19. Limit

"That's it, that is it!" Coach Hedge said as he entered the classroom, stomping around like an angry goat. "Whoever rewired my megaphone can get up and fix it now, or I swear you cupcakes are all going to be cleaning this school for a month!"

Piper giggled next to him. "Leo…"

Leo grinned, but he wasn't looking at her. "Shush, Pipes."

"And if you cupcakes think you won't, you're dead wrong, this is the last time you make a fool out of me-"

Jason who sat at the desk in front of Piper turned to look at him. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Leo grinned, slipping a screwdriver in his pocket but he still wasn't looking at them. "You betcha."

"Nobody wants to own up?" Coach demanded. "No confessions?"

Silence.

"I'm at my limit," Coach said. "You crazy teenagers might as well be delinquents for the trouble you cause me. Up! Get up!"

Leo finally looked up from the back of Reyna's head as he stood with his class. Coach marched them to the gym.

"Everybody get a mop from the supply closet," Coach ordered. "Find a buddy, pick a spot and start cleaning."

Leo was turning to go with Piper and Jason when the Coach's voice reached him. "Valdez, no groups of three. You're with Reyna."

Jason rolled his eyes at his friends ridiculously victorious grin. "You got it, Coach."

Reyna and Leo got stuck with a spot in the corner and awkward silence fell over them as they started mopping.

Leo, being Leo, couldn't stand the silence so he tried to break it. Plus he hadn't set this whole thing up to get time with Reyna just so they could awkwardly do prison work together.

"Since when did gym class become manual labor?" He asked her.

Reyna snorted but it wasn't out of amusement. Leo frowned but she spoke before he could. "It was you, wasn't it? You messed with his megaphone?"

Leo looked up and met her eyes, seeing nothing but curiosity there. "You won't rat me out?" He asked.

Reyna smiled. "No," she promised before hesitating. "How?"

Leo grinned and shrugged. "I'm smarter than I look."

Reyna shook her head but her smile stayed firmly on her face.

They worked in compatible silence for a few more minutes before Coach's voice broke the silence.

"Keep going, cupcakes, no slacking! The cow says moo!"

Reyna laughed quietly and Leo's eyes widened. "Was that a genuine laugh from Reyna? Ladies and gentleman, call the magazines."

"I laugh," Reyna said defensively. "Just not a lot. Or at school. But I do laugh."

"Not enough," Leo muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Reyna watched him for a few seconds before mopping again.

"So…" Leo said.

She looked up.

"What's your favourite food?"

Leo froze after he blurted the words. Seriously?

Reyna seemed to be thinking along the same lines because she raised an eyebrow. "My favourite food?"

Leo shrugged. "We've been in the same class for what? 10 years? I hardly know you."

Reyna turned guarded. "There's not much to know."

"Liar," Leo said softly. "You just don't want to tell me." He flashed his mischievous grin. "But I'll find out eventually," he promised.

"I doubt it."

"I will." He wiggled his eyebrows, making her lips twitch. "I'm irresistible."

Reyna rolled her eyes and kept mopping.

Several seconds later she spoke. "Lasagna."

"Mine is spaghetti." Leo said. "See? We've practically been friends for years now!"

Reyna didn't answer, but Leo couldn't help his smile.

At least he'd finally talked to her. His plan hadn't been a waste of time after all.