Before the Sun Sets

@ Jinx...
Leo smiled when she said she played soccer, he thought it was so cool when girls were as into sports as he was. Leo nodded understandingly as she explained she couldn’t stay on a team. His reason was different but he understood having to step away from a sport you loved. “I understand.” He said quietly. Leo nodded again to show he was listening as she spoke about her father. He didn’t understand what consulting was But he was sure it was important if they always had to move. “‘My dad is a handyman, he fixes roofs, floors, builds things. Just does whatever jobs people hire him for. He built a lot of the decks that you see on the houses here.” He said and smiled proudly. Leo smiled at the picture of her friends, he felt lucky that he had been here with his friends and didn’t have to leave. “It’s school.” Leo told Olivia and shrugged. He wasn’t too big on academics, he felt as though he had more important things to focus on, like his writing. “Mr. Smith and Mrs. Abbott are both really nice and chill. Ms. Galvin is okay, sometimes she’s good sometimes she’s not. Mr. Alton and Ms. Klingon are no fun. They’re just mean.” He shuddered as he said that. “The class sizes are normal I guess, it’s just school. Not great not the worst. But it’ll get the job done.” He said chuckling.

@ BadStreetBoys
"So you play sports?" she asked him. He seemed to really understand her yearning to be a part of a team but inability too. He had lived her so long she was curious why. Olivia nodded softly here and there as he spoke. She had never known someone so handy like his dad seemed except maybe the handy men that would come to fix things in the house that broke. She smiled softly liking the way his voice sounded as he talked. His voice was even and soothing. She sorted through her boxes more. "Yeah it does get it done." she chuckled with a smile just for him. They where at a good stopping place and had gotten a lot done. It was easier with two people. "Hey you want a snack? I think we have pizza poppers and juice." she said feeling peckish though it was really lunch time. Snacks just sounded better at the moment. Olivia really was glad to get to know Leo more. "So do you ride bikes around the neighborhood?" she asked him thinking that was something they could do together too.

@ Jinx...
Leo shook his head. "I used to, but not anymore. I had to stop after my mom died." He said quietly, Leo didn't want to spend any time on that though. He never talked about it. He quickly tried to change topics so that Olivia wouldn't probe into the dirty details of his life. "Did you do anything else at your old schools? Like clubs or anything? I'm in the writing club." He said and gave a smile at the thought. Leo continued to help Olivia as they unpacked the boxes, he wasn't necessarily looking through her stuff, but he was. He just noticed certain items here and there. A few things stuck out to him. When Olivia spoke and offered snacks he smiled big and nodded, running a hand through his hair. "That sounds good, I'm starved!" he told her with a laugh. "I shoulda had a bigger breakfast." He nodded happily as he walked with Olivia to go get snacks. His cereal breakfast wasn't filling enough. Leo couldn't think of the last time he was able to have something like pizza poppers and juice. His father didn't buy them those things. Leo had learned to cook and make the most basic things so that he and Ricky could eat. It was much, mainly pasta, eggs, easy things like that. But he was always making sure they at least ate something during the evening. Leo followed close behind Olivia to the kitchen. "Sometimes, my bike chain broke and I haven't been able to get a new one yet." He said and shrugged. "I mostly hang around the park." He explained. Leo looked over at Olivia as she was distracted by something, his eyes scanning her features. He smiled and blushed as he thought about how pretty each feature was.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned as he said his mother died. "I'm sorry Leo." she said softly. He quickly changed the subject and she let him though she had a million questions. "I took pictures for the yearbook once in a while but no I just hung out with my friends. They weren't really club kinda friends." she shrugged. "Writing club huh?" she hummed. They headed to the kitchen and she was glad he seemed cheered up by the mention of food. She walked with a bounce her hair bouncing as she did down the stairs. "We should ride bikes together some time. You could chain yours with mine." she said. Olivia opened the freezer pulling out the pizza pockets and setting them on the stove. She grabbed out the juice and set it on the counter a long with glasses. She leaned down to grab the pan out her hair falling to curtain her face. Once she set the oven on and put the pockets in a messy jumble she turned back to Leo. "Hey is there a pool around here? The entire summer is open for all kinds of possibilities." she smirked. "I want to explore everything!" she beamed her eyes glittering with a sense of adventure. She seemed to vibrate with energy.

