Chapter 21: Never (Claire's POV)

"Where, Leo?" I asked again, fuming. 

What the hell is wrong with this guy? First, he disappears without telling anyone where he's going, then he comes back bleeding and bruised everywhere, and now he won't even tell me where the hell he went. I sighed and pulled back looking at him. He wasn't gonna tell me. 

I stood up and sighed. "Just talk to me when you can tell me something." 

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me, clicking his tongue in frustration before he sighed in defeat. I decided to give him a minute. I kneeled back in front of him and folded up his arm, cleaning the cut on his elbow first. He didn't even wince. "I went to see Seth Cavanaugh." 

My jaw dropped and I stared at him wide-eyed. "You what? Why would you do that?" 

He sighed and looked up at me cautiously. "To have him clear your father's debt," he admitted. 

I clenched my jaw, "Did it work?" He shook his head in response. I looked down at his elbow before pressing down the cotton hard. 

"Ow," he finally winced. 

"Good, I'm glad that hurt." He had the audacity to smile at me after that. I put a bandage on his elbow and then moved up to his face. I sighed in disappointment. I frowned and clicked my tongue. "What were you trying to do?" I asked while gently swiping the cotton over the corner of his lip. 

"Ow, ow, ow," he winced. That has to sting. "I was first, trying to- ow!" I stopped and moved on to his cheek. "I was trying to get him to spare your dad." 

"Why?" 

"So you could be safe, Claire. Why else?" He glared at me. "Then when Theo came in, I knew that he told Seth about you. They're looking for you, Claire. So I left but Theo had some shit to say. It was just a fight. I wanted to confirm if they knew about you." 

"Why?" 

"Because now I know how to keep you safer." 

I huffed, "This is as safe as one person can get." His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "This. Here. With you." I threw the cotton and got a new one to clean his eyebrow. I shook my head, "Leo, seriously. What the hell is wrong with you? You just went there without telling anyone, without taking anyone, just acted plain stupid," I mumbled, blowing on his eyebrow so it wouldn't sting so much. 

It was deeper than the other wounds and cuts. I grabbed one butterfly stitches and patched that up as well. "Please tell me you hit him harder than this," I sighed, sitting back. 

"Of course, I did. He looked way worse than me." 

I stood up, grabbing the first aid kit. I looked at him and I was scared. I was so, so scared. Not from him, but for him. He just messed with the worst person possible. I placed the first aid kit on his desk and sighed, "I'll get you an ice pack or something just-" I turned around to leave, stumbling backward when I saw him standing right behind me. 

He stared at me for a long time before finally talking. "You look scared," he stated. 

"I am scared, Leo," I sighed. 

He stared into my eyes and scanned my face for a minute. "Of me?" 

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What?" I stuttered. 

"Aren't you scared of me?" he asked, his voice low and cold.

No, no, no. Why is he acting like this again? 

"No," I said. He looked up at me, confused. "No, I've never been scared of you." 

"Never?" he whispered, coming closer. 

"Never," I shook my head. 

"Never?" he mumbled. 

"Never," I repeated. He yet again fell into silence and stared at me. His eyes were locked with mine for the most part except when they fell to my lips. "Hello?" I huffed, licking my lips. "I understand that you took some punches but stop zoning out. Just please stop and-" 

"Just shut up," he cut me off. 

"No, I'm not gonna shut up!" I snapped, "You-" 

He huffed before grabbing either side of my face and smashing his lips down on mine, shutting me up pretty well. I froze while my hands grabbed onto the desk behind me to keep myself standing. 

What the fuck just happened? 

He just kissed me. He is kissing me. 

Then kiss him back, idiot. 

I snapped out of it but before I could kiss him back, he pulled away. "I dare you to tell me that was just to shut me up," I said breathlessly. 

He sighed, "It wasn't." 

"Good," I huffed, "Great." He looked at me quizzically and seemed confused. 

You really have to break everything down for this guy. 

"Do you-" he stammered. Leo Jackson stammered. "D-do you like me?" he asked. 

