False
Once again, thanks to Savannah, Leonardo was able to fall back into a calmer, manageable pace. The panic from his encounter with James dissipated, at least for now, and that was all the mattered. He needed that peace even if but temporary.
He owed Savannah. Hated to admit it, but he did.
Late afternoon came around and Leo walked into work feeling a lot better than he did roughly an hour ago. He could breathe. He felt okay. And okay was enough.
Although, as they often did, Savannah's words lingered in his brain in that way he wished he could shake off. Except these ones, these words burned more vividly than anything else that girl had said to him.
"You're not a freak, Leo."
She had sounded so sure. So convinced, as though getting her point through to Leonardo was the only thing that mattered to her.
"And there's nothing you can say that will ever convince me otherwise."
For whatever reason she believed this so strongly bewildered Leonardo. It was one thing that Savannah didn't look at the boy oddly for being the way that he was, but to hold such a high viewpoint of him seemed beyond bizarre. Then again, Leo was well aware of his own dislike towards himself and his behavior, so maybe it wasn't as weird as he thought.
But that didn't explain why Savannah thought this way and nobody else did.
She's different...
It bothered him, but not in a headache-inducing way.
Leo walked into the Fermata Pavilion that day with a desire to relax behind piano keys and a microphone. As usual, he greeted the employees he met upon entrance, which today, as often was the case, happened to be Alex.
"Hey, Leo!" The boy greeted happily. "Aiden just left, the stage is all yours."
"Thanks, Alex."
He forced the faintest smile and made his way over to the stage, sliding across the bench of the piano and hovering his fingers over the keys as he pondered for a moment what to perform. After about twenty seconds, he arrived at the decision to simply play. Shutting his mouth, his fingers traced the keys in the melody of Clair De Lune as the rest of him settled at ease.
Relaxation. He needed the relaxation. Freedom from stress and overworking his mind. That's why he majored in music. Why he loved music so much to begin with. An escape.
He played for longer than even he realized. Time slipped between his fingers, but mere trivial time, of which held little importance to Leo at the moment. He had nothing better to do right now than to be here. Right here.
With the approaching of the café's closing hour, Leonardo chose to wrap up his playlist selection for the night with another peaceful piano melody.
Most of the customers were beginning to finish up and leave, thankfully, while others seemed to be taking their time. Regardless of whether or not they finished before Leo did, he told himself this would be the last song.
He managed to finish it. Not a second too soon, before all music-related muscle memories abandoned him, and he forgot everything all because of one person which so abruptly stole every last bit of his attention of focus.
Another familiar face. The second time this day. Not the same person, no, to Leo's relief it wasn't James again.
It was that woman. From the photo Blue had sent him.
It flipped a switch of some kind in Leo's head—seeing as Blue left the café shortly after thanking the staff for their service, and watching her disappear out the door.
He nearly tripped off the stage. Alex, having just brought some guests a water pitcher in the seating area nearest to that stage, turned to him with immense concern and blurted, "Leo, are you okay??"
The question went ignored. Leo was already in the process of tearing up the carpet to reach that woman before she got away.
He threw himself out into the chilly night air without a care as to how ridiculous he might have looked to anyone else. All that mattered was catching Blue. And it didn't take long, because the woman seemingly wasn't in a rush to get away.
Maybe she didn't notice me.
Without a warning, Leonardo threw his hand on Blue's shoulder which immediately stopped her in her tracks.
Gave her a heart attack, too, it appeared.
"What the f—what are you doing??"
Clear-cut shock and disgust. But there was no mistaking it. This was the woman from the photo. Leo took a moment to gather his thoughts together. "Blue, you're Blue," he said breathlessly. "I'm Leonardo, I mean, you knew what I looked like already, didn't you?"
"Did you escape from a mental hospital?? Jeez," the stranger heaved a sigh and dusted herself off, staring Leo up and down with the oddest look in her eye. "Your performing was great, don't get me wrong, but wow, the manners could use some work."
