My Crazy Housemate

It wasn't long before Mia opened the door.     

"Hey!" Chloe greeted awkwardly as she stepped inside.      

"Hey." Mia greeted back as she tried to hide her smile. She had come after all.      

Chloe immediately looked over Mia's shoulder at the form lying on the couch.     

"He dozed off." Mia whispered.      

"Where is Leo?" Chloe whispered back nervously. She didn't know what Leo thought about this whole thing. Why did Jeremy have to come here?      

"He's preparing to leave for a meeting." She informed her. Leo had wanted to leave the house a long time ago but he said he didn't want to leave Jeremy and Mia together because Jeremy could make her fall in love with him without even realizing it. How hilarious!     

Just then, Leo came out of his room with Tara behind him who greeted Chloe happily.      

"You're here." Leo said before looking at the sleeping boy. He didn't know what else to say and he didn't think it was in his place to say anything.      

"I'm going out now, let's talk later." He said to Chloe before signaling for Mia to follow him out.     

Once they passed the door, he quickly placed a kiss on her lips which startled Mia and made her blush. "In case Jeremy tries to do anything inappropriate, make sure you interrupt. Do not leave them by themselves." He instructed Mia who looked at him in amusement and nodded. Immediately he left, she went straight to lock herself inside her room but she glanced back at Chloe who was just standing there and looking at the sleeping boy. Mia could not read her gaze.      

  ***********     

"Mr Edward, someone is here to see you." A young nurse said to a young man who was sitting down beside an hospital bed where a woman lay unconscious.      

He looked at the nurse in confusion. "Who is it?"      

"A young man. He is out here. Do you want him inside?"      

"Uhm... yes.." He said uncertainly before standing up.      

The nurse let Leo inside and he looked at the young man who was looking at him in confusion. "You must be Paul?" Leo asked while looking at the boy intensely. For some reason,  the boy looked really familiar.      

"Yes, who are you?" Paul asked. Merely looking at Leo, he could tell he was rich and older. He looked familiar but he wasn't sure he had met him before.     

"My name is Leo. I'm sorry for troubling you. I wanted to meet you for something."      

"I... didn't get into any trouble right?" He asked timidly making Leo smile before shaking his head. His eyes went to the form on the bed who wasn't moving at all and had different tubes connected to her body and an oxygen mask to help her respire.     

"How is she?" He asked.      

Paul Edwards looked at his sister on the bed and his face fell. "As always. Are you her friend, perhaps?" He asked curiously.     

"No, I came to see you. Free to talk?"      

"Uhm... well.. I guess." He said while touching the back of his neck. He wondered what a man like him wanted to do with him as he gestured for Leo to sit while he sat beside him.     

"Heard you are a dancer." Leo started making him sit up.     

"Yea...?"      

"And I heard you won't be dancing this year for the street dancing competition."     

"Yea." He said sadly which didn't miss Leo.      

"And why is that?" Leo asked curiously.      

"I'm sorry but I do not know who you are so it's kind of awkward just speaking with you."     

Well, this was the point where he had to use his family's name if he wanted things to go smoothly.      

"I'm Leo from the King's family. Leo King."      

Only a second passed and Paul's eyes widened.      

"King? Like... the King I think you are talking about?" He asked with bulging eyes.      

"Yes, that King." Leo nodded and Paul gasped before standing up.     

He quickly took out his phone from his pocket and google searched for the King's family. Immediately, different images popped up and he saw one of Louis in an interview, dressed like a doctor. They were identical.      

"Oh my God! It's really you. No wonder you looked familiar. How did you know me? Why... are you here?" He asked quickly making Leo almost chuckle.      

Were young people this open and straightforward nowadays?      

"Please, I would appreciate it if we hurried with this conversation, I have to leave soon." He said politely. Paul nodded before sitting back down.      

"So tell me, you know Benjamin Stark right?" Leo asked, going straight to the point now.      

"I do." Paul nodded immediately.      

