Heartstrings and HighJinks

07

Ryan's POV 🤓

Every school day felt like a new episode of a reality TV show I never signed up for. I leaned against the lockers; frustration evident in the way I sighed. "I swear, nothing works with this girl."

It had been a mere week since the universe had decided to throw a curveball my way – I was now bestowed with the daunting task of tutoring Leah in both Computing and Math. It was as if my life had taken a sudden detour into the twilight zone. How had everything gone so wrong? I poured my heart out to Kristy, my newfound partner in crime for all things Leah-related.

One might say Kristy was my designated "rant about Leah" person. After our initial conversation about Kyle, we had discovered a shared bond in enduring Leah's eccentricities. She had quickly become the go-to confidante for all things "Leah Sandoval."

As I recounted the ridiculousness of my tutoring endeavors, Kristy listened intently. I emphasized how Leah couldn't take anything seriously, how she challenged every word that left my mouth, and how my patience was being tested in ways I never thought possible.

"Ryan, you know you shouldn't be quick to judge people without a backstory," Kristy admonished gently, her empathy shining through.

I scoffed; the irony not lost on me. "Right, because that's exactly what Leah does to me."

Kristy raised an eyebrow, a fair point evident in her expression. She had a way of shedding light on my own biases that I couldn't ignore.

Despite my skepticism, we continued talking about Leah's antics. Kristy regaled me with stories of her own experiences, like the time they held a mock funeral in her backyard after learning about One Direction's disbandment. The visual of them burning posters and memorabilia was both bizarre and strangely hilarious. We laughed heartily, sharing our own versions of the ever-elusive "Leah Sandoval experience."

Amid our laughter, an exaggerated voice cut through the air. "No! No, no, no, no!"

My gaze shot up, and I recognized the source immediately – Leah. Her theatrics were unmatched as she paced before us, the picture of melodrama.

Refusing to be drawn into her dramatics, Kristy and I exchanged knowing glances and continued our conversation, ignoring the spectacle.

"No, no, no, no," Leah's dramatic cries continued, increasingly desperate.

I remained unfazed, my attention solely on Kristy and the stories she shared.

Eventually, Leah's persistence wore me down. I glanced in her direction, my annoyance evident. "What's up?" I asked, my tone unimpressed.

Leah's exasperation was palpable as she gestured dramatically to Kristy and me, her hand resting on her hip in a grand gesture.

I met her gaze with a raised eyebrow. "Do you want me to narrate what I'm seeing here?"

Leah let out a dramatic sigh, her frustration evident. "D-do you see this? Are you seeing what's going on?"

In unison, Kristy and I turned our heads to glance at each other and then back at Leah. Our expressions were a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.

Leah's frustration mounted as we didn't respond as she hoped. She finally called in her ally – Kyle. "Kyle Winston, c'mere, please."

Kyle obliged, sauntering over with an expression of mild confusion. "What's up?" he asked, his tone casual.

" D-do you see this? Are you seeing what's going on?" Leah repeated her refrain, adding an extra layer of emphasis.

Kyle glanced from Leah to us, his eyes widening in what appeared to be horror. "No, no, no, no," he declared, mirroring Leah's dramatics.