Leo couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing something important. It had only been a few days since Adrian disappeared, but every moment without him felt like a lifetime. His phone had remained silent, no new messages, no calls, nothing. He hadn't heard from Adrian, and the silence was suffocating.
It was Friday afternoon, and Leo was standing by the front gates of Westwood High, waiting for Maddie. His mind kept returning to Adrian, trying to make sense of the disappearance. What could have caused Adrian to suddenly pull away like this? Was it something Leo had done? Was it something he hadn't done?
Ethan appeared in the distance, his usual bright smile dimmed with concern as he neared Leo. "You okay?" he asked, scanning his face.
"I don't know," Leo admitted, his voice quieter than usual. He rubbed the back of his neck, frustration clear on his face. "Adrian's just... gone. I don't know where he is, and he won't talk to me. I'm starting to think I never really knew him at all."
Ethan stopped in front of him, his eyes soft but determined. "You can't just sit around waiting for him, Leo. If he's not ready to face whatever it is, you can't keep putting your life on hold."
"I'm not," Leo muttered. "But it's hard. We were starting to figure things out, Ethan. Or at least, I thought we were."
"You don't know what's going on in his head," he said gently. "Maybe this is his way of processing things. But you can't keep searching for something that's not there."
Leo stared at him for a long moment, torn between what he wanted to hear and what he needed to hear. Ethan was right—he couldn't keep waiting for Adrian. But that didn't stop the aching emptiness in his chest.
Later that night, Leo found himself walking the familiar streets of his neighborhood, his thoughts heavy with confusion. He'd tried to distract himself with homework, with a movie, but nothing helped. He felt like he was standing at the edge of something, something so fragile that even a single step forward might shatter it.
He wasn't sure what he was searching for anymore. Adrian had been his anchor, the one person who made him feel like he wasn't alone in this world. But now? Adrian was nowhere to be found, and Leo was left to pick up the pieces on his own.
Without thinking, Leo found himself standing outside Adrian's house once again. The porch light was on, but no movement inside. The place looked so still, so empty. He knocked on the door without really thinking about it, but there was no answer. He tried calling, but the voicemail greeted him again.
A cold shiver ran down his spine. Adrian wasn't just avoiding him. He was avoiding everyone.
It was then that Leo realized how much he needed answers. He needed to know what was really going on with Adrian, what was going through his mind. But even more than that, Leo needed to understand his own feelings. What was it about Adrian that made him feel so unsettled? Was it the chemistry between them, or was it the idea of something real, something he had never truly experienced before?
Leo was about to turn away when the door opened, startling him. Adrian's sister, Maddie, stepped out onto the porch, her expression unreadable.
"Leo?" Maddie asked, his voice calm, but there was a certain tension in his posture.
"I… I need to talk to Adrian," Leo said, his voice cracking slightly. He stepped forward. "I don't know where he is, but I need to see him."
Maddie's eyes flickered for a moment, then softened. "He's not here," Maddie said simply. "But you're welcome to come in for a bit."
Leo hesitated, but the quiet desperation inside him pushed him forward. "Thanks."
Inside, the house felt colder than it usually did. Maddie led him to the living room, where they both sat down in silence. Maddie was watching Leo closely, almost as though he were trying to read him, to understand why he'd shown up like this.
"I know you're worried about him," Maddie said, her voice low. "But Adrian's been going through a lot lately. He's… not good at dealing with things."
Leo looked at her, confusion furrowing his brow. "What do you mean? Why can't he just talk to me?"
Maddie shifted in her seat. "Because he's afraid of hurting you, Leo. He's afraid of messing things up, of letting you down. It's easier for him to shut everyone out than to risk feeling like he's not enough."
Leo swallowed hard, the weight of Maddie's words sinking into him. "But… why now? Why shut me out after everything we've been through?"
Maddie sighed. "I can't answer that for him. But I can tell you, he's been pushing people away for a long time. It's how he's always coped. Maybe he thought he could do the same with you, but you were never like the others. He doesn't know how to handle that."
Leo felt the knot in his chest loosen just slightly. Adrian was afraid. That was why he had disappeared. But Leo wasn't going to walk away—not this time.
"I don't want to walk away from him," Leo said, his voice firm despite the doubt still lingering in his heart. "I don't want to be the person who gives up on him."
Maddie studied him for a long moment before nodding. "I think that's exactly why Adrian needs you, Leo. But he needs to come to you when he's ready."
Leo didn't respond immediately. He knew Maddie was right. Adrian had to be the one to reach out, to face the things he was running from. But Leo had to be patient. He had to give Adrian the space he needed, even if it hurt.
Leo walked out of the house feeling heavier than before, but also more resolute. He had spent so much time waiting for Adrian, for something real to materialize. But now, he realized he wasn't just waiting for Adrian to come back—he was learning to find something real within himself.
As Leo walked down the street, he knew that no matter how long it took, he was going to keep searching for the truth. For something real.
And if Adrian was ever ready to find that too, Leo would be waiting.