"Are you seriously asking me that?" I deadpanned. 

"Well, I-" 

"Just stop talking." I stepped forward and pulled him into a kiss. His arms flew to my waist and he kissed me back almost instantly. I almost let out a laugh and broke into a smile but I didn't. 

We both pulled away at the same time and looked at each other. "Wait, you're not scared of me?" he whispered. 

I shook my head, "Never." 

"Why?" he asked. 

I had no idea. 

"I-I don't know," I gave him a small shrug. 

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

I stared at the ceiling, lying awake beside him while he did the same. I think it was like three in the morning. 

"My head hurts," he mumbled, running his finger over the stitches. 

"Then you shouldn't have gotten punched in the face. You shouldn't have gone there at all," I huffed, lying on my side to face him, "But of course, you did." 

He rolled his eyes and also turned on his side to face me. "Claire," he whispered. I raised my eyebrows at him in anticipation. "This doesn't change anything between us." 

I know what he's doing and I'm not putting up with it. "Sure it does," I nodded. 

"It doesn't. It can't," he sighed. 

Okay, we'll do it that way. "Fine," I sighed in defeat. 

"Fine?" he asked, seeming shocked. 

"Yeah, if that's what you want," I shrugged. 

"Is it what you want?" he questioned. 

"No, but it is what you want. That's fine," I responded. 

"Is it?" he asked. 

"You said this doesn't change anything between us." 

"Yeah, but-" 

"You just said those words," I chuckled, "Didn't you mean it?" 

"No," he mumbled. 

"Why?" I bit back a grin and settled for a small smile. He didn't say anything, just lay on his back and went back to staring at the ceiling. "Because you like me?" I whispered. 

He turned to me. "You don't like me though," he rolled his eyes. 

"Who said?" 

"If you did, you wouldn't be so comfortable with what I said." 

"I'm not," I said while moving closer. I put my arm around his torso and rested my head on his chest. "But I just wanted to hear you say it," I chuckled. His arm went around me and he poked my stomach. "Don't," I laughed, grabbing his hand. I could feel him looking down at me and I was right when I looked up. 

"I'm not supposed to like you," he sighed while running his fingers through my hair. 

"Says who?" I frowned. 

"Your dad," he chuckled. 

"My dad?" I questioned. 

"Before we brought you here, he had a rule for me: don't get attached and don't let her get attached." 

Why am I hearing about this just now? 

"Look where that led you," I scoffed. He laughed before his hand locked with mine. "I really like you, Leo," I paused, "I'm sorry if that's not what you planned," I mumbled. It's not like I planned this either. I also wasn't supposed to like him. 

"I'm not." I smiled before looking up at him. "I'm not sorry," he sighed, "And I spoke to your dad anyway." 

"About what?" 

"About this." 

Excuse me, what? 

"What? When?" I chuckled. 

"Last time I went to see him," he answered. Another thing I had no idea about. "It took a little convincing. But he said..." 

"He said?" I asked. 

"He said," he kissed my forehead, "That if I really like you, and you really like me, then I have his permission." 

"He said that?" I scoffed. He nodded in response. "Why did you feel like you needed his permission?" I looked at him quizzically. 

"Because I wasn't your friend, I was just meant to keep you safe and bring you back to him once all this blows over. I had to get his permission," he explained. 

"I'm just glad he gave it," I sighed. 

"I mean come on," he scoffed, "Being close to me is the safest you can get." 

I gaped at him, "Really?" I scoffed. 

Now he wants to act smart and use my words against me. 

I pulled away from him and lay on my back. "You didn't listen to me when I said that," I scoffed. 

"Of course, I listened." I turned to him, his face inches from mine. "I always listen," he whispered. 

"Really?" I lifted an eyebrow at him. 

"Really," he mumbled before kissing me.

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Chapter twenty-one

I am so fucking tired. Ya'll I woke up like 30 mins ago and I'm sitting at my laptop doing school. WTF. That's so messed up, my head is pounding. 

I want to sue my school.

next chapter: Hilarious