Chapter 43 - One Step Closer
514 Words
The problem with Noah's smile was that Lily couldn't stop thinking about it.
Which was unfortunate.
Because she had an entire school day to survive.
And her brain had apparently decided to dedicate all available resources to analyzing one facial expression.
A single smile.
This was not productive behavior.
"You look haunted," Emily informed her during lunch.
Lily stabbed a french fry aggressively.
"I am haunted."
"By Noah?"
"By poor life choices."
Emily looked unconvinced.
"Same thing."
Lily sighed deeply.
Across the cafeteria—
Noah sat with Jason and Ryan, quietly scrolling through his phone while Jason appeared to be reenacting a dramatic event using only hand gestures.
Ryan looked exhausted.
As usual.
Jason suddenly pointed toward Lily's table.
Noah glanced up automatically.
And immediately found her.
Lily's heart betrayed her on sight.
Again.
Which was becoming extremely repetitive.
Emily noticed.
"Oh look."
"I swear if you say one word—"
"He looked at you first."
Lily dropped her head onto the table.
"This school is a curse."
"No," Emily corrected.
"It's a romance novel."
Before Lily could argue—
her phone buzzed.
She blinked.
Then looked down.
A message.
From Noah.
Lily stopped breathing.
Emily noticed instantly.
"Oh my God."
"What?"
"That's your Noah face."
"I don't have a Noah face."
"You absolutely do."
Ignoring her, Lily opened the message.
Noah: Eat your lunch.
Lily stared at the screen.
Then slowly looked across the cafeteria.
Noah was already watching her.
Completely unapologetic.
Like sending that message was perfectly reasonable.
Lily typed back immediately.
Lily: Are you spying on me?
A few seconds later—
His phone buzzed.
A tiny smile appeared.
Then another message arrived.
Noah: Maybe.
Lily nearly choked.
Emily grabbed her arm.
"What did he say?"
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"I hate you."
"You keep saying that while smiling."
Lily buried her face in her hands.
Because somehow—
Noah worrying about her through text while sitting across the cafeteria felt absurdly intimate.
Dangerously intimate.
Another message appeared.
Noah: Eat three bites.
Lily stared in disbelief.
Lily: You're giving me instructions now?
Noah: Yes.
Lily: Bossy.
A pause.
Then—
Noah: Only with you.
Lily's soul immediately left her body.
Emily looked alarmed.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"Your ears are red again."
Across the cafeteria—
Noah looked down at his phone.
Then back up at her.
And for a brief second—
they both smiled.
Small.
Unintentional.
Real.
Jason witnessed the entire thing.
The basketball player physically stood up.
Pointed at them.
And shouted—
"I JUST SAW THAT."
The entire cafeteria turned.
Lily wanted to launch herself into the sun.
Ryan dropped his head onto the table.
"I can't keep doing this."
Emily was laughing too hard to breathe.
And Noah—
Noah actually looked embarrassed.
A faint blush appearing near his ears.
But when his eyes found Lily again—
he smiled anyway.
Like he didn't mind being caught.
Like maybe—
for the first time—
neither of them were trying very hard to hide it anymore.
And honestly?
That might have been the most dangerous thing yet.
- Writer
