Start Over

Chapter 6

edited

It had been less than an hour since school ended and Leo knew he'd find Alexandra in the music room. He wasn't going to stop until he finally had her again because he missed her too much to let her get away. The love they once shared would soon be back and everything would be good again, at least that's what Leo continued to tell himself.

Walking down the empty halls of the school felt strange to the boy. He'd only been at school alone a couple of times but Alexandra was usually with him. Alexandra and Leonardo were one of the few students that were allowed to be in the school after since they were honour students. Leonardo being the golden boy of the school was, of course, an advantage and Alexandra being the 'good girl' that most teachers loved also gave her an advantage.

As he made it to the music room, he heard nothing but silence. His eyebrows knit together, confused, as he pushed the door open, seeing her notebook laying on top of the piano but she was nowhere to be found. He turned his head from side to side in search for her around the room. He made his way to the piano while searching for the dark-haired girl. He sat down on the piano's bench and placed his hands on the keys carefully. he couldn't help but remember the last time he played the piano. While Al could sing, Leo played the piano beautifully. Leo would play the piano for Alexandra all the time; she'd write, he'd play.

He looked at the notebook before taking a hold of it and looking at the page where she had left it open. His eyes scanned the words all over the page. The words were from the lyrics of other artists songs in cursive. Alexandra's cursive isn't the prettiest but she never paid attention to that, she took this habit of hers as practice at becoming better at it. As his eyes wandered around the page, he noticed the title; If This Is Love. Leonardo continued to look at the four words, feeling as if though this one song was meant for him. He noticed it wasn't complete but the first verse and what seemed to be the chorus was written down neatly in light, blue pen.

It's been a long day and I'm trying to figure it out

The way those words left your mouth

I feel broken, shattered, and blue

And it's all because of you

And I'm trying, trying to figure it out

He reread the words about four times before understanding that the song had to be about him. It was only the first verse but he felt that the emotion she was feeling as she wrote it. When it came to Al's writing, you were always left in awe and moved by her words. You feel so much with just a couple of words and it just feels nice.

"So now you can't respect my privacy?"

Leo stood to his feet quickly causing the bench to fall backwards loudly. All the sheets she had organized fell along with her notebook. Leo turned around quickly and saw Alexandra, standing there with both her eyebrows raised. Alexandra smiled softly, Leo being jumpy was something she'd never get used to seeing. Leo's mouth opened and closed quickly not knowing what exactly to say.

"It's-it's fine," she said, shaking her head slightly, looking at him anywhere but his eyes. "I'm not mad."

Leo let his mouth shut close as his eyes widened slightly. Her not giving him those hard, cold glares he'd always hate was freaking him out. He thought the fight to get her back would have taken much harder and longer than just one conversation. She removed her eyes from his to look at the mess he had made with her notebook and papers on the floor. Leo notices her gaze and slowly goes to pick her notebook up as she goes back to staring at anything but him.

"I'm sorry," Leo finds himself saying, picking up a few of her things in silence, taking steps forward to hand her, her notebook. "I didn't mean to go through your stuff. I-I-I was just—"

She takes the notebook from his hand, her eyes now, finally, meeting his. "I already told you it was fine." She passed him and starts to pick up the rest of the scattered paper and puts them in their place on the stand.

The silence was deafening. Leo was already starting to feel uncomfortable as he stood there and watched the girl put the papers in their right order. What was he supposed to say to her? He had thought of everything to say to her before entering this room but now alone with her nothing came out. His mind went completely blank. He didn't know if this spell she seemed to be in would break and she'd go back to hating him. He felt stuck.

"No," she spoke out of nowhere, looking behind her shoulder at him. She turned to look him straight in the eyes. "No, I haven't forgiven you."

They stared at each other across the room, not knowing what to say next. Leo wasn't giving up without a fight though, that much he knew. "Look—" he began.

"But I can't keep ignoring you," she spoke again. "I can't keep treating you like shit, even though you deserve it, because it makes me feel like shit," She took steps towards him, standing only two steps away from him as she continued. "It's stupid but I really don't want to lose you and we promised each other no matter how downhill the relationship we had gone, we'd still remain best friends. All I know is I can't not have you in my life, Leo."

He stood there, mouth wide open in complete shock. He did not see that coming. He knew that Alexandra was not one to forgive easily and it was strange for him to see this side of her, the side that wasn't stubborn. Moments, where she'd be like this, were very rare and his glad that it was coming out now. She was growing, so, slowly, a soft smile was plastered on his lips as he stared down at the curly-haired girl.

"I can't not have you in my life either, Alexandra," he spoke lowly, somewhat feeling that this moment would soon fade. "I understand." he reached to tuck in her hair behind her ear but before he could do so, she moved back, clearing her throat.

"Those gestures, I don't mind them as long as you understand that they're nothing more than simple gestures." She said sternly, making herself clear. If they were going to be friends again, it would be only that, friends. "Nothing can happen between us again."

The boy felt himself feel sad once again. He knew that she couldn't have taken him back so easily, she wouldn't take him back romantically so easily. The fight to her heart wasn't over just yet. Leonardo covered his sadness with a small smile in understanding, looking down at the floor before back at her again.

"So, about that song.."

Alexandra drops her head and laughs a little, not knowing if to tell him or just ignore the statement. Of course, she had written this song about him, who else would have given inspiration for such a sad love song? She takes a seat on the piano bench and turns the notebook to the page of the unfinished song.

"Yeah, um," she paused, nerves evident before hearing a voice in herself saying fuck it! "I started to write it first period you know, after you and I spoke. I just needed to get it out and this is the best way I know how."

Leo moves to stand in front of the piano, it being in between the two. "It's pretty good actually, so sad and mopey, totally you," he joked, knowing most of her writing always had to be so tragic.

She smiled and looked up at him. "Don't push me, Leo. We just became friends again!" Leo puts his hands up in surrender, leaning into the piano. "Look, I'm leaving in an hour so I don't know if your gonna wait or—"

"Don't worry. I'll give you your space to write," Leo turned and started grabbing his belongings. "I don't want to distract you, you know, with my sexiness."

Alexandra rolled her eyes as a laugh escaped her lips, before she watched the boy walk out of the room.