Missing [ST]

Eighty Two

One second, two, three...Leah didn't know how much time had passed, but there were too many aimless blinks, and not enough words.

"Annywaay," Tina drawled, in the prolonged silence. "I have to go, but I'll see you on Friday night."

Stood, she directed a friendly smile at Steven.

"That's your bag."

"Ah, muchas gracias, chica. Enjoy your date."

Apparently acquainted, Leah's boyfriend, though not strictly confirmed boyfriend, was indulging in some harmless nicknames, and her sneaky friend, whose title of best was still in a recovery phase, was leaving her for the second time in one day.

Turning away from the sympathising devil, professionally known as Steven Tyler, Leah scowled at the empty hallway.

"Justine!"

"Hey." Steven sat up a bit, hands defensively holding her in place. "Don't be mad at her. This was my idea too."

"Oh, I'll be dealing with you, Tallarico," Leah shot back, climbing off his lap. "Just you wait, sunshine."

She didn't care if Steven just smirked as if he enjoyed being put in his place, because she needed to stop the woman shrugging on her coat.

The result of arguably the best surprises ever, Leah couldn't forget about the distance and disregard that had consistently made her mood low and fight away stray tears at night.

"Justine."

"Ya."

"No, don't 'ya' me. Explain what's going on, right now."

Tina had the audacity to laugh softly, slipping on her shoes. At least the situation was amusing for someone.

"Steven will explain everything," she said, grabbing her set of keys, her back half turned to leave.

"No, y-"

Two hands landed on Leah's shoulders, stopping her lunge forwards.

"You're going back with him, because I know this is what you want."

"What I want?" Leah retorted, but her anger was fading into the desperation of being scared. "W-what about you? Or my job? Or my parents?" Then her rage plummeted completely, face falling in realisation. "Oh god, mum and dad..."

Tina dropped her hands.

"We'll all be here whenever you decide to visit. Well, maybe not your job, but you'll have one out there."

"I'll have to tell them," Leah muttered to herself, fingers rubbing the side of her gently agape mouth. Her eyes were unsteady and didn't land on the calm blues for very long. "Oh shit, they're...how-where-"

"Your parents? Yes, you do. I suggest Saturday because you'll be on a plane Sunday."

Leah put a hand to her forehead, looking around her flat. Luckily, Steven wasn't standing there with his precious smile, not that thinking about him and how she was going to explain her complicated relationship status to her parents was helping.

It was getting hard to breathe.

"Hey, don't stress." Tina guided her face back, the hint of a smile secretly overjoying the sympathy expressed. "All you have to do is go to work for the next two days, come out to party on Friday night with the girls, see your folks Saturday, and then you'll have Steven. Though really, you have him now."

"That's a lot to stress over!" Leah countered, eyes blown wide. "I...I have four days! And then I'm...I-I live in a different country!"

"Just relax, it's all sorted."