Look to the Stars: The Astro Legacy

                As the days passed and Leon worked, Leon eventually stumbled upon a promotion, making him a Snack Hawker. With his newfound cash, Leon put his wallet to use by buying a new stove and replacing his sleeping bag with a new, comfortable bed. “That’s better,” he said as he finished creasing the sheet on his bed.

                “Hey, there!” Leon looked up. A post man was standing on the edge of his lawn, carrying a small package under his arm. “Leon Astro, I take it? This is the last of your things from Bridgeport.” Leon smiled and ran over to the man, signing for the package. He walked over and set it on the grass, tearing it open. Sitting inside was one thing: a high school diploma from Public School 67 in Bridgeport. Leon smiled and proceeded to take it out and hang it on the wall above his first kitchen counter.

He took a step back in marvel at what he had accomplished so far on his own in Sunset Valley. In Bridgeport, his parents had helped him pay for everything that he had- they even helped him when he first started renting his own apartment. It felt nice to know that he actually owned something and that he earned it all himself. Even if it wasn’t much, it definitely was a start.

After a quick shower, Leon called a taxi to take him to the park. He wanted to see Bella again, and he knew that he’d have a good chance meeting her at one of the two places he’d previously seen her. So, it wasn’t to his dismay that when he arrived at the park he spotted his red-headed heartthrob.

“Bella!” Leon said as he ran over to her enthusiastically. His heart leaped forward, skipping a good four or five beats when she turned around. “I figured that was you!”

“Are you stalking me?” she said with a grin. “You see me at the gym and once here, and then we coincidentally meet me at the park again? Sketchy.”

“How are you?” Leon asked. “You’re still looking beautiful.”

“No,” Bella said, half joking. “Stop it.”

Leon grinned. “No, I mean it-“

“Stop.” Bella pursed her lips and sighed. “I can already tell where this is going and I can’t do this. I’m married.”

“And?” Leon’s smile slowly disappeared.

Bella looked to the ground in thought as if she was trying to find the words to say next. “I need to go,” she said after a while. She turned and began to walk away. Leon stepped forward, grabbing her wrist gently.

“Can I at least have your number?” he asked when her eyes met his. She bit her lip.

“555-7399.” She said, yanking her hand from Leon’s grasp. She turned and walked away hurriedly, leaving Leon with only her number and his thoughts.

Leon took out his phone and put in Bella’s number. He then scrolled to the only other contact he had of a person who lived in Sunset Valley. He pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear. “Heeeeyyyy Lain! Are you free?”

The two met up at The Grind, a dance club in the basin of two hills with The Plasma 501. They talked, they laughed, and they partied until Leon decided he needed something more to take his mind off of things.

Leon scoped out the most attractive person in the club, and that turned out to be Pauline Wan. The two danced until the club closed, and then left for more fun. Just as the sun rose above the horizon, Leon could barely get himself to remove his lips from Pauline’s as they kissed in the dining room of her moderate sized home. The two stumbled up the stairs, lips locked, and into the bedroom. Their clothes hit the floor, and the two enjoyed their quiet morning.

Leon’s phone shook as it buzzed under his pillow, waking him from his midday slumber. Picking up the phone, Leon was promptly greeted with a loud hello from Lain asking how his morning had been. “Fine,” Leon replied, “I just rode with Pauline home and then went back to my place alone.”

“Well that’s lame,” Lain joked. “If I would’ve left with her, I would’ve tried to ‘spend the night’- you know- get to know her.” Wasn’t he supposed to be married?

“I get you. I guess I’m just not that kind of person.” Leon laughed, crawling out of bed and over to his sink.

Lain chuckled. “So, I’m having a party tonight at my house tonight and you’re going to be there.”

Leon covered his toothbrush in mint toothpaste and began brushing away. “Are you inviting me or commanding me?” Leon spat into the sink. Lain laughed and then hung up the phone. “Well that’s one way to treat people.”

Leon stripped and hopped into the shower. It wasn’t until the hot water hit him though that he realized something. First being that his shower was glass, meaning that if one really wanted to they could just look right in. The second of which being that Lain and Bella were married, meaning that they lived together. Leon grinned and began shouting in excitement. He would get to see Bella again.

The party was a blast but short lived at best. With it only being Thursday, people were running out of the party as if a disease were spreading wildly. Around midnight, the party died out leaving only Bella, Lain, and Leon together in the living room. The three joked for hours, that was until Lain said he wanted to make a quick run to the store to get a few ingredients for something he wanted to whip up for breakfast leaving Leon and Bella together on the couch in silence.

“So,” Leon said to break the silence, “how are . . . things?”

“Things are fine.” Bella said blankly. “You look nice tonight.”

Leon looked at Bella in disbelief. This was the first time she had ever complimented him. “You too?” The two began a steady conversation that eventually turned into pure flirt. Leon complimented Bella; she complimented him. Leon made witty, flirty jokes; she made a few back at him. That was until Bella came to her senses.

“What are we doing?” she said almost to herself.

“I should go.” Leon got up and headed for the door in an awkward guilt. Bella got up and grabbed is wrist, the same as he did hers in the park the previous day.

“Wait,” she said. As sunlight began streaming through the windows, Leon turned and looked her in the eyes. He couldn’t stop himself. Bella’s face was full of vulnerability and want. She pursed her lips provocatively. Leon turned and slowly put his arms around her waist. She eased her arms around his neck, and their lips touched. Leon’s hands slowly travelled along the arch of her back towards her shoulders, and her arms slowly travelled down from his neck. Leon took his lips from hers, enjoying their sweetness. He put his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed as their hands continued to explore the other person passionately. “Lain,” Bella whispered in a quiet anxiety.

“He won’t know,” Leon said. “You have my word.” He kissed her again.