Tenacious Sky

Chapter 25

After my shower, I wrapped my chest in a new ace wrap before putting on my uniform. My hair was still

damp as I walked back into the locker room. True to his word, Leo was sitting on a bench near the door

to the shower room. I threw my dirty clothes in a plastic bag before putting it in my bag. Leo stood

before ruffling my hair.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded before we walked back to the dorms. I set my things down in the room

before taking my basket of dirty clothes in my hands.

"I'm going to do laundry. Do you want me to take yours?" I asked. He shook his head before going to

the couch with a book.

"I'll handle my own laundry later," he said. I took my basket down to the laundry room. After starting the

load, I went to the lounge.

"Sky. I'm surprised to see you alone," Easton joked. I sighed.

"I'm waiting on laundry. Leo's relaxing right now," I explained.

"Seems the chains are longer than I thought," Easton muttered as he sat with me.

"He's honestly a good guy once you get to know him. Why does everyone assume the worst of him?" I

asked tiredly.

"Because he's made it clear that he wants to be alone. If I didn't know any better, I would think you

have a crush on him," Easton joked. I didn't laugh as I blushed. Easton stopped laughing as he

watched me. I really was a terrible liar.

"You really do like him," he noticed.

"What's not to like? He's a good friend," I shrugged, embarrassed as I tried to cover up my mistake.

Easton smirked as he looked me over and leaned back in his chair. Too late. I couldn't cover it up.

"I didn't know you swung that way. I mean... but it kind of makes sense. You look just like a girl," he

said. I sighed before I stood.

"I'm going to check on my laundry," I muttered before I tried to hurry off.

"I'll go with you," Easton said. In the laundry room, I switched my my clothes over to the dryer before

sitting on the bench.

"Does Leo like you too?" Easton continued his line of questioning. I shrugged.

"I don't think he goes for guys," I said honestly before looking at my lap.

"You like guys, so what? It's nothing to be ashamed about. And you're cute enough to get away with it,"

Easton said, misinterpreting me. I scoffed as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not ashamed of it. Why would I be?" I corrected him. He pushed the side of my head playfully as

he smiled.

"Owning who you are... I can appreciate that. It actually makes me like you more. If you run into any

trouble or Leo gives you a hard time, you can always come to me," he offered. I smiled back at him.

"Thanks Easton, honestly," I thanked him. He sat and talked with me until my laundry was done. I took

my laundry back up to the room, feeling better. Leo noticed.

"Whats got you in such a good mood?" he asked, looking up from his book. I set my basket beside the

couch before sitting next to him.

"I had a talk with Easton," I answered as I started folding my clothes. Leo stopped my hands before

turning me to face him.

"You should be extra careful. The more close friends you make, the more friends you have to lie to or

get to lie for you. I can take it because I'm me, and I was a loner before you came along, but other

people are a lot more social than I am. Don't let the gender fool you, guys gossip just as much as girls

do, if not more. That's the only reason I run everyone off when they try to get close to you," he

explained. I looked at my lap as I fiddled with the clean shirt in my hands.

"That's why?" I asked him quietly. He smirked before nodding.

"Yes, that's why. Guys become close friends and start touching you and playing around more. If

someone touches the wrong thing or one day decides to pants you, you're done for," he huffed. I

chuckled as I thought about it from his perspective. Those weren't even things I thought about, but Leo

was completely right.

"You are right about that," I smiled.

"We should go to bed soon. I have an early morning practice," he said, changing the subject as his

cheeks grew red. I smiled at his minor embarrassment before going to the loft to change into my

pajamas. I pulled some long shorts and a tee shirt from my drawers. Luckily, the loft was tall enough for

me to stand and the makeshift wall provided privacy, even more so when the curtain was draw over the

window.

"Do you need me tonight?" I asked, pulling my tee shirt over my head.

"A deal is a deal," he teased from below me. I descended the ladder and placed my hands on my hips

as I watched him.

"I'm starting to think you're just being coy with me," I complained teasingly. He smirked before taking

hold of my shoulders.

"If I we're being coy, I wouldn't leave you alone in the middle of the night. You're my human

dreamcatcher, remember?" He answered before pushing a finger into my forehead gently. I scrunched

my face at the gesture before climbing into the bed. I turned the side table lamp and plugged in my NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

phone as Leo turned off the lights. When he got back to the bed, he climbed under the blankets.

"I was freezing last night," he explained quickly as I finished setting my alarm. I sighed before turning

the lamp off and crawling under the covers myself.

"Leo," I called softly. He hummed a response.

"Can we cuddle?" I asked timidly. I heard him chuckle in the dark before I felt an arm wrap around my

waist and pull me closer to him.

"It always ends up like that anyway," he sighed. He was always so warm. My hand rested on his chest

as our legs tangled together. My head was so close to his chest that I could hear the steady, warm

thump of his heartbeat.

"Now who's being coy?" He teased quietly. I didn't even bother to answer.

"Goodnight," I said quickly.