Chapter 113: The start of something new


    ( The real world )


    Leo and Amanda’s friendship progressed steadily in the months following their transfer together to sector D.


    They became increasingly closer to each other as often the two of them would talk about their lives on Earth and about their past to each other once they returned from work.


    Ever since she cried on his shoulders, Leo began feeling a sense of protectiveness for Amanda as he began to look out for her in his own way.


    He would check on her task that she received for the day and ensured to ask about how it went at the end.


    He would ask her if she ate properly and ask if anyone bullied her, showing daily that he cared, slowly building on her trust which she had in him.


    Although he ensured that he would not let her thoughts distract him at work, having already made that mistake once, he also did not rush to log back into the game immediately after work like Luke did, and spent a healthy 30-40 minutes each day after dinner with Amanda, as the two would talk about nothing in particr.


    It was this time spent with Amanda that Leo felt de-stressed him from his hectic life, as he thoroughly enjoyed herpany which left him rejuvenated everytime. Today was one such day as well, as with Luke already logging back into the game, Leo had some alone time with Amanda who kept insisting him to draw a sketch of her, since he imed to be so good with his sketching skills.


    “Come on, Leo, you’ve been bragging about your sketching skills since we met. I want to see if you can really capture someone as beautiful as me or if your sketching skills are a sham!” Amanda teased, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and challenge.


    Leo hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck with a half-smile. “I don’t know, Amanda. It’s been a while since Ist sketched a person. Landscapes are more my thing,” he tried to deflect, not wanting to disappoint her or, perhaps, afraid to confront the intensity such a task might bring.


    He was actually very good at sketching people, however, he had only live sketched his mother and Luke before, so he was not sure if he could do justice to Amanda as back on earth he would usually only sketch from still photos.


    “But I’ve seen your work; your sketch of your mother and Luke looks so good! You’re clearly amazing at it. Please can’t you sketch me too?” Her voice softened, and she tilted her head slightly, giving him a look that was hard to resist. It was that innocent yet persuasive expression that always seemed to break down his defenses.


    *Sigh*


    He sighed, a resigned chuckle escaping him as he looked into her hopeful eyes, so full of trust and expectation. “Alright, alright. Let’s give it a try,” he conceded, unable to deny her this simple request.


    “Yay!” Amanda said cheerfully, as she sat on the only lounge/ sofa of the living room with her one leg tucked under the other and her hands resting lightly in herp.


    She turned her head slightly towards Leo, affording a view that blended her profile and frontal features in a way that was both intriguing and charming and aimed for an expression that was rxed and genuine with a soft smile ying on her lips with eyes full of life and a hint of mischief.


    The arc ship light bathed her in a warm glow, entuating her features and casting a soft shadow that added depth to her visage.


    *Gulp*


    Leo observed her for a moment, taking in the scene before him. The warmth of the light, the yful yet serene expression on Amanda’s face, and thefortable silence that wrapped around her felt surreal to him as he had goosebumps all over his arms observing the scene.


    ‘Gorgeous’ is what he thought of her as she posed for him, feelingpletely mesmerized by her charm.


    As he began to sketch, his pencil moved with a tentative sureness as he captured the curve of her cheek, the gentle fall of her hair, and the sparkle in her eyes.


    With each stroke, he found himself more engrossed in the task, his initial hesitation reced by a focused determination to do justice to the model before him as he ensured to do his job with extra precision today.


    As he sketched, the atmosphere between them shifted subtly. There was a sense of shared vulnerability and trust, as if this act of creating art was a bridge connecting their minds.


    Amanda’s gaze asionally met Leo’s as he gazed up from his notebook and took a look at her and in those fleeting nces, the two began feeling things that they usually would never have.


    Amanda tried to hold her pose, but her eyes often drifted towards Leo, watching his focused expression, the way his brow furrowed in concentration, and the asional soft smile that crossed his lips when he nced up at her.


    ‘Why is he smiling? What is that look with which he is seeing me?’ was what Amanda thought as her heartbeat increased slightly and her face began to flush red.


    The longer Leo took to draw, the greater her anticipation for the end result became as a million different thoughts crossed her mind with most of them making her heart race faster.


    The process of sketching was slower and more painstaking than either of them had anticipated, but it was in this slow dance of nces and smiles, of Leo capturing Amanda on paper, that subtly changed their dynamic forever.


    After an hour that seemed to suspend time itself, Leo finallyid his pencil down, a soft sigh marking thepletion of his work.


    He looked at the sketch for just a moment longer, as if to memorize every detail and ensure there was no mistake, before turning the sketchpad around to show Amanda.


    The reveal was a moment of vulnerability for Leo, he personally felt that the drawing had turned out great, however, it was ultimately a sketch and not a camera photo, which was why Leo was not sure how Amanda would feel about it.


    The drawing captured not just the physical likeness of Amanda but also something intangible, a spark in her eyes, the warmth of her smile that spoke volumes of the depth of their connection and Amanda’s reaction to seeing it for the first time was exactly as Leo hoped it would be, as her eyes widened and her mouth was left agape.


    For a moment, she was speechless, her eyes shifting between the paper and Leo. “Leo, it’s… it’s beautiful,” she finally whispered, her voiceced with emotion.


    The sketch was more than she had expected, revealing a side of Leo’s talent she hadn’t fully appreciated before. But more than that, it was the feeling it evoked, a sense of being deeply seen and understood.


    “Really? You think so?” Leo asked, a hint of relief and pride in his voice, eager yet hesitant to ept her praise.


    “Yes, absolutely. You’ve captured something… something very special here.” Amanda said, her eyes shining with satisfaction as she hugged the sketchbook as if treasuring its contents.


    “Can I… would you mind if I keep this? I’ve never had anything quite like this before.” She asked nervously as Leo felt a warmth spread through him at her request, a smile tugging at his lips. “Of course, you can keep it. I’m d you like it so much.” He said, as he tore the page off and handed it to her.


    As Amanda carefully took the torn page, holding it as if it were a precious treasure, afortable silence settled between them.


    The act of sketching, which had started as a yful challenge, had transformed into a meaningful exchange, silently shifting the terrain of their friendship.


    They both stood up, their movements slow, as neither wanted to break the spell of the moment. “I guess I should head back to my room,” Amanda said first, her voice soft, almost reluctant. “Thank you, Leo, for this. Today was… it was great.”


    “Yeah, it really was,” Leo agreed, feeling a sense of aplishment and connection he hadn’t anticipated.


    “Happy gaming, Amanda.” Leo said, as Amanda took the page and walked towards her room.


    “Happy gaming, Leo.” She said, before closing the door to her room.


    Once alone, both felt energized for no particr reason as for a moment they forgot about the arc ships, their training and work life and just felt alive and happy for no particr reason.


    Then, as they realized they werete to log-into the game, the spell binding them finally broke as they put on their VR gear and logged into Terra Nova and to their hectic training lives.