Page 74 of Chasing Infinity

I would never outwardly admit it to anyone, but she hit a nerve today. I don’t need her sniffing around in something that doesn’t concern her. The more I sit here and think about it, the more irritated I get. I decide that I need to make sure that she knows my business is just that—my business. I don’t have time to put up with her fake attempt at concern. Not if she’s just going to turn around and use it against me. I need to make sure she knows she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

Later, when I make it to the cafeteria for lunch, I spot Parks across the room, and I frown in her direction. Of course, she’s talking to Charlie and Eli, sitting at a small table in the corner out of the way. I make my mind up then and there that we need to discuss what happened this morning with her. I had to put her in her place.

“Hey, do you want to go find a table, and I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute?” I ask Caleb and Jordan. They exchange a glance with each other but saunter off to find a table without any protest.

As soon as they’re gone, I stomp off towards where Parks and her boyfriends are sitting. She notices me coming and sits up straighter as I get closer. Her bushy eyebrows pull in tightly together, and she asks me outright, “What do you want, Noah?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Right now?”

“Yes, right now, Parks. Why else would I be over here?”

She rolls her eyes but looks at Charlie and Eli. “I’ll be right back, guys.”

Eli frowns. “Why are you going with him? What if he hurts you?”

I resist the urge to laugh out loud. Addison presses her lips together at her friend. “He’s not going to hurt me. We just have to talk about something.”

Pleased that she doesn’t put up a fight, I stalk out of the cafeteria and into the closest hallway, making sure there’s no one around who could eavesdrop on our conversation. I hear her light footsteps following me, and as soon as we’re far enough away from everyone else, I turn on her. Addison must’ve been expecting the attack. When I turn towards her, she’s got her arms crossed over her chest, looking at me as if she’s not the slightest bit impressed.

“What the heck was that this morning?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Noah. I didn’t do anything to you.”

“Yes, you did! You can’t just pretend like you know me or my family cause you don’t. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t go around just assuming things.”

Her eyebrows raise, and it suddenly all clicks together for her. “Noah, I was trying to benice. I didn’t mean anything—”

“Well, don’t. We’re not nice to each other. We have everything figured out, so don’t go and ruin it by being nice. You mind your business, I’ll mind mine, and we’ll go back to not liking each other. Got it?”

“I don’t know what your problem is.”

“My problem is that I like the way things are! I’m mean to you; you give it right back. I don’t want you to think that we’re friends or anything just because my parents forced me to eat a donut from your stupid little café.”

Addison drops her arms to her sides and glares at me. “Fine.”

“Fine,” I sneer back at her and turn on my toe, walking away from her.

“I hate you, Noah!” she hollers after me, not caring how her voice echoes off the lockers.

“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter to myself, not giving her the satisfaction of turning around. “Join the club.”

* * *

I wish I could say that that had been the end of it—and to my vast surprise, it is, regarding Addison. She leaves me alone for the better part of the year. However, with my father’s need to chase the campaign trail grow exponentially, so does his need to make sure that I stay in line. He watches me like a hawk at all hours of the day, making sure that I don’t do anything that might jeopardize his future career.

At school, I walk around worried that Addison might exact her revenge at some point. I’m constantly walking on glass at home to ensure I don’t do anything that could land a solid punch to my stomach in retribution, or another few hidings with his belt.

As things with my father grew worse, I wish that I could take the edge off by going back and forth with Addison. Though I would never admit it to anyone, I miss our banter. Where it was all a game before, now it feels like a necessity. I have all this pent-up energy from toeing the line with my father so religiously that I need to get it out one way or the other. But it never really works. Parks quickly picks up on my need to fight with her, so her guard is up anytime she is in my vicinity. She doesn’t engage with me like she had the year before. We slip right back into ignoring each other as much as possible.

It’s a double-edged sword. As much as I’m glad she’s staying out of my business and my life, sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake in running her off the way I did. But at this point, it doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. When at the crossroads, I made my decision, and now I’ve got to stick to it.

Chapter 20

Addison

Addison - Age 14

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