Elizabeth Harrison's Hope For A Better Tomorrow

71: Deal.

Leo was pacing back and forth in her apartment – Elizabeth had left, so did Jennifer. The truth was – he asked Jennifer to leave but Elizabeth – he wanted her to stay, he wanted to talk to her but without many words – Elizabeth asked Leo to leave her alone. The most troublesome thing for Leo was that Elizabeth didn't yell at him, did show any kind of anger towards him or Jennifer – instead, she was awfully quiet. She just let out a shaky breath and asked to be left alone for some time before she turned around and left. And since that – Leo has been completely restless. Jennifer kept apologizing to him, but his eyes never left Elizabeth – walking away from him. The suffocating feeling – the ache in his chest – all came back to him. Leo clenched his jaws and curled his hands into a fist. he was angry – angry at himself – angry because just when he was getting her back – he lost her again. He let out an angry growl before he slammed his fist on the wall. Pain shot from his clenched knuckle to the rest of his hand and arm but he was too angry and disappointed to care about anything else.

Similarly, as Leo's mood – the weather turned sour as well. Just like his maddening growl – the clouds rumbled as well and soon the dry soil turned wet as it started to pour. The already cold weather turned shivery. Leo sighed – it has been hours since Elizabeth walked away from him. He hasn't slept or eaten anything. All he has done is pace restlessly in his living room. He started to get a headache, so he switched off all the lights of this apartment – except for one in the kitchen and slide down the wall – with his head resting against the wall. His head and hand were aching but so was his chest – he heaved another sigh as he stared out of the living – the sky kept changing its color from black to dark blue to silver to pink – it was lightening. The thunderstorm outside was nothing compared to the one Leo was feeling inside – his eyes watered. He was tired. Leo Wayne was finally too tired.

His life has been nothing but a mess since the beginning. Nothing has been stable for him since his mother passed. He had made mistakes after mistakes and when finally – he believed that he was going to be happy – he lost it as well. Sometimes he truly believes that happiness and peace were not made for him – he was supposed to be the one who also live in chaos – who can never settle down for good – who can never enjoy the pace of peace – instead, they live a bumpy life – the ups and downs of life pushes them away from all kinds of happiness. He tried to fight against all odds to find his happiness – he tried to hold on to it but now – he was getting too tired – too tired to keep ongoing. A tear fell from his eye – the hopelessness drips down his cheek.

He closed his eyes and all he could see was her – her smile – her laughter – her kiss – her body – him feeling loved around her. Absentmindedly, a smile curled on his lips which soon fell off when he opened his eyes – welcomed by the darkness – inside and out. How was he going to move on from her – from the only woman he truly loved? They say first failed love hurts the most – Leo believed them. It hurts. It burns – yet it is so soothing that a man would attract to it like a moth to the fire. He was the moth and Elizabeth was his fire.

Leo doesn't know how long he has been sitting on the cold floor – it was long enough for his body to get stiff. It was still raining. Leo mashed his lips together and decided to get up on his feet – his bottom and feet were numb – he winced as his feet started to prickle. He decided to shower and go to bed – he was too tired – physically and emotionally. He walked into his darkroom and was about to get to the bathroom when a single doorbell went off. Leo halted and turned around – he brought his eyebrow together and looked at the table clock – it was eleven at night. Thinking and hoping that it was Elizabeth – he rushed to open the door. He didn't even see through the peephole – he just opened the door and he was surprised when saw who was it – he hoped for her but he didn't expect her.

Elizabeth stood before Leo – completely drenched from head to toe. Her hair sticking to her face, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes red and her lips pressed tightly together. She was shivering from the cold slightly, "Elizabeth," Leo mumbled. Elizabeth gulped and softly spoke, "Cold," she was freezing – she just walked under the rain on a cold night. Leo realized that she must be freezing – he opened the door and put his arm around her, "God, Elizabeth – are you crazy? Come in," he little pushed her into his apartment. She sighed as she was welcomed into the heated apartment. "Jesus – what is wrong with you? Do you even know how cold it is out there?" Leo pressed. He strode into his room and fetched a fresh towel for her to dry off her wet hair. Elizabeth was too cold to reply to him. She gladly accepted the towel and wiped her face and hair with it. "Come on. Let me give you some clothes to wear. We need to get you out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold," Leo said and lightly held her by her wrist and pulled her to his room – Elizabeth wordlessly followed him in.