Starting the car, I pull onto the road and drive towards campus, thankful that this morning went off without a hitch and I can breathe a little easier, at least for the next month.
“Can I askyou a question?” Hannah says as I pull into the car park out the front of her dorm.
“Shoot.”
“Your dad mentioned your grandparents would be excited to meet your first girlfriend…” She trails off as if unsure how to finish.
Forcing a chuckle, I raise a brow. “I’m not a virgin if that’s what you’re asking.”
I had sex with a girl back in high school. It was awkward and clumsy, and not a very memorable experience.
Her cheeks flush. “No. Ugh. That’s not what I meant. I was just curious as towhyyou’ve never had a girlfriend. Sorry. Forget it. It’s none of my business.”
She moves to open the car door, but I put a hand out to stop her.
“I’ve just never met someone I felt like I could introduce to my dad.”
It’s not a lie. My only relationship was with someone I knew I couldn’t take home to meet him, and when we got caught… it ended in disaster.
“Oh. Okay.” She pauses. “I also noticed he didn’t mention your mum?”
My chest tightens. “She left when I was two. I haven’t seen her since.”
“I’m so sorry, Noah.”
“It’s fine. I don’t know any different.”
I brush Hannah’s hair behind her ear, feeling like a jerk when she closes her eyes. She may say she’s okay with this arrangement, but I need to be careful she doesn’t get the wrong idea or foster any hope that I’ll change my mind.
“If this is going to work,” I tell her, “we need to be completely honest with each other.” As honest as I can be, anyway.
Her eyes flutter open, and she exhales before nodding. “I know.”
“I appreciate your help with all of this more than you’ll ever know. But I don’t want a girlfriend right now, and that won’t change anytime soon. I need you to understand that and be okay with being my friend and nothing more, otherwise we need to stop this immediately and I’ll find another way to deal with my father.”
“I understand.”
“And if a nice guy happens to ask you out, I want you to say yes. I don’t want you putting your life on hold for me.”
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
She climbs out of the car but hesitates before closing the door. “See you in class tomorrow?”
I smile. “Save me a seat.”
Chapter 12
Zac
Our winning streak continues with an away win against Coleridge and a home win against Stanley University. Noah hasn’t reverted to his arsehole self, but he’s avoided me since the run-in with that man in the car park after the Macquarie game. It was his dad, I think. If that’s how the man treats him in public, I shudder to think what life was like at home.
I have so many questions, the first being why he would refer to my sister as my girlfriend. Unless he was referring to Jade, but I wouldn’t go there with Theo’s sister. Ever.
Seeing the way Noah’s dad grabbed him gives me a little insight into why he’s so intense. Not that I’m excusing his past behaviour—I haven’t done anything to deserve his vitriol, and while he’s acting indifferent around me now, I don’t trust him one bit.
We have an away game tonight, and because Westhope University is four and a half hours away, we’ll be staying overnight. I’m packing my overnight bag when Amelia flounces in and flops down on my bed with a huff.
