“Who the hell are you really?” That was the question Elizabeth wanted to ask Leon more than anything.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftACNypdYJ
The previous afternoon, during her weekly therapy session, Elizabeth had remembered a long-forgotten dream from her childhood — the one which had caused her to disassociate from reality in the first place: the one with Leon Pentagast in it, the boy with the impossibly electric blue eyes.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5kXAOUqsG
But how could she voice the glaring question without appearing crazy and irrational? She couldn’t. She understood that dreams were nothing more than her subconscious mind in overdrive while her body lay resting, however she was one hundred percent certain that Leon had been the young man in all her childhood dreams. He didn’t look a day older, his appearance was eerily exactly the same, and now the sense of deja-vue remained at all times around him.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsLDJ9TSf2
“You’ve been eerily silent all day,” Holly remarked, shaking Elizabeth from her thoughts. Elizabeth sat in her classroom desk, head supported in her hands and hunched over her desk, having been lost deep in thought until a moment ago. She had arrived in her class early, taking the quiet space as a place to mull over her conflicted emotions and thoughts. Now, students had begun to slowly meander to their seats, and Holly gracefully lowered herself into the desk chair next to Elizabeth.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyReVgbuIC
“What?” Elizabeth asked lamely, not having paid attention until now.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtcOiqLh5h
“You. Quiet. What’s up?” Holly asked, her brow furrowed in clear concern.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC63Gs4P5gi
“Sorry,” Elizabeth apologized, “I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM45vYv1lwW
“Oh, your psych appointment was yesterday, right? What did the quack say to upset you this time?” Holly appeared annoyed on her behalf but Elizabeth shook her head.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrYO0szj8i
“Nothing. She just asked a lot of questions about…” Elizabeth trailed off.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YXz19se0K
“About what?” Holly’s curiosity was peeked.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8nI6GliMt
“Leon,” Elizabeth admitted.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiGGvslxlo
“Crushing on him, too, huh?” Holly cooed in attentiveness, mocking her friend. For someone like Holly, who constantly thought about dating, this was seemingly the most obvious reasoning for her friend’s sullen mood. However, for Elizabeth, it couldn’t be further from the truth. But how could she tell her friend ‘I just remember him from my crazy dreams’? She couldn’t, and Elizabeth knew it.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqotNrxgI7
“Sure,” she lied. Holly giggled and gave her friend a pat on the back.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33TFEH6Yqt
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him,” Holly promised, but Elizabeth was doubtful. “Speak of the devil,” Holly added and pointed to the doorway.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ215TuRhmP3
Elizabeth followed her gaze as Leon entered the classroom and smiled kindly at the girls. Holly waved with a sugar-sweet grin, and Elizabeth nodded in his direction, still actively trying to avoid prolonged eye contact.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJELXdZyBy
“How are you both doing today?” He asked in his smooth accent. He took his seat on the opposite side of Elizabeth, and brushed off his cleanly pressed button-up shirt as he set his backpack down by his feet and then pulled out the textbook, turning it to the assigned reading without ever taking his eyes off of Elizabeth.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQzJcBOGQ5
“Fine,” Elizabeth lied again.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ1MVlAKDd
“Elizabeth has something to tell you!” Holly chirped and Elizabeth swung around to glare daggers at her best friend.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pTWZu6RfY
“Holly!” Elizabeth practically screamed at her, and Holly was immediately taken aback but her grin never faltered. The classroom fell nearly silent as all eyes turned to the sudden commotion and Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed hot under the sudden and unwanted attention. This was the very last thing she needed: attention drawn to her inadequacies. However, Elizabeth was hardly surprised: keeping a secret, even a fake one, was not Holly’s strong point. She liked the sound of her own voice, and had difficulty remembering to keep quiet when it was most prudent. However, Elizabeth now internally chided herself for not coming up with a less embarrassing lie to convey — one that wouldn’t have had the potential to draw Leon’s attention further towards Elizabeth.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdimNbFNapd
“Well, you’ll never say anything on your own; I’m helping you,” Holly coaxed her on in return. Next to them, Leon was frowning with a puzzled expression playing across his face, but a hopeful glint played through in his bright eyes.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEHO0iWOmp
“Elizabeth?” He asked, his voice soft. Elizabeth looking around, blushing as she realized the majority of the classroom had heard her outburst and now their gazes fell on her. Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, and closed it again, feeling foolish. 765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkZ8a4omB1
As she attempted to collect her words, the teacher appeared in the doorway and clapped his hands together, signaling the beginning of class. Leon looked disappointed as his eyes met Elizabeth’s, and he turned instead to his textbook as he drew it from his backpack. Elizabeth sighed heavily and dropped her forehead low enough to touch the desk, feeling her cheeks burning with embarrassment.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oqFFOHIq9
“Better luck next time,” Holly whispered in a hushed undertone as the teacher began addressing the lesson plan for the day.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrpc0z3lt7
“Shut up,” Elizabeth hissed through gritted teeth.765Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa4REDOUw7
