Chapter 73
HOURS LATER - BASKETBALL COURT]
Kiara stood at the edge of the basketball court, the book tucked under her arm, phone in her hand. A few students were scattered around, some playing, some sitting on the bleachers. She didn't pay attention to any of them.
She typed.
★ I'm here.
The reply came quickly.
★Alright. Coming now.
She slipped her phone back into her hand and waited, expression blank.
A minute later he approached, walking casually toward her.
"Oh. There you are," he said. "You're done?"
Kiara looked at him flatly. "Would I be here if I wasn't done?"
Her tone was dry. Sarcastic.
She pulled the book from under her arm and held it out. "Here."
He reached for it. When he took it, his fingers brushed hers. Not accidental. Slow enough to be noticeable.
Kiara immediately withdrew her hand.
He took the book fully, flipping it once.
"That was fast."
She didn't reply. She just adjusted her bag and turned to leave.
She took a few steps.
He watched her.
She kept walking.
Then she slowed.
Stopped.
Turned back.
He was already looking at her. A small knowing smirk on his face.
"What did you mean yesterday?" Kiara asked.
He tilted his head slightly. "What did I say?"
"You know what I'm talking about." Her voice stayed level. "You said I could get more money if I did more things for you. What other things?"
"Oh." He nodded slowly. "That."
"Yes. That."
He glanced around briefly, then looked back at her. "Not something I want to discuss here."
Kiara frowned. "You can literally just tell me."
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out his phone, checked something, then slid it back into his pocket.
"I'll text you later," he said.
She stared at him. "You brought it up."
"And I'll finish it later."
A pause.
Kiara held his gaze for a second, then turned again and walked off.
He watched her leave, the smirk still faintly sitting on his face.
★
Aurora stepped out of the administrative office, one hand still on the door handle behind her. The corridor was quieter than usual, only a few students passing in intervals.
She pulled the door slightly.
And then-
SLAM.
Another door down the corridor crashed shut.
Loud. Sharp. Violent.
Aurora jerked.
Her hand tightened instinctively and the door behind her slammed harder than she intended.
Click.
The sound echoed in her ears.
Her body froze.
That sound.
That exact sound. From... That night.
Her fingers stayed wrapped around the handle as her breathing hitched. The corridor suddenly felt too narrow. Too loud.
Too close.
Click.
Her mind replayed it.
Click.
The last thing she remembered from that night.
Click.
Her chest tightened.
She released the handle slowly, but her fingers were already trembling. Her vision blurred slightly at the edges.
Another door opened somewhere behind her.
Then shut.
Not as loud. But loud enough.
Aurora flinched again.
Her heartbeat started climbing. Fast. Uneven.
She swallowed hard and forced herself to move. Her legs felt wrong. Light.
Unsteady. Like the floor had shifted without warning.
She walked.
Two steps.
Three.
Her head spun.
Students passed her. She barely saw them. The corridor stretched too long, sounds echoing strangely, every small noise amplified.
Click.
Somewhere behind her.
She winced.
Her breathing grew ragged. Her fingers curled tightly into her palm. She needed to sit.
She needed to sit before-
She spotted a chair near the corner leading to the staircase. She reached it and dropped into it, her bag slipping slightly on her shoulder.
Her hands moved to her temples.
Right then.... Someone yelled. Voice loud.
"Ginny!"
Aurora flinched. Her breathing got worse. She could feel her throat closing, like it was even pop out of too much pressure.
The name. The name.
"GINNY. FUCKING WAIT FOR ME!" The loud voice came again.
Aurora covered her eyes tightly.
The clicking kept replaying. The voice, the name, all at once.
Door.
Click.
Dark.
Click.
Her chest tightened painfully.
A group of students passed.
One of them slowed.
"Isn't that her again?"
Aurora shut her eyes.
Another voice. "Attention seeker."
"Always doing drama in the corridor."
"She's worse than Kimberly."
"Pick-me final boss."
Their voices blurred together. Too loud.
Too sharp. Too close.
Aurora pressed both hands over her ears.
Her breathing broke.
The sounds layered over each other - the voices, the doors, the click, the echo in her head. Her fingers shook harder now, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Click.
Another door.
She flinched violently.
Her eyes opened wide. Her vision tilted.
The corridor looked wrong. Too bright. Too distant.
She needed to move.
She pushed herself up from the chair, legs weak beneath her. Her bag slipped lower on her shoulder. She reached for the wall immediately, palm flattening against it for balance.
Her head swam.
She took a step.
The floor shifted again.
Then-
A scent.
Faint at first.
Familiar.
Her breathing stuttered.
Dior. Dark. Warm. Sharp.
Leonard.
Her fingers tightened against the wall.
The scent grew stronger.
Footsteps.
Slow. Approaching.
Her head turned slightly.
Her vision blurred again.
She tried to focus.
The scent was unmistakable now.
Dior Sauvage Elixir. . .
Her lips parted.
"R... Ren..."
Her voice barely came out.
Her knees buckled.
And the world tilted completely.
She fell forward.
Strong arms caught her before she hit the floor.
