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“Be complete dog shit?” Emma gave him a sad smile. “You can say it, you know. I don’t think you’re a dick for calling me on it when I wasted this entire rehearsal.”
“Piper may have needed to spell it out for me, but something feels really wrong,” Leo said.
Emma curled her lips over her teeth, her black eyeliner smeared a bit at the corner of her eyes. “Noticed that, did she? I thought I was hiding it pretty well.”
“You weren’t. Are you okay?”
“N-no,” Emma choked, shaking her head.
“Is it something I can help with?”
“I can’t tell you.” She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. “No one can know. I’m embarrassed, and I should have known better.”
“Are you… in danger?” Leo asked carefully. When his question had a tear rolling down her face, his blood ran cold. Emma was usually like him. She didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought, and she got by with sheer determination. “Life or death? Please tell me you aren’t dying.”
Emma reined in a wayward tear with her thumb and sat up straighter. “I’m not dying, and I don’t think I’m in danger.”
“That’s not very reassuring.” He sighed. “God, I feel like such an asshole. You could have told me you needed a day off. I know I’m a bit harsh, but if you needed it, I would have given it to you.”
“No offense, Leo, but I don’t think one day will help me.” She let out a small chuckle that was wholly unfunny.
“Can I do anything?” Leo floundered. His brain immediately jumped to all the reasons he might be out of sorts, usually having to do with money or lack thereof. “Do you need somewhere to stay? My apartment is shit, but I could ask Piper maybe, and—”
“I have an apartment, Leo. It’s fine.”
“What about a secret for a secret? I tell you a secret, and you tell me one in return,” he suggested.
“How good is your secret?” she asked.
“I’ll tell you, and if you decide it’s not enough, then you don’t have to tell me yours.” When Emma nodded, Leo sucked in a breath. “I… fuck.” He cringed. “I like Piper.”
“No shit.” Emma laughed, a genuine one this time. Despite the lack of enthusiasm for his secret, he was happy she was cheering up a bit. “It’s either that, or you just really want to hook up with her.”
“Well…”
“Oh.” Her eyes lit up. “You did hook up with her.”
“Please don’t tell her,” Leo groaned.
“Was she not there when you had sex with her?” Emma gave him a coy smile.
“Jesus, where did the sass come from?” Leo knocked his shoulder against hers. “I mean don’t tell her that I like her. This is supposed to be casual, and she hates me.”
“Sure, I’ll keep your really lame secret, Leo.”
“I take it that wasn’t enough of a secret to tell me yours?” He kept his tone hopeful, but Emma immediately shook her head and buried her face in her hands. “Will you tell someone who’s not me? I’m really worried about you. Is it… do you want to talk to someone who’s not a dude? Maybe I’m not the right person to tell.” He got a nod in response, so he kept on. “Piper? Maybe she hasn’t left yet.” He already had his phone out and was dialing her number before Emma had a chance to respond.
“Have you come to your senses and decided tonight is a bad idea already?” Piper answered immediately.
“What? No.” Leo blinked. “Did you?”
“No.” Her response made him drop his shoulders in relief. “Why are you calling me?”
Emma was still quietly crying beside him, so he got right to the point. “Did you leave already? Can you come back? Emma needs you.”
“She needs me?” The flirtatious way she had answered his call fell away, replaced with urgency.
“Yes. You were right. Something’s wrong.” The beeping indicating that the call had ended startled Leo until he heard loud footfalls coming from backstage. “That was fast,” he called out.
