The relationship began to follow a common pattern found in abusive teen storylines :
When Leo first noticed Maya, it felt like a scene from a movie. He was "mysterious" and "intense," two words Maya’s friends used with a mix of envy and caution. Their connection was like a "sugar rush to the heart". He told her she was the only one who truly understood him, framing their relationship as a secret romance that the world just wouldn't get.
: When Maya tried to set boundaries, Leo would resort to verbal abuse or intimidation. Immediately after, he would become "convincingly apologetic," sobbing and promising it would never happen again.
