Glitch (boyxboy/android)

Chapter 4: Pressure

"Since when do you do as your mother advises?"
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There was something about the monotony of flipping the burgers on the hot surface, which helped Leo's mind to just empty itself of the stresses pressing on his mind. The job itself is a kind of blessing. Allowing him to save, so he could eventually leave this small town and make it big in the city as a famous actor. That was his dream. Not medical school. Not being a doctor, like his mother wanted.

Leo knew that if his mother knew his true intentions for working here, she would make him leave, even though they were not a rich family, it would be going against her plans for him. To make the Alessi family proud. To change the course of destiny from their blue collar jobs.

His blissful thoughts of nothingness were tainted by the familiar sound of laughter. Leo looks up to see Harley and Yan enter the diner and head for the counter. "Hey burger boy!" Harley calls, making Leo acknowledge his friends.

"Keith, can I take 15 now?" He asks, turning to one of his colleagues, who nods and takes over flipping the burgers, whilst Leo rids himself of his apron and heads around the counter. All three friends now slide into a booth.

"Last night...You disappeared on us." Harley says, half upset, half chuckling, looking at Leo who would have rather have talked about anything else other than last night.

"Yeah I know...sorry, it's just my mother and this tutor. I needed to get back." Leo tries to portray an 'it couldn't be helped' vibe, but it doesn't really wash with his friends.

"Don't give me that Leo. Since when do you do as your mother advises?" Yan laughs out loud.

"I know what it is." Harley interjects. "You failed with Anna." He begins to point directly at Leo, almost pointing to the centre of his forehead.

Leo bats away the finger with his hand defensively, but before his mouth can stop the words from leaving, he utters. "We kissed." As if to prove to his friends that he was no loser. He could have the girl if he wanted. But did he really want her?"

"You kissed?" Yan says, looking surprised. "Why didn't you say anything last night?"

Leo goes quiet. They were his friends. His best friends. But would they really understand how he felt if he described it? Yan clearly didn't feel that way when he was face deep in Chloè and as for Harley...well it was obvious how he felt about Hope. "I didn't want to brag." He ends up saying. It sounded better than he didn't want to talk about it.

"Hey. You're just holding out on us." Harley continues to elbow Leo in his ribs, smirking with pleasure.

"It's private. Between me and Anna." Leo insists, but his heart sinks further into the floor when he sees the said female enter the diner, along with her two besties.

They make a direct line to the table where the three guys are sitting and Leo can already feel his irritation bubbling at the sight of Anna still wearing his denim jacket. "Hey." She says, in a smooth feminine tone, looking only at Leo. "Can we have a word in private?"

This causes a plethora of drum rolls on the diner's table top from Harley and Yan as Leo finds his body go once again on autopilot as he follows Anna to a small table for two a little further away.

They both scooch in, opposite eachother and she begins to speak. "Why haven't you messaged me?" Her tone was not completely put out, but Leo could tell she was getting attached already.

"Well...I'm working. I haven't had a chance." Leo holds out his arms as if to suggest that it was obvious. He glances over to the other table where four pairs of eyes are watching them. He had never felt so pressured in all of his life.

Anna reaches forward and traces the tips of her fingers over Leo's arm. "I really enjoyed giving you your birthday gift. I want to...you know maybe..." She smiles all sweetly and shyly, not finishing her sentence and it just makes Leo feel bad for not feeling it. But more so, angry with himself for not having the courage to say "Sorry Anna. You're just not my type!"

"Me too." He says. His amateur acting skills are coming into full play now. Again he looks over at the watching table. Both Chloè and Hope have that look of 'don't mess with my girlfriend' about them, making Leo want to do something...anything as he now felt in fear of his life."

"I finish at 3. How about we go see a movie later?" He manages to say. A movie...surely he could deal with a movie. Fill his face with popcorn instead of her.

"I look forward to it." Anna says, now slipping herself out of the stationary seat and walking back to her friends.

"Hey Leo!" Leo looks over to see Keith calling him from behind the counter. "Your 15 minutes are up!"