@ Jinx...
Leo nodded solemnly when Olivia responded about his mother. He didn't even know how to react with this situation, how did he expect others to? It was a sensitive topic so he was glad when she didn't object to him changing topics, it relaxed him. He listened intently, smiling and nodding as she spoke. Olivia mesmerized him. "Yea, I like to write. It's like I can create my own world and forget about this one occasionally." He said and shrugged. "I don't think any of it is that good, but its just fun." He said and chuckled. Leo watched Olivia as she began to cook the pizza pockets, licking his lips. "What kind are they? pepperoni?" He asked, when she said he could tie his bike to hers he laughed. "That would be fun, I don't know how it would work. But I definitely like spending time with you." He told her. Leo sat down at the table and folded his hands together. He looked around at the kitchen, taking it in. He knew they were still in the process of unpacking but he thought it looked nice already. Her house, her family, seemed more put together than his own. "I'm not sure." He paused and looked up as he tried to think. "I think there may be one at the YMCA, but I've never been there." He told her and shrugged again.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia was fascinated with Leo. She wanted to read some of his stuff but wasn't sure he would let her just yet. She had only known people that journaled and reading someone else's journal is a no go. Olivia grinned as he asked about the pizza pockets. "Well of course they are. Is there anything better than pepperoni pizza pockets?" she asked and leaned against the counter. It would be fun to go for a ride!" She leaned back looking at the juice. "You don't have to wait ya know. You can make yourself comfortable." she said and reached over opening the juice and pouring a little in her glass then pushing it over to him to pour what he wanted. She sipped as her juice then moved around and sat at the barstool next to him. She swiveled in her chair and hummed as she thought about the public pool in her old neighborhood and pouted. "I'm sure dad will get a YMCA card if it's the only one around. I like swimming." she said and her father came walking in. "Did I hear you call?" he teased and Olivia chuckled. "I was just asking Leo about a pool and he only knows of the YMCA." she shrugged. Blake shook his head. "That wont do. You need a pool. We'll have to make sure you get access to one." he said and ruffled her hair. "She's a regular fish out of water." he said as he moved. Her cheeks puffed in frustration and embarrassment as she quickly fixed it, her cheeks slowly fading form the quick color that had flushed into them. "Making pizza pockets?" he asked and she nodded ignoring his skepticism. He pulled out some veggies and put them in front of the kids. Olivia took a celery stick and took a bite grabbing a cucumber slice for later and he nodded before telling them to have fun and leaving them too it. "See?" she beamed. Olivia knew she was lucky.

@ Jinx...
Leo grinned as she told him they were pepperoni, his favorite. “You have good taste.” He said and winked playfully at Olivia. Leo was always nervous when he went to other people’s houses. He didn’t want to make a mistake or do something that would get him yelled at or upset anyone. He gave a weak smile when Olivia said to make himself at Home. When she slid the juice over he grabbed it and carefully poured it, making sure not to spill anything. Leo tensed Up as her father came In the room. He was used to his father only coming in The sane room as Leo when he was about to be hit or yelled at for something. Leo looked at her father, nodding and smiling politely as he spoke. “That’s so cool, I’m not a very good swimmer.” He paused and looked back to Olivia. “Maybe you could teach me.” He joker and laughed, almost nervously. Leo glances at the veggies in front of him. He loved veggies but almost never was able to have fresh ones. He quickly ate a few pieces of cucumber and carrot stick. “I love fresh veggies, that crunch is just so good.” He murmured and blushed as he looked across at Olivia again. When he heard the timer on the oven go off he grinned, looking around Leo found two paper plates and handed them to Olivia so she could separate the snacks evenly.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia giggled as Leo winked at her. She couldn't help it or the blush that seemed too so easily spread on her skin around him. Olivia grinned her focus on her father as he was in the room. She had heard him tell her many times that she should try out for the swim team since it was more a solo sport she wouldn't need to worry about working with team members so it would be easier when they moved. He believed she had potential for competitive swimming professionally. That wasn't what Olivia wanted though. Still swimming was fun. "Yeah I can teach you." she said with a confident grin and half shrug as if it was no big deal. Olivia looked at the veggies and shrugged. "Yeah sure. I like cucumbers best I guess." She hadn't thought about veggies that way. She looked over at him and smiled catching the tint on his cheeks. It was really sweet. In fact the way he looked at her was really sweet and she wanted to watch him look at her for hours. She blushed looking down pulling her hair to the side nervously at the thoughts and flood of emotions. Olivia stood as the timer went off and pulled out the pockets grinning as she saw the plates and separated the pockets. She put more on one plate then set the bigger one in front of him and moved back into her seat. She grabbed her juice letting hers cool. "So Leo tell me something about you."

