Chapter 19: Chapter 19

R I O N A

"How was that? Did you have fun?" He questioned as we settled on our seats.

" I did." I nodded my head with a warm smile.

"Your drinks." The same waiter from before dropped a new set of drinks for us.

"Your girlfriend and you are such a vibe, I'm Krystal and this is Josh." The petite blonde girl extended her hand towards Leonardo and he took it.

"We're not together, we're not even friends." I informed Krystal when she extended her hand towards me.

"I'm Leo and that's Riona." He introduced and then it seemed both Josh and Leonardo were in their own world.

" That was how Josh and I started out, but yet here we are celebrating our four years anniversary." She looked over at Josh with extreme affection.

" Four years?"

"Yeah," she pushed a strand of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. " We started dating at junior year in high school." She explained.

" That means you're a sophomore in college?"

"Correct!" She giggled like I had just cracked a joke but her giggle sounded really nice. It didn't seem as fake as the ones I heard in school.

"Are you both still in high school?" She questioned.

" Yeah, senior year." I answered while taking a sip of my virgin colada.

The sweet yet exotic taste always takes me to heaven. It's my favorite thing ever.

"That's great! What college did you apply for? Or you haven't decided yet?"

"I'm not really sure, I'd like to stay close to my home though."

" Only kid?"

" Nah, I just want to stay close to my sisters." I answered after taking a long sip of my virgin colada.

Wait, why am I telling her how I really feel?

As if on cue Josh and Leonardo came over to us and Krystal got up to stand next to Josh.

"It was great meeting you guys!" Josh's deep voice sounded excited.

" It was great meeting you both as well!" Leonardo smiled.

" Riona, we should totally hang out sometime!" Krystal suggested and I stood frozen.

It has been so long since I hung out with other girls that weren't family.

"I don't know.."

"Come on, it'll be fun!" She insisted.

Krystal did feel different from most people I've ever met though. Her aura was so positive and welcoming.

"Give me your number and I'll give you a call when next I'm free from school." She handed me over her phone and I put my number in.

" It's late already and I have an afternoon class, I'll definitely call you!" She stroked my arm and then turned to Leonardo. " Take care of her." She pointed at him.

"Bye Riona, Leo!" They both waved before walking towards the exit of the karaoke place.

"Finish up your drink so we'll leave." Leonardo instructed.

" I'll finish it now." I said back to him as I grabbed the glass and gulped it all down, it was too sweet to be sipping anyway.

After I finished the drink, Leonardo and I walked over to the counter to pay.

"You don't need to pay for me, I'll pay on my own." I offered but he shook his head.

" It's no trouble at all, I'll pay."

"No I insist! I'll p-"

"There's no need to argue, the couple that took the first set of drinks I prepared for you paid for everything." He informed us.

" Josh and Krystal?"

" I think so, they just left." He pointed towards the exit.

"Josh and Krystal are really nice people." Leonardo mentioned as we walked towards the exit.

"They are." I said to Leonardo.

Aren't they too nice though? What was the need of paying? What if they were targeting me? No.. I've been doing really well with my cover.

"Are you okay?" Leonardo questioned when he noticed I was lost in thought.

"Yeah! I think my siblings might have gotten worried, I know I just have a lot of missed calls and messages." I answered and brought out my phone.

I looked at my notifications and there wasn't a missed call from any of them, only a text from Cassidy saying; eat out before coming home, we didn't cook.

Imagine.

As I fixed the seatbelt the incident from earlier replayed in my head.

"Should we grab dinner before I take you home?" Leonardo's deep voice questioned me.

" Where do you have in mind?"

" All depends on what you want. There's a really nice diner around here if you'd like."

" You can take me to the place you got the cupcakes from." I suggested.

" No, I promise to give you that tomorrow-"

" Tomorrow's Saturday."

" I know. I could bring it over."

" Why won't you tell me the shop you got them from?"

" I know where we could go."

" Where?"

" It's a surprise."

I dropped the subject and let him have his way while not letting my guards down for one second In about five minutes Leonardo found a parking spot and we both got down.

"You should stay here and call your sisters, I'll just get takeouts and I'll be right back."

" No, I want to go in and I'll pay for my food!" I argued.

Leonardo sighed, " You don't always have to argue with me, it's not a competition, I'm just being a gentleman and if it makes you feel better you can foot the bill for our next meal."

" I'm definitely paying next time." I pointed my index finger at him while wearing a serious expression.

" I hear you firecracker." He raised his hands in surrender before leaving.

I sat down in the car and dialed Thalia's number. It didn't take long before she answered.

"Are you having fun on your date?" Thalia teased as soon as she answered.

" Shut up Lia! What did you all have for dinner?"

"I didn't cook and we didn't get takeouts so we all really just eat snacks."

" Lia," I groaned. "I leave the girls with you one night and you all have snacks for dinner?" I shook my head in disappointment.

" Well, I don't know how time just went by! We watched one Netflix movie and boom! It was eight o'clock."

" I'll bring home food, just leave it."

" No! We don't want to interrupt your date!"

"It's not a fucking date! Lia stop!"

" That's enough! Focus on Leo."

Leo? Thalia calls him Leo too? How do I tell him I want to get food for my siblings? He's already inside.

A figure appeared holding a bunch of bags and walked over to the car.

"Can we leave?"

"Yes." I answered.

I'll use a taxi to go to another restaurant after he drops me at home.

After we got to my house, I could feel his gaze on me as I prepared to leave his car.

"Aren't you taking the bags?" He questioned.

"Yes..the bags." I answered absentmindedly.

The bags?

" Wait the bags? Which is mine?"

"They are all yours!"

I lifted my brows.

" Well technically not all yours but there's one for you, Iris, Cassidy and Thalia." He listed as he dropped them on the passengers seat one by one.

My mouth fell open, "Why?" I tilted my head.

"Nothing reall-"

He stopped talking when his phone screen came alive with a call.

"...yes, I'm on my way, Leah." The corner of his lips turned up. "Love you too Leah." He said before disconnecting.

He has a girlfriend?

"I have to go, it's urgent." He informed me and lifted the bags to my hand.

" Thank you." My lips twitched upwards.

"My pleasure." He flashed a smile before zooming off.

I looked at the bags in my hand with a huge smile on my face when I felt my phone vibrate.

Boss: I don't know what's going on Davis, but it has to end Immediately! Stay away from that boy.

My heart skipped a beat as I read the message.

**