Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Leo's grin spread across his face as the group's chatter filled the air. It was only when Anya's voice cut through the noise that the conversations halted.

Leo stood up and walked over to Anya, gently grabbing her wrist. "Don't rub it; you'll just make it worse."

Even before she could speak, he knew why she had called him. Standing close enough to touch, Leo gazed into Anya's eyes, his focus on her long lashes. With a tender sweep of his thumb, he brushed away whatever was bothering her. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, Leo was captivated by the clear, innocent depths of Anya's gaze. Noticing her eye had reddened, he playfully pursed his lips and blew gently on it when she wasn't looking.

"Hey, what are you doing blowing on my eye?" Anya immediately shut her eyes.

Then, she felt a light tap on her forehead.

"Silly girl, you almost rubbed your lashes off," Leo teased, noting the long lash on his fingertip. His tenderness lasted but a moment before his straightforward nature took over. "There goes the longest one; now you've made yourself less pretty." Anya just pouted silently.

Realizing it was getting late and recalling Anya's yawn from earlier, Leo said, "We should get going; you've got class tomorrow."

He led her out into the night, the sky now a dark canvas.

At this hour, the Cedillo family and the residents of Maplewood Estates had finished their dinners, leaving no chance for a free meal.

Driving back into town, Leo took Anya to his favorite diner.

"Chad, are you a hacker?" Anya asked innocently across the table.

Leo paused mid-wipe, looking at her for a long moment before replying, "No."

Anya, tapping her upper palate with her tongue, remembered Chad's earlier advice not to share any personal electronic or identity information with others. "Those guys you were talking with today, are any of them hackers?" "Some are," he admitted.

gravity of it all. Her aunt had once told

at the truth, she laid it all out. "Chad, did you want to study computer science, but your uncle didn't want you to, and now you have to sneak around behind his back?" Leo stared into her clear

sensing she had crossed a line.

face softened. "You're nothing like your aunt or your mom. You're the most innocent

her account. Jade would have him break into the school's records

you charge it?"

to rest his forehead in his hand, exasperated. "I

She nodded.

Pick a different subject," he advised, leaving her feeling like she'd been stabbed in the

thought of her nursing aunt back home and sent Mia a photo. "Do you want anything, Aunt Mia? Chad and I can bring

Her mouth watered with longing. "I can't have any of that; I'm breastfeeding Henry. Those spices would make him sick." Anya read Mia's reply and sighed. "Poor Aunt Mia. I'll ask my mom

after, wrapped in a thick coat with

Grandma Aubree and Grandpa Elmer, hoping to leave a

park performances in the evening. However, Chad had made it clear: no overnight

several attempts and dismissals from the hospital by Molly, even Coleen gently reprimanded her daughter, ensuring her public face was

Molly's dominance was

a chance to stand close to Chad, she wedged herself between him and any other girl, possessively claiming her exclusive right to his arm-a

would often find excuses to visit Coleen's room. On catching Chad there, she'd linger

understanding the nurse's interest in her son, suggested after she left, "A cop and a nurse make a

match," Chad

who would