Page 68 of Chasing Infinity

“Noah, I love you. You’re going to be fine.”

My lips turn up at her words, and I lean my head back against the trunk of the tree I’m resting against. For a moment, panic takes over my body. What if they can’t find me? What if this is it? Memories of my years with Addison flash behind my eyes, and regret for all the time that we’ve lost lingers deep in my bones. Before I completely lose consciousness, I helplessly whisper her name one more time, like a prayer.

“Parks—”

I love you.

PartTwo

Then

I wish I’d done everything on earth with you.

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

* * *

Chapter 18

Noah & Addison

Noah - Age -12

“Parks?” the teacher calls out to the room. “Addison Parks?”

I look up from the piece of math homework I’ve been working on. I’m right in the middle of trying to solve one of those stupid multiplication problems with different steps. No matter how much I practice or study, math is never my best subject. I still get good grades, but I’m not as confident in that class as I am in others.

I turn away from my homework to look at my friend, Caleb Lauder, sitting at the table next to me. He raises his eyebrow in a silent question. Who the heck is our teacher talking about? There is no one at this school named Parks. Caleb shrugs his shoulders, dark eyes just as confused as mine.

“Here!” a girly voice chirps from the back of the room. The whole class turns in their seats to investigate the newcomer, including me.

She’s sitting in the back at a table with Eli Montgomery, who’s looking at her as if she’s one of his dumb comic book heroes, here to save the day. His puppy-dog gaze locks on the new girl. Her arm is straight up in the air, a wide toothy grin on her face.

I can’t keep my upper lip from curling at the sight of her. Her mousy-brown hair looks like it was an after thought, piled up into some kind of bird’s nest on top of her head. She looks like she walked here straight from an orphanage.

“Where did she come from?” I mutter to Caleb, not at all impressed with our new classmate.

“Beats me,” Caleb replies, his eyes still on the new girl. “I’ve never seen her before now.”

I stare at her for a second or two longer, watching as she drops her hand down from the roll-call. I frown as she turns back to Eli, giving him her full attention and talking enthusiastically about something or another.

“Looks like Monty’s got a new girlfriend, though. Hopefully, he won’t scare this one away,” Jordan Coldwell whispers with a laugh as he leans back in his chair from the position in front of Caleb and me. We both nod our heads in agreement.

“They look like they’re soulmates—a match made in heaven. I’m sure Eli’s already planning out the wedding,” I add in a jab. “Won’t that be the event of the century?”

“Maybe we should throw them a ceremony out at recess today,” Jordan says. “We could probably force one of the sixth graders to be the pastor.”

I roll my eyes at my friend’s dumb idea. “Don’t be an idiot, Jordan. We don’t have time for that. Recess today is already booked, remember?”

“What’s going on today?” Caleb asks.

“We have that HORSE tournament that we have to finish against Charlie and Wyatt. We’re going to pummel them into the ground. Show them that they can’t challenge us and get away with it.”

“Aren’t they winning, technically?” Jordan asks hesitantly.

I scowl at him, and he snaps his mouth shut. “They’re only one point ahead. We can still beat them.”

“Okay, whatever you say, Noah,” Jordan replies, picking up my pencil and going to fill out the rest of my math homework for me. I give him an appreciative nod and then recline in my chair, stretching my back out against the plastic. As our homeroom teacher continues to take the roll, I find myself getting curious about our newest classmate again. So while the other guys are still working on homework, I turn around slightly to get another glimpse.

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