The Brightest Star

27. King

King's POV

I was really nervous as Leo opened the door and walked in before me. I shouldn't have agreed to it because I knew she was sick and wasn't doing well. I took a deep breath before forcing a few steps in behind him. I'd never been more nervous.

Once in the room, I noticed the bed and everything set up around it while a heart monitor beeping softly in the background. Leo was right. It was a little overwhelming to see at first.

I looked further into the room as I took a few more steps behind Leo but stopped in my tracks as my eyes landed on his mother.

Those pictures did nothing to capture her beauty, even though I could tell she was much thinner now. I couldn't even think of the right words to describe how captivated I was by her looks. She looked just like Leo.

Her hair was long and slightly wavy, the same golden-yellow color as Leo's. It was like looking at an angel, peacefully sleeping, but when I peeked over at Leo, my heart stopped as he looked down at her with a loving smile. How could a demon like me be standing in a room with two angels?

"Mom," he said in a soft voice. Her eyes slowly started to flutter open, looking at him. They were the same crystal blue as Leo's eyes. Bright, like looking into the clear sky on a warm day. He looked nothing like his dad. "Mom, this is my friend."

Her eyes moved from him over to me, making my whole body tense tighter. I think I even stopped breathing. My heart was pounding.

"This is King," Leo said as she smiled at me. "King, this is my mom, Isabella."

"King," she smiled and took a deep, slow breath. "What a beautiful name," she said in a weak voice.

"Th-thank you," I forced my words and stepped closer. I couldn't understand why I felt so paralyzed under her gaze. Leo started laughing at me, and she even let out a little chuckle while my face started to burn.

"Look at that," she stopped to take another deep breath as her eyes closed again to face the ceiling. "Now I have... two... loins in my room." She started laughing a little but then got cut off by a cough.

Leo helped her by holding her hand and leaning closer before she whispered to him and patted his hand.

"Oookay, we are going back downstairs to let you rest. I'll be back later to read to you." Leo turned around, and his face was bright red from what she said.

She giggled at his reaction. "It was a pleasure... King." She smiled again with her eyes still closed.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too, Isabella," I said with a smile before we walked back downstairs and sat on the couch again. Leo was acting a little weird, and his cheeks were still pinkish.

"So what did she say that had you turn bright red?" I had to ask, trying not to laugh.

"Nothing." He looked away and sat down on the floor.

"Come on. Tell me, or I'm going to ask your mom myself," I told him. I wasn't going to because she looked too tired, but Leo's face turned red again.

"She just- she said you're a very handsome red lion," he said, then hid his face as it grew even brighter into his ears. "It was nothing, really."

A red lion? I'd never been called that before, but I liked it.

"Anyways!" He yelled and started opening up another book. "Let's get back to this before Kiki kicks down my door looking for her runaway cousin and stolen car."

I laughed, sitting on the couch next to him, and we started on the homework again.

After a while, we moved on to math. I moved closer to the coffee table on the floor, and Leo sat next to me after he helped take the sling off my arm to scratch it a little. The TV played a show in the background to give us some noise.