Leo peeked out of the curtains, down at the street stragglers, who were swinging their shopping bags in sync with their walking. He hoped Rafe didn’t mind the two hiding out in his apartment. Leo considered that they were close enough, or at least Malina was.
“I’m sure it’ll blow over,” he said.
Heading towards where she laid, Leo sat on the edge of the mattress, studying her. “Are you thirsty?”
“No,” her fingers circled over the pattern of the blanket. Then Malina breathed heavily to herself. “I didn’t want to have sex with him. So, I let him take pictures of me,”
“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Leo tried.
“I wanted to tell someone. I don’t have anyone else to talk to.”
“What about Jean?”
Bringing her legs closer to her torso, Malina stared up at him. “Jean’s to in love to understand. I’m sure her and Rafe have had plenty sex,”
“Really?” Leo winced, gawking at the sheets.
“Don’t you think so?” his shoulders went up, bringing his attention back to her face. “Well, have you?” she continued.
“Umm,” he was caught off guard, and forced to look at his knees. What was the use in lying to her? She would have known by now he wasn’t a good liar. Yet, what would she think of him? Would she let the entire school know that Leo Albert was a virgin? An American virgin?
“I haven’t either, if it makes you feel any better,” Leo bit his bottom lip. His pupils dilated.
“Not really. But thanks.” Malina picked up her head, as he pushed his back against the headboard.
“My sister brags about it all the time, though; as if it’s just a hobby.” There was something in her face that changed, something that Leo couldn’t quite place. Perhaps an emotion, between both innocence and curiosity.
“I believe it’s much more than intimacy. “she carried on, “I believe that when it happens, the two people have a moment when they understand everything about each other. And another moment, when they don’t know anything about each other at all,”
“I never thought of it like that,” Leo swallowed shallowly. “I just thought people did it to fit the norms, until they had kids.”
“That’s how my father does it,” she muttered bitterly.
For a few more seconds the room settled in the honking of Paris traffic. The two bathed in it, letting the conversation float high above them, like wandering bubbles.
“Thank you for being such a good friend, Leo,”He was brought back to the small room, with a soft smile.
“ Thank you for being a good friend, too.”