Page 25 of Aria

I was so taken aback by his presence, I could only gawk at him.

"Uh, can I come in?"

"No.I – I mean, sure.Um… what are you doing here?"Finding my footing, I stepped aside, allowing the musician to enter my apartment."You're the last person I expected to show up on my doorstep. Especially considering you had no idea where I lived."

He spared me a sheepish grin. "Devon had your address.”

"Why are you here?"

Noah shoved a hand into his back pocket and pulled out a familiar silver chain. "I found this in the hotel bed yesterday before I checked out. Since you were, unfortunately, the only girl I had in my room that night, I figured it might be yours."

I couldn't help the rosy stain from flooding my cheeks. "Uh, right. Yes, that’s mine… thank you.”

When I held out my hand, Noah dropped the delicate necklace into my palm. He fidgeted in the doorway, looking uncharacteristically nervous.

“So, what do you remember about that night?" he asked.

Confusion washed over me as I blinked at him. "I told you… I remember taking a bathroom break with the girls, dancing a little, um…" I trailed off when I noticed him shaking his head. "What? Is there something I should know?"

Noah scratched his jaw as he regarded me before pacing around the apartment. "I just meant… well, what do you remember after we got back to the hotel?"

It took a moment for his words to sink in.

And then my stomach coiled with dread.

My mind spun with different scenarios, none of them pretty, all of them humiliating.Most of them involving puke.Did I even want to know?

"I thought we already had this conversation. I don’t remember anything," I admitted, swallowing back the lump in my throat and monitoring his expression carefully.

Noah's face remained unreadable at first. Then the corner of his mouth curled into a familiar, taunting grin. "I could really have fun with this, you know."

"Noah, please.Just tell me." I paused to add, "And then shoot me."

He sighed, folding his arms."Okay, look.You told me things you probably wouldn't have told me if you were sober.Some pretty heavy stuff."

My blood swam with ice. My knees quivered as I lowered myself to the sofa. "Wh-what?"

"Well, we were having a rare bonding moment over French fries. They were great… you know, McDonalds. The best. You were doodling these little animal designs in the ketchup—cats, I think, or maybe hamsters. You said you had a cat, but you always wanted a hamster, so I can’t remember—”

“Noah,” I warned, waving him on to get to the point.

“And then you told me about your ex.”

I paled.

This wasn't happening. This couldn’t be happening.

Noah continued, the levity leaving him. "I'm, uh, not trying to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to apologize for being a dick to you and let you know your secrets are safe with me."

I tried to speak, but it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of my lungs.I was sick to my stomach, and all I could do was bow my head and try to hold back the tears.

Lisa had been the only person I’d trusted with my past. How could I have toldNoah?He was completely unworthy of knowing my dark secrets.

Andoh, were they dark.

"I – I don't know what to say.”

Noah appeared out of his element, fidgeting and rubbing the back of his neck. "We can… talk about it… if you want."

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