The Coast Between Us

I'd almost forgotten Leonardo still had the key to my apartment.

Seeing I was awake, Leonardo just leaned down, a smirk on his face as he tried to kiss me.

I jerked my head away, dodging him.

I pushed him off and scrambled to the other side of the bed.

Leonardo looked confused for a second, then chuckled. "What, suddenly shy? Hmm?"

I didn't speak, just pulled the comforter over my head.

Leonardo scolded me as he tried to pull it off.

"Kira, you're getting bold, huh? Didn't even say goodnight last night, and you dared to turn your phone off.

"Now you're hiding from me?"

He expertly slid under the covers with me.

Before I could protest, he had me wrapped in his arms.

"Come on, how many times have I told you not to skip breakfast.

"I jogged for thirty minutes to get you that croissant you love. The line was insane.

"Do you want to get up and eat it, or do you want to...

be eaten first..."

His breath was hot on my neck, and his hands started to roam.

Now fully awake, I struggled with all my might.

But at my height, I was no match for a six-foot-three quarterback.

I truly couldn't understand what he was thinking. He had Jessica now, so why was he still messing with me?

After a long fight, I was out of breath.

I hadn't escaped; I was just held even tighter.

"What are you making a fuss about now?

"Are you mad? Because I didn't take you to the bonfire party last night? Such a small thing?"

I was silent.

He buried his face in my neck, laughing.

"Let me guess, your bestie Sophie told you?

"It was just a dare, is that worth being jealous over?

"Why are you still like this, getting upset every time I talk to another girl."

I was too angry to speak, not knowing where to even start.

Remembering a self-defense move from a school assembly, I shot my knee up into his groin, then scrambled out of bed while he was stunned.

"Kira!"

Leonardo gritted his teeth, his face turning red.

I quickly threw on a T-shirt over my pajamas and ran to the living room.

I didn't want to be in the same space as him, especially not my bedroom.

A moment later, Leonardo followed me out, looking both angry and exasperated.

After a moment, he seemed to remember something and asked casually, "By the way, you take the pills yesterday, right?"

"Don't cause any trouble. We can't explain that to our parents."

Leonardo walked to the kitchen counter and picked up the croissant he brought, holding it out to me.

"Be good, eat something before you get mad. You know your stomach gets upset easily."

I didn't answer or take it.

Leonardo's hand was left hanging in the air for a long time before his patience finally snapped.

"What is your problem?

"Kira, even if you're throwing a fit, there has to be a reason, a limit, right?"

I replied coldly, "I'm not good enough for you."

Leonardo got angry too, slamming the croissant down on the table.

He used too much force. The plate split, and the fragments spilled all over my favorite T-shirt lying on the chair.

"What did you say?

"Who do you think you are, Kira?

"We hooked up one time, and now you think you can control me? Don't you know how suffocating that is?"

His tone was sharper than I'd ever heard.

Instantly, tears streamed down my face without warning.

All the humiliation and pain from the day before came rushing back.

Leonardo seemed shocked by my sudden outburst, not knowing what to do.

He apologized, looking regretful. "I'm sorry, I was hungover. I didn't mean what I just said."

Leonardo crouched beside me, reaching out to wipe my tears, but I flinched away again.

He froze, his hand stuck in mid-air.

Just as he was about to say more, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen, and his expression changed. He immediately stood up to leave.

"I have to go, something important came up. You cool down on your own first.

"We're going to college now. You can't act like a child all the time. Who's going to put up with that?"

Less than an hour after he left, Sophie sent me a screenshot.

It was Jessica's Instagram post.

[Jessica: Just said I was hungry, and my favorite croissant magically appeared! Feeling like my crush and I are getting closer--] The photo showed a paper bag from the exact same bakery.

I didn't reply.

I just silently wiped my tears and tried to clear away the plate Leonardo had smashed.

I realized with a heavy heart that the shards tore the T-shirt.

In a fit of rage, I threw the T-shirt out.

It was the one he had won at a football game and given to me years ago anyway.

While I was at it, I gathered every single thing Leonardo had ever left at my place, and all the gifts, big and small, he'd ever given me.

I even collected all our photos.

It took me the whole day to pack it all up and throw it in the dumpster.

I figured he wouldn't want these old things anymore either.

After Leonardo left that day, I didn't hear from him for several days.

I guess things were going well with the school's beauty queen.

Or maybe he was waiting for me to be the first to give in.

In the past, after every fight, I was always the one to apologize first, without fail.

But this time, I didn't contact him.

There was no need to anymore.

I blocked his number and all his social media, changed my apartment's key, and deactivated my accounts.

After doing all that, I called my parents, who were away on business.

I told them I wanted to go on a road trip to clear my head for the summer.

My plan was to spend the summer driving, then head straight to LA to start college with Sophie.

Besides Sophie, no one knew I had applied to a school in Los Angeles.

This plan should guarantee I wouldn't run into Leonardo.

Mom still teased me on the phone, "Oh, are you and Leo going on a trip together?"

I made an excuse and denied it, not wanting to explain.

I just said I wanted some time to myself.

I begged Dad to book me a flight for that very night. I planned to fly to my starting point immediately.

As I was leaving, I ran into Leonardo's mom by the elevator.

She greeted me warmly. "Kira, honey, why are you leaving alone? Isn't Leonardo picking you up?

"Didn't he say he was taking you to Europe for the summer? You two have fun, Auntie is so happy for you."

I was a little confused.

During our SAT cramming, I had told Leonardo I wanted to travel to Europe.

But with how things were now, how could we possibly go on a trip together?

I was running late, though, so I just gave a vague answer and left.

But what I never expected was to actually see Leonardo at the airport.