“Careful, sunshine; don’t want to cause a scene, do you?”
He murmurs, and I huff in response.
“No, but you’re so dead.”
I shoot back, and he smirks. We sit through the rest of the play, hands still connected. Finally, when the performance wraps up, he releases my hand as we stand to applaud. As I stretch, I take the opportunity to hit him where it hurts, watching him grunt in pain and bend over slightly. The others glance our way, but Iplay it cool, pretending nothing happened. Serves him right, I think to myself.
“Mommy, mommy! How did I do?”
Aurora asks Lillian.
“Oh, you were amazing, my sweetheart!”
I watch them fawn over Aurora, feeling a familiar tug in my chest. My gaze drifts back to Noah as he interacts with her, and the way he lights up around her makes my heart flutter. His smile is almost too much to bear, knowing he could have my heart in an instant.
“What am I thinking?”
I murmur to myself, shaking my head. No, Noah is nothing to me; he never will be. As we head out to the cars, I wave goodbye to them. I steal a glance at Noah, who’s perched on his bike, staring at me. My heart races again as I climb into my car. Why does he keep looking at me like that? Not that it matters, I tell myself. I start the engine and drive off.
---- ??? ----
The next morning, I roll out of bed, ready to hit the pavement for a run. As I stroll down the stairs, earbuds in, lost in the beats of MICO, I pause at the door tolace up my shoes. That’s when a chill runs down my spine—something feels off. It’s like I can sense a pair of eyes boring into me. I instinctively reach for the knife strapped to my ankle, but before I can react, my hands are suddenly pinned behind my back.
“Now, sweetheart, you're losing your touch.”
I whirl around, and there stands my mom, grinning at me.
“Mom? What are you doing at home?”
I blurt out, wrapping my arms around her once she lets me go.
“Well, your birthday’s coming up in a few days, and I thought it’d be nice to throw you a party. What do you think?”
I want to say no, but there’s that look in her eyes—the one that sparkles when she’s really set on something. I can’t resist it.
“Sure, okay, what kind of party? Can I invite Lillian and Mary?”
She nods eagerly.
“Absolutely! It’ll be a masquerade—after all, you don’t turn 26 every day!”
I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. It’s rare for her to carve out time with her busy schedule, and this mustmean a lot to her. I watch her hop into her car, waving goodbye, and then I turn back, ready to start my run.
I really needed this run; it’s my way of escaping reality sometimes. While some folks find solace in books, writing, or other distractions, for me, it’s all about running. When I hit the pavement, I feel this incredible sense of freedom, like I finally have a grip on my life. I choose where I go and how long I stay out there. Plus, running clears my mind—it’s like a breath of fresh air for my thoughts.
As the wind rushes against my face, my watch buzzes, prompting me to slow down and check the notification.
Hey Sunshine.
I roll my eyes, regretting unblocking his number, but after that whole speech Lilly gave to Aurora about forgiveness, I felt compelled.
Hi yourself. Did you need something?
I type back, glancing up as the sky starts to darken. I turn to head home when another ping catches my attention.
I wanted to see if you’d like to grab dinner with me.
I read the message again, mulling it over for a moment. I can still picture Lillian’s intense gaze as she spoke to Aurora, and I let out a sigh.
