Why she was at Leoâs door at the hotel they were currently at, she didnât know. Kara didnât know what in the world made her think it was a good idea to bother him. They had all had a long enough day after burying Dashiel. But like gravity, her feet seemed to be moving without her permission, guiding her in the direction to where Leo was. Sure she and Dash werenât best friends but they were still pretty close, as he was to the rest of the red band society. He was a vital part of the group. And while Kara knew Emma was in the same hotel as them, she had heard from a source or two that she was engaged. And Kara had alcohol. So she was better company by far.Â
Why she felt the need to rehearse what she was going to say was baffling to her. It was Leo fucking Roth. They were friends, the type of joke around and complain about their shitty problems to each other, so she shouldnât be so nervous. But for some reason all throughout the funeral and the speeches and the crying, the only person the blonde could think about was HIM. and how you had to tell people how you felt as soon as possible or it could be too late. it was too late for Dash to live his life the right way, the universe and his shitty illness took care of that, but it wasnât too late for her to start living her life the way she wanted. or with the person she wanted. so here she was knocking on his door at god knows what time at night.Â
It wasnât a secret she had choosen to stay single after Hunterâs death. Aside from a few not serious relationships, nothing much was happening for her at the moment. Leo was the only constant male in her life. Maybe for a reason. All the guys she hooked up with threw that word around. LOVE. it made her angry. she only loved one other guy and he was dead. maybe telling Leo wouldnât be such a good idea. Her fragile heart couldnât take much more disappointment after all. && YET.Â
âAll I want to be is a person who says âI love youâ and really mean itâŚâÂ
Why she blurted that out the second he opened the door, she didnât know. And why a smile appeared on her face the second she saw his face, she didnât know either. Itâs like she didnât have control over emotions anymore. But the words were out now. No going back on that statement. I love you. Iâm in love with you. I love you, I love you, I love you. why was it so easy to admit in her head ??
Out of the corner of blue hues, she spotted a figure. Still brunette and skinny as ever, even though Emma looked far more healthy than the last time Kara saw her. Emma was here, already comforting Leo probably.Â
âEmma. Iâm sorry I didnât know I was interrupting anything.â Her voice betrayed her and shook with each word, the grip she had on the bottle of vodka she was holding tightened, as if it would slip out of her hands and crash at any second. NO. Leo and Emma would not have the pleasure of seeing her b r e a k. not in this lifetime. Â
âI should go.â Yet her feet remained frozen as she finally met Leoâs eyes again. âIâm sorry.â
Without any real thought, Leo closed the door behind him. And he slowly turned his back toward the door, facing Emma as she looked upon him with pleading eyes. But this time, it was different. She wasnât pleading for his help, but... Was she telling him to help himself? Leo couldnât figure out what this feeling was in his chest. It was strangely... NUMB.
Emmaâs lips were moving. She was saying something to him, but he couldnât hear her. THUMP, THUMP, THUMPÂ went his heart. The lub-dub was so loud, it was deafening. Run after her, you idiot, Leo scolded himself. Youâre closing the door one something good. Again. Why? Because youâre fucking scared.
Emma could see the worry in his eyes. He held all the tension in his shoulders, and his hands lay limp by his sides. She slowly made his way up to Leo. Now, why was an engaged woman standing, staying in the same room as her past lover? The man, who she once thought, who she was going to spend the rest of her life with. This man who deserved all the love she learned to find on her own. Emma learned to love herself, and truly love another man who made her world spin. It was strange. The world wasnât spinning in the room. They somehow made everything stop by being together; together they stopped time and growth and love.
Emma stood on her tippy toes to kiss Leo on the cheek.
He snapped back to reality. âIâm sorry, Emma,â he repeated.
She turned back up to him, and this time, they shared a tender kiss. A real kiss. There they held each other, and felt all the pain, all the tension, and all their past envelope them. It was a passionate kiss. It was a sad kiss.
âGo to her, Leo,â Emma whispered, pulling away for the final time. âIâm happy.â
Here Leo stood with the love of his life melting in his arms, but he hated to remain stagnant. If he did, he was as good as dead. And Dash wasnât quite ready to hang out with him just yet. âI love you, Emma.â
âI love you too, Leo. Now... Go to her.â
The world doesnât stop turning for anyone. And within these past seven minutes, the two lost their control. Hereâs to the future.