Cathrine was practically glued to my side, eyes wide with anticipation as I dialed Leo's number. She wasn't about to miss a single word of our conversation.
I held the phone to my ear, waiting patiently for him to pick up, while Cathrine swooned beside me, visibly eager to hear Leo's perfect voice.
For as long as I'd known her, she refused to go by Cathy, Cat, or any other variation of her name. Cathrine had a regal feel to it, she claimed. It makes me sound like royalty, her words—not mine.
Finally, the call connected.
"Hey, Val!" Leo's familiar voice came through the line.
Cathrine let out a tiny squeal and clutched my arm like she was about to pass out.
I rolled my eyes. "Hey, Leo! What's up?"
"Not much. Just at the garage."
Beside me, Cathrine inhaled dramatically. "At the garage... oooh, how manly," she whispered dreamily.
I shot her a glare. "Shut up," I hissed back.
"What was that?" Leo asked, confused.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," I said quickly, shoving Cathrine away before she could make it worse.
Time to get to the point. "Sooo, I was wondering... want to hit up Zoo tonight?"
I already knew the answer. Leo never turned down a chance for fun, and Zoo was the hottest club in town. Getting in wasn't an issue—my cousin worked there as a bartender, which gave us full access.
Leo had always been full of life, the kind of guy who lived each day like it was his last. Losing his mom at a young age had shaped him that way. We'd practically grown up together, and with my mom stepping in to help whenever she could—making sure he ate, offering advice—he was basically a third brother to me. Except, unlike my actual brothers, he was my age, which made us even closer.
There was a brief pause before he spoke.
"You party animal!" Leo said, his voice dripping with mock accusation. "Does your mom know you're sneaking out during exams?"
I snorted. "You wouldn't dare tell her. I know things about you."
Leo chuckled. "Okay, okay. So you wanna blow off some steam? I'm your guy!"
I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
"See you at midnight, then?" I asked, though I already knew his answer.
"You bet ya!" He hung up.
I turned to Cathrine, who was now jumping up and down like an overexcited toddler, clapping her hands.
"Happy now?"
Her grin was electric. "Ecstatic!"

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The state I'm in COMPLETED
Fanfiction"What you risk reveals what you value. " (Janette Winterson )