@ Jinx...
Leo listened as Olivia and her father spoke, just nodding and smiling as they spoke. He wondered if most parents were as proud and supportive of their children as Olivia.s father, or if his was more normal. He shook the thought from his head and turned his attention back to Olivia. He smiled when she said she would teach him. "Lucky me." He murmured. When Olivia spoke of the vegetables he couldnt help but chuckle to himself, all his friends thought he was weird for liking them as much as he did, he assumed Olivia probably felt the same way. Leo helped Olivia distribute the pizza pockets, raising an eyebrow when she gave him the plate with more. Not that he would complain about free food, he was just surprised she was giving him more. He always made sure things were equal or his younger brother got more. He smiled and thanked her quietly before sitting down at the table again. He plopped one of the pizza pockets in his mouth and his eyes widened. "Too hot!" he said and breathed heavily. After a moment he was abled to swallow and took a big sip of juice. " I should have let them cool off first, I guess." He said blushing. When Olivia spoke again he looked across and raised an eyebrow. "Well you know I write." he said and paused. "You know I have a brother." He said, pausing again. "I dunno, I'm not that interesting." He said and paused again, trying to think. "I was born in Mexico," He said with a smile. "My dad and mom were visiting my dad's family and she had me while we were there."

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia looked over as Leo squeaked out his pain. She chuckled as he chugged the juice. She giggled as he said he should have waited. She shrugged then shook her head her smile huge on her face. She nodded as he told her again what she already knew. "I don't believe that." she said knowing he was interesting but maybe he didn't see himself that way. She grinned as he told her about his birth. "Wow." she grinned. "So do you go visit Mexico a lot then?" she asked him. She thought it was cool. She had never been outside of the US and really wanted to. She wanted to travel the world to experience everything. She poked a pizza pocket finding it cool enough and plopped it in her mouth. She hummed in enjoyment. Olivia sipped her juice and ate pizza pockets slowly with Leo talking about this or that. They finished her room and she lay back on the bed a he sat in her chair. "Well that's done!" she chuckled and tolled over laying on her stomach to look at him. She tilted her head. "Know any secret spots in the neighborhood?" she asked him. She was feeling like she had been inside too long and needed some sun. It was summer after all.

@ Jinx...
Leo took a few breaths, still trying to cool his tongue from the hot food. Once it felt better and he determined they had cooled he began to eat. It felt good to eat something different, and something so yummy, for a change. Leo shook his head with a gentle smile. "No we haven't gone in a while." He told her honestly, he didn't think they could afford it. But he wasn't sure if that was it or if his dad just didn't want to go anymore. When he finished his food and drink Leo carefully rinsed them and placed them in the sink. He turned back to Olivia and followed, helping finish the rooms. As they finished a box, Leo would move it into the hall. He smiled proudly when the room was done, looking around at their work. He sat across from Olivia and smiled again, running a hand through his hair. He paused to think for a moment and nodded. "Kinda." He told her with an almost mischievous grin. "There is an old tree house, its like a secret meeting spot." He told her. Leo reached out and grabbed her hand and began to lead her outside. Though once they left her room he let go of her hand, nervous that her father would be mad.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia beamed as Leo nodded. The look he got on his face made her eyes sparkle with anticipation. "That sounds great!" she said and sat up. When Leo took her hand she giggled and got up walking quickly with him out of her room. He let go of her hand and she bit her lip missing the feeling of his hand. "Mom Dad I'm going outside!" she yelled through the house. Her mom peeked out of a room. "Okay honey be back for dinner." she said and Olivia nodded. "Okay!" she said and ran down the stairs with Leo. She lead him out the door and then stopped in the front yard raising her head to the sun closing her eyes letting it shine over her. The sun seemed to make her hair sparkle like she had gold streaks hidden in the red. She grinned and turned back to Leo. "Lead the way." she grinned. It was so easy to smile around him. "I once broke my ankle falling out of a tree." she told him chuckling. "After I got my cast my father had to pull me from a tree because I was trying to climb back up it again with the cast on." she laughed as they walked through the neighborhood. "Have you ever tried rock climbing? I haven't yet but I really want to!" she looked over at him and how the sun brought out the natural highlights in his hair.

