Page 122 of Echoes of Us

“That’s not…” I tried, glancing at Colin. “It was a Christmas present.”

“You like to stay in, I know you do, and he has you going from party to party, drinking and smoking, and now this. You never hang out with us. You take him to class. You practically have to ask permission to breathe without him,” he continued.

“He’s just going through something.”

“Yeah, he is. He’s going through a drug addiction. You, Atticus King, are in a relationship with a drug addict. What do you think your parents would say about that? Your mom?”

“Noah’s not a drug addict,” I said almost reflexively.

Ezra gave Colin an exasperated look, then turned back to me. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he asked, incredulous. “Att, he’s a drug addict. Noah’s addicted to drugs. That’s quite literally the definition of a drug addict.”

“He stopped.”

“No, hetoldyou he stopped. That’s very different,” Ezra countered.

A knot tightened in my stomach. “He stopped. He wouldn’t lie to me about that,” I said, looking at Colin for support.

He gave me a pained look, like he wanted to disagree but couldn’t bring himself to.

“Because he’s been so honest about everything else? Did he tell you he flunked out? That that’s the real reason he can’t join the team? Because he’s not allowed to?” Ezra asked.

My heart sank. I had no idea about that. I never asked Noah about his classes or heard him talk about them or go to them. The only school-related activity I had seen him at was training and the courses he had joined me in.

“Is that true?” I asked Colin.

He took a deep breath, looking away, nodding.

Fuck.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to be happy,” Ezra continued. “I just don’t think Noah will make you happy, not in the long run. I think he’s going to destroy you, and it’s horrible to sit and watch as he gets his claws deeper into you. You’ve slept with him, right?” he asked bluntly.

My eyes flickered to my feet, shame creeping over me.

“I’d bet good money that he pushed you into that too.”

“I think that’s enough,” Colin said.

Ezra raised his hands in surrender. “I said what needed to be said. I’ll be around when he fucks up,” Ezra told me, turning and walking away.

I turned to Colin. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Att, I thought you knew. Ezra told me Noah went to your house after Christmas, and I found out about it then. I figured that’s why he left. I knew he had a huge fight with his mom over it.”

I shut my eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to steady myself. I didn’t know about that either. “He’s lying to me,” I said quietly, feeling my heart shatter. If he didn’t tell me about this, how many other things was he hiding? I didn’t even know what they were talking about—the things Ezra said about Noah’s family, about his dad.

“He’s like that. Noah doesn’t like sharing what’s wrong with him. He’s used to pretending everything is fine. He’s been like this forever, Att. He probably doesn’t want you to be disappointed in him,” Colin explained.

That didn’t make it any better. We were supposed to be over that. He was supposed to be telling me what was going on.

“What did Ezra mean about Noah’s dad?” I asked.

Colin sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Att, come over to the house later, okay? I swear I’ll tell you everything Iknow in the afternoon, or if you want, tomorrow. I told you I’d help you figure it out, and I will, I promise, but please come over without Noah so that we can talk.”

“Okay,” I agreed, and he breathed out, relieved.

“I’m going to go catch up to him.” Colin glanced back in the direction Ezra had taken. “Or do you want me to stay? I can stay if you want me to.”

“No, it’s okay. Go after him. I’m going to get Noah to leave.”

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