Mrs Wright's footsteps faded and with that gentle fade and silent atmosphere, the two seemed to be holding their breath.
The air inside the living room was still and heavy with the echo of the just concluded confession. Leo's bold voice, the shy and stunned Natalie, and the silence that followed.
In the quiet room sat a boy too brave for his own heart, and a sweet girl who had never imagined she'd hear her own name spoken like a prayer, one so desperate to be answered.
Her thoughts ran wild as her heart thumped with concealed excitement.
Natalie stood perfectly still, her back straight, her eyes glued to the rug below. The ticking clock on the wall was the only sound between them.
Leo stood up from his chair, his hands buried in his pockets to hide the shaking and nervousness.
The sunlight that slipped through the curtains painted gold streaks across his pale shirt. His chest was still thumping from uttering the words out loud.
