twentyfive
Aaliyah's POV
I don't know what's gotten into me.
Maybe it's last night.
Maybe it's how he held me.
Maybe it's how he kissed me like I was something he couldn't let go.
Maybe it's the way he looked at me when he dropped me off-like he already missed me.
But I wake up early.
Earlier than I ever wake up.
And I think:
I want to see him.
I want to bring him breakfast.
I want to spoil him a little.
I want to show him what it feels like to be cared for.
So I get dressed fast, still smiling like an idiot, still warm all over from last night.
I stop by a café and grab:
· his exact coffee
· the breakfast sandwich he loves
· a cinnamon roll just in case he's still hungry
· napkins because he always forgets them
I'm humming.
I'm excited.
I'm soft.
I'm in my lovergirl era.
The ride to his apartment feels short.
Too short.
I park.
Grab everything.
Walk to his door.
Deep breath.
I knock.
Lightly at first.
Then again.
"Leo?" I call softly. "It's me."
Footsteps.
My heart jumps.
The door opens.
And everything inside me
drops.
Because it's not Leo.
It's a girl.
A girl I've never seen.
Wearing one of his shirts-
his shirt-
hanging off one shoulder, swallowing her frame.
No pants.
Messy hair.
Smudged eyeliner.
Bare legs.
Sleepy, annoyed expression.
Like I woke her up.
She looks at me like I'm a stranger interrupting something.
"Yeah?" she says, scratching her neck. "Can I help you?"
My chest caves in.
Everything goes silent in my head.
I stare.
At her.
At the shirt.
At her face.
At the floor.
"Wh-who are you?" I whisper.
She shrugs.
Casual.
Effortless.
The words stab me straight through the ribs.
I feel the tears instantly.
Hot.
Sudden.
Painful.
"I-" my voice breaks. "I need to see Leo."
She rolls her eyes a little.
"Yeah, he's busy right now. What do you need?"
Busy.
Busy.
My heart cracks in half.
She's in his shirt.
Her makeup is smudged.
She answered his door early in the morning.
My stomach hits the ground.
"Oh," I whisper. "Okay."
I take one step back.
She raises a brow, unimpressed.
"He's probably not gonna be free for a while. So..."
Her voice fades because-
I can't hear anything anymore.
My ears are ringing.
My throat closes.
My chest stings.
I look down at the breakfast in my hands.
The coffee I bought him.
The food he likes.
The cinnamon roll.
I wanted to be sweet.
I wanted to surprise him.
I swallow a sob-
And the bag slips from my fingers.
The drinks hit the ground first-
exploding coffee across his doorstep, splattering the concrete.
The food tumbles out next.
The girl jumps back like I threw a grenade.
"Whoa-hey-what the hell?!"
But I'm already turning.
Already walking.
Already running.
I hear her call something after me.
I hear the door swing open wider.
Then-
His voice.
"Aaliyah?"
Everything inside me twists.
"Liya? Wait-HEY-wait-"
No.
No no no no no.
I hurry down the stairs.
I hear him behind me.
Bare feet on the floor.
Door slamming open.
Fast footsteps.
But I can't stop.
If I stop, I'll shatter.
Tears blur everything.
My breath breaks.
My hands shake.
I reach my car.
He's closer.
"Liya-please-look at me-"
I get inside.
I slam the door.
My vision is swimming.
He reaches the window right as I turn the key.
He looks wrecked.
Confused.
Pale.
Hair a mess.
Wearing nothing but sweatpants and panic.
"Aaliyah-baby-wait-"
Baby.
It hurts.
It hurts so much I can't breathe.
I put the car in reverse.
He bangs his hand lightly on the window-not angry, desperate.
"Please don't go-just talk to me-please-"
I shake my head, choking.
He tries to open the door but I lock it.
"Aaliyah-DON'T-"
I pull away.
His voice echoes behind me.
I don't look back.
I can't.
If I look back, I'll break completely.
And all I can think is:
I'm such an idiot.
I let myself fall.
And he never stopped seeing other girls.
The tears spill harder.
I press a hand over my mouth and drive.
And drive.
And drive.
Until my phone lights up with the first text.
Leo:
answer me
please
I throw the phone face-down and sob into the steering wheel.