This is awkward.

Leo is sitting across from me with his menu up, hiding his face. All I can see are his fingers clenching the sides while I'm leaning back into the booth, arms crossed and menu sitting on the table before me. I already know what I want because I get the same thing the majority of the time. Mom hates it.

I'm not sure if the atmosphere is better or worse when our waitress arrives. She smiles at us, takes our order and leaves but Leo keeps the menu up. I cock a brow. He does realize that's weird, right?

"You going to hide behind the menu all night?" I ask, grinning after watching his hands tighten on said menu. Slowly, he lowers it, revealing quivering blue eyes that leave me very confused and somewhat worried.

"Sorry," Leo says while sitting the menu aside. He rests his hands on the table, twisting his fingers together.

Silence seems to be our favorite past time, which is mostly my fault, I will easily take the blame for it. Leo can't seem to remember how to use his words while, let's be honest, I never learned to properly use mine. Music is playing in the restaurant, loud enough to hear but soft enough to speak. One would think it'd help the tension but it doesn't.

I'm confused on what Leo wants. Surely he asked me to go out to eat for a reason. There is the crazy idea that, possibly, he does have some sort of crush on me. Why and how? No fucking clue but his actions point at it as a possibility. Then there's the chance that isn't it and it leaves me baffled on what else it could be.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to hang out," Leo finally speaks up, hitting the nail right on the head.

"Sure am."

He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck nervously before sitting his hands atop the table again. Once more he's twiddling his thumbs, staring at the bread basket in front of us like it holds the answers to life. Hey, I love some bread and butter but I don't know if it can explain the fabric of the universe, even if you stare at it like that.

"The thing is, I've been seriously considering moving into the dorms for college."

That's shocking to hear and it must show on my face because Leo gives an anxious smile. I don't know why he's telling me this, maybe he needs someone to talk to? But he has a million and one friends so I don't get why I'm the one he's confiding in. Still, I feel this obligation to be a bit serious considering it is...y'know, serious.

"Why?" I ask when Leo doesn't give a reason. I can't think of one either. Leo moving out? Never thought that would happen, especially with how much his parents adore him.

Leo is hesitant to respond, now leaning forward with his arms crossed on the table. He isn't looking at me when he speaks, "I guess...because I'm naive enough to think everything will change in college."

I'm tempted to ask what he means by that but he cuts me off.

"How'd you do it, Micah?"

"Do what?"

"Come out."

Ah, now I get it. It's like someone has flicked on a light and all the answers have come flooding in. I suppose, it makes a little sense for Leo to come to me. He has openly gay friends but I wonder if he feels better asking someone a bit more out of the loop for an honest opinion and, well, I am pretty honest.

"Well, I walked up to my mother and said I like dick."

Leo purses his lips until he sees me smirk. Ok, ok, I'll try to be serious but he best be paying for my meal then because this shit is exhausting. Shaking my head, I shrug and try to give a better response, "In all honesty, I simply don't give a damn what others think of me. I am who I am, being gay is one tiny fraction of myself and, if someone doesn't like that, then they can fuck off. I'm not going to lie about it."

I'm not sure what else to add to it because it's as simple as that for me. I know others don't see it as being that easy. It's definitely not easy. They're scared, scared of what or who they will lose, which is understandable. It's not as if I wasn't scared when I came out to mom and Beckett but I thought, if they did leave me, then isn't that for the best? I don't need those sort of people in my life. I'm sure it would have hurt but, in the long run, it would have been better for me. I knew I could find a way to get through it because that's just who I am.

For whatever reason, Leo chuckles. It doesn't sound amused, something along the lines of sad. Perhaps he expected a different answer but there's not much more I can give. I'm not all that great at comforting people. However, after a shake of his head, Leo looks at me with this unreadable expression that sends chills down my spine.

"You're pretty amazing, you know that?"

"Yes but, what makes you say that?"

"You're never scared to be yourself."

Well, I guess that's true in a way. I haven't exactly told anyone about my powers but, I choose not to mention that and, instead, shrug his words off.

"Then, do you plan to come out in college? Is that why you're thinking of living in the dorms, so your parents won't know?" I ask and, judging by the way his shoulders cave in on themselves, the answer is a solid yes.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" I ask.

Leo nods eagerly.

"Are you sure? Because I ain't sugar coating it."

Leo nods even more eagerly so I'm quick to give that brutally honest opinion, "That's stupid."

Leo gives me a wide-eyed look that only seems to get worse the more I speak.

"Lying to your loved ones, do you think that will make you or them happy?"

Leo doesn't have to give me a response. His expression is answer enough.

Crossing my arms, I lean back into the booth and firmly say, "Not to mention you aren't that far anyways. They're going to find out eventually so, and you'll be in college, in even more debt, maybe there's rumors and gossip so isn't it better if they find out the truth from you? I'm not saying it isn't completely terrifying but, you came to me because you want my opinion so I'm not going to be soft with you about it. What you're planning to do and the reasons you have for doing it, that's not solving the problem, it's just finding another way to run away from it."

I'm not sure what Leo expected to get from me. Perhaps he hoped I'd be more understanding, perhaps he thought I'd sit here for hours talking to him so I'm not sure if he's disappointed or not. Judging by the blank look on his face, he's not even sure if he's disappointed or not but I don't take back what I said. That is my honest opinion on the matter. If he didn't want to know the answer then he shouldn't have asked the question.

