It's Just Acting

Six In Which She Goes On A Date

"My friend is stupid, she doesn't really know you," Francesca says defiantly and Leon smiles amusedly.

He takes a step closer to her, and unlike other girls she didn't step backwards. She stood her ground despite their height difference.

"And you do?" Leon asks tilting his head in a questioning manner.

"Yes. Did we not go over this earlier?" Francesca asks putting her finger on her chin pretending to think.

"Ah yes, I'm a jerk with a stone cold heart. How could I forget your rude assumption?" Leon asks and Francesca scoffs.

"It's not an assumption. You put on an act. You're like every other actor, except you just turned bad at a younger age. I feel sorry for you," Francesca says.

Leon didn't know if he was glad that the sadder -way more quiet- Francesca was gone, and the normal chatterbox was back.

"You wound me," Leon says dryly, taking another step closer.

Francesca's breath involuntarily hitches. Francesca had just gotten her first kiss. She was not use to this proximity to guys. Francesca hated the way her heartbeat raced.

It wasn't like this with Federico since she was used to his presence. And she hugged him everyday. But Leon was different. He was still unfamiliar to her. Especially the way he loved coming close to her, knowing it made her nervous.

The door opens and Leon leaps away from her. Pablo stood at the door with a smirk on his face. Leon runs a hand through his hair embarrassed. Francesca wasn't sure if it was because of how close he was to a girl, or because the girl was her.

"Sorry to. . .interuppt," Pablo says and Leon glares at him. "But Alejandro wants to speak to the both of you," Pablo continues.

Leon practically ran out of the room. She heard him exhale loudly, before walking down the stairs.

"Go easy on him, he's not use to this," Pablo warns her and she nods confused.

"Why?" Francesca's curiosity got the best of her.

"He's tired of people using him," Pablo tells her.

Before she can press the subject any further Pablo walks away.

He's tired of people using him.

Francesca walked downstairs, the words playing over and over in her head.   She sat down on the couch next to Leon -making sure she was as far away as possible-

Alejandro started talking but Francesca wasn't listening. Francesca could imagine many people using him. He was Leon Vargas after all. Everybody fawned over him.

She suddenly felt a little bad. Pablo seemed to care about him so much. Francesca didn't know if she could care for a jerk. Francesca turned to look at Leon, and he was listening intently to her father. Leon notices her staring and his gaze turns to her.

"So you two are going on a date!" Alejandro finishes off causing Leon and Francesca to tear their gazes away from each other and to Alejandro.

"What?" Francesca splutters and Alejandro shakes his head.

"Perhaps if you listened you would know," Alejandro says narrowing his gaze. Francesca flushes and sinks into her seat.

"Anyway, the publicity you two have brought to the movie is unbelievable! Since that kiss girls are going crazy. People want to know if she's even going to be in the movie!" Alejandro says excitedly, and Leon's expression changes to bored.