Leonard pulled her fully against his chest in one motion, one arm around her back, the other under her knees.
The students nearby gasped.
★ "Oh my God-"
★ "Again?"
★ "Seriously?"
Leonard didn't look at any of them. His expression had already gone cold, sharp, unreadable.
He adjusted her slightly in his arms, making sure her head rested securely against him.
She was completely limp.
He turned and started walking.
Whispers followed immediately.
★ "How many times have we seen this?"
★ "She's literally always in his arms."
★ "Pick-me final boss."
★ "They're definitely doing it."
★ No one can convince me otherwise."
★ Everyone knows."
★"Leo is so hot though..."
★"And he never keeps girls."
★ "Not even Kimberly lasted 48 hours"
★ Same with the daed Nicole
★"But this one..."
Leonard walked straight through them like they didn't exist.
He didn't slow.
He carried Aurora down the corridor, her head resting against his chest, her arm hanging loosely at her side.
Students moved out of his way automatically, whispers trailing behind him like smoke.
Phones were already out.
Someone snapped a picture.
Another recorded.
By the time he reached the end of the corridor, notifications were already exploding across the school blogs.
ALL ELITES CONFESSIONS
★OMG LEONARD JUST CARRIED AURORA AGAIN??
★ SHE LITERALLY FAINTED IN FRONT OF HIM THIS TIME
★ This is getting ridiculous
ALL ELITES TEA
~ Video coming. Hold on.
★ She collapsed and he caught her like a movie scene
★ They're not even hiding it anymore
Screenshots started circulating instantly.
Students walking past him were already typing.
"She fainted again."
"Leo carried her out."
"Right now. Faculty corridor."
More reposts.
More comments.
- Pick-me final boss strikes again
- Nah but the way he caught her though???
- They're definitely together
- He never does this for anyone else
- I swear this girl has him wrapped
- Leonard Grande carrying the same girl AGAIN? yeah they're banging
The buzz spread faster than he walked.
Leonard ignored all of it.
He pushed through the glass doors and stepped outside into the evening air without breaking stride.
Behind him, at the far end of the corridor,
Mr. Thorne had seen everything.
His eyes followed Leonard as he carried Aurora out of the faculty building. His expression didn't change, but his hand slid slowly into his pocket.
He pulled out his phone.
Already dialing.
He turned and walked back toward his office.
Leonard reached his car.
He opened the back door first.
Carefully, he lowered Aurora inside, laying her across the back seat instead of sitting her upright.
Her hair fell slightly across her face. She didn't move.
Still unconscious.
He adjusted her head so it rested properly against the seat, then stepped back and closed the door quietly.
Her bag went into the front seat.
He got in, started the engine, and drove off immediately.
Inside the building, a few minutes later, footsteps rushed down the corridor.
Oma.
She had seen the posts.
Her heart was already racing before she even reached the doors. She pushed them open and stepped outside quickly, scanning the parking area.
Empty.
Leonard's car was already gone.
She stopped.
Her breathing uneven.
Her phone buzzed again in her hand, more reposts, more videos, more comments flooding in.
Oma stared at the road where the car had disappeared.
"Not again Auri. What happened this time?" She muttered.
Then her phone started ringing.
She cursed out immediately she saw the name.
Aunt Gem.
"F?ck! F?ck!" She exclaimed.
"A mother's instinct, a mother's fucking instinct!" Oma groaned out. " Why now?"
She cleared her throat and swiped green.
"Hi Aunty." Oma said softly.
" Oma darling. How are you doing? Almost thought you wouldn't answer cuz you were in class. Was worried I would put you in trouble." Gemma's voice came through.
" Oh no. Of course not. I don't have any classes today anymore. But I'm sorting out things before I go home." Oma placed her hand on her chest, trying not to sound shaky.
"Sure then. I just have something to tell you."
" Oh okay..." Oma muttered.
" Oma, I didn't tell you to update me about Aurora for nothing you know? You've been giving me nothing." Gemma said calmly.
" Oh well, Aunt, that's because there's no issue,no problem. She's fine. I'm here. We're together and we're good. No drama." Oma replied.
" I swear. That Aurora girl is desperate for Leo's attention!" A student said harshly to another student as they walked past Oma.
Oma walked away from them quickly, cursing them inwardly.
" What was that?" Gemma asked suddenly.
"It's nothing Aunty...."
"No. I literally just heard Auri's name. And I think I heard Leo too. Oma." Gemma cautioned as if sensing Oma was lying to her.
"Aunty..."
" Oma." Gemma said firmly again.
Oma sighed. Giving up. " Well, I think... Auri had an attack."
"What?! You think?"
"Well, yeah yeah. There are videos and pictures of Auri in Leo's arms... It's circulating around the school's blogs. She fainted and he took her." Oma explained.
"Fainted ... He took her..." Gemma repeated, sounding calmer now.
"Yeah..." Oma murmur, already expecting the worst. The calmness was alarming.
There was a beat silence on the line .
Then Gemma's voice came.
"Well then. Let them be. She'll be fine."
"What?!"
TBC. . .