Baby I Loved You First- Leonetta

Chapter 19:

/Violetta/

She's had enough. Violetta has had enough of sulking and grieving. She is done with not doing anything about this. It's time to make a change. Instead of inaction, it's time for action, which is easier said than done.

Over the next several days, Violetta does better, no longer stuck in her funk of sadness. She smiles more often and laughs all the time, things are starting to turn around. The better she feels the more confidence she gains as the days go by, leading to her finally seizing an opportunity.

It's small, but she considers it a great accomplishment in inviting Leon over to make up for lost time. Leon agreed without hesitation, Vilu thankful that he didn't make a big deal about it.

That afternoon after filming is finished for the day, Violetta heads home, promising Leon that he can come by around five and giving him the address. Once home, Violetta takes one look at her living room and scrunches her nose up in disgust. Clothes draped on the furniture and shoes littered about. Violetta can't remember the last time she tidied the house. In an effort to save time, she simply piles the clothes and shoes together, pushing them into her room and leaving them be until another day. Right now, she has to worry about what to wear and what exactly she plans to do when Leon arrives. She hadn't actually thought far ahead, acting on impulse because of her confidence rush.

Since they haven't really had any free time in the last month, it only seems natural that they talk about what they've missed in each other's life. The best way to talk would be over dinner and for that to happen there will need to be food, which Violetta is lacking as indicated by her empty fridge. In a situation like this- pretty much every day- she would usually order in. However, ordering in again is hardly what she wants. Fast food is good, but only for so long.

So in another act of impulse, she drives to the supermarket, planning on buying up ingredients to make a nice homemade meal, though she's not sure what to make. Walking up and down the aisles, she still hasn't a clue what to do. She could make chicken with rice or maybe some chicken alfredo. Though, her mind changes when she passes the baking aisle. Her eyes land on a bag of chocolate chips and she's taken back to when she and Leon would sit in his mother's living room just waiting for a batch of cookies. It was always a race to see who would eat the first cookie off the plate.

Before they split, Leon's mother had been gracious enough to offer her the recipe, claiming that Leon would want a fresh batch and she wouldn't be there to make them, insinuating Violetta would be there to do so. She grabs the bag off the shelf, figuring that the recipe will come in handy for today.

\Leon\

Leon arrives five minutes early, standing at Violetta's door with his heart beating wildly in his chest. This is it. This is the moment he's been waiting for, the moment he spends time with Violetta without having to worry about shooting a scene or running through lines. He has all the time in the world now and he's a little anxious about it.

Today marks the day that he will actually be in Vilu's house. He hasn't been over to her house since high school and back then her parents were around telling them not to sit so close or cuddle on the couch. Today is a whole different story because Vilu no longer lives with her parents. Which means they will be all alone. No one to tell them what to do or how to act and Leon is very scared that it will end badly.

As much time as they had been spending together before things got hectic, there were always people around, interrupting them to tell them to head to set or go to makeup. Now as Leon stands at Violetta's doorstep he realizes no one will be there to cut their moment short. Anything could happen. Anything.

He inhales and exhales a number of times before he decides that it's finally now or never. The clock strikes five and Leon promptly knocks on the door. He does one last once over, making sure his hair is intact and his clothes aren't wrinkled. He huffs a breath into his hand to makes sure it his breath is minty fresh and scrambles to lower his arm when the door is unlocked. Violetta is peeking out, opening the door wider when she sees Leon. She gestures for him to come inside. He steps into her house, immediately hit by the smell of something sweet. He takes another inhale, trying to decipher what it is.

"Are you baking something?" Violetta suddenly gasps as she runs off, Leon following after to her. He stops at the entrance to the kitchen, staring at Violetta as she removes a pan from inside her oven. Now closer to the source he knows what it is.

"Cookies."

"Chocolate chips cookies." Violetta emphasizes. Leon's gaze stays fixated on the tray as Violetta places them on the counter to cool. It's only until Violetta calls his name for a fourth time that his eyes land on Violetta, who is watching him worriedly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just remembering." There is no need to further explain since Violetta registers the weight of his words easily. She motions Leon further into the room, asking him to sit. He does so; still wondering what made Violetta decide to make chocolate chip cookies of all things.

"So I invited you over so we could maybe talk." Violetta eventually says. Leon contemplates what to converse about. He could ask her about her weird behavior a few weeks ago, though he's not sure if she'll actually answer. Curiosity gets the better of him.

"Why were you so upset that Friday?" He blurts out. Violetta is stunned but seems to sigh in defeat when she knows Leon is most likely going to press the issue if she doesn't answer now.

"Honestly, memories... I've been thinking a lot lately... about us, about what we used to be..." She drifts off, gaze somewhere else. She seems to be remembering right now. Leon waits, wondering what else she has to say. "So much happened that day and I got so hurt that I couldn't handle the pain. I know I was the one that ran, but the blame isn't totally mine. You didn't even try to chase after me." Leon bows his head in shame. "Why? I thought you loved me and then you just left, never bothering to find me to at least say goodbye. You were gone just like that and you expected me not to be mad? Why Leon, why did you do it?" Leon figures it's time for an explanation.