"Don't even think about it." He threatened me.
'Ugh, I give up.'
"So, what colleges are you applying to?" He asked between the bites.
"Why?"
"Well, we can be bunk buddies." He winked at me.
"You're crazy," I remarked.
"Only for you." His grin became widespread. Cheesy line, but I smiled.
"Do you like animals?" He asked, opening his fizzy drink.
I frowned. Again I thought it was unrelated, but I answered anyway. Maybe Leo was just trying to get to know me better.
"I like all kinds of animals."
"How about dogs?" He took a long sip of his drink, swallowing it slowly.
"Still considered an animal."
"Okay... What about werewolves?" His question, I felt, was out of the common. 'Very specific,' per se.
"Well, they don't exist," I said casually. Leo chuckled nervously.
"What if they did?" He kept his eyes fixed on mine. His curious blue eyes stared with wonder as to what my response would be to his question.
"Good god, Leo. I've always thought of you as a wise and sensible man."
Leo laughed. "Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"Okay... Even if they do exist, I don't believe in their methodology about mates." I said.
Leo choked on his drink. Well, needless to say, the liquid sprayed everywhere.
"Leo, are you okay?" I grabbed some napkins he'd brought earlier and gave him to wipe his mouth and face.
"I'm fine..." He whined. "But what do you mean by that?" He stared at me, looking skeptical.
"Because the feelings are not quite natural, don't you think? I mean, the werewolf ONLY falls in love because the mate is already chosen for them by their god or spirit, that kind of manifests it. Sure, you can call them true Mate, but not necessarily a true Love."
Leo looked nervous, tense, and worried... really worried.
"Leo, are you okay?" Now I was worried.
"So you're saying you don't believe in Mates?" He asked.
"I never said I do not believe in Mates. I'm saying that I don't want my mate chosen by someone else. I simply want to fall in love."
"I couldn't agree more," he says. "Love is full of surprises. It's a magic spell, Aries. No one can control who you can love when it's pure coming from the heart." He described.
This conversation was somewhat cryptic crossword clues, and his words were indicating a solution, which traces Leo's fascination. In a way, he was trying to understand or convince—indirectly, to someone? There's something deep meaning hidden behind those words, and I could almost smell it.
There was a silence that settled over us while we eagerly ate our food. After some seconds later, it became uncomfortable.
"So do you have a pet? I asked to start a conversation.
Leo smiled. "I won't call him a pet, though."
"Oh, I'm sorry..." I trailed off. I knew that many animal lovers value their pets so much that they become an essential part of their lives. I thought that Leo also viewed his pet as a part of his family.
"I would love to meet him someday."
"Oh, he can't wait," Leo smirked with a devious smile.
"Y-you talked to him about me?"
"Always."
"What's his name?" I asked.
"Leon," Leo said.
"Leon," I repeated, and Leo's chest puffed up, and I swear I saw goosebump prickle on his bare arm.
"Can I see him?"
"What? Now?" A look of surprise crossed his face, forming a shocked expression. I knitted my eyebrows in confusion, trying to understand why he had such a dramatic response?
"Yeah..., Leon's picture. Do you have it on your phone?" I inquired.
"Oh..Umm... Yeah, no." He scratched his eyebrow with a finger. Again my brows joined in confusion, thinking maybe he just recently got this dog.
"How long have you had him?"
He cleared his throat and sat up straight, "I was born with him."
'Did I hear that, right?'
"Y-you were... born... with him." I was beginning to feel that this conversation was getting weird. ‘Maybe his parents just replaced the dog after the first one died.’ I thought.
"So, you grew up with him, and you don't have a single picture of him with you?"
"Yeah... never thought of taking a picture of him, but maybe I'll." He frowned.
"Maybe you should," I suggested.
We wrapped up our remaining lunch and went to attend the rest of the classes.
~*~
After school, I was going to wait for Leo at the entrances. But I found Leo was already waiting for me near his car, along with his friends. Shit. Friends.
There were three of them crying out loud; One boy and two girls, one with the dark hair, and the other was a strawberry blonde.
Great, just great. Hanging out with Leo means getting attention and attracting more attention. Today it's his friends, then his teammates and the coach, teachers, porters and then slowly the whole damn school will come to know my mere existence. Whether we are dating or not. Worst of all, if we end up breaking up, I'll never be out of sight of anyone's eyes. They will always follow and find me. He doesn't deserve this...this heartbreak at the end of it. I hate that I'm the one to break his precious heart in a million pieces.
'What did I get myself into?'
"Hey." He walked towards me with a crooked smile on his face, which made all the closed wing butterflies in my stomach— to flutter like crazy.
"Hi!" I greeted, adjusting my backpack straps on my shoulder.
"Hi." He stared down at me.
"Hi," I said again shyly, blushing a little.
"Cute. Do you guys have other words to say to each other, besides hi?" The dark-haired girl commented, mocking us, and three of them snickered. Leo rolled his eyes, ignoring them he leaned down to peck a kiss on my cheek.
The same 'fluttering butterflies' feelings came into my belly every time Leo gave me his attention. I was blushing and trying to suppress my flustered face for Leo not to notice.
'Why the public display of affection?'
"O.M.G, Leo, and his girl, this is so epic!" She was clapping her
