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“I’ll see you later.” I gave him a weak smile and took off across the lawn, trying to swallow down the ball of emotion lodged in my throat.
CHAPTER 26
NOAH
Noah: Favorite animal?
I glanced up at the professor, checking that the coast was clear, and hit send. Her reply was almost instant.
Aurora: Dog. They’re so loyal and intelligent and cuddly. You?
Noah: I’m not really an animal guy but if I had to pick, I’d say dog. They’re so loyal and intelligent and cuddly.
Aurora: Are you mocking me?
Noah: I would never! Favorite snack?
Aurora: It’s a toss-up between sushi and zucchini fries.
Noah: Firstly, zucchini fries is not a snack, it’s a vegetable parading as a tasty snack and secondly, sushi is a crime against humanity.
Aurora: It’s delicious. You should try it sometime.
Noah: What will you give me in return?
Aurora: That’s not the game, Noah. You’re supposed to want to try the sushi for your own personal growth. Not because I’m giving you something as a reward.
My mouth twitched. Fuck, I liked her like this. Sassy and sarcastic.
Noah: But rewards are so much fun.
Aurora: Go away, Holden. I’m in class and you’re distracting me.
It felt good to know I was distracting her—the way she always distracted me. But it no longer felt like a bad thing. After a few texts back and forth, Aurora had managed to erase my bad mood. I craved her replies, the next snarky thing she might say.
I was so fucking gone for this girl, and there was every chance she wouldn’t let me back in.
No. I refused to believe that. Because we had something. I didn’t know what it was or how it was going to play out, but I sure as fuck wanted to find out.
“Hey,” Sam slid into the booth I’d managed to grab at the coffee shop. “What’s up?”
Irritation rippled through me, but I kept my cool. “Did you talk to Aurora yesterday?”
“She told you.” Her expression fell flat.
“In not so many words, yeah.”
“I don’t know what the big deal is. I suggested we hang out. If she’s going to be around—”
“What are you doing?”
“Excuse me?”
I inhaled a thin breath, dragging a hand down my face. This could go one of two ways, and maybe the easiest option was to leave it. But I needed to show Aurora that I was on her side.
That I could change.
“What are you doing, Sam? The break-in, turning up at my class, offering to tutor me. I want to believe you’re just being a good friend, but I can’t shake the feeling this is all leading somewhere.”
