Special Episode 2 – Teenage Heartbreak

 

Friday, 14^th February 2003, Outside The Williams Home, After School

 

“You really think there is something going on between those two?” Leo Williams asked, surprised by his girlfriend.

 

“You haven’t noticed the way they’ve been so close. They always seem to be together now.” Cleo Brady replied, smiling as she walked along the pavement towards the Williams home, with Leo’s hand in hers.

 

“Paris and Nate have been together a lot recently, but so have lots of people.”

 

“But Paris and Nate look really cute together. They should be together.”

 

“Well he and Kayla aren’t talking anymore. She tried to tell me all about it, but I got bored and made up an excuse.”

 

“Poor Jacob. She’s hanging around with him now, or should that be stalking.” Cleo said bitterly. She and Kayla Anders had never been best friends in the few short months Cleo had been at Westside High.

 

“So, what are you doing over the weekend?” Leo asked.

 

“I don’t know, yet. Why got something planned have you?”

 

“No, but I thought you might have.”

 

“No, nothing at all.”

 

Cleo and Leo slowed to a halt as they reached his house.

 

“Here we are.” He said.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Do you want to come in?” Leo asked. “We could watch a film.” He quickly added.

 

“I have to go. Camille will be waiting for me.”

 

“Okay. I’ll ring you tonight.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Cleo and Leo shared a quick kiss before she left.

 

“Thanks for the present.” She said, turning back to Leo as she remembered his Valentine’s Day present, one half of a love heart, which had been put on a necklace. He had the other half.

 

Leo smiled to himself as he watched Cleo walk down the street.

***

 

The Williams Home, An hour later

 

“Hi mom. How was work?” Leo called out, as he heard the front door close.

 

There was no response. Leo shrugged and returned to the movie he was watching, until after a minute he heard whispering in the foyer. He put the TV to mute, but the whispering stopped almost immediately.

 

He stood up and walked towards the door of the room, puzzled by the whispering, although it had stopped. “Mom.”

 

Again no response. Leo opened the door, and stepped out into the foyer, where he saw his mother emerge from the kitchen door.

 

“Leo, there is something I need to tell you.” She said. Leo tried his best to see who was seated at the kitchen table behind her, but Terri’s position blocked his view.

 

“What?” He asked, trying again to look over her shoulder.

 

“Come into the kitchen, and sit down.” She said, moving back to let Leo past. He walked towards the door, now able to see the person seated at the table – his father Adam.

 

“Dad.”

 

“Hi Leo.” He murmured in response.

 

“I don’t understand. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be here tomorrow.”

 

“Leo, we both have to tell you something.” Terri interrupted.

 

“What?”

 

“Me and your father are getting back together. We are going to try and give our marriage another go.”

 

Leo looked down at the table, shocked by this unexpected news. He had been so much hurt in the last few month: discovering that they were getting a divorce because they hadn’t been able to work through their problems, that on Christmas Day; watching his father move out; helping his mother as she broke down in tears a few days later and now this. He knew it was great, but it was still a major surprise, especially since he’d resigned himself to the fact that they would never be together again.

 

“Wow…”

 

“There’s something else though.” Terri began again. Leo noticed his mother’s hand reach out for his father’s.

 

“What?”

 

Terri took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be difficult.

 

“Your father has been offered a promotion. He has been asked to manage a real estate company in Florida. So we will have to move with him, to live with Grandma Williams.”

***

 

Sunday, 16^th February 2003, Play Area in the town Park, Early Afternoon

 

Cleo smiled as she spotted Leo at the gate of the empty playground. She was seated on one of the swings, gently rocking back and forth.

 

“Hi.” She greeted warmly, looking up at Leo with a large smile.

 

“Hey.” Leo muttered, as he took a seat on the swing to Cleo’s right.

 

“You never called me Friday night.” She said, smiling.

 

“I couldn’t.”

 

“I talked to mom anyway. Things are still really weird with Cam and Russell. I don’t know what’s up with them.”

