What I Wish Happened

Chapter Ten

 I pull up to Uncle Sam's house honking the horn as I put the car in the neutral. Alexis clambers into the backseat and onto Drew's lap. The front door to Sam's house clicks closed and Leo runs down the steps with a duffle-bag swung over his shoulder and a great big smile on his lips. He climbs into the passenger seat and tucks his bag into his bag into the footwell by his feet, "I brought a football well, soccer ball, as you American's call it." I smile as he looks around the car, "I didn't know you drove manual?" I smile as I knock the car into first gear and rev the engine, "My Grandpa Micheal was always adamant that everyone should be able to drive every car. This was his car actually." He smiles and leans his arms over my seat, we drive quite quickly and get on to the motorway.

We are driving for just under an hour before we reach the Santa Monica Pier. We all climb out River and Meg intertwine hands and run towards the entrance, Alexis climbs out and stretches Drew kisses her cheek and heads to a coffee stand, I turn to her and start to shake my head, "Are you two official yet?" She laughs to herself and nods slowly, "Yep, that there is my boyfriend." The smile on her face says everything, "Ah... romantic bliss." She knocks she shoulder into me as we slowly walk over, Leo quite quickly catches up behind us, his bag on his shoulder again, Drew runs back over with four iced coffees handing each on out to us.

Drew and Alexis quickly run off with their hands intertwined. I look towards Leo and smile, "How come the straight-A, Nova Founders decided to skip school anyway?" I smile and quickly spot a bench, I make my way over and sit down crossing my legs and sipping on my coffee, "One day won't change my grades, plus we are going to that after school study session, pretty sure the teachers will be a little more lenient with everything that happened with Lukas, Principal Mac-bee said I can take time off if I need it anyway." He nods and looks down at my hands, "I'm sorry for everything with Lukas, Nova, I was an ass, I'm really sorry for how I handled it, I lost it and I should have been thinking about you and making sure you are okay." I turn my body on the bench to face him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Leo, I'm okay. But also, I wish I had done what you had the first time it happened, I should have kicked his ass and ended it there and then." He smiles and leans his head on mine. "Was that why couldn't end it with him? We're you scared?" I nod look up to his eyes. "You should never be scared, I hate what he did to you but I hate more that I didn't see the signs and help you. I could have saved you from so much pain and it hurts me that I didn't, no one should go through what you did."

"Did you lose it so much because of your Mom?" His eyes widen as his eye flick to me, "You know?" I nod slowly my eyes not leaving my coffee cup, I look up at him through my eyelashes, "I know we should of but when you first started at school, Alexis googled you, there was a new report about 'Leo Black - Wyatt' about your manslaughter trial." He nods and squeezes his coffee cup, he takes one hand and loops it with mine, "I lost it because I don't like the people I love being hurt, My Mum, Kaci and then you. I hate seeing it happening and it hurts, I'm guessing you know what happened with my Dad and me then?" I nod and squeeze his hand, "I am so sorry that you had to go through that" he smiles, "She would like you, my Mum that is." I smile and giggle to myself.

River, Meg, Alexis and Drew all wonder over to us, skipping and giggling. "We are going to the beach, you two coming?" I nod and stand up chucking the empty cup in the bin as we pass. I look to Leo and offer my hand to him, he takes it in his and squeezes it tight, as he loops his fingers with mine. We walk slowly down the steps to the sand. I take off my shoes and carry them slowly as the rest run ahead and run towards an empty spot on the beach, I look at Leo and smile as I use him to balance myself. We reach the rest who have laid out the blanket and stripped into their bathing suits. Leo and I follow suit, I quickly realise that my bruises and cuts are fully on show, everyone quickly gasps as they notice them, I grab Leo's shirt and pull it back over the top hiding the majority of them again. I sit on the blanket and look towards the rest and wave them off to enjoy their day at the beach.