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I couldn’t do it.
All week, I tried—and failed—to text Noah to ask him to meet me. It might have had something to do with the fact that every time I saw him around campus, there was always a puck bunny, or three, hot on his tail.
Beyond a polite hello or smile, he never engaged them, but they were a permanent reminder of what life with Noah Holden would be like.
I’d been that girl before. Did I really want to subject myself to the scrutiny and judgment again?
But Harper was right. I didn’t want to stand in the shadows while life passed me by, either.
God, I was a mess.
So I did what I did best. I threw myself into my studies and lost myself between the pages of Austen and Brontë, Hardy and Eliot. I fell in love with Edmund Bertram all over again.
But something was missing.
Noah’s cocky charm, his teasing, and his humor had left a hole that no fictional character could replace. Because I realized now Noah had done something no one else ever had, not even Ben.
He’d made me laugh.
And for the stolen moments we’d shared, he’d made me love myself. He’d unlocked a part of me that I thought I’d lost forever.
And I was determined to hold on to her. To let her flourish and grow and live.
“Rory, wait up.”
I turned to find Ella hurrying toward me. “Oh hey, how are you?”
“I’m good, thanks. You?”
“I’m okay.”
“Jordan said the two of you hung out last night.”
“We did. We’re going to meet again soon.”
We’d met at Zest and talked about everything and nothing. It felt good to talk to someone who knew what it was like to live with an eating disorder. Who knew what it was like to constantly battle your own mind.
“Good, that’s… good. Are you coming to the game Friday?”
“Austin got Harper and me tickets, but I’m not sure yet.”
“You should be there.”
I gave her a small nod. “How is he?”
“Miserable. But it’s the first game of the season, so he’s focused on that.”
“Of course.”
“Listen, Aurora, I know I was always against the idea of the two of you—”
“You don’t need to do this, El.”
“Yeah, I think I do.” Guilt shone in her eyes, making my stomach dip. “He came to see us.”
“Noah?”
She nodded. “The day after the two of you… you know, spent the night together.”
