"Here," Passing him the bottle, Liana sat beside him on the bench.
"I don't know if you still like it, but," Shuffling through the plastic bag, Liana took out a popsicle and grinned, "Ta-da!"
"It's winter and we shouldn't eat popsicles," Leon mumbled hugging her coat that was draped over his shoulder.
"Ohh," Liana blinked awkwardly and placed it back inside the bag. She had run like an idiot all over the area just to find his favorite flavor but here he was sticking to his diet.
"But it calms me down, so," Leon suddenly turned towards her and took out his hand looking away from her.
"Yes, I know!" Liana grinned and passed him the popsicle. She was glad he wasn't feeling awkward around her anymore though they had been meeting after a decade.
"I like twisters more now," He mumbled tearing the cover and eating it. Liana nodded making a mental note and smiled seeing him enjoy it.
Wait, weren't twisters her type and plain ones his? She had forced him sometimes to try her flavor but this guy would make a face and decline to try anything new. Did he perhaps change his preferences once she left?
"I missed you not your company,"
"Huh?" Liana came back from her thoughts and blinked at him.
"I missed you not your company," Leon confessed turning towards her. Chewing the ice, he blinked shyly and sat straight again.
He couldn't express how he felt when she was leaving that day, but now that he was grown up and had taken classes on human emotions, he had managed to come to that conclusion. During the years though he had missed her company more, there were times when he would feel lonely and remember her. And according to his therapist, he was missing her.
"Ohh," Liana blinked and sat straight slightly blushing at his words. He had become more blunt and direct now and she needed to get used to it.
"Hey! Why did you change your surname?" Lightly tapping the back of his head, she grumbled trying to change the topic, "Do you even know how hard it was for me to search you?"
"I gave up because Leon Drake was not even registered anymore." She added sighing out loud.
Yes, but the main reason she had stopped searching for him was the bribes detectives asked her. She could barely manage to live on her monthly wages and it was hard to meet their requirements.
"Yo-you searched for me?" Leon blinked turning towards her. When their eyes met, he looked away waiting for an answer.
"Of course! It was a year ago maybe when I settled down here." Liana answered and sighed recalling those days.
"I was even going to make posters of yours, and stick them everywhere. That's how frustrated I was." She grumbled taking out her coffee can and sighed again. Yes, she wanted to picture his childhood photo everywhere just in hopes to find him, though it was a very stupid idea.
Leon blinked and sat straight. He silently chewed his popsicle and sneakily smiled imagining his posters on the wall. So she didn't forget and even searched for him. It was making him feel relaxed and warm though the popsicle was cold.
"I even went to our old district and almost fought with that flat owner." She added opening her coffee can and taking one huge sip.
Leon glanced at her and then looked away as she turned to him. He couldn't help but smile again as her habits haven't changed yet. And also her temper! He thought recalling last night's incidents.
"And you have turned so handsome that I barely recognized you last night." Liana honestly confessed sipping her coffee.
Leon blinked again as he didn't understand that feeling inside him. Was his heart dancing?
"Why did you change your surname?" Liana asked again, sipping her coffee and he blinked, knotting his brows in tension.
"Did aunty marry someone?" She asked taking a guess as she heard Melissa talking to her mom sometimes that it was hard to raise him alone. It was a good decision according to her mom back then.
Leon nodded, tightening his brows. Once she left, people started to bully him badly and even harassed him to the point that he started blaming his condition for his father's death. That's when he was transferred to a new school and even got a father so no one would trouble him. At least that's what he had believed all these years.
"Whatever, I am sooo happy we met again!" She jumped and pulled him in a side hug wrapping her arm around his neck.
He struggled but didn't mind that touch as it was Liana who was hugging him.
"And we are even colleagues too now!" She excitedly added breaking her hug and grinned, "I think we are fated to be best friends forever, hahahah!"
And as she chuckled, Leon just smiled and continued finishing his popsicle. Though he was happy, he was anxious deep inside. Everyone was not like Liana and they wouldn't accept him as a colleague.
"I I am not sure I will tak-take this job." He mumbled opening up to her. It had always been easy to express himself to her than to anyone else, and he was glad that they met again.
"Why?" Keeping aside her can, Liana frowned and looked at him.
"Don't tell me you are worried because of your autism!"
And she could clearly read him like an open book every time and that was the main reason he could easily open up to her.
"Forget those morons' words!" Liana said clutching her coffee can and added, "If anyone dares to bully you, I will kick their butts!"
Leon sighed and imagined her kicking people's butts in anger. He couldn't help but chuckle and Liana smiled turning to him.
"It It would funny," He explained turning towards her and Liana chuckled with him.
"And it would be quite fun too!" She said imagining the scene.
----
A week later.
Liana groaned as her phone buzzed again. Pushing her hand out of the covers, she searched for it and received the call.
"We will be late for work, you should get up."
She heard Leon's anxious voice on the other end and cried in frustration.
It had been a week and they had met daily, catching up on all the years they had missed but it was all about his butterfly stories. Though she didn't mind it, she just couldn't accept his disciplined routine. And calling early in the morning was one of his drills.
"It's still 6 in the morning," She grumbled looking at the time.
"It would take one more hour for me to wake you up, so," Leon mumbled pacing in his room. He had just woken up and he needed to get ready, amidst waking her up.
"Let's do this, you take the subway and go to the station. I will meet you there, okay?"
"But,"
"Bye!" She cut the call and threw aside her phone in frustration. She hated getting up early!!
Leon on the other hand blinked and placed his phone aside. They had agreed to go together yesterday but she was changing the plan now.
"She abandoned me again," He mumbled flapping his hands, and started making his bed.
An hour later.
"Will Liana come to pick you up?" Melissa asked pouring him a glass of milk.
Leon shook his head chewing his bread.
"Oh," Melissa exclaimed in surprise. It was his first day at work and she hoped Liana accompanied him.
"Do you want me to book a taxi?" She asked taking out her phone since he hated crowded places but Leon shook his head.
His phone suddenly rang and he put it on speaker since he didn't like taking calls during his meal time.
"Where are you?" He heard Liana's hasty voice and he blinked in confusion.
Wiping away his hands, he instantly took the phone to his ear and answered, "I am having breakfast."
"Great! Wait for me, I will be there soon!" She urgently ordered and cut the call.
"She will be here soon." He mumbled grabbing the last bite and running upstairs.
"Finish your breakfast," Melissa said but shook her head with a smile. If it was Liana her son would forget his routine.
----
Liana waved at him through the car and gestured for him to enter inside. The traffic was heavy and it took almost an hour to travel from her flat to his house.
"You are late."
"Hey! It was traffic!" Liana defended and started the car as he buckled his seatbelt.
"That's why I called you to wake up early." Leon bluntly commented though he was happy inside that she was here.
"I woke up early!" She grumbled taking a turn and muttered under her breath, "and didn't even get time to have breakfast."
"How are you feeling?" She changed the topic and smiled at him. It was his first day and she was excited more than himself.
"Nervous?"
Leon shook his head.
"Excited?"
Leon again shook his head and Liana curiously looked at him.
"I googled it and it's a feeling of going back to school after a break," Leon said turning off the loud music she had started on the car tab. It was not good to listen and drive.
"You are nervous and don't want to go, but you are also excited to meet your friend and spent time with her." He explained and blinking his eyes, he mumbled with a nod, "Going back to school."
"Going back to school?" Liana asked and chuckled shaking her head.
Oh yes, it did feel the same way! Just like in the past were they went to school together.