It's Just Acting

Twenty Six In Which She Decides It Is Time

LEON WAS SPEECHLESS the entire drive back to the Caviglia household.

He had a chance to end his relationship (or whatever it had been reduced to at this point) with Francesca. He should have been jumping at the opportunity right? But he couldn't bring himself to smile at the fact.

If they ended it then he would have the freedom to leave. The movie was in the process of wrapping up so he would go on his tour. If they ended it then he would have absolutely nothing tying him back to the town where his heart was broken.

But it would mean everything that he had with her, including their in-the-works friendship would be lost. If they were just friends they're connection would easily be diminished. He would lose her.

After everything that had happened between them, call him a fool, he didn't want it all to end. He would do anything to turn back time to the moment on the roof looking at the stars. Before Caio entered the picture and stole her away.

Leon still did not utter a single word as he trudged upstairs. Francesca raises her eyebrow and turns to Diego.

"I'll go check on him," Diego says and jogs up the stairs.

"I never really got to properly thank you for what you did for Diego and I," Marco says.

"Nothing to thank me for, I know love when I see it," She smiles.

"Speaking of love, what are your thoughts about ending it?" He asks her.

She'd be lying if she said she didn't expect this. She nods the stools by the island counter and they sit down opposite each other.

"Would it be selfish if I said I'm kind of excited?" She says in a questioning tone.

"Considering you have a side guy-"

"No! Caio is not the other guy if anything Leon is the other man," Marco chuckles at her outburst.

"Nevertheless you have him. It's not bad to want to publicly be with him," He tells her.

Francesca lets out a sigh. She was finally being given the chance to be with Caio the way other couples are. All she had to do was end the more-than-fake relationship with Leon. She was all for the idea however she was doubtful about Leon judging by his reaction.

"I just don't know about Leon," Marco says.

"Me too," She admits.

"The poor boy really likes you, you know," He tells her and she blushes.

"I just don't share those feelings," She says softly.

She had tried for a while to try and feel something for Leon, something genuine. But her mind kept on drifting to Caio. There was no point in forcing herself to like somebody when clearly it was hopeless.

Leon was a great guy, Francesca was perfectly aware of that, but there was just something that prevented her heart from really liking him. She was flattered that he felt something for her, she really was, but that gratitude wasn't enough for her to reciprocate said feelings.

"You just need to talk," Marco advises.

"Fuck Leon speak," Diego curses running a hand through his hair.

"She probably wants to," Leon whispers.

Diego pauses. He hated seeing his cousin in so much heartbreak. He knew that Leon had feelings for Francesca and that she simply didn't for him.

"So you don't want to end it?" Diego asks, even though he knew the answer.

"It's just that if we end it then I'm scared I'm going to lose her completely. I mean I've already lost her on one level, but if we end this facade then maybe she'll realise she doesn't even want to be my friend," Leon pauses. "Then what do I do?"

He didn't want to admit how much the idea scared him although he was sure that the feeling was evident through his words.

What was wrong with him? Why did he have to be so hopelessly in love with somebody who saw him as nothing more than a friend? He had tried everything to get rid of these feelings. He kept o telling himself (and her) how much he hated her, but honestly he was lying.

Him hating her? Lies.

How could he hate her when she had managed to make his palms sweaty and heartbeat quicken? Maybe eventually his feelings would have vanished but at this point they were still very much there.

It was difficult (practically impossible) to force yourself to hate somebody. After everything that she did to him he still couldn't hate her. He still found his eyes drifting to her and lingering there longer than they should.

What was wrong with him?

He waited for some inspirational advice from Diego but unfortunately nothing came. Diego was rendered speechless as well.

"Don't you hate the possibility of losing somebody completely?" Leon asked.

It was rhetorical because they both knew the answers. Diego lost Marco by some mistake and now they were back together. Leon knew that their situation could give them hope but then he reminded himself of the odds. They would probably not be in his favour.

When was anything in his favour anyway?

"You know the saying, 'if you love someone set them free'..."

"'If they come back then they're yours but if they don't'," Leon takes a deep breath, "'they were never yours to begin with,"

Leon pondered over this saying every single day. Truthfully he was just worried that she would never come back. Deep down he knew that she was never his. They were a fake relationship from the beginning, her real love was Caio.

Was he just being selfish?

He was the barrier between them being together publicly and he was prepared to continue this way because of his selfish wants.

"I'm being selfish," He murmurs and Diego shrugs.

He stands up and walks downstairs. Francesca was heading towards the staircase.

"I wanted to talk," Francesca tells him.

"Me too," He replies.

They walk to her father's study and sit down on the couch. The same couch they sat on when Pablo and Alejandro announced that they would have to date. And now they were sitting here about to talk about their breakup.

"I still have feelings for you," Leon breaks the ice. He didn't expect much of a reaction from her but he did expect a reaction. Instead she just bit her lip in guilt. "I know you don't feel the same way and that's alright," He adds on and sees her shoulders visibly loosen.

"I think that we've kept this up long enough," Francesca begins, "I don't want to hurt you...again," She adds the last word as an afterthought.

"I guess it's time," He says trying to keep his voice lighthearted but it was difficult when his heart was breaking.

It was happening.

Pablo and Alejandro walk in, they come to a startled stop.

"Wasn't expecting the two of you in here," Pablo says, his eyebrow raised.

"We have talked to Antonio and he agreed that the two of you breaking up would bring in publicity once again for the movie and the tour. The question whether the breakup was real, whether Leon is holding up. Maybe even if Francesca is a guest in the movie. Questions equals publicity," Alejandro says.

There was no backing out now...

"We agree. We should breakup," Leon speaks up.

As much as Leon hated to admit it, it was time.

It was time to end this once and for all.

-------------

Dun dun dun! Ha ha I'm sorry. One more chapter, what do you think will happen??? There is still an epilogue! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, lots of talks. Don't know whether you liked that or not??

Anyway, it's happening. The end. And, new cover! This was the original IJA cover, but then stuff happened. I hope you like it! Thanks for reading 🙈 Sorry for any errors 💚

~Lexy 😈