@ Jinx...
Leo Was blushing at the fact that he had held Olivia's hand, trying to get rid of the blush before she saw his face again. Leo looked over and saw Olivia's mother and gave her a smile and a wave before the two kids headed outside. Leo lead Olivia down the street. He made his way between two houses at the end of the Cul De Sac, and led her towards a more deserted area. It wasn't in the nearby forest, just at the edge. There was an abandoned house which seemed in disrepair, in the backyard is where the old tree house was. Leo raised an eyebrow when she told him. "Oh wow." He said, playfully shaking his head. "I broke my arm once, but that is it." He told her, purposely leaving out the how because, well, he didn't tell anyone how. "No I haven't, but it seems so cool. Also looks kind of scary. Imagine falling." he said and shuddered. Leo pointed to the treehouse. It was clearly old and weathered, but still held up. Leo reached up and grabbed the rope, pulling the door open. He climbed up into it and then turned around, offering his hand to Olivia to help her up. When she was up he pulled the other side of the rope to close the door. The tree house had dust in it, but some of it was disturbed, clearly from kids visiting. Inside and on the walls were numbers "Rick and Jane" or "P & M" carved into the wood.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia hummed looking at his arms. She had never broken an arm. "That must have hurt." she bit her lip. She chuckled at his fear of falling. "That's what the rope is for silly." she said and grinned running towards the treehouse. She stopped and looked up at it. It just needed a little love and could be restored good as knew. She could see the potential in it. She looked at Leo as he pulled on a rope. He climbed up and she followed after him taking his hand on the last stretch and blushed as she stood close to him until he stepped back to close the door. She looked around thinking how much it needed a good dusting then at the writing on the walls. She ran her fingers over a few of the carvings and smiled as she turned around. "This is awesome." she said and looked over at Leo. "It needs a beanbag though." she chuckled. She wished that they stayed somewhere long enough for her dad to build her a tree house. Olivia looked at Leo and wondered if people really saw him or just saw what he wanted them to see. She could tell he had a lot of walls and didn't talk about things easily. She leaned against one of the windows turning to look out of it into the forest. "You know I am always wondering what is just over the horizon. No matter how far I go I know there is always more to see and I need to go and see it." she looked over at Leo. "My mom says she's the same way. she says it the soul of a gypsy. I think gypsies where often misunderstood in history. People always want to tie people down and put them in a box that they can understand but people are more complicated than that. There is always a reason but understanding takes work." she blushed and looked back out the window. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm different. So if you needed someone to talk to... I mean really talk to." she looked at him a moment then away. "I will try to understand." she said. Her mother had taught her that people sometimes just needed someone to listen. Olivia didn't normally like to tell people all of this it usually freaked them out but this moment seemed like the right place and the right moment. He seemed hurt and she wanted him to know he wasn't alone. Olivia know what alone felt like, what it looked like. She had been uprooted enough to recognize it because she had been alone more times than she cared to admit.

@ Jinx...
Leo chuckled and nodded when Olivia said it needed a beanbag. “A couple beanbags, one for me and one for you.” He said with a grin, moving over towards the wall so he could lean against it as he sat. When Olivia began to speak his full at the notion was on her. Her voice drew him in, her words fascinated him. He was a captive audience. Almost like he was in a trance as she spoke about traveling and the Gypsies. He nodded occasionally to show he was listening. His lips were slightly parted into a smile as he listened to her speak. He felt so lucky in this moment. Sure he had his friend group but none seemed as sophisticated as Olivia. And none had this connection they had. When she told him he had someone to talk to, he smiled and blushed. “Thank you, I feel the same to you.” He told her. “If you have any secrets then you can tell me. I’ll listen.” He murmured.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia nodded and smiled softly. She walked over to him and sat next to him leaning against the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest. She felt like she could rest her head there against his shoulder if she wanted too but they hadn't been friends long enough for her to push things too far in one day. "Do you write poems or just stories?" she asked him. There was a book of poetry that she loved and wondered if he would like it or if he was more into stories. Her heart was filled with the poetry of the world. The way that leaves drifted int he wind or ow the sun shinned through a water drop all spoke something to her soul as much as words could. She didn't feel like she had the efficacy for words but if there was a way she could capture the poetry in her heart she would never give it up. Olivia was really glad that Leo felt like he could talk to her and out like to listen if she had a need to talk.

