(POV: Ava)
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The conversation started because we were debating where to go next.
Sophia wanted something peaceful. Ethan wanted something scenic. I just wanted something fun.
Leo, as usual, was just listening, not giving much input.
We were scrolling through locations when Ethan brought up a place by the coast. "What about this one? It's got great views, decent food spots, and some cool trails nearby."
Sophia nodded. "Ooh, that sounds nice."
I leaned forward. "Lemme see."
Leo, casually sipping his drink, glanced at the screen and said, "Oh. I've been there."
Silence.
Ethan and I slowly turned to look at him.
Sophia narrowed her eyes. "...Should we be concerned?"
Leo gave us a flat look. "Why would you be?"
Ethan exhaled. "Leo. You do realize that every time you say 'I've been there,' it usually leads to some kind of ridiculous revelation, right?"
Sophia nodded furiously. "You literally just told us a story about how you got stuck in a forest with tiger cubs."
Leo sighed. "This was different."
I crossed my arms. "How different?"
Leo shrugged. "It was… normal."
Silence.
Ethan blinked. "You can have normal experiences?"
Leo gave him a blank look. "Of course."
Sophia leaned back. "I refuse to believe it. Tell us everything."
Leo looked at us, then sighed. "Fine."
We braced ourselves.
---
Leo set his cup down. "It was a weekend trip. I went alone. Just wanted a break."
We waited.
He continued. "Booked a small place near the beach. Woke up early, walked along the shore. Watched the sunrise."
Still normal.
"Had breakfast at a local café. The owner was friendly. Gave me some recommendations."
Okay, still nothing crazy.
"I spent most of the morning just walking around. Checked out the local markets, bought some fresh fruit."
I narrowed my eyes. "And?"
Leo blinked. "And what?"
Sophia gestured vaguely. "Where's the part where you end up in a restricted area or accidentally become friends with the locals or something?"
Leo looked genuinely confused. "None of that happened."
Ethan crossed his arms. "You expect us to believe that you went on a trip, alone, and nothing unexpected happened?"
Leo thought for a moment. "Well… I did find a quiet cliffside spot and just sat there for a while."
Sophia leaned forward. "And?"
Leo shrugged. "Just watched the waves."
We stared at him.
Ava squinted. "That's it?"
Leo nodded.
Ethan frowned. "You didn't, I don't know, encounter some rare animal? Accidentally join a festival? Have some weird interaction with a local who turned out to be famous?"
Leo shook his head. "No. It was just peaceful."
Sophia pressed her fingers to her temples. "I don't know how to process this."
Ethan exhaled. "I was genuinely prepared to hear something absurd."
I crossed my arms. "So, what else did you do?"
Leo hummed. "Not much. Ate good food. Walked a lot. Took some pictures. Went for a swim. Read a book on the beach."
Sophia stared. "That's… shockingly normal."
Ethan nodded slowly. "You actually had a normal vacation."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Did you think I couldn't?"
I waved my hands. "I mean, it's just—we're used to you saying things like 'Oh, I accidentally ended up in a remote village' or 'I had to stay the night in a forest' or 'I unknowingly met a celebrity.'"
Sophia nodded. "Hearing you just… relax? That's what's shocking."
Leo smirked slightly. "I do know how to take breaks."
Ethan shook his head. "You don't act like someone who takes breaks."
Leo just shrugged. "I enjoy quiet trips."
Sophia leaned on her elbows. "What was your favorite part?"
Leo paused, thinking.
Then, he spoke, and for some reason, his voice was softer. "Sitting on the cliffs."
We waited, but he didn't say anything else.
I tilted my head. "Why?"
Leo's gaze was distant now, like he was still there. "The wind was nice. The waves were steady. It was… quiet."
Sophia's expression softened. "That sounds… peaceful."
Leo nodded. "It was."
For some reason, none of us spoke for a while.
It was strange—normally, Leo's stories made us exasperated, made us question how he was still alive, made us laugh.
But this?
This was different.
This was just him.
Just Leo, sitting on a cliff, watching the waves, completely alone.
And somehow, that was more surprising than anything else.
Ethan was the one who broke the silence. He exhaled, shaking his head. "I can't believe it."
Sophia smirked. "Leo can actually have normal experiences."
I grinned. "Shocking, I know."
Leo rolled his eyes. "You're all overreacting."
Ethan laughed. "No, we're just adjusting to this rare sighting of Normal Leo."
Sophia snorted. "Yeah, we're documenting this."
I smirked. "Quick, someone write this down."
Leo sighed. "You're all impossible."
But even as we laughed and teased, I noticed something—
Leo, who usually looked distant when we talked about these things, seemed… lighter.
Like, for once, he was just reminiscing. Not recalling something absurd, not explaining something impossible—just remembering.
And maybe, just maybe, that made this story the most special one yet.
___
End of Chapter 15.