Leo seated himself in Adam and Selena's lobby with one leg over the other, his shoulders hung loosely. He sat quietly listening to everyone speak angrily, while he kept his elbow over the armchair holding his whiskey. He drank it in one go and then went over to Adam's side who poured him another drink form the decanter.
"Shall i make it a double," asked Adam.
"Sure," was all he said and then he went near the glass window and stood looking out.
Here they were talking about Zara who had just fainted out of the blue with a drip of glucose attached to her. He has seen her like this once, the night he found her and had taken her to the hospital. He remembered how scared she was and how gibberish she sounded. And today he found her like that, after they were joined by Aly's friends Eli and Chris.
Things were going great, they had cleared the air between them and acknowledged each other and she sneaked into comfort with him. They were having a wonderful evening, drinking beers and talking. He noticed her checking him out and staring at him and so he teased her further and indirectly hinted at the kiss they shared. She enjoyed drinking beer just like him and it made him happy for some reason. It mean she was a good drinking buddy and so he felt relaxed with her.
But he noticed something else also, it seemed like she hated being in the crowd. Leo was unusually observant and noticed how she always stood away from the crown, be at the club while every one went to the dance floor or in the square where she stood at the corner or when they went near the counter that was crowded. She didn't say anything but her awkwardness could not be missed by him though she was good at hiding it well. It did not miss his line of sight.
That was when he realised that at the museum when Aly's dogs were on him she did come to help but dashed away as soon as the crowd started forming. It could only mean that she hated or feared being in a crowded place. Could be one or the either or both.
He wondered if Aly or Selena knew, he would ask Selena not Aly who was pissing him off recently. The guy called another guy to introduce to her and that set Leo on the edge, he wanted to scream bloody murder on Aly and toss him and his hounds into the ocean. But that was just his kind imagination because Leo was capable of doing much worse if rattled.
Once in school a classmate had torn his test paper in which he got a full score and he was rusticated for a few days as Leo set the guys arse with crackers. His parents did not know what to do with him, his anger as a child was very difficult to control so his parents got him into many hobbies like piano which he broke, a guitar with which he beat another senior and made him cry, horse riding where he bullied the instructor and made her cry and then finally when his father took him for his next musical instrument, that was when Leo saw a street artist painting live and Leo joined then and there , he started making weird designs with the guy. And for some reason he went like that for two hours and his parents saw how focused he got when he stared splashing paint irregularly and so a painter was born.
Coming back to the current day, Leo' s thoughts were interrupted by Selena who finally shouted,
" I think it's a bad decision Aly, you need to take her to London or call her parents."
"She has been fine all along the past few month, her doctors said that sometimes she can get disturbed if she she is under stress or something,"
"and her parents were not there the last time, what makes you think they will show up now?"
replied Aly.
"They were hardly there, why do you think i insisted on her moving to Zagreb."
"We are all here and we can watch her and take care if she seeps back to her former state,"
"And she is fine, her doctor said this can happen in between, but she will be fine, as long as her memory doesn't haunt her,"
"Though we don't know exactly what happened, all we know is what Leo told us, but even he dose not know the full extent of the things, except Zara,"
"And the Kid," interrupted Leo.
" So that's why you brought him back,"
"You think that's going to make her better,"
"You think getting her memories back and knowing what happened will be better for Zara."
shouted Aly as he was now holding Leo by his collar.
Leo's expression changed and he finally spoke as he caught Aly and backed him to the wall and holding him by his throat ,
"And you think introducing her to a guy who was wearing a black hat would not be a gentle reminder to her, "
" As soon as that guy came she became uncomfortable because she could not see his face clearly."
" Do you not understand your best friendly, " said Leo as he let go Of Aly and that was when Aly's expression changed and he sat down holding his hair.
"Fuck what did i do, i should didn't notice,"said Aly
"You did not know" said Adam as he leaned and patted over Aly,
"And enough if violence ,"
"Both of you," said Adam very strictly like a parent.
"Leo stop tormenting him, he is a kid. He didn't know."
" I know, replied Leo who had calmed down and leaned back in his chair.
" I am not a kid, for fucks sake," said Aly who was pissed with all and himself the most.
" We need to be cautious about the kind of people we introduce her to, things that remind her of that unfaithful night and can spike up the trauma."
"Its seem her body and mind remembers it subconsciously."
"The kid seemed to give her comfort at the time and so i let him tag. She is very fond go him ," said Leo with some irritability as he would have liked to be the one who she was fond of not the kid.
"Meeting him would be good for her, maybe right now one person who will be able to understand her would be that kid. They have a strong bond and being together might help them both in someway. "he said drinking his whiskey and pouring himself another drink.
He was drinking heavily, seeing her fall and scared and unable to speak much made him feel heavy. It reminded him of her, she was like Zara too and he could do nothing for her. He was very young, but he would be here for Zara. He had this growing sense of protectiveness an responsibility towards her. He just wanted to hold her strong, he knew she was stronger and he knew she would not cowver and let the pain take over her.
He knew now she had to fight it and he will make sure she will fight it and he will not let her fall prey to her memories. He had seen what it can do too a person and so he would not let it all repeat.
He had held her in his arms, she had gone pale ad lifeless and they had brought her home. When he had picked her, she felt very light and he felt her bones. He realised he had never seen her eat much though they had hardly met but he could tell. So he had asked Ash to call a doctor or a nurse who could het some fluids into her system. He was resting in the other room and he knew he was tough on Aly who was her well wisher, family and friend but he had to make him aware as well that he would be slowly taking over the charge when it came to her and would not leave her in anyone arms except his.
Ash had come to Adams home and Leo knew it wasn't the easiest thing she had done especially when Selena saw Ash and Ash gave her a strong air of hostility. But both loved Zara and him an for their sake they both ignored each other. But something told Leo that Selena had figured out who gave Adam the purple eye.
He finished his drink, and went to the the terrace. It was time to make her meet the kid. So Leo dialled his number, " Hey, i am sending you Adam's address."
"Join us here tomorrow. "
" Yes, she is here as well." he said and cut the call when Selena came out and stood near him.
"I wonder if calling him over is the right think to do, at the moment," she said.
"That's the only thing i can think of at the moment if it means she will feel safe and happy."
" No, i think you being here might be what will do the job. You think little of yourself."
"Show her your heart Leo, one you have kept for her for so long, she will accept it."
"I am sure she will," was all she said .