Hideout

T W E N T Y

Short, but important chapter. The next one will be long. To the Leo haters, I think this might be when we say goodbye. Soz, m8. 

C H A P T E R 

T W E N T Y 

A D E L A I D E 

With that roller coaster of a weekend, Leo had pushed off the announcement he mentioned before. But now, it was tonight.

I was completely unconcerned with it, as I figured it would be about his claiming of the territory around Big Sur. If it had something to do with me, Leo would have spoken with me first.

Well... I was half right.

"Addie, take a walk with me," Leo hummed after we had a quiet lunch together.

My eyes moved to the nearest window, where the midday sun was shining brightly. It may have looked warm from here, but I knew the fall weather was really setting in and I would have to change if we were going outside. "What kind of a walk?" I asked.

"Down to the beach."

There was a tone to his voice that I was unfamiliar with. Nerves? And just like before, his face was emotionless save for the vein that was pulsing in his forehead. "Last time you had that," I tapped my own forehead. "I had a really traumatic weekend. Should I be concerned?"

"Maybe. But nothing will hurt you and it doesn't involve anyone except us. Kinda. Anyways, I just want to do it on the beach. I don't want us to be distracted by anything or anyone and I want us in a neutral environment."

Now I was really scared. "Um... okay. Let me put on a sweater or something," I mumbled, taking one last sip of my iced tea before getting to my feet. "You aren't going to murder me, are you?"

Leo's face relaxed enough to release a laugh. "Does that change your choice of sweater?"

"Yeah, actually. If I'm about to die on the beach, I'm going to wear lots of jewelry and sheddable layers so they can fall off and be lead back to my killer. Also, I want to dress cute for my last day."

He snickered, rolling his eyes. "You always look cute, sweetheart."

"Flattery will get you nowhere if you're about to murder me."

"Just go change, Addie."

After throwing on a burnt sienna-colored chunky sweater, I kept on the plain jeans I was wearing that morning and threw on a pair of boots. Under the sweater, I put on a long-sleeved white shirt, just to have some layers for the cold ocean breeze.

By the time I finished, Leo was leaning in the doorway of the bedroom, staring intensely at me. I hadn't heard him enter or even approach, so his presence scared the daylights out of me. My hand slapped over my heart. "Geez, dude. Don't do that."

"I'm afraid of losing you," Leo claimed. "To think of all the shit I did to you... I won't ever forgive myself. And it could cost me you."

My brows furrowed. "Leo, what is going on?"

"Are you bundled up enough?" He asked, ignoring my question.

I rolled my eyes, but nodded. If he wasn't going to tell me now, I better get us down to the beach fast, because my mind was already playing through the worst case scenarios of what he wanted to tell me.