Leo's POV 

I ran into the house quickly, filled with fear. My father stood right in the hallway just feet in front of me when I turned around after closing the door. He looked confused as he looked up.

"What the hell happened to your face?" He asked as I could hear the anger in his voice hinting at a slight concern.

"I'm… I'm sorry I'm late, dad. I was trying to get home as-,"

"Leo, that doesn't answer my question," he said while he put his work bag down to grab his hat and keys off the small table next to me.

"A kid from school hit me when I was walking home because he- he didn't get first place on our project, but we got second place," I told him truthfully.

His eyebrows drew together quickly in question. "What? That's the stupidest reason to fight someone. You hit the dumb ass back right?" He asked me and picked up his bag again.

"Uh, yeah. Once or twice but another classmate stopped it before it got too far out of hand. I'm sorry. I knew the time would run late and was trying to get home but it all just happened so fast," I was still shaking because I thought he would hit me for being late.

"Well as long as you hit the kid back for his stupidity. I changed her bags and gave her some medicine so she's sleeping right now. I'll call at 9. I'll be working late so I won't be home until about noon." He grabbed the doorknob as I stepped away from the door. "And Leo," he stopped and looked over at me. "Good job hitting the kid back and holding your ground. You're just like your mother in that way." Then he walked out and left me looking at the door dumbfounded for a few moments.

His mood swings were getting harder to read and deal with. I shook it off a little before walking over to the bathroom to clean myself off and then changed into something more comfortable before I went upstairs to see my mom.

She was asleep while I worked on my homework with Winter sleeping next to her. It made me smile that she took to my mom so fast. I was even happier my mom had some company all day and night too since the only time she left her side was to eat and use the bathroom.

It was late by the time I started reading out loud to her. I knew she was asleep and couldn't hear me but I did it anyway. Soon enough my eyes started to heavy and I laid my head down on the bed next to both of them and soon felt myself drift into a darkening sleep.

The next day after my father came home I let him sleep for a few hours before he woke up and handed me a list.

"I'm sorry Leo. I'm not feeling too well. Can you go to the city and pick this stuff up for me?"

I took the list and looked it over as I answered, "of course. Do you need me to get you anything while I'm at any of these stores?"

"No. I just need to get some more sleep and I'll feel better. I wrote down what stores are the best to get this stuff from too and here is my card." He handed me his debit card. "You remember the pin right?"

"Yes," I said while getting up and putting it in my wallet before walking into my room and getting ready.

The summer air had a hint of a fall chill so I had on a light gray beanie and a heavy blue hoodie. I hated the cold so much but thankfully the sun was still out and shining.

I sat at the bus stop a few blocks away with my big headphones in and my iPod blaring music loudly. I closed my eyes leaning against the window of the bus stop to relax, soaking up the warm sunlight and letting the music take over me. It was nice. It's been a long time since I had the chance to do that.

Just then I heard a loud noise and opened my eyes to see the bus pulling away. I shot up running after it. "Wait wait wait!!!" I yelled pointlessly at it because it didn't stop. "Fuck!" I yelled in frustration watching it get further away. The next bus wouldn't come for another hour or so. My dad was going to kill me for sure this time.

Groaning to myself, I turned around to walk back to the bus stop when I ran shoulder to arm into someone almost knocking me over.

"Oh I'm sorry," I told them, walking away without looking up. I was so upset with myself for missing the bus like that.

"Hello Leo," the man said, making my heart stop altogether as I froze in place for a moment.

‘That- that voice, it can't be.’ I slowly turned around with caution to confirm my nightmarish first thought.

"Ch-Charlie," my voice came out surprised yet shaky as I stepped back a little more away from him in shock.

"It's been so long Leo. I've missed you," he smiled, making the hairs on the back of my neck rise with the chill that ran down my spine.

His curly brown hair was much longer than the last time I saw him two years ago, reaching his shoulders and he looked like he had some kind of muscle tone around his face which made me think he gain more muscle hiding beneath a thin expensive-looking brown coat and a nice-looking three-piece suit.

He was always a good-looking, well-dressed guy that all the girls fell over, even worse than they did me when we were in school together. We were best friends even though he was 2 years ahead of me in school until... that night.

"H- how-, w- why… why are you here?" I forced another step back and looked around nervously. No one was around besides a man in a black suit and sunglasses standing just outside a deep blue SUV. My heart raced faster than ever before.

