ANMELDENLeo’s POV
The second Ryker told me he was stranded in Denver, I knew I wasn’t going to let him stay there.
At first, I thought of simply sending him money,but then another thought crossed my mind, and suddenly sending money felt painfully boring.
I wanted to see him.
Needed to see him.
The urge came so suddenly and violently that it nearly made me laugh at myself.
I was seated across
Leo’s POVThe second Ryker told me he was stranded in Denver, I knew I wasn’t going to let him stay there.At first, I thought of simply sending him money,but then another thought crossed my mind, and suddenly sending money felt painfully boring.I wanted to see him.Needed to see him.The urge came so suddenly and violently that it nearly made me laugh at myself.I was seated across from Alaric at the café when Ryker called me. Alaric was halfway through another croissant while staring at me like he still couldn’t believe Leonardo Rizz was willingly sitting with him.Then my phone rang.And everything else stopped mattering immediately.I answered almost before the first ring ended.The panic in his voice made something sharp twist in my chest.He explained everything quickly. Lost ticket. Finals to
Ronaldo’s POVI hated how quiet grief was.People talked about crying and screaming and collapsing to the floor like that was the worst part, but it wasn’t. The worst part was the silence after. The part where everybody had gone to bed and the house stopped moving and suddenly you remembered that someone who used to exist… didn’t anymore.My mom was dead.Even thinking it felt wrong.The reality scraped against my ribs every single time it crossed my mind.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the untouched glass of water Marilyn had left for me earlier. My room was dim except for the bedside lamp glowing amber against the walls. Outside, Denver looked cold and still.Everything felt different now.The house sounded different.The air felt different.Even breathing felt wrong s
Ryker’s POVFor a moment, I just stood there.The airport moved around me like I wasn’t part of it anymore. People rushed past with luggage, voices overlapped, announcements echoed overhead, and somehow, none of it touched me. I felt… stuck. Like everything had kept going, except me.Then I turned.The glass doors slid open with a soft hiss as I stepped outside, my eyes scanning immediately for the car.Ronaldo’s car.It wasn’t there.My chest dropped.No.No, no, no.I stepped forward, looking left, then right, like it might magically appear if I tried hard enough.Nothing.Of course it was gone.Why wouldn’t it be? He probably assumed we’d boarded already. We had said our goodbye. Chris and Oliver had gone in. Everything looked normal from
Ryker’s POVThe air in Ronaldo’s house changed after the garden, every time I tried to catch his eyes, he looked somewhere else. His hands. His shoes. The chandelier above us. Anywhere but me.He wanted nothing to do with me,that much I could figure out.Now we were in the guest room, the three of us sprawled across the beds they’d prepared, the soft sheets and expensive pillows making everything feel unreal. Like we were actors playing parts in someone else’s life.Chris was mid-story about some professor who accidentally emailed the entire class his grocery list instead of their assignment when the door creaked open.Ronaldo stepped in, Marilyn peeking from behind him.“Hey,” Chris said, instantly sitting up. “Look who decided to grace us with his presence.”Ron
Leo’s POV I don’t think I’ve ever felt more out of place in a room that used to feel like home.Ryan is halfway through a story about some girl he met at a gala, waving his hands around like he’s conducting an orchestra of nonsense. Warren is laughing too loud, adding his own commentary about how “easy” it is to get what you want if you know the right people. Their voices overlap, bounce off the walls, fill the space like thick smoke.And I just… sat there, watching and listening, but I couldn't hear a single thing the where saying.It’s strange. A few months ago, I would’ve been right in the middle of this, laughing, contributing, maybe even topping their stories with something worse. But now… it all sounds hollow. Like empty cans rattling down a staircase.“She started getting too attached,” Ryan says, shrugging. “So I cut her off. You know how it is.”“Had to,” Warren adds. “You can’t let them think they matter more than they should.”They both laugh.I don’t.My fingers tighten s
Leo’s POVI didn’t think I was the kind of person who did things like this.Not… balloons. Not soft lighting. Not carefully chosen corners and angles like love was something you could arrange and frame.And yet, there I was.Standing in the middle of that quiet hall tucked behind Mason Bridge, watching as the last string of lights was pinned into place.“Careful with that,” I said, nodding toward the cluster of white and gold balloons being tied to the pillar. “I don’t want them sagging.”Jason snorted from across the room, a small radio tucked under his arm, a box of decorations balanced against his hip.“Alright, boss,”I rolled my eyes, the room looked… different.The first time I had been here with Ryker, it had be
Ryker’s POVAt first, I thought we were actually going into the library, but he veered off before we reached the entrance, heading toward a smaller building tucked behind it.It looked almost abandoned.Like a storage space no one really paid
Ryker’s POVWhy would Leo suddenly want to see me behind the library?It had been almost a week since we last spoke. Not even a text. Not even a “come here” or “don’t be seen.” Nothing.And I knew i
Ryker’s POVThese past few days have been a complete rollercoaster.Finals were in less than two weeks, and every professor suddenly decided that meant we shouldn’t have a single second of free time.Assignments.Su
Ryker’s POV“He… suspended you?”The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.The room suddenly felt smaller.Ronaldo sat on the edge of the couch, running his hands through his hair like







