The Brightest Star

20. Leo

Leo's POV

I walked into the gate of the school more nervous than ever before. Charlie was back and that made me uneasy.

I've always been the kind of person to see the good in everyone. I ignored the signs and red flags when it came to him for the longest time because he was always so nice to me. Thankfully he was older than me and a few grades ahead so I wouldn't have to worry about him in school but I still had a bad feeling about him being back in town.

Walking into the school, I started to make my way to class lost in my thoughts when I noticed King standing in the hall. I smiled, not able to hold it back any longer feeling a whole new kind of nervousness after what happened Saturday.

'We... We weren't holding hands. We were just sitting comfortably next to each other, really close... because the armrest was so small... and I just made a friendly phone call to him... at night time... before bed. There was nothing weird about that, right?' I tried to convince myself.

At least I hope that's what he thought and he didn't think I was-, I shook my head at the thought and stopped walking towards him when I noticed he was talking to Jess and they were both smiling at each other.

God, why did I get this weird feeling seeing them together like that in my chest and this lump in my stomach? I didn't like this feeling at all but then again I just couldn't help it either.

"Hi Leo!" someone called loudly, making me jump.

I looked up to see a few of the girls from class walking past smiling and waving at me. I waved with a nervous smile back at them and caught King looking at me as they passed by.

He gave me a soft smile and started walking over after waving bye to Jess. My heart jumped and butterflies filled my stomach again.

"Hey," he started but when I looked at his face I noticed a bandage on his cheek.

"What happened to your cheek?"

He looked confused for a moment but then his eyes widened. "Oh, yeah I got into a small argument with someone." He smiled and we started walking to class together.

"Looks like you got hit. I hope everything is okay."

"Yeah. It's fine. So how was your night?"

"It was okay," I told him. "So... looks like you and Jess really hit it off after the project, huh?" I asked him and then immediately rejected it. I don't know why I asked that. It wasn't my business. That was so stupid to ask but it just flew right out of my mouth before I knew it was coming.

"Yup. She's not too bad to talk to once you get past her shyness."

"Yeah, she's a good person. I've talked to her a few times. I'm glad you two like either other," I about froze as my eyes widened. Why did I say that?

King gave me a weird look but then chuckled a little. "We became friends pretty fast if that's what you mean by liking each other." He smiled as I felt my ears ringing from the burning in them and my face tingled.

"Well, y- yeah. Of course, that's what I meant," I answered him and quickly took my seat. Ugh, me and my damn mouth. I can't believe I said that out loud like that. It made it so obvious that I was searching around for something more about their relationship.

Why did I care so much anyway? I wasn't jealous. This feeling couldn't be that. It's not like I liked King in that way and he can talk to whoever he wants to or, maybe, go out with whoever he wants to.

Our classes went by slowly as I tried my hardest to focus on my work and not look over at King or even Jess for that matter, but I couldn't help it as I peeked over to watch Jess looking at something on her phone before tapping with a weird smile.

Were they texting each other in class?

I looked behind me as non-noticeably as I could to see King doing something on his phone too. I felt so ashamed of myself as I laid my head down on my desk suddenly feeling sick again. This was going to kill me.

I was a little jealous, I guess, and for some reason, I couldn't stop myself from feeling that way. It made me feel so bad because I had no right to feel this way at all.

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When school was over I felt so bummed walking outside after successfully dodging the girls who always held me up after school. It felt kinda nice to walk out of school alone so I could think when I suddenly smacked into someone's back and jumped almost completely out of my own skin.

"Oh, so-,"

"Leo, this habit is going to be hard to break," I heard King say as he turned around to look at me. "I'm really glad I'm not a brick wall though or you would have brain damage by now," he laughed with a soft smile.

"Yeah, well maybe you shouldn't stand right outside the gate like this," I smiled back but then Jess caught the corner of my eye as she stood behind King with a smile.

"H- hey Leo," she said, catching me looking over at her. Her face started turning pink as she looked at the ground and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Oh, hey Jess," I said trying not to be rude but inside I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Of course, they would be together after school too. "Well, I'll see you both tomorrow," I told them and started walking away because I really couldn't stand this feeling I got seeing them like that.

I didn't get too far before King grabbed my arm with a smile. "Leo, I called for you to stop. Didn't you hear me?"

"Uh, no sorry. I- I was thinking about... that history lesson from this morning," I lied quickly and he looked at me with a weird look. "Sorry, what did you need again?"

"Oh, I was saying to wait and I would walk with you today, if that was okay?" He asked me as I noticed Jess already walking away.

"You want to... walk with me?" I asked him, feeling completely dumbfounded. Why would he do that when he could easily be with Jess? I just didn't understand it. Especially since walking with me was way more out of his way.

He started laughing at my question, looking amused. "Wow, is this really surprising you that much? Of course, I want to walk with you."

The way he looked at me with that smile and said those words, made my whole face grow hot. I was so happy but so embarrassed that I felt like hiding or running away.

"O- okay," was the only thing I could force out of my mouth. I couldn't say anything else without further embarrassing myself as we started walking together.

And this one time turned into an everyday thing. I found him waiting outside of the gate for me, sometimes he would be with Jess but other days he would wait alone, leaning up against the brick wall on his phone.

It made me feel good though. Knowing Charlie was out there, but just having King by my side so I didn't have to walk home alone made all the difference.

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Don't forget to like this chapter! Thank you for reading!

Leo is kinda blind to the fact that Jess might actually like him and not King. But this little jelly is kinda cute.