The night of Holly’s party, her parents picked up Elizabeth and Leon after exams were finished. Leon had packed a large suitcase of his necessities for the next two weeks, as he was going to be staying with her family so he wouldn’t be alone for the holidays.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2ftQmYNZC
Elizabeth, on the other hand, had a change of her clothes in her backpack along with her toothbrush and hair brush. She didn’t intend to stay over more than one night, as her mother didn’t want her away from home for long during the holiday season. It was a difficult time for her family some days, as her brother spent the entire season with his father and her mother had no lasting relations to speak of. She wanted to stay there and support her mother, but sometimes found the task to be tedious. She needed a break from family every once in a while, and Holly’s family had become her second home-away-from-home. She was certain that Leon would find comfort with such a kind, supportive couple looking after him, just as she always was made to feel as though she were coming home when she visited.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqFycmaDQZ
“What is your home like, Leon?” Holly’s mother asked politely, having heard only so much about the foreign exchange student.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcciIL3FjQf
“It isn’t much different, to be honest, this time of year,” Leon explained. “The trees look different, less needles and more bare branches,“ he added.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPENmLkMRK
“So, this must feel a little like home already?” Holly’s mother asked.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRutf35DHRD
“Indeed, it is starting to. Your daughter and Elizabeth have made excellent strides towards helping me feel I have found a place here,” Leon beamed through his words.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtOBqWK6BE
“That’s wonderful to hear!” Holly’s mother praised at her and pat her daughter’s leg with one hand, the other kept securely on the steering wheel. Holly blushed under the praise and attention. Holly sat in the front seat beside her mother, flipping through a beauty magazine for ideas for Christmas presents she would desire. Often, Holly asked for fancy clothes or beauty products to be ordered in for her. She was constantly trying new products and posting review articles and videos online. She had a small but stable following online of young women around their age658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUMaADpzWl
Elizabeth sat beside Leon in the back seat, their bags taking up the trunk space of the small compact powder blue car. Elizabeth was overly aware of how close they now sat, and was coming to realize maybe she indeed had begun to crush on her friend over the recent weeks. He was pleasant, attractive, and familiar to her — despite realizing her sentiments of familiarity were unrealistic, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he should be important to her; she just couldn’t place a real reason why. Maybe this weekend, she could finally take the time to get to learn more about him, if nothing else.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2LynaIWB3
By that evening, Holly’s guests had begun to arrive from their respective homes after dinner. Board and party games had started up as a group of ten teenagers, mostly female, hung out in Holly’s family’s living room. A game of Twister had started up between four of the younger girls, two years their juniors, who were easily amused by childish antics. They had attempted to convince Leon to play for a good ten minutes before giving up and realizing that he was still too shy to effectively communicate with others. In fact, he stayed close to Elizabeth for most of the night, only speaking when first addressed and offering minimalistic answers to questions about himself, his home and his family. Elizabeth found it curious how Leon seemed to want to avoid speaking about himself at all, but respected his wishes and didn’t pry the subject. Holly, on the other hand, was dismissive of his wishes and constantly tried to pry more information out of him. As such, he was avoiding direct eye contact with most guests and sticking close to Elizabeth, going so far as to following her whenever she left the room, just for the sake of gaining reprieve from the endless seas of questions. However, most people seemed to be coming to realize they wouldn’t get answers from him and had slowly stopped asking them.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVN7s0hXjC
“You don’t have to follow me,” Elizabeth admonished as they entered the kitchen.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxR9Mw4fF6
“I am sorry to be rude,” Leon apologized, “but you are the only person who has not been rude to me all night.”658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7mrsYLROQ
“Rude?” Elizabeth was puzzled.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8WgYZtXMl
“Honestly? I think I have made it clear that I do not wish to speak about my family. However, you are the only one who has respected and dropped the subject,” he explained and Elizabeth nodded in understanding as she fetched herself a cup of coffee from the pot.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOENRIHGmoj
“Well, on Holly’s behalf, I’m sorry for that.”658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OLn2oZex9
