Until our hands touch

Chapter 6

Leah

She was shivering all over. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

"You okay, Leah?", Simon asked.

"Uh, no.. I mean yes, I mean, fuck do I look like I know Si?"

He shrugged and ruffled her hair.

"Simonnnn, that's unfair I've been trying to get it to look straight for the last hour"
"That never works. Just come out already"

Leah shook her head laughing.

"How many bad coming out jokes am I gonna be targeted with from now on?"

"All of them, forever"

"I love you too Si, but please... Okay, I need your help."

"Yeah?"

"I wanna ask Abby out."

"Oh my god. AHH IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!"

"Si, less baby gay panic more advice", she said and sighed.

Simon rested his head on her shoulder and whispered into her ear: "Just ask her out. To like. Waffle house"
"Maybe I should ask Bram, you've clearly never asked anyone out, especially no girl."

He looked at her, puppy eyed and absolutely adorable.

"I can't help it, I'm baby", he said, which earned him an eye roll from Leah.

"Simon Spier, pull yourself together or I'll freak out here."
"I told you, go ask her out. Now. She won't say no."
"Sure?"

"Yeah, come on Burke, be the change you want to see in the world."

Another eye roll before Leah got up shakily and walked over to Abby, blushing profusely.

"Uh, hi Abby", she said to Abby.

Her hair perfect as always and she smiled at her. Leah's heart stopped.

"Hey Leah"

"I... I was wondering if you... Maybe?"

"What?", Abby said, and there was a tiny wrinkle on her forehead. It only ever appeared when she was thinking really hard.

"Gotowafflehousewithme, after school?", Leah said, her shaking was probably obvious by now.

Abby pouted and it was adorable but there was a certain sadness in her eyes.

Leah froze.

"I'm sorry, Leah, but... I promised to go to a party with my cousin. Maybe some other time?"

Oh fuck. Full on Harry asking Cho to the yule ball disaster. The stuttering, the rejection. All of this was terrible and Leah would have loved to run to the toilet and cry right now, but not in front of Abby.

She continued with some small talk, trying to forget the situation but she couldn't quite look at Abby anymore.

"How did it go?", Simon asked her.

"She said she already had plans with her cousin"

"But that doesn't mean she doesn't like you, right?"

"Abby is definitely the kind of person that comes up with excuses instead of saying no because she doesn't want to hurt anyone, Si."

Simon hugged her tight.

"It'll be fine. And don't let this get you down, try again."

Leah sighed. She knew she wouldn't have been able to forget Abby anyway. Abby with the soft hair and the perfect smile.