once we existed☾

the fight☾ | 7

3 months later

I place a sleeping Octavius onto the couch and take a seat next to Leo. "He really does like sleeping, that kid," he says, laughing, "more than-" I tilt my head sideways. He sighs. "I had a brother, Beckett," he smiles, "He was the sweetest kid, not yet seven. He'd constantly beg me to play football with him - he was good at it too, better than any of the other kids in his grade. Though it wasn't my thing - I was more interested in art, y'know, than sport. Though I'd have to say yes; he was so cute. Until he got sick," his smile fades. "I'm sorry," I whisper. It takes a moment for my mind to process this information. Leo had a brother?

»»-----　　-----««

I wake up. "Leo?" I frown at his absence, given its God knows what hour in the morning. My eyes adjust to the dim light of the moonlight seeping in through the partly closed curtains. I wrap my body in a dressing gown and head out to the living room. "Leo?" He's not on the couch either.

"Nova?" I frown as he walks through the front door. I place my hands on my hips. "Where have you been?" "I had to take a walk." I 

"You can't do that, Leo. What if you got sick? What if you got caught and put in jail?" Tears spring to my eyes. He frowns at me. "Cassidy, it's fine." he exclaims, using my surname, "Don't call me that," He looks taken aback, "I'm just trying to look out for you," I say truthfully. He shakes his head and sighs. Leo runs his fingers through his hair, something he does when he's embarrassed or agitated. "Look, it's two am," he yawns.

"Fine, we'll talk about this in the morning, you sleeping in my room tonight?" I say, unable to hide the annoyed tone to my voice. "I think I'll sleep on the couch, actually," he says quietly, picking up his hoodie from the chair beside him and pulling it over his head.

»»-----　　-----««

I don't talk to him at breakfast. Alya obviously suspects somethings up because she spoke to me afterwards. "Is everything OK between you and Leo? Did he say something - or do something?" I shake my head, wishing she had never started this conversation, "No, everything's fine." I lie.

And for the first night, I'm sitting on the balcony alone.

»»-----　　-----««

"Hey, Nova," he says to me a couple of days later, walking into my room. "What do you want?" He sighs and sits next to me. I scoot away so that I'm not touching knees with him. "What? Why are you acting like this?" He said, frowning. "You know." "So we're back to being what-just strangers now?" I look him in the eyes. "You could've got sick, or infected us," "YEAH WELL I DIDN'T!" He yells. "YEAH WELL, YOU COULD HAVE!" I notice Mum out of the corner of my eye pause at the door, contemplating whether to come in or not, until she decides against it. "Hell..." he whispers. "You look cute when you're mad."

I can almost feel steam coming out of my ears. I cannot stand to look at him - so I focus my vision on the picture of him, Alya, Mum, Octavius and I blu-tacked to my wall. "What the hell is wrong with you?" "ME? I'm not the one yelling over stupid shit. No wonder nobody likes you..." My heart shatters and I shake my head, unable to process that he just said that. "Nova... I didn't mean that... God..."

"Pack your shit and go," "W-what?" "You heard me," I yell, "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT!" I gasp as he pulls all his belongings into a bag and walks out the door. "Happy now?" He mutters bitterly. Tears streak down my face. What have I done?

»»-----　　-----««

"Nova, where's Leo?" Mum asks, concern written across her face. I'm lying across my bed. "Oh, he just, uh, went out to the shops." I mentally slap myself. She smiles at me sadly. "Nova, there's a lockdown going on, so I know that's not the case." "Fine," I sigh, leaning my head on my arms. "We had a fight, okay?" Mum frowns. "And... I..." A lump forms in my throat as I try to speak. Tears threaten to escape my eyes. "What is it dear?" I look towards her. "I told him to get the hell out of my sight."