“It is not your place to apologize for your friend,” Leon scolded.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN9siM7sE4
“Actually, I think it is,” Elizabeth countered.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzbIDJcMVu
“Please explain,” Leon requested.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCzu5frQCo
“Very well,” Elizabeth replied slowly, thinking through her answer. “Holly and I have been best friends since grade school, and often she doesn’t understand social boundaries,” Elizabeth explained. “I normally address this and help her, because my mother struggles with the same concept, to varying degrees,” Elizabeth opened up slowly, as she held his gaze. He seemed intently fascinated with her words. “So, when I forget to help Holly understand when she should drop a subject, I think I’m also failing the people involved.” Leon shook his head.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNs26mTUs3P
“No, Elizabeth, that is not your job and nor should you have to feel you need to take on such an large responsibility,” Leon seemed genuinely sad for her. “I thank you for opening up a personal detail to me, but I believe you are incorrect in your assumption that it is your responsibility to look after those around you. They are old enough to realize their mistakes — no offense directed towards your family,” he explained. Elizabeth nodded in realization.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfzJQ1wKFe
“I think I’ve always known that, but just needed someone else to say it,” she explained slowly. “Also, I doubt you could ever offend me, I’m pretty laid back,” she added. Leon chuckled, a melodic sound to her ears and Elizabeth flushed.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OA9qcgy3k
“I am certain even I am capable of being rude at times,” he explained. “To avoid such, since you shared a personal detail with me, I will share a secret one with you.” Leon’s tone became somber and he lowered his voice so it wouldn’t carry as far. “My father died many years ago, and my mother is very protective of me. It is, in part, why I decided to take part in the exchange program — I needed space away from her,” he admitted slowly. Elizabeth’s eyes widened at this revelation. “This is why I do not like to speak of my family or home, I have yet to tell anyone about this.” His eyes were pained and sad, the blue in them fading to a pale shade like that of ice. He appeared more closed off than ever, despite having opened up such a personal detail. 658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡproYcCW1SS
Elizabeth couldn’t help herself. She put her cup down on the counter, crossed the room in two long strides, and threw her arms tightly around her new friend. Leon tensed up in surprise, but slowly relaxed into the embrace and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, much to Elizabeth’s surprise she enjoyed the feeling of being close to someone — more than anything, she really just wanted to comfort him when he was hurting. She had always hated seeing others in pain, it made her heart feel as though it were physically hurting inside her chest and she wished more than anything that she could free others from ever feeling hurt and loss.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhXMhA2caQ
Their bonding was abrutly brought to a halt as Holly entered the room, looking for both of them. Leon and Elizabeth parted as soon as they heard footsteps approaching the room and Holly entered, her eyes lighting up.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zqaozomQb
“There you are,” Holly scolded, without seeming to notice both of their flushed and embarrassed expressions. “We were about to dig into the ice cream cake that mom made,” she explained.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4OxWFfDXa
“Your mother makes ice cream into a cake?” Leon echoed, seemingly fascinated by the concept.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RSNPwFLPL
“Wait, you’ve never seem an ice cream cake?” Holly’s eyes widened in surprise as Leon shook his head no. “Well then, you’re in for a treat!” Holly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him from the room. Leon shot Elizabeth one last look over his shoulder before he disappeared from sight. Something in the expression tugged at Elizabeth’s heart strings. What had that been? It appeared longing but pained in the same moment. Elizabeth figured he was still a bit upset from his big personal revelation, and she grabbed her coffee cup and hurried after them into the dining room.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivYDt7yvbr
Every guest and her parents were gathered around the large, polished oak table made of reclaimed wood.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2uhf24HJR
“And there’s our guest of honor!” Holly’s mother smiled at Leon, causing him to blush as all eyes turned on him. “We can finally eat,” she added as she began to cut uniform pieces of cake. Holly sat Leon down between her and her mother, where they could fuss over him easily. Elizabeth took a seat directly across the table from him as they were each handed a slice of cake. Holly’s mother was an amazing cook and baker, working at a local bakery for a living. It was, by far, one of the most delicious desserts she had ever tasted in her life, and she savored every bite.658Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgYc4vj3t6
