He remembered the first conversation they had back in London. How she smiled and shyed away when he asked her if she had a boyfriend. It turned out she knew Selena briefly from her school days as they both went to the same boarding schools. And he and Selena were dating from the past 2 years but he wasn't much there. That's what she said when he found out about her and Adam after she told him about her cheating on him.
He was surprised with himself with the lack of reaction he gave or the fact that it didn't hurt much. Maybe it did hurt, but then Selena always said he was a mystery, a ripple . Leo thought he was hollow form the inside when it came to being with someone. Maybe all the people he met, he never really attached himself to them, thought with Selena he did have a bond a certain familiarity, a family bond.
The way he looked at Zara being an outsider wasn't a familiar territory, she appeared different, like a lonely daffodill in the gray London weather standing quietly and listening to everyone and speaking in between. Whenever she did speak, it mattered and they were never light words. He felt immediately attracted to her but it scared him a little.
Then he simplified his feeling with rationalisation thinking it was just a silly infatuation with some one new and pretty. That's what arsswholes like to do, fuck around pretty attractive girls.
Then he would sometimes see her with Selena and watch them talk rumbuctiously from a distance, as their was an unspoken space they both kept between them. They seemed to be very close and Leo had started drifting further from Selena, maybe it was his mum or whatever. Maybe that was the reason Selena chose his best friend over him and maybe she knew inside that Adam would make her happier. He saw they really did k be each other and he did love Selena in his own way.
Leo, heard what Selena said but pretended not to listen. That was how he was sometimes, mad and irritable. He was feeling annoyed by the increasing bickering between all in the lobby so he decided to go over to Zara.
When he entered the room, he found Ash seated next to her in a chair and then went over the window observing the plants he remembered she carried from her apartment. They seemed to be doing well and then he remembered the white wildflowers and so he quickly went over to the table on her bedside and found them wrapped in a paper in her bag and found a vase and took it in the bathroom to pour some water. He came out and adjusted the flowers on her bed side and again leaned back on the window and watched her silently.
"That was sweet of you, but she isn't dying you know," said Ash trying to suppress a giggle.
"Who knew Leo the monster could show such a sensitive side and place flowers near his beloved."
"She will be fine, she is pretty strong."
"When Adam and I broke up, she was there for me and helped me cope and so have you."
"So i want to be there for her and i with she remembered me, i miss her company,"
"She felt like home," said Ash who leaned a little and held Zara's hand.
"I will leave now, i have to meet Ms Sudar on your behalf and the Mayor." she said as she got up.
"Mayor?" questioned Leo.
"Yes, i just received a message from Ms. Sudar and we will be meeting them in a wine bar."
"Isn't that late for wine?" said Leo looking at his watch which showed half past nine and in response Ash just shrugged.
"Need to please the guy and make a good impression so he would want to give us subsidies." she said.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" asked Leo.
"I got to know just now over a text that the mayor is joining us."
"You should join us and Aly and everyone is here to look after her," she said.
"I will come with you for the meeting. What time is it anyways?" he asked observing Ash who was wearing red lipstick and her best and tallest shoe which she wore when she wanted to intimidate someone and armour up. The nearly stood as tall as Leo.
They were joined in the room by Aly who said quietly gesturing to keep their voices low and tip toed which made him look like a second version of his elder brother. Both brothers were goofy and that's what girls liked about them for some reason.
"Your guys should go, i will be with Zara."
"And i will update you regarding her. "
"So go, it seems important to be meeting the mayor," said Aly.
"Aww, look at your all grown up, aww baby," said Ash who had caught him in a bear hug.
They had a very strong bond, when Adam and Ash were dating, she knew him as a kid and he always hung out with them and so they had become close. After breaking up with Adam they had lost touch but she still saw him s a kid brother and sometimes her emotions brimmed over him thought it was very rare but hilarious to watch as Aly would always turn red when Ash would squeeze him into her arms and his face would be buried into her chest. But now since Aly was tall, he still blushed like a school boy and Ash did not care if he turned into a whole tomato. She kept squishing him and he kept trying to wiggle out of her, which he managed and tripped and fell over at the side table knocking over vase which Leo had kept for Zara.
Leo wanted to wrung him but he just collected the flowers and went to the washroom and came back with some more water adjusting the vase on the side table. Aly watched him go about in stupefaction and exchanged a curious look with Ash who gave him an acknowledging smile.
"Alright, i will see you later then."
"The nurse will pay a second visit," he said as he wore his jacket. The weather had shifted suddenly and it had started to drizzle a little so the temperature was falling in the month of May. Leo cursed such a weather, he liked it to stay summery in summer.
"Let me know if anything is needed, " said Leo as he was about to exit the door and was stopped by Aly.
"Well, can you please get my dogs on your way back," asked Aly looking completely innocent and pretending to be ignorant of the fact that Leo hated his dogs.
"Those hounds can fuck themselves" was the reply Aly got.