Chapter 5

As soon as Noah entered her room, she shut the door behind her and leaned against it for a second.

Her eyes dropped to her phone.

Lucas: Miss you… wish I was there with you right now.

A small smile formed on her lips before she could stop it.

Right then—

her phone started ringing.

It was Lucas.

She picked it up instantly.

“Finally,” she said, a hint of playful complaint in her voice, “someone remembered they have a girlfriend too.”

Lucas let out a soft laugh. “Okay… I deserve that.”

“You do,” Noah replied, walking further into the room. “I called you in the morning.”

“I know, I know—I was stuck with something. I’m sorry.”

She sighed, but there was no real anger behind it. “Hmm.”

“I’m making up for it now, aren’t I?” Lucas said.

Noah dropped onto her bed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You better.”

There was a brief pause.

Then Lucas spoke again, softer this time.

“So… are you okay? Like actually okay?”

Noah stared at the ceiling.

“…It’s weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Like everything looks perfect,” she said slowly, “but I don’t feel like I belong here.”

Lucas didn’t interrupt.

He just listened.

Noah’s voice softened slightly. “It doesn’t feel like home.”

Another pause.

“It doesn’t have to,” Lucas said gently. “Not yet.”

Something about that made her chest feel lighter.

“You’ll figure it out,” he continued. “You always do.”

Noah smiled faintly.

“Hmm… do I?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “You just don’t realize it yet.”

Noah’s fingers tightened slightly around her phone.

She didn’t respond immediately.

Then—

“You’re not allowed to disappear like that again,” she said softly.

Downstairs—

Cole walked into the kitchen, pulling the fridge open without much thought.

The cold light hit his face as he grabbed a bottle of water, twisting the cap open.

The house felt quiet.

Too quiet.

He took a slow sip, leaning back against the counter.

Nothing to do.

No one around.

And somehow—

that irritated him.

Cole pushed himself off the counter and started walking toward the stairs, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the bottle.

As he walked past the hallway—

he heard Noah's voice.

“You’re not allowed to disappear like that again.”

He slowed.

Then stopped.

His brows pulled together slightly.

“…not allowed?” he muttered under his breath.

He glanced at her closed door—

then looked away.

He should keep walking.

He didn’t.

Instead—

he slowed again…

and next thing he knew, he was leaning against the wall.

“…seriously,” he muttered quietly.

“And if you do… I’ll replace you.” Noah on the phone call.

A faint scoff left him.

“Of course you should as quickly as possible,” he murmured under his breath.

“With who?” Lucas’s voice came through the phone.

Cole leaned slightly toward the door—just enough to hear.

Something in him shifted.

Just for a second.

“Still deciding.” Noah said teasingly.

His jaw tightened faintly.

“…still deciding,” he repeated under his breath.

And for some reason—

that didn’t sit right.

He pushed himself off the wall slightly, running a hand through his hair.

“What am I even doing?” he muttered.

Then quieter—

“…this is so stupid.”

“…how pretentiously unromantic,” he added under his breath,

like he was dismissing it.

Like he didn’t care.

But he was still standing there.

That’s when it hit him.

He wasn’t just passing by.

He had stopped.

Stayed.

Listened.

Cole straightened instantly.

“Why the hell I'm even here” he muttered.

“Get a grip over yourself Cole Sinclair.” he muttered.

He forced himself back into place.

Back into control.

Back into—

The Cole Sinclair.

Just as he turned to leave—

his phone rang.

Loud.

Sudden.

At the worst possible moment.

"shit!! , I'm doomed now". he said with dissapointment.

He fumbled slightly, trying to silence it—

stepping back—

And the door opened.

Noah stepped out—

and froze.

Her eyes landed on him instantly.

Standing there.

Too close.

Too obvious.

For a split second—

Cole actually looked caught.

Then—

just as quickly—

his expression shifted.

Calm.

Unbothered.

Careless.

Like he didn’t care.

“Were you listening to my conversation?” Noah asked, folding her arms.

“Hell no,” Cole replied smoothly. “Why would I waste my precious time listening to your—”

“…lovey-dovey con—”

He stopped.

Mid-word.

For a split second—

it hit him.

He had just exposed himself.

His jaw tightened slightly.

Noah’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“Oh really?” she said slowly. “If you weren’t listening… how are you so sure it was lovey-dovey?”

A brief pause.

“I guessed,” Cole said instantly.

She didn’t look convinced.

Cole clicked his tongue lightly, recovering fast.

“I mean, it’s obvious,” he added casually.

“He’s your boyfriend… and normal people in relationships do that only.”

Oh yeahhh !!!! he said.

Then his lips curved slightly—

mocking.

“My apologies,” he added, voice dipped in sarcasm,

“I forgot there’s nothing normal about you.”

Noah’s expression snapped instantly.

Annoyance flashing across her face—

sharp and unfiltered.

She stepped closer to him—

pointing a finger straight at his chest.

“You—”

Cole didn’t move.

Instead—

he stepped closer.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

“Me…” he said, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

The shift caught her off guard.

Noah took a step back—

instinctively.

Her brows furrowed, irritation rising even more.

“Stay away from me!” she snapped, turning sharply.

She walked past him—

fast, annoyed—

heading downstairs.

Cole watched her go.

Silent.

Unbothered on the surface.

Then, just as she was about to disappear—

his voice followed.

Calm. Dismissive.

“Relax,” he said lazily.

“You’re not my type anyway.”

Noah didn’t even slow down.

Instead—

she shot back instantly, voice loud and sharp—

“Glad to hear!”

Her footsteps echoed as she disappeared downstairs.

For a moment—

everything went quiet again.

Cole stood there, unmoving.

His grip still tight around the bottle.

His jaw set just a little too firm.

Then he exhaled lightly—

running a hand through his hair.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered.

But the word lacked weight.

Like he wasn’t fully convinced by it himself.

His gaze drifted toward the stairs—

just for a second.

Then he looked away.

Shaking his head slightly, he pulled out his phone.

Jack.

He stared at the screen—

longer than necessary.

Then dialed.

But even as the call rang—

his mind wasn’t on it.

And somewhere upstairs—

Noah stood still for a moment longer than she should have.

That should’ve been the end of it.

It wasn’t.

Because the next time fear found her—

she wouldn’t be running from him…

she’d be running to him.

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