The Brightest Star

40. Leo

Leo's POV

I just stood there looking around after the door closed, thinking about what to do next before my fingers touched my lips. They still tingled from his last-second kiss, and I couldn't help but smile. I could only hope I was making the right decision by doing this, but I couldn't keep hiding how I felt about him or denying how it felt when he was close.

The phone in my pocket beeped, making me jump. It would take me a while to get used to having it. I took it out and looked at the screen to see King had texted me already, saying hello with a smiley face.

I replied with the same thing, not knowing what else to say before walking over to the coffee table and putting our stuff away.

We texted about little things after I thanked him for the phone again and told him I was going upstairs to read to my mom. He wanted to know what I was reading and what it was about, so I told him all about the book before the conversation turned into telling him about my favorite to read and my mom's favorites.

I read as much as I could between our texting but gave up trying since she was still sleeping. The thought made me stop mid-text. Thinking hard, it had been over a week since I last saw her awake, and even then, it wasn't for long. My father did say that they upped one of her meds, though. Maybe that was why she was sleeping more.

I put my head down on the closed book, watching her chest rise and fall with her steady breathing. I felt so bad for not giving her more attention since King started staying over, but when I told her about him staying the night, she would bat me out of the room and insisted I spend time with him.

"I really like King," I admitted to her. "And I don't mean as a friend either." I looked down and tangled my fingers with hers, then glanced around the room as if someone else would hear me other than her and Winter. "I've never really found girls attractive enough to want to kiss them, but when I look at King... it's different." I paused as this smile came over me, remembering how it felt earlier. "I hope you are okay with how I feel, even though King is another guy. Is it okay to have these feelings for him?" I asked, staring over at her.

I knew she wouldn't answer me, but it helped my fears subside a bit. My mother was always open-minded to new worlds, always reading different kinds of books and explaining the difference between them and our world. I remember her talking about how two princes in one story were forced to marry each other to stop the war between their kingdoms and how she found their story much more meaningful when they fell in love.

But that was in a story, and this was real life. Would she still feel the same if it was her son? I wanted to hope she would. Squeezing her fingers tighter, I wanted her to wake up and help me understand myself and what to do with these feelings. I wanted her to tell me it was okay to feel this way and that she loved me no matter what.

I desperately wanted her to help me figure out what to do next. What should I say to him went he came back over later tonight? Would we go out after this? Would we kiss again?

I wanted to kiss again. It was somehow better than the first time we kissed. Sweeter, more gently. Dating? I wasn't sure about that yet. It wasn't like I didn't want to date him, but that was a huge step. How would that work? I couldn't hold hands with him as normal couples did while walking down the street. The thought of them judging us tightened my throat. Would King be okay with that? Was I thinking too far ahead? I wasn't even sure dating was something he wanted.

I shook my head and let go of my mom's hand as I got up. I cleaned Winter's cat box in the upstairs bathroom and kept myself busy from doing other chores in there before going back to my mom's side to finish my text to King. I then checked her levels and bags and gave her medication when the time came, took my dad's normal nine o'clock call, and began reading again. I needed something to do to distract my overthinking thought. I just needed to take this one step at a time.

☆☆☆

I jumped awake as Winter rubbed against my face and meowed at me. My neck was killing me as I rubbed it and sat up slowly. Looking at my phone, it was nearly eleven at night, but there still wasn't a call from King. I sent him a quick text telling him I was sorry for falling asleep, but I was awake now, going downstairs to get some water, and that I hoped everything was going okay.

He didn't text back right away as he did earlier, so I put the phone down on the bed and stood up to give Winter some water. My mouth dried even more at the sound.

I walked down the stairs lazily and headed straight into the kitchen to get something to drink and sat at the table. After drinking most of my cup, I noticed something move by the door and froze.

The curtain that covered the window on the back door moved slightly from the wind. My eyes shot down to see what looked like glass on the brown hardwood flood. My heart jumped in my chest. My ears began to burn as I focused on trying to hear something in the house.

Slowly, I reached down to grab the phone King gave me and nearly smacked myself when I remembered leaving it on the bed next to my mom.

It felt like I was being watched. A shiver ran down my spine. Breathing became labored as I told myself to keep calm and not panic. It could just be my imagination, but my heart was pounding dangerously fast.

Carefully, I stood up and walked to the sink to put my cup down. I was so scared to turn around, but the house phone hung on the wall behind me. If I could get to it, I could call King, and he would hurry back over, if not already on his way back.

I closed my eyes and took deep but shaky breaths, counting to three. I couldn't help the panic that took over me as I nearly ran to the phone and dialed King's number as fast as I could. When I put the phone to my ear with trembling hands, I froze hearing nothing on the other end. I tried it again, confused, but the same thing happened again.

"I hope you don't mind," his voice came from behind me, making me gasp for the air that left my body as I spun around. The phone fell from my hands, no doubt breaking as it hit the flood. "I didn't want your little shadow to get in the way of our fun again," Charlie said as he leaned against the frame from the hallway into the kitchen. A smile as dark as the living room behind him spread across his face.

My body lunged towards the back door in full flight mode. I needed to get away, but he was blocking my way to the phone upstairs. I didn't make it more than a few steps before I was pulled back by a fist full of my hair. A hand grabbed my throat so hard I could hardly breathe.

"Where do you think you're going, baby? The fun is this way," he hissed in my ear before throwing me to the ground towards the living room.

I stumbled to my feet, racing for the front door instead this time but was tugged back by a strong grasp on my arm and fell, just barely missing the coffee table. Charlie laughed as he walked towards me, and I felt like a kicked puppy watching him.

"Please don't do this," I begged, unable to push myself up from the floor.

"I've waited so long for this," he said, grabbing the glass bowl from the small table  under the stairs where my dad kept his car key.

I tried to back away from him, but the coffee table to my back pinned me. He raised the bowl over his head, making a low chuckling sound.

"Don't," I raised my trembling hands. "Don't. Don't!" But it was too late. He swung down and smacked me against the side of the head. All I could see were black spots as my head hit the ground.

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Just a heads up, I will not be posting a new chapter in the month of May. Chapters will resume again on June 5th. Sorry for the long wait and for leaving you on this huge cliffhanger. That was not planned at all! I swear it wasn't!!! Don't yell at >.<