Chapter 31- The Rumor Problem
890 Words
Lily should’ve known peace wouldn’t last.
Not after lunch.
Not after the entire cafeteria had basically witnessed Noah looking at her like she personally invented oxygen.
By sixth period, the rumors had already evolved beyond recovery.
“They’re secretly dating.”
“No, apparently they almost kissed near the science building.”
“I heard Noah threatened someone for talking about her.”
“That one might actually be true.”
Lily dropped her forehead lightly against her desk.
Across the room, Emily looked deeply entertained.
“You have to admit this is kind of funny.”
“It’s not funny,” Lily whispered in horror.
“It’s a little funny.”
Jason spun around dramatically in his seat.
“Actually this is my favorite day in school history.”
Their teacher hadn’t arrived yet, meaning the classroom noise had reached dangerous levels.
Unfortunately—
Every few minutes Lily caught someone glancing at her.
Then whispering immediately after.
This was hell.
Actual hell.
Her phone buzzed once beneath the desk.
Noah: You look stressed.
Lily stared at the message.
Then immediately looked across the classroom.
Huge mistake.
Because Noah was already watching her from the back row.
Calm.
Unreadable.
Dangerously attentive.
Lily looked back down at her phone instantly before her heart could completely embarrass her.
Lily: Your existence is causing problems.
His reply came almost immediately.
Noah: That sounds dramatic.
Lily: Jason told three people we’re “one longing stare away from a relationship.”
From the back of the room—
Noah physically looked away for a second like he was trying not to laugh.
Which was honestly rude considering Lily was suffering.
Jason leaned toward her suspiciously.
“You’re texting him again.”
“No I’m not.”
“You smiled at your phone.”
Emily gasped quietly.
“Oh, she’s gone.”
“I hate all of you.”
Ryan walked into the classroom right then carrying a bottled drink.
He took one look at Lily’s expression.
Then sighed.
“What happened now?”
Jason pointed aggressively.
“They’re having silent emotional communication again.”
Ryan nodded once.
“Tragic.”
Lily considered transferring schools.
Then—
The classroom door opened.
And immediately the entire atmosphere shifted.
Because Ava Brook had entered the room.
Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
Perfectly intimidating.
She paused just inside the doorway after noticing Lily first.
Then her eyes moved toward Noah in the back row.
Who wasn’t looking at Ava at all.
He was still looking at Lily.
Oh no.
Absolute no.
Ava noticed too.
The room became painfully quiet.
Emily muttered under her breath, “This feels unsafe.”
Jason looked thrilled.
“No, wait, this is getting interesting.”
Lily wanted to disappear into another dimension.
Ava finally walked farther inside the classroom.
Slowly.
Controlled.
Until she stopped beside Lily’s desk.
“You’re Lily, right?”
Lily looked up carefully.
“…Yes?”
Ava smiled.
It wasn’t a mean smile exactly.
But it definitely wasn’t friendly either.
“I’ve heard a lot about you today.”
Jason immediately stopped breathing from excitement.
Ryan looked exhausted already.
Lily sat up straighter instinctively.
“Oh.”
Ava’s gaze flickered briefly toward Noah again.
Then back to Lily.
“You and Noah seem close lately.”
The room somehow became even quieter.
Impossible.
Yet true.
Lily opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
Because honestly—
What exactly was she supposed to say to that?
Thankfully—
A chair scraped suddenly against the floor behind them.
Noah had stood up.
The sound alone pulled everyone’s attention instantly.
His expression remained calm.
But there was something colder underneath it now.
Something sharp.
“Ava,” he said evenly.
Just her name.
Nothing else.
But somehow it still sounded like a warning.
Ava looked at him for a long second.
Then laughed softly.
“Relax. I’m just talking to her.”
Noah didn’t sit back down.
“Don’t.”
Simple word.
Heavy meaning.
The silence afterward felt massive.
Lily’s heart was beating way too fast now.
Not because of Ava.
Because of him.
Because Noah almost never involved himself in drama.
Yet here he was—
Standing up for her without hesitation.
Again.
Ava studied him carefully.
Then finally looked back at Lily one last time.
Interesting.
That single look somehow carried an entire sentence inside it.
Then she stepped away.
The entire classroom collectively started breathing again.
Jason whispered emotionally, “This is cinema.”
Ryan rubbed both hands over his face.
“We’re failing algebra because of these people.”
Noah slowly sat back down again.
Like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn’t just terrified half the room with two words.
Lily stared at her desk for several seconds trying to reorganize her heartbeat into something medically acceptable.
Her phone buzzed again.
Noah: Sorry about that.
Lily read the message twice.
Then typed carefully.
Lily: You don’t need to protect me.
This time his response took longer.
Across the room, Noah glanced at his screen.
Then back at her.
And when her phone finally buzzed again—
Noah: I know.
Another pause.
Then:
Noah: I still want to.
Lily forgot how breathing worked.
Completely.
Across the room—
Noah looked back down at his desk afterward like he hadn’t just casually destroyed her entire emotional stability in under ten words.
Dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
- Writer
