Let them go

Chapter 28

Theo POV

“Okay.” Noah nodded. “I will see you later.”

He stayed silent, listening to Aiden on the other side.

“She is fine, Aiden.” Noah said, looking at Lucy. “Yes, I will let her know.”

I wrapped my arms around my sister and took a deep breath.

Honestly, I was in shock.

I still couldn’t feel a proper emotion. They were all far away. I felt anger, fear, and sadness, but they felt far away. I felt like I couldn’t feel them properly. I felt like I couldn’t lose my shit properly. I felt like I couldn’t scream in fear properly. I was numb.

Noah hung up the phone and sighed.

“Well, Aiden is freaking out.” Noah mumbled as he sat down at Lucy’s desk.

“He can join the club.” I said, running my fingers through Lucy’s hair.

“Did you tell Mike?” Noah asked Lucy.

“No.”

“I did.”

Lucy and I said at the same time.

Both of them looked at me, confused.

“What?” Noah asked.

“You talk to Mike?” Lucy said at the same time, raising her eyebrows at me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“He is an okay guy.” I said. “We talk from time to time. Noah talks to him too.”

Lucy looked at Noah, and her eyes widened.

“I thought that you didn’t like him.” Lucy said, looking between Noah and me.

“He is cool.” Noah shrugged.

“I don’t like what he is trying to do.” I mumbled at the same time.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows.

“What is he trying to do?” she asked, making me roll my eyes.

She was really blind, wasn’t she? But I was fine with it. I wasn’t going to let her date anyone anytime soon. She was way too young, and we had so much to catch up on. I wasn’t going to compete with some fucker for her time. Yeah, screw that. It wasn’t going to happen.

“Not important.” Noah said, narrowing his eyes at me. “Why did you tell him?”

Noah knew that Mike was in love with Lucy. Well, everyone knew. Except Lucy, thankfully.

“Because if I didn’t, he would have bitten my head off.” I sighed. “Also, I needed another person to know, so more people can keep an eye on her and tell us if she is hiding something from us again.”

Lucy sighed, making me frown at her.

“I’m not hiding anything.” Lucy said. “I won’t hide anything from you again.”

“I believe you.” I said. “This is just a precaution.”

“What did he say?” Noah asked, and I could tell that he wasn’t happy that I told him.

“He is pissed the fuck off.” I said. “He is trying to work things out at work and school so he can come here.”

Noah rolled his eyes, and Lucy sighed.

“Theo.” Lucy whined. “That is exactly why I didn’t tell him. I don’t want him to leave his life behind for me. He has obligations. He can’t just leave it all and come here.”

“I didn’t tell him to come here.” I said, making Lucy roll her eyes.

“What did you think would happen?” she said, looking at Noah. “Give me your phone. I need to call him and tell him not to come.”

Noah gave her the phone immediately.

Lucy stood up and walked to her bathroom.

“Really, Theo?” Noah asked as soon as she closed the bathroom door. “I don’t want him here. He is going to try something.”

“Over my dead body.” I snorted. “I don’t give a shit about his feelings for her. If he is coming here, he is coming as a friend. He can back the fuck off of her, and he can try again in 20 years.”

Noah rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, maybe he won’t be able to get out of school and work.” Noah sighed.

“What did Aiden say?” I asked, changing the subject.

“He is freaked out.” Noah said. “Ethan and Riley are freaked out. They will come here after school.”

I nodded and took a deep breath.

“Are you okay?” Noah asked me softly.

“I don’t know.” I sighed as I ran my fingers through my hair. “I am numb. I feel anger. I feel pain and sadness. But they are so far away. I can’t reach them. I can’t feel them properly.”

“I know.” Noah nodded. “I feel the same. I want to punch something, but I can’t muster up enough strength to do it. I want to scream, but I just wouldn’t be loud enough.”

I knew exactly what he was talking about. Every fucking emotion felt so far away. The numbness was all I felt.

“We can’t lose her again, Theo.” Noah mumbled quietly, his voice breaking. “I won’t survive it again. I won’t.”

My heart broke, and a wave of pain washed over my body. It got rid of the numbness I felt, but it lasted for only a few seconds.

I reached out for my brother.

Noah stood up and came to sit next to me. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tightly.

“We are not losing her, Noah.” I said, trying to stay calm. “I am not letting it happen.”

“But what if...” Noah started speaking, but I interrupted him.

“No buts.” I said. “It’s not happening. She isn’t getting hurt again. We are not losing her again. The rest of the world can go fuck itself. It the five of us against them all. I don’t give a shit. I am not letting anyone take her away from us again.”

Noah took a deep breath and leaned his head on my shoulder.

“I don’t want to come into this room and see her empty bed again.” Noah mumbled, his voice trembling. “I don’t want to watch her in a hospital bed again. I don’t want to see the bruises and the cuts and...”

My heart raced. I remembered the day she went missing. I remembered how Noah and I walked into her empty room. I remembered how Noah screamed as he hugged her pillow. I remembered the pain, and I wanted to rip my heart out.

It won’t happen again. I won’t let it happen again.

“You won’t have to see any of that again.” I said as I kissed the top of Noah’s head. “I promise you that, Noah.”

The bathroom door opened, and Lucy walked back into the room.

“What’s wrong?” she asked worriedly as soon as she saw Noah in my arms.

Noah lifted his head and reached out for her.

She approached us, and Noah pulled her onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around both of them.

“What did Mike say?” Noah asked Lucy.

She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead.

“He is coming in a few days.” Lucy sighed. “He told me that I was crazy if I thought that I could stop him.”

Noah nodded and looked down at his lap.

Lucy looked at me worriedly.

I leaned in and kissed Noah’s temple.

“It’s going to be okay, Noah.” I said softly. “Our Sunshine is here, and no one is taking her from us. I promise.”

Lucy leaned her head on Noah’s shoulder. He turned around and kissed her cheek.

“I love you.” he told her softly.

“I love you too, Smiley.” Lucy said, tightening her arms around him.

I kissed Lucy’s forehead and leaned my head on Noah’s. I could feel how much our brother needed us right now, and I knew that Lucy could feel it too.

We would always be here for him. We would always be here for each other.

I wouldn’t let anyone separate us again.