My Dark Past

Chapter 22

Frank

Leo has not made a joke in quite a while. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. He just pisses me off sometimes. But I am worried. I think he's acting out. He just seems SO emotional lately. He's different. It's strange.

I kind of miss the old him.

He almost died. He's been cutting. He was in the mafia. He killed little kids. 

It isn't right. Something just seems off about it.

Leo is messed up.

Or are we the messed up ones?

Leo

I don't know why I've been so weird lately. 

Maybe it was almost dying.

Or seeing Aspen.

Or both. 

Or my friends learning about me.

Oh Gods.

Why am I so strange?

I don't even know what happened.

I had been putting on such a good act.

And then I screwed it up..

Annabeth

As everyone boards the ship, I try to examine Aspen more carefully.

He walks beside Leo.

I notice the way he almost curves his body to face Leo.

He stares forward, but I see him occasionally looking at him. And by him, I mean Leo. 

(Sorry, I keep saying Leo. I don't know what else to call him at the moment.)

His lips are pursed.

It almost looks like he's being pulled towards Leo.

But it also looks like he's purposely keeping himself away.

He's tense.

Leo is also tense.

I feel something is off.

I look at the other couples.

My eyes land on Nico and Will.

They kind of look like what Leo and Aspen are doing. But with less distance, and less tension.

If you look hard, you can see Leo and Aspen start to grow closer. Their strides match almost exactly.

They look like... a couple.

Aspen

Oh shit. Annabeth is looking. And biting her lip.

I nudge Leo.

"Hey, tall, blonde, and scary is staring at us." I whisper under my breath.

He looks up, and I see a determined expression on his face.

He looks at me, and meets my eyes.

He asks me a question with his eyes. Can I stay back a little?

I nod.

It's actually a relief for him to leave.

I need a little time to cool off.

Shake off all of the Leo-ness.

As to not get to close.

I need to do that occasionally.