Finally Me ~

Chapter 75

**Alex’s POV**

“ARGH!”

“What?”

“GRRRRRRRR!!”

“What?!”

“AHHHHHHHH!!!!”

“ALEX, WHAT?!”

I round on Noah who is sitting on my window seat reading.

“FRED!” I yell, “HE KEEPS CANCELLING OUR DATES!”

I throw the letter at Noah and pace up and down my room angrily. Noah smooths it out and glances over it.

“He’s busy at work,” he says, shrugging.

“NOAH!” I yell, “I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM SINCE THE SUMMER! IT’S NEARLY CHRISTMAS!!”

“Whoa, don’t tear my head off about it,” Noah says. I sigh.

“Sorry,” I say, sitting down on my bed, “I just miss him and I feel like. . . Like he doesn’t even want to see me anymore. . .”

I rub at my eyes, finding tears there. Noah walks over and sits next to me, wrapping one arm around my shoulders.

“I wish he’d just break up with me,” I whisper, “if he doesn’t like me anymore it would be easier just to end it.”

“Al, maybe he just is busy,” Noah says.

“All the time?” I ask, “he can’t even see me during the evenings.”

I scrunch my knees up under my chin. Noah sighs and ruffles my hair.

“Come on, grump,” he says, “we’re going for a drive.”

I follow him out to the car and sit in the passenger seat. I put my feet up on the dashboard and close my eyes. The last few months have flown past. Michael and Tahlia moved in a few blocks away and I’ve been seeing them every fortnight or so. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Tiffany since all my magical friends seem to be busy and we’re getting quite close. I finished up my summer course in mid-September and have been doing some work with a beautician. I saw Fred briefly at the end of the summer and haven’t seen him since. Every time we arrange a date he tells me he has to work and can’t make it. His notes are always short and undescriptive. I’ve written to a few of the others with the same results.

I sigh and pull my hood up over my head, looking out the window. The shops look familiar and I suddenly realise where Noah is taking me.

“I don’t want to see him,” I say, sitting up straight as Noah drives past the Leaky Cauldron.

“Did I pass it?” he asks.

“No,” I lie. He catches the lie and pulls over. I groan and slump back in my seat.

“Al, you have to sort this out,” he says, “now, come on, Mum will flip if we’re not home in time for dinner, you know how she is.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I didn’t ask if you wanted to.”

I look across at Noah. He has the same stubborn set to his jaw that I do. I push my bottom lip out at him.

“Not going to work, Allie-cat,” he says, undoing his seat belt, “come on, or I’ll go and sort him out myself.”

“You can’t find the entrance,” I mutter. He shoots me an evil eye and I can’t help but laugh.

“Okay, okay,” I say, “I’m coming.”

I climb out of the car huff, watching my breath hang in the air. I lead Noah down the street to the door of the Leaky Cauldron. We step inside, feeling the warm air brush over our skin. Tom looks up hopefully, but we just duck out the back. I raise my wand and tap the brick.