Seeing Him Clear

Rory POV

The shadow moved closer, that glint flashing sharp in the dark, and my heart slammed hard, my breath stuck in my throat. My legs froze, my hands cold and shaky, watching the shape step out tall, face hidden boots scraping loud on the pavement. “Rory?” the voice said again, rough and low, and my chest buzzed wild, my eyes squinting to see. Then headlights cut through bright, fast tires squealing as the car peeled off, leaving me alone, panting hard, my stomach twisted tight. I stumbled back shaky, scared my hands in my hair, pulling rough, needing to get away.

Next day, I crashed at Jude’s place couch lumpy, air stale my head spinning from the night, from Leo, from everything. My chest hurt empty, sore and I sat, my knees up, my hands picking at my jeans. Jude walked in tall, quiet his hair messy, his eyes soft on me. “You look like junk,” he said, voice calm, dropping a coffee mug on the table thud soft but heavy.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, voice flat, grabbing the mug fast, my hands trembling a little. My throat burned thinking of Leo, of that stranger’s hands and I sipped quick, the heat stinging my lips. Jude sat across slow, steady his elbows on his knees, watching me close.

“He’s a mess too,” Jude said, voice low, his eyes stuck on mine. My heart jumped fast, dumb and I looked up, my chest tight, waiting. “Leo,” he added, like I didn’t know, and my stomach flipped soft, mad picturing his face, pale and wet from crying.

“Yeah?” I said, voice shaky, my hands gripping the mug hard hot, grounding. Jude nodded, slow and sure, his fingers tapping the table quiet, steady.

“Talked to him yesterday,” he said, voice soft but firm. “He’s drowning shame, debts, all that junk with Frankie.” My chest squeezed cold, heavy and I swallowed hard, my eyes dropping to the coffee black, still seeing Leo’s shy grin in my head, the one he’d flash when he thought I wasn’t looking. “He’s too proud to say it,” Jude went on, “but he’s scared scared he’s losing you.”

My throat closed tight, raw and I set the mug down slow, my hands shaky on my knees. “He’s already lost me,” I muttered, voice rough, my chest buzzing mad, sad but Jude shook his head, his eyes soft and knowing.

“Nah,” he said, voice quiet. “He’s stuck always has been. I messed up once owed money, hid it ‘til it broke me. Took years to climb out.” He stopped, his hands still eyes far off and my stomach twisted guilt sinking slow thinking of Leo dodging my questions, hiding his stress behind quick smiles. “He’s like that,” Jude said, looking at me again. “Needs you to pull him up.”

My heart pounded slow, loud and my chest cracked anger melting soft picturing Leo’s hands twitching, his eyes dodging mine that last fight. “I tried,” I said, voice breaking, my hands in my hair pulling light remembering his flinch when I touched him. “He pushed me off.”

“Then try harder,” Jude said, voice sharp now, leaning closer. “He’s at a meeting tonight gambling support down at the church hall. Go see him.” My breath hitched fast, shaky and my chest buzzed hope creeping in my legs restless, my hands cold.

“Why me?” I asked, voice small, my eyes on his searching, scared. Jude smiled small, soft his hand brushing the table.

“‘Cause you love him,” he said, simple and true, and my chest swelled big, raw tears stinging my eyes. I nodded slow, shaky my heart racing picturing Leo’s grin, his laugh, his hands on me and stood, my legs wobbly, my jacket heavy in my hands.

The church hall was dim chairs scratched, air thick people sitting quiet, heads down. My heart slammed fast, hard as I slipped in back row, shadows hiding me my hands sweaty, my throat dry. Leo stood up front shirt wrinkled, hair messy his hands fidgeting bad, twisting together tight. My chest squeezed soft, heavy watching him shift, his shoulders slumped, his voice shaky when he spoke.

“I messed up,” he said, voice low and rough, cracking soft on the edges. “Owed too much hid it lost everything.” My stomach flipped cold, raw seeing his hands shake worse, his eyes wet and red staring at the floor. “Lost him,” he whispered voice breaking his breath hitching loud, and my heart stopped my chest buzzing knowing he meant me.

He rubbed his face quick, shaky tears slipping free, and my throat burned my legs itching to run up, hold him. “I’m trying,” he said louder, trembling his voice raw and real. “Trying to fix it for him.” My chest cracked wide, warm hope pounding hard seeing him bare, confessing it all scared, small, mine.

People nodded quiet, soft chairs creaking, and my hands clenched tight, sweaty watching him sit slow, shaky his head down, his hands in his lap fidgeting still. My heart raced wild, soft and I leaned forward breath fast picturing his shy grin, feeling it pull me back. My chest buzzed love, hope my legs shaky, ready to move needing him close again.

The meeting dragged voices low, stories heavy and my eyes stayed on him watching his shoulders shake, his hands twist raw, broken. My throat tightened my chest full and I waited quiet, still my heart pounding hope growing slow knowing I’d fight for him, knowing I’d stay.

Then a door banged loud, sharp at the back. My head snapped around breath fast my chest tight seeing shadows move quick, tall cutting the dim light. My heart jumped wild, scared and I turned eyes wide watching Leo stiffen fast, hard his head lifting slow face pale eyes darting to the sound.

“Leo ” I whispered voice cracking my hands shaky standing slow my legs wobbly needing him to see me. His eyes flicked fast, wild searching the room landing on me wide, wet his breath stopping short. My chest swelled raw, soft and I stepped forward slow, sure my heart slamming hope burning bright.

But a voice cut through low, rough near the door. “Time’s up,” it said cold, mean and my stomach dropped fear crashing fast my eyes locked on Leo watching him freeze still, pale his hands trembling bad. My breath hitched my chest buzzing and I moved quick, shaky pushing past chairs needing him close.

“Rory?” he said voice breaking standing fast his eyes on me scared, soft and my heart raced wild, loud reaching for him hands out hope shaking me hard. But boots scraped loud, close shadows stepping in dark, tall and my throat closed fear choking me watching a hand grab the doorframe tight, rough metal glinting sharp in the light cutting the moment, cutting us short.