THINGS WE DON'T SAY OUT LOUD
They didn't kiss again.
That surprised Elliana.
Instead, Leon took her somewhere quiet—far from engines and neon lights. A small overlook above the city, where the noise faded into a distant hum and the night felt softer.
They sat side by side on the hood of his car, shoulders barely touching.
"This is where I come when my head gets too loud," Leon said.
Elliana looked out at the city lights. "My dad hates places like this. Says nothing good happens in the dark."
Leon gave a small smile. "He's not wrong."
Silence settled—not awkward, just careful. Like both of them were afraid that one wrong word might shatter something fragile.
"You don't talk much about yourself," Elliana said.
Leon shrugged. "There's not much worth saying."
She turned to him. "That's a lie."
He studied her face for a long moment, then looked away. "What about you?"
Elliana hesitated. She hadn't planned to talk about it. She rarely did.
"My mom died three years ago," she said quietly.
Leon went still.
"It was a car accident," Elliana continued, voice steady but thin. "Late night. Wrong place, wrong time."
Leon's hands clenched at his sides.
"She was coming home," Elliana said. "I was supposed to go with her, but I stayed back. We argued. I slammed my door."
Her throat tightened. "I never said goodbye."
Leon swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."
"She loved driving," Elliana went on, staring at the lights below so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Music loud. Windows down. I think that's why I hate sirens so much."
Leon closed his eyes briefly.
"My dad never talks about that night," she said. "He just… changed. Became stricter. Colder. Like if he controlled everything, nothing else bad would happen."
She finally looked at Leon. "Sometimes I feel like I'm still stuck in that moment. Waiting for her to come back."
Leon's voice was low. "You don't deserve that weight."
Elliana gave a sad smile. "Tell my heart that."
Leon shifted closer—careful, respectful. "Your mom sounded brave."
"She was," Elliana whispered. "I wish you'd met her."
The words hit Leon like a blow.
He didn't respond right away. When he did, his voice was rough. "Some moments change everything. Even if you don't mean for them to."
Elliana nodded. "I think that's what scares me about you."
He met her eyes. "Why?"
"Because being around you feels like standing right before another moment like that."
Leon looked away, jaw tight. He wanted to tell her. Wanted to tear the truth out of himself and lay it bare.
But he didn't.
Not yet.
Instead, he said softly, "If I could change the past… I would."
Elliana reached for his hand without thinking. He froze—then slowly let his fingers intertwine with hers.
For the first time, they weren't running. They weren't hiding. They weren't pretending to be anything else.
Just two broken people, sharing a quiet truth under the city lights.
And somewhere deep inside Leon, guilt settled heavier than ever.
Because the girl trusting him with her pain had no idea he was part of it.
And when the truth came out, it wouldn't just hurt.
It would destroy them both.