i was a heavy heart to carry

“Ick, I’m sorry for that. I know it’s not fun to deal with.” he said with a small smile before shaking his head, “No, no, we haven’t spoken in … three years now. Until then. Last time I saw them some … pretty harsh words were said. Well, on my mother’s end. Dad didn’t say much other then ‘Ellen!’.” he explained, changing his voice at the end to a deeper, slightly snappy tone. “But I cut off contact after that.”

“Uh–” He paused, looking at her for a long second, almost taken aback. She was adamant about them being just done. He’d remembered the last thing she said to him clear as day, well, the whole concept of it anyways. One last kiss, a clean ending, that was that. Dinner now? He didn’t know why she’d want to. “Sure.” He finally said, “but only if you let me change,” he looked down at his clothes, clearly still in his principal duds, “and if you let me get my truck. Walking to work today was the worst idea I’ve had in ages.” 

He’d walked to the school from his house this morning. Thought the exercise and cool air would do him some good, but now, walking home, the whole idea of it sucked. He was tried and if he’d of drove, he would have been home in three minutes rather than fifteen. Hands in his pockets he was cursing his decisions, staring very much at the ground. However, hearing a familiar voice, he looked up. “Hey.” He said in return an easy smile finding it’s way on his face. “I might not have an answer, but shoot.” 

Leo worried for a moment that she’d actually thought he was being serious, but he decided against making a big deal of it, instead offering her a small smile as he simply said, “Okay.” Idly running a hand through his hair, he shrugged his response to her question. “Sometimes. The weekend are better. Christmas even more so… obviously,” he said with a soft laugh. “We have a few of those.” He nodded his head, and then led her over to where they were.

                   Ivy turned around, surprised by the words spoken by the other woman. “Are you sure?” She said, clearly not wanting to interrupt anything. In fact, Ivy felt bad just thinking about the possibility that she might have cut the phone call short. “I don’t want to interrupt your conversation,” she explained, “it’s totally fine, I will ask someone else.” 

                  Gaze watched her gaze shift, presumably to the wake of people, mourning summer break and standing in line for overpriced pizza. His green eyes, light under the streaming sun of glass ceilings followed, pinpointing the man in the red hat she was speaking of. Mason shrugged, narrowed his eyes slightly to gain a better look–– or so he attempted to, “I don’t know,” He began, “… Looks like a Red Socks hat, so, I guess they like Boston enough to spend thirty-dollars on a cap, which, makes me think of David Ortiz and a five-dollar podcast I listened to… Last year, over his ‘home run legacy’,” The blonde stated, pausing before he looked back over at her, a smile growing on his lips, his head beginning to shake, “… And I’m losin’ you, aren’t I?”

“I hope you’re not saying I look like a ghost — I know I’m pale now, but come on,” mused Leo with a gentle smile. He thanked her a moment later, getting to his feet once more as soon as the books were back on the shelf. “To be honest, it’s been pretty quiet in here today, kinda sad.” He shrugged. “What can I do for you?”

Dakota sighed, nodding her head in agreement, “I’m hoping so too, she seemed rather remorseful when she walked in for her daughter,” she mention, shrugging her shoulders. “It made me upset, she was a beautiful little girl.”

Gabriel had no intention of explaining the entirety of his story and how he ended up in this position. To be blunt, it was embarrassing enough as it was without the stranger becoming aware of all the details though her question was cause enough for some sort of explanation.

“I left the keys next to the register which is also next to my phone,” the dark haired man admitted as if it was some sort of wound to his ego. 

He shouldn’t have expected for the woman or anyone for that matter to help willingly without expecting anything in return, but he had. The surprise to her forwardness translated his demeanor and expression that distorted the features on his face. “All I’ve got to offer you is free pizza unless you’ll take a thank you as reward enough.” 

It was almost the end of the day. Thirty minutes and he could lock up and get out of here, relax on the couch and watch some TV. This time of year always drove him nuts. School books were the actual bane of his existence, especially so when it involved ordering them all and repeatedly having to go through the same process again and again, only to be faced with the same pissed off expression each time when you told them you didn’t have it. Home time couldn’t come soon enough.

He was just putting some stock back on one of the shelves when he heard the door go, a sigh escaping him as several books tumbled from the opposite end of where he’d put his. “Just give me a minute!” he called out.

“If you’re thinking about going in there, don’t,” the man voiced with evident disappointment as he stood just outside his uncle’s pizzeria. 

The sign clearly said open, yet through the murky glass windows, the establishment remained empty. Which some would think could have said more about the pizza than the stupidity of the owner’s nephew who had locked himself out, leaving the keys on the counter adjacent to the register.

 What could only make his mistake worse was the aroma of fresh pizza that wafted into the air. A clear indication that he had also left the ovens on, an alarming realization. “Are you skilled at breaking into places without actually breaking things to get into it?”

                  Green eyes seemingly turned a shade that rung a bit brighter washed over her expression, taking her smile into account as he offered one of his own, “You’re right,” He began, slightly shifting in his spot, “I still have the afternoon and the night is definitely young. I got possibilities,” The blonde huffed out a light laugh, tone at ease and his mood amused but placid. He shrugged, brows slightly rising, “–– I haven’t.” He answered earnestly, “… I mean, I make guesses, and I try and figure out why they’re here and where they’re goin’. But I don’t make up much,” He smiled, glancing around the crowded mall once again, “I’m not very creative, as you can see.”

“That last option is unfortunately much more likely. My mom adores the whole … high society Manhattan thing, and they’ve never actually wanted to spend time with me at all.” he said with a small sigh, “I don’t know. Maybe there was just some reason they decided to move back here, maybe they didn’t even know I was here at all.”

“Do you have a car?” Harlow asked immediately because she doubted that the girl would be any help if she didn’t. In fact, there wasn’t much she could even do if she didn’t flag someone down who had one. “I just need a jump, if you don’t mind.”

“But if they yell at me from home, I’d never hear them.” He shrugged, “unless I get caught on the street, and that might be more fun than getting recognized for just being wealthy.” It was more than that, but it was it it boiled down to.