Chasing Normal || Leondre Devries

Chapter 12

I woke up with my face pressed against Leo's bare chest. I laid there for a moment, not wanting to move. I soaked up every second I spent laying there, his arms wrapped tightly around me, before carefully slipping out of his hold and getting out of bed.

I pulled my work uniform out of my top dresser drawer, making the least amount of noise as possible. I hurried over to the bathroom, changing into it and getting ready for my shift.

I looked into Evie's room. She was still fast asleep, her nightlight being the only source of light since her curtains were still closed. I closed her door before going downstairs.

I decided to write a note for Leo before I left. I figured it would be cute, and also just in case he forgot I had work. It read,

"Leo,

I'm off to my shift at the best job in the world (note the sarcasm), I'll be home a little after 2. Please keep an eye on Evie for me. There's leftovers in the fridge you guys can eat for breakfast.

-Y/n <3"

I nodded in satisfaction and left the note on the kitchen counter. I grabbed my keys and headed out.

*****

I went back home with an attitude. I worked the window and had three bad customers. Three. All in one shift. I rarely had bad customers, but people weren't in the mood in the morning, I suppose.

"Hey!" Leo called from the living room couch as I hung my car keys on the key hook, next to his. I noticed he changed his lanyard. It used to be navy blue and it said "have a nice day" with a yellow box around it. Now it was a black and white vans lanyard.

"What happened to your happy lanyard?" I pouted, visibly upset. He caught on that I was not nearly in tears only because of his lanyard change, and that it was a little deeper than that.

"What's wrong?" He asked, making his way over to me. I was just staring at his new lanyard, taking deep breaths to keep my sobs inside. If I looked at him, I'd immediately start crying.

He wrapped his arms around my body and nuzzled his head into my neck.

"What happened, baby?" Right as he finished his sentence, I started sobbing softly.

"Just a b-bad d-day..." I choked out. He looked at my face and furrowed his eyebrows.

"I think it's a little more than that, love. You never cry," he pointed out. He was right about both statements. He ushered me over to the couch and sat me down next to him. I cried into his shoulder for the next half hour. Once I slowed down he asked again.

"What's on your mind?" He asked. "You know you can talk to me."

"I don't know... I guess I'm just... worried."

"About what?" He let me take my time answering him.

"Leo... I know we sort of talked about this a while ago in the janitor's closet... but what are we gonna do? Like actually? Are we really going to live the rest of our lives working multiple part-time jobs and just get by?" I asked. "Because I don't know about you, but I don't want to just get by, you know?"

He nodded, but he didn't say anything. I waited for him to say something. Anything. But he stayed silent. He didn't agree.

"You don't think the same?" He hesitated.

"What do you suppose we do instead?" He asked, a small flare of annoyance in his voice. "Because I can't think of anything else to do. You don't want to go to college, and neither do I. We could get full-time jobs, sure, but not doing anything good."

"Leo, it's not that I don't want to go to college, it's that I can't afford it," I explained.

"So use some of your savings!" He snapped back at me. I don't think either of us were expecting his tone. He'd never talked to me that way before.

"Leo, I have a house to pay for! I have to pay for groceries!" I yelled. His arm was no longer around me. I was inching further away from him as we argued.

"I don't know what else you want from me," he mumbled. I stood up.

"What?!" He followed my actions.

"What do you mean 'what'? Everything I've done for the past nine months has been for you! I'm getting a second job for you!" I couldn't believe what he was saying. My heart was racing.

"So you're telling me you're just going to work a part-time job for the rest of your life, and that's enough for you?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm telling you, I guess. That's what I've done for the past year and a half, and I've done just fine!" I searched for something else to say. I couldn't swallow, my mouth was too dry.

"I... I don't know what to say," I finally said.

"Cool. I'll see you later." He turned and walked over to the front door, grabbing his new lanyard that held his keys and pushed through the door. My stomach was churning.

I looked up at the top of the staircase. Evie saw me spot her and quickly turned and hurried back to her bedroom. I heard the door shut behind her. I was alone.