𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀

𝟎𝟓𝟐

"𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙵𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜"
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴' 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵
𝕥𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘

     A COLD, EMPTY FEELING. Noah's thoughts are racing, but there is no feeling.  A million thoughts trying to break through the numbness Noah is deploying in her mind and body.

It is strange to think that Noah has learned about half of her past.  Finally, an answer to the longing question; who is my mother?  The teen never knew that once she found out, it would destroy a piece of her.

Noah had been crying all night, but she fell asleep somewhere in the midst of her breakdown.

The teen sits up in bed and groans to herself.  Her duvet is on the floor, along with two of her pillows.  Her clothes from the night before are carelessly discarded on the floor along with her pajamas as she changes into her school uniform.

Noah leaves her room as it is.  She washes her face and quickly brushes her teeth before making her way downstairs, thankful that Emily has yet to come down yet.  The teen takes her opportunity and grabs her bookbag, heading out the front door.

Emily stops brushing her hair as she hears a door slam.  She walks out into her bedroom and peers across the hall, seeing Noah's bedroom door now wide open.  She had heard the teen getting ready, so she did not bother checking in on her.  Emily knows the teen needs to be left alone until she is ready to talk.

Emily finishes getting ready and makes her way to the kitchen.  She notices that the teen is nowhere to be found.  As Emily walks up to the front door, she sees that Noah's bookbag is gone.

"The death of me," Emily groans to herself and grabs her car keys.  She quickly grabs all her stuff and rushes off to the car.  Emily tosses her purse and work bag into the backseat and drives into town, hoping to find Noah along the way.

Emily approaches the school building and sees Noah walking up the sidewalk.  She has no idea how the teen made it there so fast, but she is just happy to see she is safe.  Noah seems to be rushing to get inside, so Emily decides not to stop her.

Noah bursts through the doors of the school and fast-walks to her class.  The walk to school was actually nice and refreshing, but the length of it almost made her late.

As Noah plops down in her seat, she pulls out her phone.  She unplugs her headphones and makes sure to silence her phone.  She opens a text from Emily, rolling her eyes at the message.

𝐞𝐦 <𝟑
We are having a very serious talk when we get
home tonight.

—
𝐞𝐦 <𝟑

We are having a very serious talk
when we get home tonight.

i felt like walking today

I don't care, Noah.  You don't
just leave the apartment without
saying anything.

i'm sorry

first time we talk since
last night and ur yelling at me

You walked away from our conversation
last night.  I was trying to talk
to you.

This is about being safe...you
scared the hell out of me.

jeez relax, i had my pepper spray