As Told By Nerdy

Chapter 50 - Possibilities

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Chapter 50 – Possibilities

Leon threw me an incredulous yet surprised look. Who would believe Nathan would go so far as to help us? I would.

“Told you,” I whispered smiling.

The corners of Leon’s lips started to pull up. “I know.”

“Is that—“ Becky started to ask but I was already opening  the car door before she could even say more.

“Less talking, more running,” Leon suggested as he stared at the compartment of his Hummer, seemingly reluctant. “Ugh, forget the bags, let’s go,” he muttered as he snatched me by the waist and dragged me away with him.

Becky and Mom trailed us in hurried strides while trying their best to appear inconspicuous. We started to the emergency exit, about twenty yards away. When he noticed that I was already having enough trouble figuring out how not to trip on my own sneakers, Leon took Kidnap from my arms.

“Here,” he muttered panting as we reached the door. He turned the knob. The door wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked.”

“Isn’t there any other way?” Mom asked nervously as she caught her breath.

Leon rubbed his temples, appearing to think. “We have no choice but to take the entry way.”

Moments after, we were already behind the Hummer, peering on the commotion Nathan had deliberately created for us. Unenthusiastically, Leon dialled his brother’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“Okay Leon, as we rehearsed,” I mumbled to him as craned my neck to spot Nathan among the throng of people. Finally, I saw a blond head being shoved to a fro by the crowd of media men and women, including fanatics, airport security and bystanders curiously joining the ruckus as they waited for their flights.

With a withdrawn sigh Leon nodded. “Hello, Nathan? It’s me…” He paused for a while, either intently listening or out of words. “Yeah… and th-thanks for that,” Leon muttered giving me a look like saying “There, are you happy now?” and I threw him a smile and nodded. “But, hey, I really need you to do me one more favor… Exactly… How did you—“

For a while, Leon stared blankly at the crowd then shifted his eyes to his brother. From a distance, I could see Nathan’s body guards shoving through the dense crowd to make a path for him back to his car.

“Okay… I owe you one,” Leon replied to Nathan intently. “Big time.”

When Nathan reached his car, he was already smiling as he manoeuvred to the driveway. As he took off, most of the paparazzi raced to their respective vehicles and trailed after him one by one.

“That was our cue,” Leon said holding my hand. He took the lead, fixing the pair of shades on the bridge of his nose as we crossed the lobby and the waiting area in quickened, supposed to be nonchalant strides.

I followed after him, looking at the floor as I pulled the hood of my sweater closer to my face. In my peripheral view, I caught something; a tall man in a fatigue vest and a camera hanging on his neck. Act natural, I told myself but just then the photographer turned to my direction and made eye contact with me. Soon, his eyes squinted, seemingly unable to have a clear view of my partially concealed face before his gaze fixed on Leon.

A camera flashed behind us.

“Hey!” A man’s voice shouted. I didn’t turn to look.

“Uh-oh,” I mumbled.