Noah
"Your apartment burnt down weeks ago and you only thought to tell me now?"
Chatting with my mom is something else.
It's not really chatting if your mom just yells at you the whole time.
"It didn't come up."
I hold back a laugh at the scoff that follows from the other end of the line.
"Well, where are you staying? Don't tell me your staying in a hotel while I'm 30 minutes away."
"I'm staying with Seth at his girlfriends and her roommates apartment."
"Is the roommate cute?"
There's no hesitation as she asks, her tone hopeful.
I sputter a laugh, because that's-
"Please, for the love of god, stop. Mom-
"I just can't see you be so successful but so... lonely at the same time. I know you have friends and you hookup but I can see how lonely and grumpy you are. It breaks my heart."
I don't say anything, no sure what to reply to that.
Maybe she's right, maybe I am lonely.
But it hasn't affected me in a long time.
"Mom-"
"Noah-"
Allie comes out into the kitchen where I'm leaning against the counter, and she looks...
Stunning.
She's wearing what I assume is her competition leotard, her black backpack that she always has is swung over her shoulder.
The suit is covered with shades of blue and yellow, little tiny diamonds covering the sleeves that run down her arms and her hair is braided into a tight bun that sits directly on her head.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you were on the phone." She tells me quietly, thankfully missing the look of awe on my face.
"I'll call you back, okay?" I tell my mom, not waiting for a response before I hang up.
"Kyla called, she said the snow is really bad up there so she has no idea when they'll be back."
It takes me a moment to register what she said, still staring at her.
Seth's parents live up in the interior, where it starts snowing in October most of the time.
"Are you competing?"
She lights up when I ask.
"I am! Against Seattle."
It's the most enthusiastic I've ever seen her, talking about what she does so well in lighting her face up.
"Are you going now?"
She blinks, glances at the blue clock that hangs on the wall, and back to me.
"Ye-yeah. I-I am."
I swallow, never have been so nervous to ask a girl something.
"Can I come watch? I'm done dryland for the day and my homework's done."
A small smile forms on her lips before she eagerly nods and disappears down the hall.
She reappears with a ticket in her hand, passing it to me.
"Kyla and Seth were supposed to come watch so you can use one of their tickets."
She says, suddenly shy.
YOU ARE READING
Not So Alone (West Coast Campus Book 1)
RomanceI had to flee. To escape. I couldn't take the pain of people telling me to be okay. That I was a survivor. But what about me being a victim? All because a few people refused to hear me when I said no. Now I carry around pain, fear, a disgusting fe...
