Page 28 of Echoes of Us

But I could try.

“Yeah, we can forget about all of it,” I told him.

He laughed again, pleased. “Yeah? Are you going to have me at yours to play your stupid video games?”

I smiled. “Whenever you want, Noah.”

“That’s good to hear,” he said. “Very good to hear.”

CHAPTER

SIX

AFTER

Iwalked into our apartment, placed the keys by the door, stepped into my room, and checked my phone. I had missed calls from Colin and Ezra. Falling on the bed, I sighed.

So, he came back.

The initial shock was starting to wear off, along with the righteous indignation. I couldn’t keep clinging to the anger, even if it was all I had left of him. Noah was the most toxic person I had ever met, but he was also the person I had loved the most. The person who hurt me deeper than I ever thought possible. I knew he was messed up. I could see it much clearer now. Before, I couldn’t see past how much I wanted him to tell the difference between his truths and lies. I knew that so much of it had nothing to do with me, and I had ended up in the center of the hurricane that was his life. I had made peace with all these things, but I couldn’t do it while he was here looking at me.

I honestly thought I was over him, but seeing him again made me feel like I was back to square one. He looked so good, and I hated how much I thought so. I hated to admit how much I had missed him calling me Atty.

The door opened, and a second later, I knew they were both standing there, looking at me. I opened my eyes to see their matching, concerned faces.

“Mom, Dad, do we need to have the boundary conversation again?” I asked and they both smiled.

“Are you okay?” Ezra asked, sitting next to me on the bed.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m a little shocked, but I’m fine,” I told them.

“He wrote to me, but I saw it only a second before we walked in to see him,” Colin said.

“It’s fine, Col. You can talk to him,” I told him. “Did you? After I left?”

They shared a look.

“Yeah, he said he was sorry and just wanted a chance to say it to you, too, to explain himself,” Ezra said.

“Ezra told him to fuck off,” Colin said.

I smiled and sighed, then sat up on the bed. “What is he doing back here, do you know?” I asked Colin.

“He transferred back. He said he tried calling you,” Colin told me.

My heart jumped to my throat. I had a feeling it wasn’t just a visit. “I blocked him from my phone,” I told them.

“Smart,” Ezra said, nodding in approval.

“Are you going to talk to him?” Colin asked.

“I don’t think I can do it. It’s like, maybe getting answers would be nice, but I can’t see him. I honestly thought I was over him, but…” I let that word hang between us. They had seen enough to understand its significance.

“Just take your time,” Ezra said. It was funny how easily they slipped back into their overprotective roles when Noah showed up.

“Is Hank mad?” I asked.

“I think the whole team gets it, don’t worry,” Colin said.

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