Chapter 16: Permission (Leo's POV)
I locked my car and rang the doorbell and their housemaid once again, let me in and guided me to Jack's study. I went inside, not bothering to knock as always.
You knock on her door.
Stop.
She's been playing in my mind on a loop since last night. She fell asleep before I did, leaving me wondering about what the hell I was feeling. She made me laugh. She made me smile. Multiple times within twenty-four hours. That's insane to me. I think I was starting to like her.
You already do.
Shut up.
Seriously though, I think I do. And now that I'm here to speak to her dad, it's the icing on the cake that my face is going to be smashed in.
"Leo, have a seat," he smiled, putting the phone down. "So, how is she?" he asked.
"She's fine, safe," I nodded.
"That's not what I meant," he replied, "Is she bothering you? Is she comfortable there?"
"She's comfortable, Jack. We're taking care of her," I explained, "But your daughter will be the death of me," I sighed, running my hand through my hair. He looked at me in confusion so I explained. "There was one request you made before I took her with me."
He nodded, "Bring her back alive?"
I clicked my tongue, "No."
He realized it, "Don't get attached and don't let her get attached either, yes, I remember," he nodded once again. I scratched my head, wincing at the reaction I was picturing he would have. I hesitantly looked up at him. He leaned back in his chair, facepalming. "You're kidding."
"I wish," I sighed in defeat.
"You've gotten attached to her? You?" he asked, shellshocked.
"I'm pretty sure it's not just me."
"How do you mean?"
"She made me smile, Jack. And laugh. Within a day. She even shared a bed with me," I huffed, my eyes widening as I recalled he was her dad. "Not like that!" I exclaimed.
He looked at me wide-eyed. "You smiled?" he gaped at me. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding before nodding. "She put in the effort it took to put a smile on your face?"
I nodded again. "I spoke to her about mom," I admitted.
He sighed and straightened up. "Leo, she's just like you. Once she gets attached, she doesn't let it go. She turns a blind eye to all the wrong that person can do."
"And I can do a lot of wrong, can't I?" He looked at me sympathetically. I nodded slowly, "I understand where you're coming from," I huffed, pinching the bridge of my nose, "I just don't know what to do now," I paused, "Because I think I like her." I hesitated to look up at him and when I did, he was staring at me, dumbfounded. "You know what? Forget about it, let's just discuss how you-"
"Do you really like her, son?"
I glanced up at him. "I-" I huffed.
Get it together, Leo.
"I haven't had someone care so much about me in years. It- it's weird and it's overwhelming. But I like her. She made me happy, Jack. And I don't just mean she made me laugh and smile, she made me happy. Genuinely. And I know you don't want her anywhere near someone like me, but you know I'm the only one that can keep her safe."
He was still in doubt. Maybe her words will work on her dad.
"And the more I let her in, the safer she'll get. Come on, she can't get safer than that."
"She can also get hurt horribly amidst your chaos. And you in hers. You both are so chaotic, Leo. Been through the same things, I-"
"That's why we understand each other, isn't it?" He nodded slowly. "I promise, I will not do anything with her. But if she likes me, Jack..." We fell into a long silence.
"You have my permission."
I looked up at him, wide-eyed. "What?" I asked.
"You have my permission. If you like her, if she likes you... Just keep her safe for me."
I laughed, "I promise," I said while nodding.
He stared at me for a while. "God, she really has gotten through to you," he mumbled. "All right," he cleared his throat, "Let's talk business now."
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I was now, obviously, back home and helping her make dinner. I can't believe I told her dad I liked her. I like her, of course, I do, just not enough to act on it. She still doesn't know much about me but I want her to. It isn't gonna be easy, I'll hesitate to tell her things about me, but if she likes me, she'll pull through. And if she doesn't well...
And of course, I will do the same. I will try getting to know her, I will try learning her, understanding her. Hopefully, it works. I'm just still unsure about where we'll go if we do like each other because there's one slight problem that I should have mentioned earlier... I don't date. This is just going to be extremely hard to get through, I pray we do.
"It's hot! It's hot! Don't touch it!" She smacked my hand away.
I pulled away and looked at her. "It's not that hot," I replied.
"Are you kidding? There's smoke coming out of it."
"Steam. There's steam coming out of it."
"Same difference." She rolled her eyes and grabbed one plate carefully while I grabbed the others. Mine and Flynn's. Speaking of, he's just sitting there at the counter watching us like a weirdo.
"What is with you?" I asked, giving him his plate.
He looked at Claire and they pretty much spoke through eyes. "Just stop," she chuckled at him while sitting down. I ignored it and sat beside her. All of us ate in a comfortable silence until her phone began ringing on the counter. She looked at it then looked at me.
"Are you not gonna get that?" I asked.
"It's Theo."
I stared at her for a minute then grabbed the phone before she could. I answered the call and pulled it to my ear. "Hello?"
"Who is this?" he asked.
"Can we help you?" I asked, letting out an irritated sigh. I hear his voice and I just want to punch him in the face, it's an instant reaction.
"I need to speak to Claire," he said.
"Regarding?" I asked. I heard her chuckle from beside me.
"That's none of your business, give her the phone."
"Ha. Ha. No," I deadpanned. Her and Flynn both laughed, finding it funnier than it was.
"Who even is this? Is this her boyfriend?" he asked.
I glanced at her. "Yeah," I lied.
"Look, I just-"
"Goodbye." And then I hung up. Of course, I hung up. I put the phone back, the screen down, the ringer off.
"What did he want?" Flynn asked.
"To talk," she answered, "That's probably what he said."
I narrowed my eyes at her, "What do you think he really wanted?" I asked.
"I don't know what he wants. But I think it's just information. Maybe he wants to know something about my dad," she shrugged.
"I haven't punched him since senior year, that's something I never thought I'd miss."
"Why did you punch him in senior year?" she asked.
"At the football game, oh my god, you should have seen it," Flynn.
Theo was on the team but there was one time where she wasn't there to watch. She normally came. He was benched, I was sitting in the bleachers behind the team, and I could hear him very clearly talking shit about a few girls, including her.
It was pissing off, mainly because it was only a few days after that party that she had to walk home from because her boyfriend was just that kind-hearted and I had to take a beating and take her home. There were more than six guys there. I did what I could but there's strength in numbers. I took a couple of blows to the face, it wasn't pretty.
Why does everyone go for the face?
"What did he do?" I turned and saw her looking at me in confusion.
I shrugged, "Nothing. Just talk shit," I said.
"To you?" she asked wide-eyed like Theo should have been scared to do something like that.
Would she be scared? Was she scared of me?
"No, about someone else," I replied.
"Who?"
"Nobody," I lied. She looked at me in confusion but let it slide. I looked at Flynn who was smirking at me. I flipped him off, showing him the pretty little finger. He rolled his eyes and we all finished dinner.
She set up the dishwasher, I took out the trash, Flynn did nothing except go to his room and probably call Aesha again. She opened the freezer and grabbed herself some ice cream.
I rolled my eyes and went up to my room and she followed, going into hers. I cleaned up my room a bit because it was getting messy and then brushed my teeth.
The door opened when I threw my shirt over my head to change and she walked in and then immediately left.
"Sorry!"
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter sixteen
I wonder what Theo wants...
next chapter: Mission impossible
the mission: tickle Leo
status: impossible