It hit in the most uncomfortable way. Leonardo felt his face drain. "So you don't..." He dug hastily into his pocket for his phone. His hands shook as he scrolled up to find the photo. "You didn't send this to me?"
"What the-...no." The stranger squinted at the photo, even greater alarm now in her expression. "I took that on vacation last year, that's just creepy..." She shuddered. "Look, man, someone must be cat-fishing you or something else like that, that's not me. And I gotta get home, so please, if you'll excuse me."
In ten seconds she was gone. Completely out of sight, making Leo wonder for a moment if she had been here at all. He couldn't move. Feet rooted in place from the realization alone of what this meant.
That wasn't Blue.
A false alarm.
He had been lied to.
And knowing that fact absolutely infuriated Leonardo, so much that he climbed into his car and drove home without even bothering to let his boss know. It didn't cross his mind. They were closing, anyway, so luckily it didn't matter.
Upon arriving back at his apartment, Leo slammed his door shut and collapsed on his couch again. It hurt. The seething anger rising from his chest, directed both towards Blue, for making him believe she was someone trustworthy, and towards himself, for being so gullible in the first place.
He took out his phone.
+
Purple
i was right, i shouldn't have been so quick to believe you
that picture wasn't you
you lied to me
won't tell me your real name, you show me someone else's face and tell me it's you
for all i know everything you've said could be a lie
you probably don't even have blue blood
i'm so stupid for trusting you
+
Blue
leonardo please calm down and let me explain
+
Purple
let you explain???
why should i listen to ANYTHING you say at this point???
i don't see why showing me who you really are would be a problem if you really want me to trust you
it's despicable, you're a despicable person for this
+
Blue
leonardo, please, i have good reasons, just hear me out okay?
+
Purple
no you lost your chance for me to "hear you out"
if you had good intentions you wouldn't have made a fool of me
if you had good intentions you would tell me more about you so i can build my belief on something worthwhile other than a nameless stranger who claims to be like me
+
Blue
do you want me to bleed in front of you?
will that make you believe me?
+
His heart stopped for a moment, then beat harder against his chest as if begging for Leonardo's attention. But Leo couldn't hear it. His rage-flooded eyes remained fixed on the phone screen. His hands held the device unsteady, ready to either drop or throw it.
+
Purple
i don't know why you're telling me this now
+
Blue
leonardo what i'm saying is
if it'll make up for lying to you
i'll meet you in person
except i can't show you my face, that's my one condition. but to prove to you i'm legitimate, i will agree to meet in person. and i can even show you that i truly am someone who understands you
+
Purple
how do i know you won't lead me into a trap of some sort
i don't trust you at all anymore
+
Blue
leonardo please, i'm begging you, give me another chance
it can be a public place where we meet if that makes you any more comfortable
+
Purple
i get to choose
+
Blue
that's fine
+
Purple
do you live far from indianapolis
+
Blue
doesn't matter where i live, i swear i'd be there even if i lived on the other side of the world
+
Purple
in indiana, there's this branch of bookstore called Barnes & Nobles on xxx street
+
Blue
if that's where you'd like to meet, then fine
would tomorrow night be convenient? or does the store close early?
+
Purple
it closes at eight p.m.
+
Blue
how's six then
+
Purple
fine. don't stand me up.
you won't get any more chances after that
+
Blue
that's fair.
can i say one more thing leo?
+
Purple
what?
+
Blue
thank you for giving me this chance
thank you, and i'm sorry for everything
i will see you tomorrow :)
+
His heart tried to bargain with him.
He didn't want to be fooled again. Even if no real harm came out of it. He didn't want to continue chasing shortsightedly after ideals that would only leave him feeling more alone than before.
But as it had always been, Leo wanted it to be true.
So in his mind he had already arrived at the decision he would show up at the book store tomorrow.
If Blue really would meet him.
Even if he couldn't see her face.
The legitimacy of her physical presence would count for something.