyone.
leo leaned a tiny bit closer and whispered, "you're staring at the board but not absorbing a single thing."
she blinked. "don't act like you know everything."
he grinned. "i know you."
her heart did a weird flip. "no you don't."
"i do," he whispered. "you tap your pen when you're nervous. you hold your breath when you're annoyed. and you're doing both."
sara froze, pen between her fingers.
she inhaled sharply.
leo just smiled like he'd caught her in high resolution.
"stop observing me," she whispered.
"can't," he said softly. "it's becoming a habit."
she swallowed hard and forced her eyes to the board, but she could feel him still watching her. not in a creepy way. in a familiar, steady, "i'm-here" way that made her chest warm.
---
lunch break — everyone sees what they won't admit
when the lunch bell rang, sara tried walking a bit faster so she could calm down before he caught up.
leo did not allow this plan to succeed.
he literally jogged to catch up with her. "slow down. it looks like you're running away from me."
"i'm not."
"you are," he said, laughing under his breath. "you're cute when you do that."
she glared. "stop calling me cute."
"okay," he said, leaning slightly closer. "you're beautiful instead."
her brain crashed.
she nearly dropped her lunch box.
leo laughed as she choked on air. "why do you react like I'm committing a crime every time I compliment you?"
"because you—you just—" ugh. words. impossible.
"use your words, sara," he teased.
she shoved him lightly with her shoulder, which only made him laugh more.
they sat under their usual tree—this time closer than yesterday, which was closer than the day before. every chapter bringing them a little more gravity.
leo watched her open her food.
then he said, "you didn't answer me yesterday, you know."
she froze.
"answer what?"
"i said you weren't pretending anymore," leo replied. "and i asked if you were scared of… us."
her heart thudded.
she looked down at her food.
finally, she whispered, "i'm scared of what's happening… but i don't want it to stop."
leo stilled.
and for a moment, the whole courtyard felt quiet.
"good," he said softly.
she peeked up, confused. "why good?"
"because i don't want it to stop either."
the air thickened in a way that made her feel like she couldn't breathe properly.
leo shifted closer—just a small movement, but enough.
"sara," he said quietly, "can i ask you something?"
"what…?"
"do you trust me?"
her breath caught.
he wasn't teasing.
not smirking.
not being dramatic.
just real.
so real she couldn't hide.
"yes," she whispered.
his eyes softened with something she couldn't name but felt deeply.
---
after school — the unexpected interruption
the school bell rang, snapping them both back to reality.
their walk home was quieter than yesterday, but not awkward. just full. loaded. like one small push could spill everything.
they reached the usual split in the road.
leo stopped.
sara stopped.
their eyes met.
"so…" she said, voice softer than she intended.
he stepped closer. "so."
"same time tomorrow?" she whispered.
leo shook his head.
her heart dropped for a second—until he said, "wait."
she blinked.
"wait…?" she repeated.
"yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "i'm walking you further today."
her heart jumped. "why?"
"because i feel like it," he said simply.
they walked a few more minutes down her road, the silence warm and kind of charged.
that's when it happened—
someone called out from behind them.
sara turned.
leo turned.
it was a boy from their class—nivan—breathless, holding something.
"sara—!" he called. "you dropped this in class."
he handed her a notebook.
she thanked him.
but leo?
leo's jaw tightened.
only a little.
just enough for sara to notice.
nivan gave her a smile. "see you tomorrow."
leo didn't say a word.
they watched nivan walk away.
the air shifted again—different now. sharp around the edges.
sara blinked. "you okay?"
leo looked at her, eyes unreadable for a moment.
then he said, "yeah. just didn't like how he said your name."
her heart did a double flip.
"leo…"
he shrugged lightly. "what? i'm being honest."
she stared at him.
he stared back.
they were one breath away from something neither of them had the courage to define yet.
finally, he whispered, "go home safe, sara."
"you too."
he stepped back, eyes still on her until the very last second, then turned and walked away.
sara took a long breath.
something new had entered the story today.
something that looked suspiciously like jealousy.
and something that made everything even more real.