So, after a few minutes pass without a word, I start to grow a bit anxious. My fingers are tapping against my arms while my toes keep curling in my shoes. Leo's still staring at me with those big blue eyes that should be illegal until, finally, he smiles. I'm very confused as to why, even more so when he starts to chuckle until it turns into full blown laughter.

Oops, seems I've broken him.

Lifting up his hands, Leo hides himself behind them while his face grows red. I can only tell that by the fact that his ears now resemble red beacons. He could probably light up an airstrip, he's so red. Am I meant to say something or simply sit here until his sanity returns?

"Uh, have you lost it?" I ask after taking a sip of my drink.

"Maybe," Leo answers between his chuckles before peeking through his fingers at me. It's damn adorable and he best stop but, alas, he does not. "You're...pretty amazing."

"You already said that."

"I'm repeating it."

"I don't get why?"

Leo drops his hands, showing off a red face that's slowly simmering to a soft pink. Both colors look equally as good on him. With a shrug, he says nothing but continues to smile brightly. It's giving me a bit of a headache. He needs to be in those toothpaste commercials or some shit with a smile that bright.

Our conversation is put on hold by our food. The waitress sets it before us before walking off, leaving the two of us in a silence that, somehow, isn't awkward. We're eating our meal quietly, my eyes can't seem to stay off Leo for longer than a few seconds. He's still smiling from ear to ear and it's starting to freak me out but at the same time I really like it.

"Ok, the smiling is starting to creep me out. Aren't you going to say anything?" I ask, which earns me a teasing grin.

"I never thought you would try to get someone to speak with you."

"Funny, answer the fucking question."

Leo still grins regardless of my sass. Perhaps he does have a super power, the ability to stay chipper is something I do not possess.

"Don't most people smile when they're happy?"

"But yours is creepy."

Leo pouts and places a hand over his aching chest. "Ouch."

"We just had a pretty serious conversation and you haven't responded to my shit advice."

"It wasn't shit advice," Leo responds with a firm shake of his head. "I'm...grateful for it."

Yeah, he's insane, it's official. I'm about to voice this but Leo has more to say.

"You always speak your mind even if it's something others may not want to hear. I know I didn't want to hear that but I needed to. You're right, I'm just finding more ways to run away from the inevitable." Leo nods like he's somehow affirming that for himself. He looks to me with this sort of confidence that looks different than any I've seen before although I don't understand how. "I don't want to lie to myself or deceive the people I love because it won't make me happy. Losing them won't either but, I want to be like you."

"Like me?"

"Confident in who I am, no matter what others think."

I may think very highly of myself from time to time but I sure as hell never believed others felt the same, especially Leo. The way he's looking at me, I don't know how to explain, only that I love and hate it at the same time. There's part of me that wants to argue with him, he needs to look up to somehow much better than me but, at the same time, I want that look to only be directed at me.

I bite my lip and look to my food because I can't stand looking at him any longer. "You need a better role model."

"I don't think there is one."

I shove food in my mouth because there is no way I can respond to that. Everything around me feels lighter, brighter, like the world has opened up for me. There are no words to describe the immense joy in my gut and it's all because of a few simple words.

The rest of our dinner is silent. When our waitress returns with the bill, Leo pays for it and I'm reminded of what Beckett said earlier, it's a date if he offers to pay. Fuck.

After returning to the car, I quickly turn on the radio. Leo doesn't seem to mind and happily lets me flip through the channels to find what I like. I have no idea if he likes rock but that's what we're listening to. He makes no move to change it while I mouth the words to almost every song in the seat next to him.

I would say he's tapping his fingers or mouthing along as well but I don't know because I haven't looked at him since we got in the car. My face feels warm. I'm probably blushing and it's his fault for being all...weird earlier. How the hell am I meant to respond to that when I'm already shit at communication? Seriously, like I said, he needs a better role model.

And, when we finally get home, I let out a sigh of relief. My chest has been aching since we were at the restaurant. Finally, it feels like I can breathe again but, alas, the world hates me and I am tormented once more by Leo calling to me before I can leave his driveway.

"Micah!"

I'm tempted to keep moving but, damn, I'm too nice and turn around in order to ask, "Yeah?"

"Thanks...for today."

"Whatever." I shrug, unsure how I could have been of much help even if he seems so adamant that I did. Once again, the look he's giving me is breathtaking. I wish he would stop because I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to feel.

"See you tomorrow."

I wave goodbye, mumbling a quiet "yeah" before heading home. Opening the door, my mom immediately asks me how everything went but all I give her is a quick "good" followed by me disappearing up the steps. She could easily follow me but she doesn't, although, I'm sure she's itching to know every detail, which I will never give for obvious reasons.

Sitting in my room, my mind is blank. There should be something, some sort of thought about tonight but there isn't any. Is that good or bad? Maybe this is my brain's way of catching up on whatever the hell that was. Tomorrow, Beckett and Misty are going to want to know what happened but I don't even know what happened.

I decide to go to bed early. I'm exhausted after what happened today but it seems I can't even escape Leo in my dreams.