 

Leo was silent, and Cleo picked up on this. She placed her feet down on the ground and stopped moving, before turning to look at Leo.

 

“Are you okay?” She asked.

 

“No.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Leo turned away from his girlfriend. He couldn’t face telling her that he wasn’t going to be around anymore. Cleo reached out, and placed her hand on his shoulder. She repeated her words.

 

“I… There is something I have to tell you.” Leo said, without turning back to face Cleo. Tears had started to well up in his eyes.

 

“What?” Cleo asked, quickly realising what it could be. “You want to finish it, don’t you?”

 

Leo turned. “No, of course not.”

 

“Then what is it?” Cleo asked, as she noticed the tears now strolling down his cheek.

 

“My mom and dad are back together.”

 

“That’s great.” Cleo said, slightly apprehensively.

 

“No, it isn’t. We have to move to Florida.”

 

Cleo struggled to take in the news. She was going to lose Leo, just like she had lost her mother to Kelvin and her father before that.

 

“No, you can’t Leo. You can’t.” She said, standing up. Tears were now welling up in her own eyes, as looked down at Leo. He stood up, but Cleo started to run towards the gate of the playground.

 

“Cleo.” He called after her, but it was too late.

***

 

Friday, 21^st February 2003, Westside High School, Lunchtime

 

“Okay everyone, leave your homework on my desk, and have a nice weekend.” Ms Parker said, as the loud bell signaling the beginning of lunchtime rang over her head.

 

Nate Samson stood up, and started to pack his bag, leaving his copy on the desk.

 

“So do you want to hang around outside?” Leo asked, walking towards Nate after dropping his copy on the desk.

 

“Yeah, okay.” Nate replied, picking up his bag and throwing it over his shoulder.

 

He and Leo were silent as they walked towards the desk, and Nate placed his copy on the top of the pile.

 

“Thanks Nate. See you next week.” Ms Parker said, with her usual wide, bright smile.

 

Nate and Leo walked out into the corridor and headed towards their lockers.

 

“So are you going to have a leaving party?” Nate asked.

 

“I don’t know. Mom and dad are organizing something I think, the night before we leave.”

 

“Maybe you should do something.”

 

“Well they did say I could invite people if I wanted.” Leo said, as they reached the stairs.

 

“Maybe you should invite Cleo.” Nate suggested.

 

“I don’t know. She hasn’t spoken to me since Sunday. Every time I try, she just ignores me and walks away.”

 

“It’s worth a try.” Nate said.

 

“Are you coming?”

 

“I don’t know. Mom and dad are leaving tomorrow, but Chardonnay will let me go.”

 

“Great.” Leo replied, but there was still sadness in his voice, as he spotted Cleo at the end of the corridor.

***

 

Friday, 28^th February 2003, The Williams Home, 8pm

 

“Hello.” Camille Elliot greeted warmly, as the front door of the Williams home opened. Terri stood in the doorway, smiling.

 

“Camille, Russell. It’s great to see you.” Terri said, her smile fading slightly as she noticed that Cleo wasn’t with them. She had noticed how disappointed Leo would be.

 

“Well we couldn’t not come. You have been on the hospital fundraising team for so long and have contributed so much.” Camille said.

 

“Thanks.” Terri said, awkwardly. “No Cleo?”

 

“She couldn’t come because…” Russell began, but was cut of by his wife.

 

“She’s sick. It is nothing serious, but we thought it would be best if she stayed at home.” Camille lied.

 

“Oh.” Terri said. “Well come in and I’ll get you a drink.”

 

“Mom and dad said they are sorry they couldn’t come.” Nate said, as he and Adam stood in the kitchen.

 

“Don’t worry. It’s fine. I know they’d have came if they were in town.” Adam said, smiling as he picked up a plate and left the room.

 

“What’s wrong with you?” Nate asked, turning to the silent Leo who was sitting at the table.

 

“I’ve just seen Cleo’s aunt and uncle.”

 

“She’s not with them?” Nate asked, as the door opened.

 

“Hey.” Paris said as she walked in and noticed a somber looking Leo. “Are you okay?”

