Eye of the Storm

Chapter 26

“Hey Esme, how’s things?” Alexia asks, walking up to me.
“Same old,” I reply, smiling a little. She’s always been like an older sister to me, being Lorenzo’s age. I guess you could say they had the relationship Ethan and I had, until now. Seems like they went very different ways. Alexia turns to Leo.
“Leonardo, right?” he nods in response. It’s strange. With me, the word shy wouldn’t even cross my mind but when I see him with people he doesn’t know too well he seems to shut down. I can’t really say anything though because I can’t say I’m any different. “Anyway, Esme, can we have a chat?”

I nod and follow her out. She leads me down the hall and I have to try my best to ignore the screams and cries of the mental ward. Lorenzo assures me it's not always like this. I've always wanted to be closer to Alexia but never had the chance, so maybe I should seize this opportunity.
"What'd you want to talk about?" I ask as we walk out the security doors and into a waiting room of sorts.
"It's Lorenzo..." she turns to me, sitting down, signalling for me to do the same. I plant myself down next to her. I don't know what I was expecting but now I can feel anxiety creeping through my veins. She looks... sad. Her expression forces me to the edge of my seat.
"Yeah?" she shakes her head, as if tossing away her worries, placing a fake smile across her face. It's odd to see Alexia upset. Perhaps she's afraid of being vulnerable, or perhaps someone has taken advantage of that.
"Don't tell me you can't see it... that look in his eyes?" she stares into me, saying it as if it's obvious.
"What look?" I try to flip back to seeing Lorenzo, to his face. It seemed happy, if anything.
"Esme... I'm scared," her smile falters and for a split second you can see right through her. You can see all of the fear and sadness in her wide brown eyes, but it's gone as soon as it appeared as her long lashes sweep over her eyes and her smile returns. Scared?

Alexia and I went back to see Lorenzo before Leo and I said goodbye and left them alone for the evening.
"They're pretty cute," Leo says, grabbing my hand as we walk along the sand.
"Oh god, they're adorable," I laugh a little, glad to hear that he's laughing back.
"Not as adorable as you, though," he whispers into my ear, before reeling his head back and flashing a cheesy smile. I don't know why something so stupid made me smile so much but before I know it, I'm chasing Leo down the sand, towards the beach, laughing as I desperately try to whack him over his stupidly handsome head. It's so bizarre, that despite everything, this man can make me feel like magic. It shouldn't be possible, yet here we are.

We chase each other around the water's edge where the waves clap against the sand and the sun slowly drops towards the horizon. Leo and I flop down into the soft sand, giggles still tumbling out. The cold wind prickles my skin, making me tug my hoodie further down my arms.
"Cold?" Leo asks. I smile up at him, raising an eyebrow.
"You're not?" Summer is coming to an end and the cold Autumn wind has come along. He shakes his head, placing his hand under my chin and bringing my ear up to his lips.
"Weakling," his warm breath tickles my skin, but I have no time to appreciate it as my hand thumps his head downwards. He chuckles, looking back up at me. "You know I'm kidding, Ez," his long arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me into him. "You're the strongest person I know."

We sit in the sand, watching as the sun slowly disappears, casting an orange glow.
"When's your family coming home?" Leo asks. Somehow through everything I completely forgot that they went out for the day. I shrug my shoulders.
"When are you going home?" I ask. Leo has kept himself away from his dorm and the hotel his mum is staying in. He looks at me, as if he himself doesn't know. Or doesn't want to think about it. "I can come with you, if you want," I offer, tracing my thumb over his palm softly. I've never been in the dorms before, never needed to. He nods slowly, before giving me a smile.
"Yeah... I'd like that," he leans further into me, filling my lungs with his scent. "A lot,"