"How did he suddenly end up taking your place at the dance?" Leo asked. He had promised Mia he was going to do something and this was the beginning. His instincts was never wrong so he knew that Benjamin must have done something.      

"Uhm... the thing is... my sister was involved in a really terrible accident two years ago, since then, her health had been on and off. She just suddenly losses consciousnes and stuff."     

"So it also happened recently." He said and glanced at his comatose older sister on the bed. We needed money for her drugs which were a lot expensive and I hoped I would have a lot when we win but luckily, Benjamin came like an angel and told me he was going to help me out. He said he was doing it out of kindness."     

Leo frowned. "Wait a minute." He interrupted Paul. "Can you go from the beginning? How did you meet Benjamin and why did he help you out?" Leo asked curiously.      

"Well..." Paul began to narrate how it happened.     

"After rehearsals one day, I uploaded the video online and had a lot of people liked it. A particular friend of mine shared it also and then texted me a few days later that there was a friend of his who wanted to he my friend because he liked how I danced."     

"And this friend is Benjamin?"      

"Yes," He nodded. "I didn't really mind. He told me the dude was from a rich family and since he kinda admired how I danced, I was flattered and soon, he texted me. We got along pretty well and that period, my sister fell ill again. I couldn't meet up with practice and was pretty devastated with everything so he offered to help me. He told me dancing was his passion and he really wanted to do it but his family was against it and you know how it goes... well, I felt really bad for him. And then he offered to pay up my sister's medical bills which my family is really grateful for. We became really close and that was when he brought up the suggestion. Since I was always at the hospital with my sister and couldn't meet with rehearsals, he wanted to dance in my place and also promised to give me his share of the money if we won since you know, his folks are pretty rich."     

Leo listened attentively.      

"I really wanted to dance but right now, I have to look after my sister here and also my two younger siblings at home so it was very challenging and you know, he helped pay my sister's bills and knew this was the least I could do for him. I bought the idea, sent a mindblowing video of him to Mr B and told him about Benjamin. Mr B needed a dancer as soon as possible so he agreed almost immediately." He concluded.      

Leo was deep in thought. It wasn't possible that Benjamin was that nice.      

"By chance, do you think he actually went there for something else?" Leo asked. "For example... does it have to do with a girl in your crew?"      

Paul looked like he was deep in thought before he exclaimed. "Oh!"     

Hearing him exclaim, Leo sat up.      

"He asked me about the girl in the crew sometimes. And it looked like he was showing interest but I'm not sure and I didn't really pay attention. He just asked if we were dating and I said no."      

That was it! Benjamin had gone there on purpose. Leo thought as his hands balled beside him but he tried to keep a straight face.     

Benjamin Stark...     

"Is something wrong? Why are you asking about all this?" He asked Leo curiously.      

Leo looked at him seriously before asking "Would you still like to continue dancing with them?"     

"Of course I would love that. But the circumstances..."      

"What if there are all taken care of? For example, someone to look after your sister at the hospital and someone to help look after your siblings at home?" Leo offered making him look at him warily.      

"Why?" He asked suspiciously. He wasn't a dull person. With the way Leo had questioned him, putting two and two together, he could guess Benjamin had gone there probably because of Mia. So how did it all concern a King?      

"Because... I am your fan. And I would love to see you dance on that night."     

'Sadly, I may not be around' He said in his head regretfully. He would have really loved to see Mia dance.      

"Really?" He asked with a smile. "I have a rich fan?"      

Leo chuckled at how happy he looked. "So let me know if we have a deal."     

"But Benjam..."     

"We'll handle that." Leo said.      

'I trust you more beside my girlfriend than that boy.'      

Paul nodded happily. He didn't have anything to lose anyway. Besides, this guy was also rich and had promised to take care of his family so what else?      

"Good." Leo smiled.      

"Can we take a picture together?" He asked hopefully.      

The least he could do was agree to the young man's request so he did.