2 Week One: A Walking Confliction

We noticed the time and leisurely walked to the class to see everyone lined out the door. Leo didn't even hesitate to sit down when he saw the line.

"You drive a Mustang, right?"

He smiled, "Yep, 2006 GT, she's my baby. You?"

"Subaru, how much it cost you?"

"4,500," He responded after a light amount of thought.

"Wow, it looks good for the price. Mine cost me 17,000. You have to do work yourself?"

He didn't reply for a while his eyes glazed. When finally came back to the living he said, "I did the wires and a few small things here and there."

'I don't understand what that means.' I nodded anyway, "Cool, you must be okay with driving me because you just want a reason to drive."

He held his hands over his heart with a fake hurt voice and a bright smile, "I would never have such selfish motives; I only want to help."

"How long you here, from France?" He questioned after a momentary silence.

"4 years for studying, still trying to make friends."

"Good luck, I did a year in Italy just got back last week so I know the feeling."

"Remember any Italian?"

"Not a lick of it. Everyone wanted me to speak English." He visually shrugged it off but he sounded disappointed.

"Then why go there instead of continuing to study here?"

"A different scene for writing." Too vague an answer but when I wanted to ask more the professor had finally appeared.

Much like the first day, it was uneventful. Leo did the whole packet while Jim was lecturing before using his phone and helping me when asked. He looked stern and annoyed but he always expressed joy in conversations.

Class ended and Leo went up to talk to Jim while I packed. It took it a minute or two but I waited, unlike someone yesterday.

"You're slow." I teased as we walked outside.

"I had to move my final from the 25th to the 21st." He explained his eyes locked with the sky.

"Mine's the 21st too, going to Vancouver the 22nd." 'I still need to get that moved.'

"I'm going to Cape Cod the 25th."

The conversation drifted to silence as we walked side by side no words needed to express our thoughts. Leo was conflicted with himself his eyes staring at the sky and conversely his body was held like a soldier. The look could be described as a dreaming warrior, their bloodied sword held to the sky awhile their eyes blank of joy. Myself I was l wondering why he was so willing to be helpful towards me when we never even talked more than once? I believed it was a crush but he never took glances, he never drifted away from my eyes in conversation and he never made any moves.

We made it to my car first and with a smile like yesterday he waved and we parted ways, my eyes locked with his back. 'Who are you?'

I repeated my routine from yesterday without deviation. I closed down my day by laying on my floor bed and stared at the ceiling. I felt frustration run through me as I thought back to Leo's personality.

"Held like a soldier, silly as a clown, lost a child, and careless as a teenager, he so many people in one yet only one of them is truly him." With this in mind, I unconsciously closed my eyes and lost to tiredness.