 

“Cleo hasn’t shown up.” Nate answered.

 

“Oh.”

 

“I really thought she would.”

 

“Maybe she is on her way.”

 

“Her aunt and uncle are here. Why wouldn’t she be with them?”

 

Paris didn’t respond, instead looking over at Nate. There was a long awkward silence, until Paris spoke again.

 

“I better go see where mom and dad are.” She said, moving towards the door.

 

“I said I wanted red wine, not white.” Camille said, handing the glass back to Russell.

 

“But you…” He began, but stopped realising he was tired of arguing with Camille.

 

“It came as such a surprise didn’t it?” Camille began, turning back to a group of her friends from the hospital fundraising board.

 

Paris walked past Camille and slipped into the toilet. She took out her cellphone and punched in a number.

 

“Hey Cleo, it’s me.”

 

“Oh… hi.” Cleo said on the other end. Her eyes were puffy from crying, as she lay in her bedroom.

 

“Look Cleo, I really think you should see Leo before you go. He’s leaving tomorrow morning, at eleven. If you don’t go then, you will probably regret it.” Paris said.

***

 

Saturday, 1^st March 2003, Outside The Williams Home, 10.55am

 

“Looks like little Ms sweet and innocent Cleo is a no show.” Kayla bitchily remarked, as she stood beside Paris, watching the Williams family say their farewells.

 

“Shut it Kayla.” Paris said, her temper rising. Kayla’s comments had been annoying her since she’d arrived.

 

“Thanks for everything.” Leo said, as he and Nate shook hands.

 

“No problem.” Nate said, his smiling. “Don’t forget to write though.”

 

“I’ll try.”

 

Next it was Paris’ turn, as Nate stood back.

 

“I’m really going to miss you.” Paris said, tears filling up her eyes. Leo put his arms around her and they shared an embrace.

 

“Hey, I’m not crying, so you don’t either. Wow, how soppy do I sound?” Leo smiled. As he pulled away from her he quickly whispered something in her ear. “You and Nate make a great couple, ask him out sometime.”

 

“No we don’t.” Paris said, aloud, as Leo smiled at her. She stood back and Kayla was last to say her goodbyes. They said nothing as they hugged, but as they pulled away Leo spoke.

 

“I know we’ve had some… strange times together,” he began, referring to the New Year’s Eve party, “but we’ve also had some great ones too.”

 

“Leo, we have to go now.” Terri called, standing beside Adam at the car.

 

“I guess this is it.” Leo said sadly.

 

“Yeah, the end.” Paris said. Leo turned and walked towards the car, as his parents got in.

 

“Oh.” Paris said, faltering as she watched Leo open the door and get into the car. Nate put his arms around her, as she started to cry, causing a scowl to appear on Kayla’s face. Leo took one last look at his friends, as he got into the car. He closed his door and the ignition started. He closed his eyes, upset that Cleo hadn’t showed up. The car started to move as Kayla, Nate and Paris watched from the pavement. As it reached the corner however, it suddenly braked. The trio all looked puzzled as Leo got out of the car and ran around the corner. They walked towards the car.

 

“What is he doing?” Kayla asked as they reached the corner. They were shocked to see Cleo and Leo in an embrace.

 

“I’m sorry.” Cleo said.

 

“No, it isn’t your fault.”

 

Cleo looked up at Leo. “I love you.”

 

Leo smiled. “I love you too.”

 

“Leo, hurry up. We are going to miss the flight.” Adam interrupted, from the driver’s seat of the car. Cleo pulled away. She and Leo kissed, despite the fact they were in the middle of the road and despite the fact that their friends and his parents watching.

 

This time Leo pulled away, and he turned around and walked back to the car. He closed the door and the car started to move again. He let down the window and smiled at his friends.

 

“Bye…” He said, as the car drove past his friends. He then turned and looked out the back window, waving at them. As the car disappeared at the end of the street, Cleo broke down. Nate and Paris tried to comfort her, but she pushed them away and collapsed onto the pavement, on her knees.

 

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