Chapter 6 A Growing Attraction
1234 Words
"Leslie?" Rachel couldn't hide the surprise and pleasure in her voice. "No training today?"
It had been days since she'd last seen him, and she couldn't deny the happiness she felt at his unexpected visit.
His hair was damp, clinging to his forehead, and his neck, where his headphones rested, was slightly flushed from the sun.
This version of Leslie—full of youthful energy and just the right hint of confidence—made her heart skip a beat.
"No training today. Connor's out, and Mom won't be back from work for a while, so I thought I'd come by and teach you some volleyball," Leslie explained. "I saw your car and was about to say hi."
'Did he notice I got distracted and couldn't stop the car?' Rachel thought, feeling a bit embarrassed as she lowered her head. "I... I didn't mean to lose control like that. I just got distracted while driving."
"It's okay, really," Leslie reassured her quickly, his voice full of concern as he asked, "Are you hurt at all?"
"Of course not," Rachel replied quickly, though the mess of broken flowerpots was already giving her a headache. "But if Dad sees that I wrecked his favorite flower beds, I'm not so sure."
Leslie chuckled, his laughter lightening the mood. "You look so worried... it's actually kind of cute."
"What?" Rachel's heart skipped a beat. "You... cute?"
"Ahem, nothing," Leslie quickly backtracked, realizing he might have spoken too loudly. A slight blush crept up his face.
To him, Rachel's worried expression, with her furrowed brow and bitten lip, had an oddly captivating charm. He found himself smiling, unable to resist.
Rachel caught the smile, which reminded her of the golden retriever her family once had. She had to admit that seeing that smile made ninety percent of her worries vanish.
And... Did he really call her cute?
Rachel's heart started racing even faster. 'He is so sweet,' she thought, quickly shaking her head to dismiss the idea. 'He probably just thinks I'm clumsy and it's making him laugh.'
*****
As they entered the house, Rachel noticed both Molly and Colin were out. No wonder Leslie's forehead was sweaty—he must have been waiting outside for a while. And now that she thought about it, his walk seemed a little off as he cleaned up the dead flowers.
"Are you hurt?" Rachel asked, noticing the bloodstain on his knee.
"No, I'm fine," Leslie tried to brush it off.
But Rachel wasn't buying it. She pointed at his knee. "Then where's that blood coming from?"
Leslie finally gave in. "Alright, alright, you caught me. I fell off my bike and scraped it. It's just a small cut, really."
Rachel immediately pulled up his pant leg to reveal a nasty, bleeding gash that was nearly down to the bone. 'He calls this a small cut?' Rachel couldn't help but get a little angry. "Is this why you're not training today? And you still want to play water volleyball? Go sit in the living room—I'll get you some first aid."
Rachel's tone was firm, like a teacher scolding a student. But behind that firmness was genuine concern, which Leslie didn't miss.
Seeing the care in her eyes, Leslie obediently sat on the living room sofa.
Rachel rummaged through the cabinets for iodine and bandages and then knelt in front of Leslie, carefully disinfecting the wound with a cotton swab.
Leslie watched her intently. A strand of her slightly wavy hair had slipped over her shoulder, brushing against her exposed collarbone. Rachel seemed nervous, as if she was afraid of hurting him. She held her breath, biting her lips gently as her long lashes fluttered with concentration.
Everything about her radiated a subtle, captivating allure.
"Rach..." Leslie murmured after a moment, unable to keep silent. "You're really good at this—better than a nurse. If I'd known you'd be the one treating my wound, I'd have gotten hurt sooner."
Rachel's hands paused at his words. She could feel his intense gaze on her, making her voice catch in her throat.
"What... what are you talking about?"
"You, I'm talking about you. You seem nervous. Why, sweetheart?" Leslie leaned in closer, his green eyes now filled with an emotion Rachel couldn't quite place.
Rachel's heart began to race even faster... 'What the hell is happening?'
*****
Leslie's gaze never wavered, but the boyish face she once knew had taken on the sharper lines of a grown man. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as if he were trying to suppress something deep within.
Suddenly, Rachel realized that the boy next door wasn't a boy anymore.
A rush of thoughts flooded her mind, but she took a deep breath and forced herself to respond coldly. "No, you can't say things like that... This isn't something to joke about, Leslie. As the football team captain, getting injured affects everyone's training. It's irresponsible to think like that."
Even though she didn't want to scold him, Rachel felt unsettled by his words and didn't know how else to handle it.
"That's all you care about?" Leslie asked, his tone revealing the sting of her words. His lashes lowered, and he looked visibly disappointed.
Rachel felt a pang of guilt but remained firm. "Yes, that's all I care about. You shouldn't play water volleyball today. Rest for a while, and then you should head home."
Leslie stared at her, clearly upset that she was trying to send him away. "But what if I need to change the bandage later? Can I come back to you?"
"Is that really so important?" Rachel asked, puzzled. 'His mom is a nurse—why can't she help him?'
Leslie didn't answer immediately. To him, it clearly was important. Just as he was about to say more, Alison arrived, announcing she'd bought seafood and beef for the twins and was planning a backyard barbecue. Rachel quickly stood up and ushered Leslie out the door.
As she pushed him out, she added, "Getting your wound wet might cause an infection. You're not playing in the water volleyball game this week. Focus on healing instead."
*****
Once the door was shut, Leslie knocked a few times, but Rachel didn't open it. He finally sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Rachel. I promise I won't joke around anymore. Actually, I wasn't here to play volleyball today. There's a music festival this weekend, and I don't have a date. Since I can't play volleyball, would you go with me?"
"You should ask someone your own age," Rachel replied.
She was too flustered, too worried about facing him. Those clear green eyes of his had a way of softening her resolve.
But when Rachel went back to the living room to tidy up, she found Leslie's headphones. He had forgotten them!
"Wait, Leslie!" Rachel called out, rushing to return them, but by the time she opened the door, Leslie was already gone.
She stood there, staring at the headphones. They were black gaming headphones with dog-ear-like attachments on top. They carried a faint scent of pine, the same smell as Leslie's body wash...
'Did he leave these on purpose? Why would he do that? To have an excuse to come back?'
Or maybe she was overthinking it... but if he came back later, should she open the door for him?
Rachel felt a wave of anxiety settle over her.
- Writer
