Chapter 32 -Too Many Feelings
664 Words
Lily avoided Noah for exactly twenty-three minutes the next morning.
Which, honestly, was impressive.
Unfortunately—
Jason ruined everything almost immediately.
“There she is,” he announced dramatically as Lily reached her locker. “The girl responsible for Noah Carter becoming emotionally vulnerable in public.”
Lily nearly dropped her books.
“Can you lower your voice for once in your life?”
“No.”
Emily appeared beside him carrying iced coffee.
“I heard three separate people talking about you two before first period.”
Ryan arrived moments later looking exhausted already.
“At this point the entire school thinks they’re dating.”
“We are not dating,” Lily said immediately.
Jason looked unconvinced.
“Emotionally? Maybe.”
“I’m going to push you down the stairs.”
“That’s fair.”
Lily focused aggressively on opening her locker.
A dangerous decision.
Because the second the locker door opened—
She froze.
There was a drink sitting inside.
Her favorite iced coffee.
Along with a sticky note.
Eat something today too.
Lily stared at the handwriting.
Then immediately closed her eyes.
Absolutely not.
Absolutely not.
Behind her—
Emily made a sound that could only be described as emotional devastation.
“Oh my God.”
Jason grabbed Ryan’s arm violently.
“HE LEFT HER A LOCKER DRINK.”
Ryan looked genuinely concerned now.
“That’s boyfriend behavior.”
Lily snatched the note instantly before anyone else could touch it.
Her face felt dangerously warm.
“He’s just being nice.”
Jason looked personally offended.
“Nice? Lily, if that boy cared any harder he’d pass away.”
Emily leaned closer dramatically.
“The handwriting is neat too. That somehow makes it worse.”
Lily shoved the note into her pocket.
“This conversation is over.”
Unfortunately—
The universe hated her.
Because at that exact moment—
Noah appeared at the end of the hallway.
And immediately noticed all of them standing there.
Including Lily holding the iced coffee.
His expression shifted slightly.
Not embarrassed exactly.
Just aware.
Jason pointed at him like a lawyer presenting evidence in court.
“You.”
Noah blinked once.
“…Me?”
“You’re feeding her now.”
Several students nearby immediately started listening.
Lily considered dying peacefully.
Noah glanced toward Lily briefly.
Then back at Jason.
“She forgets to eat sometimes.”
The hallway went silent for half a second.
Lily’s heartbeat tripped over itself.
Because—
That answer had been too fast.
Too natural.
Like Noah paid attention to things about her nobody else noticed.
Emily physically grabbed Lily’s arm.
“He notices her eating habits,” she whispered harshly. “That’s insane.”
Ryan nodded slowly.
“He’s gone gone.”
Noah looked exhausted suddenly.
“You’re all weird.”
“Says the guy leaving handwritten notes,” Jason replied instantly.
A faint blush appeared near Noah’s ears again.
Tiny.
But visible.
And apparently Lily’s heart had decided that was everyone’s problem now.
Noah looked at her quietly after that.
“Did you at least sleep?”
The concern in his voice hit way too hard for eight in the morning.
Lily crossed her arms defensively.
“Maybe.”
“That means no,” he said immediately.
Jason clutched his chest dramatically.
“He knows her lying voice.”
“I hate this school,” Noah muttered.
But he still looked at Lily afterward.
Still soft around the edges in a way he wasn’t with anyone else.
And Lily—
Lily was becoming dangerously aware of it now.
Of all of it.
The way Noah always found her in crowded hallways.
The way his attention shifted the second she entered a room.
The way his voice changed around her.
Softer.
Closer.
Careful.
Like she mattered.
Which was terrifying.
Because maybe—
Just maybe—
She was starting to want him to keep looking at her that way forever.
And that thought?
That thought scared her more than anything else.
- Writer
