The ride home

Leo sat at a small table in the bustling cafeteria, the aroma of various dishes wafting through the air. He was lost in thought, mentally preparing for the meetings ahead, when suddenly he felt a chill against his cheek.

“Surprise!” Arie exclaimed, laughter bubbling up as he placed the cold strawberry drink against Leo’s face.

Startled, Leo jumped, a curse slipping out before he could stop himself. “What the—” He quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide as he glanced around to see if anyone had heard.

Arie plopped down in the seat across from him, still chuckling. “You should see your face! Priceless!”

Leo shot him a glare, though he couldn’t help the smile creeping onto his lips. “You’re lucky I like this drink,” he said, snatching the drink from Arie’s hand and taking a long gulp. “Otherwise, I’d be plotting your demise right now.”

“Please, you’d miss me too much,” Arie teased, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin.

They both grabbed their lunches, a mix of sandwiches and salads, and began to eat. The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, but their table was filled with laughter and playful banter.

“Remember that time you tried to impress your coach at the dance studio?” Arie asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. “You ended up tripping over your own and knocking over the entire water cooler!”

Leo groaned, shaking his head. “Don’t remind me! I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.”

“Hey, at least you made a splash!” Arie laughed, nearly doubling over in his seat.

“Very funny,” Leo replied, rolling his eyes but unable to suppress his own laughter. “You’re just lucky I didn’t take you down with me.”

As they finished their meals, Leo felt a sense of ease wash over him, grateful for the break from the office grind. Just as he was about to take another sip of his drink, his phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen and saw a message from Mr. Thom.

“Leo, come upstairs. Urgent.”

“Great,” Leo muttered, his good mood deflating slightly. He looked up at Arie, who was still grinning. “Looks like I’m needed back in the land of spreadsheets and meetings.”

“Duty calls,” Arie said, feigning a dramatic tone. “Go save the day, hero!”

Leo chuckled, standing up and gathering his things. “I’ll try not to trip over my own feet on the way up.”

“Just don’t knock over any water coolers!” Arie called after him, laughter trailing behind as Leo made his way out of the cafeteria.

Leo took a deep breath as he approached Mr. Thom’s office, the anticipation of what awaited him swirling in his stomach. He knocked lightly on the door before stepping inside.

Mr. Thom looked up from his desk, a chuckle escaping his lips as he took in the sight of Leo. “Well, well, if it isn’t my little messy eater,” he teased, pointing at the crumbs that clung to the corner of Leo’s lip. “You look like a child who just finished a snack.”

Leo quickly wiped at his mouth, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Thanks for the compliment, Mr. Thom. I’ll add it to my resume.

Please do,” Mr. Thom replied, still chuckling. “But that’s not why I called you up here. We have an exciting opportunity.”

Leo’s interest piqued. “What’s going on?”

“We’ve been given the chance to conduct the Gala this month,” Mr. Thom announced, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “It’s a big deal, and I need you to help inform the rest of the team.”

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Leo exclaimed, his earlier nerves fading away. “I’ll get right on it!”

“Great! I knew I could count on you,” Mr. Thom said, waving him off. “Now go spread the news and try not to get any more crumbs on your shirt."

Will do!” Leo replied, a grin on his face as he turned to leave. As he stepped out of the office, he felt a rush of excitement. The Gala was a huge opportunity, and he couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone.

After sharing the exciting news about the Gala with the team, Leo returned to his desk, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He slumped into his chair, letting out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes for just a moment.

Time slipped away, and he drifted off into a light sleep, only to be jolted awake by a soft knock on the door. Blinking, he looked up to see Mr. Thom standing there, a bemused expression on his face.

“Sorry!” Leo exclaimed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking down in embarrassment.

Mr. Thom chuckled, walking over and patting Leo on the shoulder. “You looked like you needed it. I’m giving you a ride home today.

Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Leo insisted, trying to shake off the drowsiness.

“Too late! I’ve decided,” Mr. Thom replied with a grin. “And if you don’t say yes, I’ll just have to find a way to reduce your commotion for the rest of the day.”

Leo couldn’t help but smile at that. “Okay, fine. I’ll take the ride,” he said, winking at Mr. Thom.

Mr. Thom laughed as they walked out to the parking lot. Leo slid into the passenger seat, giving Mr. Thom directions as they drove through the city.

When they finally reached Leo’s home, he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to Mr. Thom. “Thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it.”Anytime, Leo. Just try to stay awake next time,” Mr. Thompson said with a chuckle.

Leo grinned and got out of the car, waving goodbye as he headed toward the front door. As he stepped inside, he was greeted by darkness. “Great,” he muttered, fumbling around for the light switch.

Just as he located it, he was startled by a sudden burst of laughter. “Boo!” May , his sister, jumped out from behind the couch, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Leo stumbled back, falling onto the floor with a thud. “May !” he groaned, trying to catch his breath as she doubled over in laughter.

“Gotcha!” she exclaimed, still giggling.

Giving her a side-eye warning, Leo pushed himself up from the floor. “Very funny. You’re lucky I’m too tired to deal with you right now.”

Without another word, he trudged upstairs, leaving Mia still laughing in the living room

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