You Plus Me Equals - Chapter 24

It meant that the beautiful scenery he had enjoyed while holding Max’s hand under the moonlight was over.

That it would be a magical memory for him, and probably him alone, he was almost one hundred percent sure that the walk back was only picturesque to him.

At first, Leo had thought he was fine. That Max had just been telling him that he had been a little scared, which was normal. But Leo found himself worrying the longer that Max was silent. ‘Was Max okay? Did he have a phobia? Had he done something to make it worse? Should he have said something more comforting back there?’

Leo let go of Max’s hand and it fell away from his own easily.

Leo felt a smidgen of disappointment that he hadn’t even tried to hold onto him.

‘Was that it? Was he scared? Or maybe regretting the kiss? Was the magic gone and now he regretted everything? Now that they were not in a stressful adrenaline situation. Leo had seen how crazy being in adrenaline situations could make people on TV. ‘It wasn’t any different in the real world. So was that all just a result of the fear talking?’

Leo wanted to ask him but didn’t have the guts. He stared at Max but Max was walking to the driver’s side of the vehicle completely ignoring Leo, or unaware of Leo being there.

He opened the car door and got inside.

Leo watched as Max stared at him through the front of the car window for a moment. His face twisted in agony before he sighed and it all seemed to disappear. As if he had just taken his emotions and shoved them deep down to where they couldn’t bother him anymore. And instead plastered a small smile on his face.

Leo watched as Max opened the door, got in then started the car and without a word backed the car up and headed down the road back towards the school.

They drove back in silence again. Leo knew he was a fairly shy person, and the silence, he had carried around him like a little cocoon was normally very nice. Almost perfect for his needs.

But he had never felt so nervous and covered in pins and needles before. He never thought he could meet a silence that would feel uncomfortable for him.

He had found one. Oh, most definitely. He had found one that made him want to crawl and hide. ‘Car driving silences on a date. Those were now one of his least favorite things.’

Because even though he wanted to break the silence that just wasn’t how he was. So the drive consisted of him staring down at the little white bear with the blue bow and Max watching the road, not saying a word to him.

The campus came into view far too soon, but still far too long after they had started their journey back.

Far too soon because it meant Max would leave him, and he didn’t want him to go. But far too long a time, because the silence and uncomfortable unspoken thoughts seemed to mean only one thing the more he thought about it. And he had over forty minutes to think about it.

‘Max was regretting it.’ That’s all Leo could think.

Leo gulped nervously into the slightly cool air in the vehicle. A small shiver worked its way across Leo’s skin as he waited for Max to say anything. Max turned the car off but pressed a few buttons and Leo felt as warm air blasted gently against his skin warming him up and causing his shivers to cease. Leo looked up and out the front window and noticed Max had chosen to park near Leo’s dorm rather than his own dorm room.

He felt grateful that Max had been so kind as to drop him off first, as Leo’s legs were so tired he didn’t think he could walk very far at all. Especially since he felt like he was being weighed down by his own heart and feelings now. And the air had been steadily growing slightly more chilly as the night went on.

Leo unbuckled his seat belt and put his hand on the door handle. ‘The sooner he left Max, the better he was sure Max would feel,’ he had convinced himself of it now.

He felt like he needed to run away. To turn invisible.

“Leo,” Max’s voice said softly startling him out of his deprecate, lament inside his head.

“Can I kiss you again?”

Leo froze, hand on the car handle and turned his head to the side to stare at Max shocked.

Leo’s mind was racing a million thoughts crashing together in his head. But his heart thumped almost unbearably against his chest as they both stared at each other. Leo’s eyes searched for the insincerity, searched for the pity. The mocking, for any sign this might not be real.

But there was nothing but worry and desire in the big dark eyes that searched his own. It felt like they had been making eye contact for an eternity, but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. And Leo wondered how this moment could feel so hopelessly, mind-crushingly intense.

A popular saying popped into Leo’s mind

‘It only takes three seconds to fall in love.’

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