@ Jinx...
Leo watched Olivia carefully as she moved towards him. He blushed and smiled, butterflies growing in his stomach. He didn't know why, maybe it was because she was a new friend. "Mostly stories." He paused. "I write short things occasionally, I don't know if I would call them poems though." He told her. "How cool would it be to be a famous author one day? Like the woman who wrote Harry Potter, or Stephen King." He told her with a smile. "But my dad says there isn't money in that unless you're super talented. He says I should focus my efforts on something with more value." Leo told her, looking down at his feet with a small frown. He looked up again and smiled at Olivia. He reached out and took her hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. When he realized what he did he pulled his hand away, his cheeks turning a dark rosey pink. "Do you write, or draw, or do anything artistic?" He asked. Leo knew his friends thought it was dorky, lame, or 'gay.' But he felt like his writings and drawings were his only way he could accurately release his emotions, most of which were bottled up.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia looked at him as he talked about writing. "I would love to read your stories some time. Maybe you are super talented. But I don't know it yet." she bumped his shoulder with hers playfully. "I bet if you want to though you can find a way to make it work." she said hoping to make the frown go away. When he smiled at her she smiled back the tips of her ears turning colors with her cheeks at the feel of his hand. His thumb traced her hand and she looked down at their hands her stomach flipping. She bit her lip as he took his hand back. she looked up at him wondering about the color on his cheeks. She was distracted from her thoughts by his question. She hadn't thought of herself as particularly creative really. She shrugged. "Maybe but I don't think I'm any good at anything to really consider it creative. I have really done a lot more sports than anything else. Like I said I have taken pictures for the yearbook so I know how to use a camera but I don't know if they are any good." She looked down frowning. "I have always been the new girl so thinking of myself as anything else has been..." she pulled on the ends of her hair trying to find the right words. "Hard?" she looked up at him. It wasn't the right word but it would have to do.

@ Jinx...
Leo blushed bright red as Olivia said she wanted to read his stories, murmuring under his breath. "Maybe you can one day." Before he looked back up at Olivia, he blushed again as she spoke about believing in him and saying he could do it. Leo just shook his head and laughed dryly. "I dunno, I don't think they are that good, plus working with my hand and with my dad isn't bad I guess." he told her with a shrug. "Let's make a deal, you show me some photos you've taken and I'll show you some of my stories." He told her holding out his hand to shake on it. Leo listened intently as Olivia spoke, frowning when she said it was hard always being the new girl. He didn't understand her specific situation, but he knew what it felt like to be alone or be an outsider. It was no fun. "Well you don't have to go through it alone anymore. I'll be here for you." he told her, taking her hand again. Leo gently held her hand and was trying to give Olivia a reassurance that he wanted to be her friend for the long haul. He knew she may have to move again because of her father's job, but he hoped they could stay friends through that.

@ BadStreetBoys
Olivia frowned as he talked about working with his hands with his dad. She could see how the mere thought of it diminished a light inside of him. "You deserve to have passion in what you do." She said. He suggested a swap and she blushed and looked down. She shrugged. "Okay." Olivia looked up at him. "It's a deal." she said her ear tips red. She hadn't thought that it had meant that much to her but she was nervous for Leo to see her pictures. Olivia looked at him and smiled as he told her she wasn't alone. "Thank you Leo." she said and then did lean her head on his shoulder as she held his hand. She knew it was hard to have friends that stayed friends through moving because she had lost so many friends, even ones that said they would still be her friend after she moved. Olivia felt different with Leo though. She didn't know what it was but she felt like he understood her on a level that others didn't. They spent a long time in the tree house talking until Olivia was feeling antsy. "Come on let's see if we can climb the tree more." she said and moved to the window and stepped out on the branch looking back at him grinning.