Around in a Circle

Chapter 8

Leah Cranston

"Uh, Leah?"

"Hm?" I say as I spin around as we walk through the train station in Rome.

"I'm sorry." Chloe says as she looks down. I take a second. I know Chloe. Let's just say, she's not really the type to say sorry first after an argument.

"You're.... Sorry?"

"Okay, I just want this argument to stop." She laughs as she walks closer to me and gives me a hug. I hug back.

"That sounds more like you." I laugh. "I'm sorry too." I say and we link arms as we continue walking.

"So, after we get to the hotel, you up for some shopping?"

"You bet." I smile.

When we get to the hotel that we were going to stay in in Rome, we start to unpack before we go shopping.

"Knock knock?" A voice says and I turn around. "Hey. Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure." I say and I follow Austin out, and he stops just in the corridor of the hotel.

"Um.... If it's okay with you, will you be able to uh.... Help me with some things?"

"What kind of things?"

"Um..... Well, y'know..... Chloe just recently told me that you know..... That she likes me, and I was just wondering if you could help me set up a date for her?"

"Oh, of course!" I say and give him a smile. "I would love to help. You've come to the right person."

"Great, um... Yeah that sounds good. I was planning to do it in a few days so we have time. Thanks for helping me."

"That's okay, so do you wanna meet up tomorrow or something so we can see what we should do?"

"Yeah. That sounds good. Make sure Chloe doesn't find out, okay?"

"Don't worry about that." I say and I turn around and walk back into my room to keep unpacking. I take a glance at Chloe unpacking and I smile to myself. I'm so glad that things have worked out between those two, all those years that I stood beside her when she wanted to be with Austin, man, it only seems like yesterday.

***

"What are you doing today?" Maddox asks me as we have some breakfast.

"Oh, nothing much. What are you doing?"

"Well I was thinking.... Well I was thinking if you..... I mean, if we, I mean if you wanna go play some mini golf with me?" He stutters. God, I don't think I've seen Maddox stutter in a long long time.

"Are you asking me on a date, Maddox Ellsworth?" I ask, and he looks at me in the eyes and opens his mouth as if he was going to say yes.

"No of course not." His normal cocky tone takes over. "I want to challenge you. I know I can beat you in mini golf now."

***Flashback***

"Have you ever played mini golf before?" Maddox asks me, casually slinging his arm over my shoulder.

"Nope."

"Well today's your lucky day."

"But I-"

"I know you're not a fan of golf, but you don't need to a saddy." He chuckles. His chuckle's so hot. And he's so sweet for remembering little things, for example how I don't like to play golf that much, because the only time he could've heard it was when I was with Chloe and Maddox was just standing there.