my god, you're precious

Leo couldn't shake off Jay's words. "His people" had hurt Annie before. But what did that even mean? He had seen her around for years—quiet, usually tucked away in a corner of the library with her nose in a book. And yet, he had never heard a whisper about anyone mistreating her. She was like a ghost, there but unnoticed. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he grew. Why was he only now realizing how little he knew about her past?

"What's on your mind?"

Leo looked up, startled by the soft voice. Annie stood there, offering him a gentle smile.

For a moment, all his confusion and frustration evaporated. Her presence had a strange calming effect on him. He returned her smile, his tension easing. "Math," he lied smoothly. "Got a test coming up."

Annie nodded, though her gaze shifted uncertainly as if she sensed there was more beneath the surface. "You'll ace it," she murmured, biting her lip nervously.

Leo tilted his head, intrigued by the subtle tension in her stance. He knew her well enough now to sense that something was holding her back. "Want to join me?" He gestured to the empty seat beside him.

For a second, Annie hesitated, her eyes flickering with excitement before she finally sat down. Her movements were careful, tentative, as though she wasn't sure if she belonged there.

Leo watched her closely, sensing her uncertainty. She was always so hesitant around him, as if constantly weighing her actions. It made him want to protect her even more. "Working on something?" he asked.

Annie shook her head, her voice coming out small. "Not really. Are you?"

"Chemistry lab," Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But I'm not really in the mood for it."

"When's it due?" Annie asked, her nerves clear in the way she fiddled with the edge of her notebook.

"Last period." He grinned at her, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Classic procrastination."

Annie blinked, then pulled her notebook from her bag and slid it toward him. "You can use mine. It'll save you some time. Besides," she added shyly, "you're such a science junkie, you probably know it all already."

Leo chuckled, glancing at the pages. "You really think I'm that good?"

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked down, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry, was that too forward?"

"Not at all." Leo smiled, leaning a little closer. "It's cute, actually. Reminds me of middle school, when you'd pass your test answers to your crush to cheat off of."

Annie's face turned a deeper shade of red, and she dropped her gaze to the table, clearly flustered.

Unable to resist, Leo reached out, gently lifting her chin with his fingers. "Don't hide that smile," he teased, his voice soft. "It's adorable."

Annie's heart fluttered wildly at the warmth of his touch. Her eyes locked with his, and for a second, the world outside the library disappeared. "You're not making it any easier," she whispered, her voice shaky.

Leo laughed, the sound light and full of affection. "You're seriously precious," he said, shaking his head, completely charmed by her shy, endearing nature.

Annie's pulse raced, and she bit her lip, looking down again, too flustered to hold his gaze any longer. But his laughter wasn't mocking—it was warm, genuine, the kind that made her feel safe.

As his laughter faded, Leo's expression softened, his voice lowering. "So... what do you say? Want to go out tonight?"

Annie froze. Her heart skipped a beat. Did he just ask her out? "What?" she stammered, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Do you want to grab some food together?" Leo clarified, an amused glint in his eye, enjoying her stunned reaction.

She blinked, still processing. "Uh... yeah. I mean, if you want to."

Leo chuckled, his smile growing. "Of course I want to. Why do you think I asked?"

Her lips curved into a shy smile, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Okay."

As they sat together in the library, Annie couldn't help but feel a shift in the air between them. There was something unspoken, a gentle current pulling them closer, and for the first time in a long while, Annie didn't feel like retreating into her shell.

Leo watched her with a soft smile, his eyes lingering on hers a second longer than usual. "Great," he said, his voice warm. "It's a date."

Leo watched Annie's cheeks flush, the subtle rise of color betraying her shy excitement. He couldn't help but be charmed by it—how she seemed so unsure, even though she had no idea how endearing she was.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the light buzz of the library fading into the background. Annie fidgeted with the edge of her notebook, her fingers tracing the pages as she gathered the courage to speak.

"You've been coming to the library a lot lately," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leo chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess I have." He paused, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "To be honest, it's because I knew you'd be here."

Annie's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened, and she looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

Leo shrugged, his grin softening into something more genuine. "I like talking to you, Annie." He reached out, gently nudging her notebook with his finger. "You've got this quiet confidence. It's... refreshing."

She tried to respond, but all she could do was smile shyly, her cheeks glowing.

Leo's eyes twinkled with amusement. "There it is again. That adorable smile. You're going to make this really hard for me, aren't you?"

Annie looked down at the table, biting her lip to keep from grinning too much. "I'm not doing anything," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"You're doing everything," Leo said softly, his gaze lingering on her. "I can't stop looking at you."

Annie's heart did a somersault.

She glanced up at him, her breath catching in her throat as their eyes met. For a moment, the world seemed to pause, the connection between them palpable.

"I'm really glad you came over today," Leo said, his voice low but sincere. "I've been wanting to talk to you for a while, but I didn't know how to start."

Annie swallowed, her voice shaky but honest. "I've wanted to talk to you too."

Leo's smile widened, his hand resting on the table just a little closer to hers. "Guess we both got what we wanted then."

Annie's heart fluttered again as she watched him, a mixture of disbelief and joy swirling in her chest.