The Hazardous Effect of Love

three

"Oh my gosh, hey." He jogged up to Charlie in the grocery store. "I figured out why Matt Holt sounded so familiar."

"Leo," she smiled, but it faded when she processed what he had told her, "What?" He nodded excitedly in response. "Of course you recognize it; he went to our school last year."

"Well yeah, I know that. But I know why it was familiar other than that." Charlie's smile, the one that Leo was almost positive he was falling in love with, completely disappeared from her face as her wide dark brown eyes gazed up at him in panic. "I looked him on online and this was on the school newspaper. He was-"

Hot tears spilled from her eyes and she wiped them off her red cheeks with the back of her hand. "Stop it. Please. I need to go now, but listen, Leo. Talking about Matt to me is off limits. Don't mention his name again." She quickly walked to checkout with her slightly filled basket that hit against her knee as she walked.

"Leo, who was that?" his mother walked into the aisle smiling, oblivious to the scene just shared between him and Charlie.

"Just a girl from school," fell off his lips. His mother sighed, knowing that was a lie. Deep in Leo's heart, he knew too. Charlie was the kind of girl you could look at and just want to protect. She was small and cute and harmless and sweet. He just wanted to be there for her and make her feel safe and wanted. And maybe even love her forever and hold her small frame in his arms.

He stared longingly at her as she took one more sad glance and walked out the door. "She's pretty," his mother noted to herself as she put some food in her cart.

"Yeah," he whispered to himself as her hips swayed slightly as she walked. Charlie was so feminine with a name that sounded more masculine, but it somehow made her seem even more dainty.

"You like her, a lot from the looks of it." Leo rolled his eyes in bliss ignorance, totally oblivious to the fact that Charlie already had the power to completely obliterate him like a boat in the path of a tsunami. Leo didn't realize this and could only think of how cute she was instead of the stormy ocean brewing inside.

Because how could a short and adorable girl with the likes of doll do any harm to him?