Chapter 42: Battle Bar

Esme slipped out of her heels in the changing rooms, putting her fancy work attire in the locker and threw on more casual clothes. Walking out from the back entrance in a grey 'Guns N' Roses' crop top, skinny black jeans, leather jacket, fingerless leather gloves and ankle boots. Leo was leaning against the wall by the side of the door. His gaze on his phone as his thumbs moved across the screen, a serious look upon his face. He looked up, and his face beamed like a happy puppy at her approach.

Leo put his phone away in his coat pocket and pushed off the wall falling into step by her side, turning to walk backwards as his eyes swept across her body. "Damn girl, how many times do you work out?" He flirted with a crooked smile.

Esme looked down at her choice of clothes; her stomach was flat and toned. It was the first time she'd revealed any other part of her skin besides her hands and face in Chester. "Hmm, every day, but I don't do your regular workout either." Esme's lips curled upwards at the idea of going to the gym before a frown settled on her features as they stopped in front of a black BMW.

Esme looked back at Leo, her dark brow raised in question. "You didn't think we were walking, right?" He asked as he unlocked the car with a press of the button on his keys. Esme looked back at the car, and started to feel a small portion of anxiety crawl up her skin, but one look at Leo's toothy grin and it dissipated as she went to the passenger side door.

"I don't know where this place is, and most people don't have cars in the city," Esme replied as she slid into the fancy leather seat of the car, putting her backpack on the floor. She wasn't surprised that Leo could afford such a car; they got paid well at ONYX. Leo turned the key, and the engine roared to life.

"True, but I like to get out of Chester whenever I get the chance away from work," Leo replied with a grin, turning to look out the back window as he reversed out of the parking space.

"Where do you go?" Esme questioned; she wasn't asking to make simple conversation but to scratch whatever city or town he named off her map of places to move to next. Though Esme was quite sure, there weren't many more places left she could hide.

"Oh, I like pretty much any outdoor activity; we have the mountains nearby and the valleys. So, I head out hiking, climbing, kayaking, you name it." He smiled, looking ahead at the traffic but clearly was thinking about his previous trips. An emotion flashed across his face, but it went so quickly that Esme could not pinpoint it.

"Ah, I see. I'm not much of a city girl myself. I've always been in the countryside although I have yet to hike the mountains. So that's on my list of things to do while I'm here," Esme replied nonchalantly as she looked out of the window, not really thinking about what she just said.

"Es.." Isana's warning tone and her message were interrupted by Leo.

"What do you mean while you're here?" Esme looked back at her friend and bit her tongue at his puzzled expression.

She laughed it off and waved her hand. "Why so serious? I didn't mean anything by it, silly. Gosh, Leo." She smiled and shook her head, brushing it off like the good actress she was.

"It sounded more like the slip of your tongue. Are you leaving?" Leo eyed her before cursing under his breath at the car horn behind him, telling him to go at the green light from the traffic lights ahead. He sped away and tapped his fingers against the wheel, waiting for Esme's response. She had been watching him the entire time; he was much more perceptive than she initially believed and possibly bright. His good looks and affable nature covered up these facts well.

"Good actress, huh?" Isana started sarcastically but Esme ignored her.

"Like I said, I'm not much of a city girl," She said quietly, hoping he would drop it and not probe any further. It was no problem if he knew she was leaving, but someone like Leo couldn't help but want to stay in contact with her after. Her shoulders tightened at the idea of saying goodbye forever to the man sitting beside her and to the others she had befriended whilst in Chester.

This was why she never made friends, they were a reminder of a simpler life, and it was always hard to leave when there were attachments. Well, she was just useless this time around. Making friends and leaving traces of herself behind. Had she gone mad because she was in favour of the Vampire King?

Leo looked at her out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't say anything else on the matter. "If you want, we can always go for a hike sometime," He said, changing the conversation back to a lighter topic. Esme nodded and parted her lips to respond when her eyes fell on the building ahead with neon lights with the name 'BATTLE BAR' in an explosion of strobe lights. She could already hear the music from the car and the chatter and excitement of customers inside.

Esme's face lit up, thrilled to be doing something different. Leo parked the car on the sidewalk and led her through the entrance to the side away from the games area. She wanted to go straight to the games, but the sound of her belly growling in protest told her to eat first. Esme followed behind Leo into what looked like a 50's style diner and the waitresses moving around in roller skates across the black and white chequered floor.

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He picked out a red booth in the corner next to the window; if she was by herself, that was exactly where she would pick so she could see every angle of this diner. Unfortunately, Leo was the one to sit in the corner and Esme facing away from everyone else. "Why are you pouting?" He asked, the side of his lips curving upwards. Was she?

"Oh," She actually felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Well, that was a first. "I wanted to sit there," Esme said quietly, avoiding eye contact as she did so.

Leo chuckled and leaned forwards, his hand placing atop her right one lightly, gaining her attention. She looked down at his hand on hers and back up to the man in front of her, "You know.. you don't HAVE to sit across from me. There's no rule about it.. Unless, of course, you just want to stare at my face.." He raked his fingers through his golden hair showing off the bulge in his biceps even under the long sleeve shirt, and winked.

"Are you posing right now?" Esme tilted her head to the side, unfazed by Leo's looks.

Leo dropped his hand and dramatically sighed. Esme rolled her eyes and removed her hand from his to pick up the plastic menu on the table. Scanning the contents of the food, her mind was now already preoccupied with what she wanted to eat, almost salivating at the idea of waffles, pancakes, burgers, chicken wings and more.

One of the waitresses skated over to their booth and looked at Esme in concern and envy when she ordered a burger, a pizza and waffles with ice cream for dessert and a large milkshake. Leo laughed as she skated away with their large order. "Seriously, I'm sharing the pizza with you; it's not that much.." She grumbled, though if it was appropriate, she would eat the whole damn pizza. She actually wanted two burgers..

"Stupid humans. Girl's gotta eat here!" Isana added in her frustrations.

"It's okay; we can get something on the way home, or we could hunt.." Esme replied, thinking about the deer she saw in the valley previously.

"So, after this, I've reserved table tennis first, then pool and knife throwing," Leo began, then the pair swivelled their heads to the side after hearing a loud crash and their waitress toppled on the floor with the milkshakes spilt on the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" She cried, checking over Esme where most of the contents spilt out near her, but she was clear of any spillage.

"Hey, no problem, here," Esme pulled out some napkins from the metal napkin holder on the table's side and handed them down to the waitress, who started wiping at the floor.

"Sally! Seriously! If you can't skate, just take the damn things off!" Esme looked up to see an older lady with short wispy blonde hair wearing the same dress but in a bright blue with images of poodles across the bottom of her skirt. "I'm sorry, milkshakes are on the house.." She smiled at Esme and Leo before returning a scowl at Sally on the floor, "That will go out of your paycheck!" She smacked the poor girl over the head with a tea towel.

Esme's brows rose, and she looked at Leo with a questioning gaze that meant, 'Where have you brought me?'

"Don't worry, that's my mum.." Sally spoke up after the older lady walked off. The only waitress not wearing the roller skates. "I'll return with your shakes.."

"That poor girl.." Esme said, watching her skate off, her head bowed down.

"You know you're a lot nicer than you make yourself out to be.."

Esme looked back at Leo, startled by his comment. "Nice?" She pointed at herself and looked behind her mockingly. "Me? Esme? Don't you regularly complain that I'm only nice to Niko?"

Leo leaned forward and smiled, glancing around like what he was about to say was a secret, "I was just jealous.. you give him more of your attention.." Esme paused as she stared back into his hazel eyes.

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