Live & Learn (ONC 2020)

Cornered

Just a little note before you start reading this chapter: I changed something in the last chapter, because I realized that made more sense. The note Leo found at the end now says: "If you will help me, come to the garden shed in five minutes."

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 "So, let me just get this straight," Luna interrupted Leo. He tore his gaze away from the wall he had been staring at, and raised an eyebrow, asking Luna to explain herself.

"You went to a ball with your parents, sister and someone called Vincent," she listed. "The ball was hosted by a family called Dearboo and you were crushing on the Dearboo's youngest daughter."

"Dirboue," Leo interrupted. Luna gave him a questioning look.

"That's what I said, Dearboh."

Leo shook his head. "No it is Dirboue, you pronounce it as 'dir bo'. With 'ir' and 'bo'. Not 'ear' and 'boo'. And the person called Vincent was my older brother."

"Dirboo than. So you're a middle child? That actually makes a lot of sense." Luna leaned backwards while talking, resting her head against the wall.

Letting Luna's wrong pronunciation of Dirboue slip, Leo frowned. What exactly did she imply by saying that him being a middle child made sense? Before he got to further think about Luna's remark, she continued listing the things that he told her so far.

"When you entered the ballroom you were bothered by what I suppose was the 1800 version of a bully. And after some time a note popped up from out of nowhere. I'm assuming the C.D. at the end stands for Celeste Dirboo? What did she need your help for? Why didn't she just ask you? Was she in danger? Did you have to come to her rescue?" Luna bombarded Leo with questions. He quickly held up a finger to stop her from asking any more.

"To answer your first question, yes. C.D stands for Celeste Dirbeau. To answer your second, third, fourth and fifth question, if you would just let me finish my story, you would get the answer to all those questions." Leo gave Luna a half annoyed, half amused glare. The girl in front of him looked apologetic and uncomfortable. As if she was ready to hit herself for the head.

"Of course. I'm so sorry, Leo. I don't know what got into me. You told me you didn't like talking about what happened, and here I am interrupting you when you've decided to tell me anyway. Please do continue."

Leo smiled. She was so funny when she was uncomfortable.

"It is fine Luna, really. So, I found the note..."

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Leo felt his heart beat faster. C.D.? Who did he knew that had the initials C.D.? Only one name came to mind. Celeste Dirboue. And she needed his help! Leo quickly put the note in his pocket, and looked left and right, before hurriedly making his way over to the door through which he came in.

All kinds of thoughts flooded his head. Things like: What did Celeste need his help for? And why did she ask him for help? He would do anything she asked, but as much as he hated to admit it, there were probably more capable men than him to help her.

Annoyed Leo shook his head. It didn't matter why she asked him for help. She needed him for something. Was it something bad? Was she alright? Was she even alive?

Leo felt a shiver go down his spine at the thought of her limp body, lying motionless on the ground. An image of Celeste appeared in his minds eye. Her light blue eyes watery and a tear running down her beautiful pale cheek. Her hair falling down her head straight onto the ground, because her head wasn't attached to her body anymore. Leo shivered again and walked faster. She had to be alive, otherwise she couldn't have given him the note. Still he couldn't get the picture out of his head.