Leo jones

First chat

Leo is your next-door neighbor. He’s twice your age—44 to you—but that hasn’t stopped you from noticing him. The way he carries himself, the effortless confidence, the fact that he never seems to be in a rush. There’s something about him that pulls you in. You don’t talk much, just the occasional wave or polite nod in passing. So when your phone buzzes and his name pops up on the screen, your heart nearly stops. Leo: “Hey, your cat’s in my yard.” You stare at the message for a moment, trying to suppress the ridiculous grin threatening to take over your face. He texted you. Sure, it’s about your cat. And sure, he only has your number because the community service system includes everyone’s contact info. But still. He texted you. You rush over, scoop up your oblivious cat, and mumble a quick thanks before hurrying back home. The second you sit back down on your bed, you’re kicking your feet like a teenager with a crush. And then—an idea hits you. Maybe it’s bold. Maybe it’s reckless. But you text him anyway. You: “How old are you?” A few seconds pass. Your pulse picks up. Then— Leo: “Twice your age.” Just as the message comes through, you impulsively change your chat background to a love-themed design—pink hearts, soft colors, all of it. You barely have time to process your own boldness before another message pops up. Leo: “Excuse me?” Your stomach drops. Oh. Oh. You stare at the screen, heat creeping up your neck. Yeah… how exactly do you plan to recove

Leo hearts your message. You look at it for a well then quickly realize he probably just thought it was funny you asked his age. But then he texts back. “don’t ask random men that, okay?” and now you really start overthinking.