Page 31 of It Was Always You

My heart really liked that idea. But instead of letting him know that my heart was being stupid, I said, "Why can't you just tell her you're not interested in her? Wouldn't that make more sense than getting a fake girlfriend?"

"Things are complicated with Raven right now. And I just want to take the easy way out."

I wanted to ask him why things were complicated but decided it wasn't really my place. Noah was the kind of guy who was an open book when he wanted to be, and a vault when he didn't.

We reached the back exit and Noah held the door open for me. I walked through and was surprised when he took my hand again. No one we knew was outside to watch us.

But I let the warmth of his hand envelop mine anyway, telling myself it was just so he could steady me if I happened to slip on the ice.

10

NOAH

I lookedat the current temperature on my weather app as I trudged back to my car after Mr. Stevens kicked me out for the night. It was ten degrees right now and it was going to get even colder. I really needed to figure something out. When I talked to my mom today, she told me that Paul was still uptight, worried about his job and still didn't want me there, but she assured me that I'd be free to come home this weekend. I just needed to make it through the next four nights. I hated how that man had the power to decide when I got to sleep in my bed and when I didn't. Hated that my mom lets him have that power. But I tried not to be too bitter about it. They did assume I was safe and warm at my dad's house.

It was already ten-thirty when I climbed into my car. I didn't have it in me to drive all the way out to the woodsnorth of town, so I drove a couple of houses down and then pulled my sleeping bags and things from the trunk. I let the heater blast as much hot air into the car as I could while I did my nightly routine of brushing my teeth and spitting it out the door. Then I pulled a hoodie on and slipped my feet into the thick wool socks I'd bought myself when I got the extra sleeping bag.

I was going to have to wash my laundry somewhere soon. Maybe tomorrow I'd find a laundromat on the other end of town, so I could get my clothes unstinkified without anyone recognizing me. I climbed into my double sleeping bags, put on a beanie, and let the heater warm me until I was sweating. Then I turned it off and hoped I could just sleep through the night.

A tapon my window woke me up. Then someone called my name from the other side, the sound muffled.

I sat up, wondering who was at my car door. The windows were frosted over and the light from the sun glared harshly, reflecting at just the right angle that I couldn't see anything outside.

"Are you in there, Noah?" I recognized Lexi's voice this time since I was more alert now. Adrenaline immediately shot into my veins.

What was I supposed to do?

No one was supposed to know I was sleeping in my car. Especially not her.

I whipped my arm out of my sleeping bag and pushed the lock button down, in case she tried to open the door. If I just stayed quiet, she might leave and assume it was someone else's car. She wouldn't know my license plate, would she? I didn't even know it. I always looked for the New York Jets magnet on my trunk.

It was then that I realized my mistake. That magnet would tell her it was definitely my car, and she was probably wondering what the heck I was doing parked on her street this early in the morning.

She knocked again.

"Noah. Are you in there?"

My heart thundered in my ears. She wasn't leaving. Was she going to stay out there until I came out?

If the windows weren't crystallized right now I would have just turned on my car, slid over the center console, and drove away. But I couldn't see a thing.

The handle on the passenger side creaked like she was lifting it, the frozen seal cracking.

Didn’t I lock that?

But then the door opened the rest of the way, and I came face to face with a very worried-looking Lexi. She wore her gray thick coat with the furry hood pulled over her head, and her hazel eyes were wide behind her glasses.

"Noah!" She put her hand to her chest. "What are you doing in here?"

Her eyes traveled from my face to take in the rest of me.

"You're sleeping in your car?"

I pursed my lips and tried to decide what I was supposed to do. Should I just shut the door on her and actually lock it this time? Or tell her the truth?

Run, talk, run, talk?

I sighed and turned on the engine. It was freezing. Then I looked back to her and cleared my froggy throat. "I wanted to sleep near you after that awesome date we had last night."

---