Chapter 19: "Canteen Clash"
A commotion in the canteen caught his attention. Curious, he headed over, only to find his sister, Trisha, circling a table, clearly agitated, as if searching for something. His cousin Gabriella sat calmly on the table, her face cold and eyes glued to her phone, lost in her usual tech world. Beside Gabriella sat another girl, her back facing him. He couldn't see her face, but she seemed tense,her head turning slightly as she scanned her surroundings, feeling out of place… or probably embarrassed.
"Sorry girls, none of your names are written on this table," Trisha said sharply to the group of girls standing across from her. He followed her gaze and immediately understood. Of course, it was them. The usual drama crew. He never understood why they were so mean or always eager to start a fight,especially Lisa, who had been like a little sister to him growing up. Being Ivan's twin, she naturally became part of the family. He made a mental note to talk some sense into her later.
"What are you saying? This has always been our seat since we stepped foot here. No one dares sit here," Sophia snapped, her tone as irritating as ever. He rolled his eyes. He remembered the last time the seating arrangement changed,he'd requested it and had someone carry it out. No one owned a seat here. People sat wherever they liked.
"Yeah, so get out of here," Lisa added, backing Sophia without hesitation. He clenched his jaw but held back. He didn't want to interfere,especially since his sisters wanted to keep their relationship low-key for personal reasons. He respected that and had always protected them from behind the scenes.
But the arguing continued, and as he turned to rejoin his friends, a loud slap cut through the noise behind him. He spun around in time to see the girl still unidentified, the one who had her back to him earlier now standing in front of Trisha. She had taken the slap meant for his sister.
Before he could even process it, his instincts kicked in. He stepped forward.The situation didn't make sense. Why were they fighting over a seat? Trisha was right there was no name written on it. Whoever that girl was, she wasn't just brave,she was hurting. He saw it in the way she silently embraced Trisha right after, holding her tightly, shoulders shaking slightly. He still couldn't see her face, but his chest tightened. She didn't deserve that.
A surge of protectiveness overwhelmed him. Without a second thought, he moved to stand in front of them, shielding both girls. His eyes locked onto Sophia's, and with calm but forceful energy, he shoved her back. She stumbled, clearly startled, and would've fallen if not for Lisa and Melanie catching her.
"There are no rules about owning a seat," he said coldly. "Either you come early to claim it, or you move to another one." With that, he turned to his sister. "Check if she's okay," he added, motioning behind him toward the girl.
When he turned and finally saw her face, his breath caught. She had big, brown eyes that seemed to hold a quiet intensity. Her eyes were a deep, rich brown that drew him in, making him want to know more about her. Her skin was smooth and flawless, with a subtle glow that hinted at a healthy complexion. Her lips were full and pink, pressed together in a gentle line as she gazed at him. Her hair was dark and fell in loose waves down her back. When she blushed, her cheeks took on a soft, rosy hue that added to her natural beauty.
The girl slowly stepped out of Trisha's embrace, her gaze fixed on him. He was taken aback by her beauty, and for a moment, he forgot what was happening.
He was the one who spoke up next, his voice firm but controlled. "Don't just run into a fight. Something worse than this could happen." He said it more out of concern than anger, but his words came out sharper than intended. "You shouldn't have interfered," he added, trying to cover the way her flushed cheeks made him feel.
She simply nodded, accepting the scolding without protest. For a brief second, he had the urge to reach out to touch those now red cheeksbut caught himself and quickly glanced away, turning to Trisha. "Take her to the infirmary," he instructed.
Then he looked back at the girl, half-expecting a quiet thank you. But it never came. Irritated for reasons he couldn't explain, he turned on his heel to leave. That was when he heard his name being called,
"Leo," Melanie said, her voice getting on his nerves.
He spun around, his expression unwelcoming. Melanie stood there, a mixture of anger and fright on her face. He didn't reply. He just turned and walked away, ignoring the rising chatter of his friends behind him. At that moment, he didn't feel hungry anymore.
RB