Page 100 of Shadowed Whispers

“Yeah, actually,” I respond, feeling the weight of the coffee in my hand, both a literal and metaphorical anchor in this moment. “Going to the Grotto party with Tori. You?”

“I’ll be there too,” he says, his tone casual but his glance quick and sharp, full of hope. “Maybe we can watch it together? I hear it’s going to be quite the stir.”

“I think I’d like that,” I admit, surprising myself with the ease of my own honesty. The words feel right, settling into the space between us with a comfortable weight.

Leo’s smile deepens, and he nudges me gently with his elbow. “It’s a date then. A coffee date, under the stars and the shadow of the moon.”

“That sounds... perfect,” I say, and I mean it. The idea of spending more time with him under the pretense of watching the eclipse seems like the most appealing thing in the world. I’ll just have to hunt afterwards.

We finish our coffee as we approach the end of the track, the warmth from the drink lingering in my hands. Leo tosses his empty cup into a nearby recycling bin and then looks over at me, his eyes softening.

“Hey, Frankie?” he starts, and I tilt my head, inviting him to continue. “Thanks for letting me exist with you. It’s... nice. Really nice.”

“It is,” I agree, feeling a smile tug at my lips. “And thanks for the coffee. It was exactly what I needed.”

As I look at the ground, I watch his shadow move under his feet. I try to control my reaction as I freeze. I lift my coffee cup to my mouth and sip before looking away. Did I see what I think I did?

“I’m sorry I missed you at the game last night.” I peek over at him as I steer us back toward the tower dorms. “I went for a hot dog and all hell broke loose.”

Leo grabs my arm, turning me toward him. His touch is gentle yet firm, filled with urgency. “You went,” he states. As realization dawns on him, his eyes are wide and full of… hope? Yes, that is definitely hope.

“I did.” I sip my coffee again as I try to gauge his reactions, but he has a better poker face than I do.

“So you came to watch us?” His hand is still on my bicep, now making little circles with his thumb, a comforting motion that somehow makes this intense conversation a bit easier.

“I did.”

“And what did you see?” he presses, his voice low.

No way he’s asking about the game. “Well, the lights went out, and Dorian rushed me to a safe room,” I blurt, the words tumbling out in a rush.

He sighs in relief before looking around us, but we are alone on the path on a Sunday. No one is around. Just us. No one to hear his words.

“They, ah…”

“Aren’t supposed to exist,” I finish for him, using the words that Tori whispered to me yesterday mid-hug.

“Right,” he drawls, his voice a mixture of relief and resignation. “That.”

I hum and turn around to walk away. If he follows, he follows. If he doesn’t, then that’s on him.

“Wait.” He catches up to me, and I hide my smile.

“Leo.” I look up at him. His hair is growing out now. He shaved the sides, and now he’s styled his hair into a mullet, which is surprisingly sexy if I’m being honest. “Shadow Locke University, do you notice anything weird about it?” Or weird about its students?

“Just a university on an island,” he says, his voice steady.

“Is it though?” I prompt, pushing for more, needing him to understand the depth of my questioning.

“Does it matter?” he asks, a frown creasing his forehead.

Does it matter? Yeah, it fucking matters. It matters a lot. “Yes.”

He sighs, the weight of the confession bending the air around us. “When I was little, my sister used to lock me in the closet.” The admission seems to float between us, his voice a quiet tremor. “I was never scared. Do you know why?”

Frowning, I look up at him, the gravity of his question pulling at the edges of my understanding. “No…” I draw the word out, a soft echo in the growing silence.

“I wasn’t afraid because there’s nothing to fear,” he says slowly, his words layered with a depth that suggests hidden currents.

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