"We just moved back from overseas. I'm training to take over my father’s work soon. I was so happy when they told me they were finally done over there and we could come back home. So much has changed, don't you think? Like this," he smiled at me as he stepped closer, pointing at the thick red scar under his eyes and across the bridge of his nose.

I couldn't help but gasp in fear, jumping back at his movement, ready to bolt in any direction. I was breathing so heavy and fast, that my whole body started becoming a mess. I felt like I was about to have a panic attack, my heartbeat hurt in my chest as I looked back and forward not sure who I needed to watch more. The bodyguard or Charlie?

"To be honest, you were all I could think about over there and this mark was the only thing I had to remember you by. I know I lost my temper a little that night and deserved this but we had fun, didn't we?" His smile grew even bigger as he stepped closer and nodded his head up to the man behind me.

"Please," I whispered, stepping back as his bodyguard push off the SUV and started walking towards us.

"How about we take this somewh-,"

"Leo!" I jumped quickly as someone else called my name from behind me, thanking every god I could think of at that moment for the crazy timing that guy had. I didn't have to look to know it was King but I also didn't want to take my eyes off Charlie.

"Well, I… I have to go. My f- friend is here now," I stepped back again slowly putting more distance between us before turning around and scanning my eyes desperately for King who was standing outside the passenger side of a really nice blacked-out car. His eyes, however, looked passed me to Charlie and I was thankful someone had an eye on him while I had my back to him.

I didn't care if someone else was in the back or if it was full of people already I was getting in that car. I was too scared of Charlie not too.

"Everything okay?" He asked me, not looking away from Charlie as I grabbed the back door handle in more of a hurry than I meant to show.

"I'm… I'm getting in," I said quite enough for only him to hear me but it also came out in a panicked voice. I needed to calm down.

"Of course. Get in Leo," he said as he looked over and smiled at me before I hurried inside and he closed the door behind me.

Thankfully there wasn't anyone in the back but a girl with long black hair was in the driver's seat, she was looking right at King who was still outside the car for a moment later before he opened the door to get in.

I looked back at Charlie who was still watching me with a smile. I wasn't sure if he could see me through the thick black tinted window or not as his bodyguard stepped to his side but he was looking right at me. It made me shake more, making everything around me blur as I watched him say something to the man and he too smiled most creepily. I felt like the three of us were alone in a small darkening room with the air being pulled from my lungs. My throat started to tighten.

I jumped with a gasp when King shut his door, bringing me back into reality as I looked around from those cold eyes. "Drive Kiki," King said and we started pulling away from the side of the street.

It was quiet in the car at first and soon it started feeling awkward when I was able to get my breathing steady again. I hope I didn't mess with their plans. Were they on a date? Were they just friends? Who was this girl? "I'm, um, I’m sorry if I messed with your plans. You can just drop me off at the next bus stop please."

"No Leo, you're fine. Kiki this is my friend Leo from school and Leo this is my cousin Kiki."

His cousin? Well, that would have been weird if I said something about them on a date.

The girl, Kiki, kinda chuckled in a mocking tone. "Wow, I don't think I've ever heard you call someone a friend before."

"Shut it. I have friends!" King said looking at Kiki then turned around in his seat and looked at me with a hard and serious stare. "Who was that back there?"

"No one," I answered quickly and looked away from him as I bit down on the skin around my thumb in a nervous tick. I wasn’t going to talk about it and no one was going to know about it. I just needed to keep my emotions under control and not start shaking again. ‘I can let it out later, now was not the time to have a meltdown,’ I reminded myself.

I could feel him giving me a hard look before asking, "Are you okay?"

I felt the tears start to form in the corner of my eyes when he asked me that. I didn't know why I wanted to break down every time he asks me that question but it just felt like all my walls came crashing down when he did ask. A tear slipped out slowly. I knew he saw it as I wiped it away while I kept my eyes out the window.

"Y- yeah. I'm fine, but I do need to go into the city to get some stuff for my mom and dad so if you could, just drop me off at the next bus stop."

King looked over at Kiki giving her a look as she peeked over at him. She exhaled heavily threw her nose, trying to stop a sigh but failed. "I'm heading to the city anyways. I'll drop you off. Just tell me where?" She asked and King smiled at her.

I really didn't want to wait for the bus alone knowing that he was out there close by. Plus it was cold and I would have to wait out there for an hour at least. So, in the end, I caved and told them where to go.