Don't Touch || BOYxBOY ✔️

12

In the cozy warmth of a small café tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, Leo and Dante sat across from each other, enjoying a break from the usual routine. The café was quaint and welcoming, with rustic wooden tables and the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. A comfortable silence hung between them as they picked at their meals, each lost in their own thoughts.

"So," Leo began, breaking the silence, "Have you been to this place before? Or is it your first time?" he asked as he took a sip of his coffee, glancing at Dante, who was busy scrolling through his phone.

Dante looked up but shook his head. "Not really. I'm not very good with Londons mode of transport so I kinda just... stay put on campus."

Leo frowned. "What'd you mean?"

Dante put his phone down. "It's kinda embarrassing but I hate the tube."

"Oh," Leo blinked. Then he laughed lightly and shook his head. "Don't worry. I felt the same way. It's very different than back home, right?"

"It's awful," Dante muttered.

As they continued to eat, Leo's phone suddenly buzzed on the table, the screen lighting up call. He glanced at it and saw Aaron's name flashing across the screen. His smile faded. He stared up his phone like it was some sort of bomb, ready to erupt.

Leo's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned the phone face down, his expression tightening. Dante noticed the change and raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just... uh..." Leo trailed off.

Dante eyes Leo's phone and then the look on the boys face. "That friend you argued with?"

"Yeah," he replied, his voice strained. "He's probably mad at me. I messed things up with him and our other friends."

Dante nodded slowly, his eyes studying Leo's face. "Are you going to answer?"

Leo hesitated, his fingers drumming nervously on the table. "I don't know. I mean, what if he's just calling to yell at me? Or worse, what if he doesn't even want to be friends anymore?"

"Only one way to find out," Dante said, leaning back in his chair. "You can't keep avoiding it. Whatever it is, it's better to just face it."

Leo bit his lip, anxiety gnawing at him. "But what if it's bad? I don't know if I can handle another fight right now."

Dante's gaze softened, a hint of empathy in his eyes. "It might be bad, or it might not. But avoiding it won't change anything. If you don't talk to him, you'll never know what he really wants to say."

Leo sighed, knowing Dante was right. He couldn't keep running away from his problems, especially when it came to his friends. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. "Okay, you're right. I'll call him back," he said in a small voice. He stood up from the table, his legs feeling slightly shaky. "I'm just going to step outside for a minute."

Dante gave him an encouraging nod.

Leo made his way outside, the fresh air hitting him like a splash of cold water. He found a quiet spot away from the bustling crowd and took out his phone, staring at Aaron's name on the screen. His thumb hovered over the call button for a moment before he finally pressed it, bringing the phone to his ear.

The phone rang only a couple of times before Aaron picked up. "Leo," came Aaron's voice, sounding both surprised and tense.

"Uh... Hey," Leo said awkwardly, his voice wavering slightly. "I saw your message. You said you wanted to talk."

There was a pause on the other end, and Leo could hear the faint sound of a laptop lid closing and some shuffling around in the background. "Yeah," Aaron replied, his tone unreadable.