Can You Look My Way?

C-5

"And so, what happened after that night?" Doctor Kamiya asked. He became interested in Leo's stories about his days. 

"Aren't you supposed to ask me about the sudden pain I felt?" he asked back, twitching his upper lip, showing some playful disappointment.

"Well, that too."

Leo shakes his head. "I guess Jacob and Merida made up since Jacob was the one to return my hoodie with a warning," he said. "She didn't answer my calls too."

"Ah, the boyfriend-- your ex-friend who didn't listen to you. How exciting that is," doctor Kamiya teased, earning a glare from Leo. He inhaled deeply and show a sincere smile. "Now, tell me, did the blockers I gave you work?" 

"Yeah, they're effective," Leo answered. 

"Say," doctor Kamiya uttered, "staying away... you regret ever doing that, huh? You really like that one girl."

"I thought I told you, doctor Kamiya." Leo met the doctor's gaze. "She's the brightest star, something I hate... yet I love too."

After Leo's doctor's appointment, he decided to visit the park. There were kids playing, some people doing a picnic and some just hanging out with friends. 

From the plastic bag that he has been carrying, he took out his ice cream. He is supposed to avoid such food but he would surely regret not having a lot of it in the afterlife. 

As he is eating his strawberry-flavored ice cream, he spotted someone familiar. It was the evil witch Lisa again. What is she doing-- he froze for a moment when a kid approached her. Lisa was smiling at that little boy and he frowned. It's not his business... but that smile was real. 

The next few days, Leo didn't talk to Merida anymore. He didn't want to make it hard for her and since he knew Jacob, that guy doesn't like when his girl is hanging out with another guy. He respects that.

It was after school when Leo didn't want to go home yet. He wanted to visit his sister but he chickened out the moment he was at her block. Frustrated, he walks back where he walked from.

At a different street, he spotted two people he knows. Brandon and Merida, walking in opposite directions from him. Brandon is a bully and he is Jacob's current best friend. That guy is following Merida and he thought the guy was there to bully her so he followed them but kept a fair distance. 

Leo saw how Brandon looks at Merida and realized something. He wanted to confirm it first so he let them until they reached the end of the line and Merida had to go. 

"Brandon!" Merida shouted. It made Brandon look back. "I knew it was you! You gave me those paints and I still have them! Thank you!" Merida waved her hand up in the air.

Hearing those, Leo could immediately connect the dots. They knew each other long before Jacob knew Merida.

Brandon waved back, grinning at how she acted. He continues to get lost with his thoughts not aware that Leo was there. 

"Happy huh?"

Brandon stopped walking and immediately turned around. His happy mood suddenly dropped and was replaced with a blank expression. "Were you following the ish outta me?"

Leo mockingly laughs at Brandon. "Why the heck would I follow you?" Then he shakes his head. It was Merida he followed not Brandon. "Geez, man!"

"Then why the fudge are you here?" Brandon wasn't playing this time. It's all written on his face. He's pissed at this Leo.