Our indelible pasts|✔

sixty three - kiana

"I FORGOT HOW much this used to help." I smile as I highlight over some notes.

"What helps?"

"Studying together."

Studying psychology with Kayden always helps considering that I'm barely ever able to pay attention when it's Professor Chester's classes. Kayden makes good notes which of course come in handy.

"Oh. Yeah, it does." Kayden says. "We would have done it a lot more if you didn't disappear on me."

"I was only gone for a weekend." I laugh before taking a sip of my mocha.

"Yeah, but you've just been off since you got back." As he says that, I feel his eyes on me, and I avoid them.

I can't help but feel guilty, knowing I practically ghosted him a while before I left. I shut myself off emotionally with no warning whatsoever.

I'm the worst friend anyone could ever wish for, I know.

"It was my sister's death anniversary over the weekend." I explain after a few moments of silence.

"Oh." He says lowly.

"Yeah, so it's been kind of hard to you know...bounce back."

"I didn't know. I'm so sorry." He tells me, voice thick with remorse.

"It's okay." A give him a small smile.

I'm about to change topic, wanting to talk about anything else when I lock eyes with Noah and Mason who just entered the café.

I shoot them a smile when they spot me and they quickly come over.

"Hey guys." I say as Mason stands behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Um this is Kayden, my friend."

"Hey." Kayden smiles at them.

"And Kayden, this is Mason and Noah." I point at them respectively.

"I had no idea you were capable of making friends." Mason says and I elbow him.

"I can guarantee you I've put more effort into this friendship than she ever has." Kayden says and both him and Mason laugh, but Noah stays quiet, a strange look on his face.

I wonder what that's about. I'll be sure to ask him about it later.

I roll my eyes at Kayden. "That is not true."

"I'm pretty sure it is. Anyway, seeing as you guys are actually being good students, we'll leave you to it."

"Yeah, we don't need any bad influences right now." I laugh.

"We're good students too, shut the fuck up." Mason lies as he starts to move away.

"Noah." I call out to him before they leave. "See you tonight?"

"Yeah." He answers coldly before leaving.

What is up with him?

"I didn't know you had friends up till a few minutes ago." Kayden teases and I roll my eyes at him.

"Oh, shut up." I smile.

***

"Noah was acting weird today." Mason says as he pops a bar of chocolate into his mouth.

I watch as Noah rolls his eyes at Mason and continues scrolling through my Netflix.

"Weird how?" Nia asks.

"We showed up at that café near the nursing building. What's it called?"

"Poppas?" Suggests Nia.

"Yeah, that one. So, Noah and I walk in and spot Kiana and this friend of hers, he's a guy." He whispers that last part and I roll my eyes. "So, we walk over to them to say hi, right? But Noah's suddenly mute and tense the entire time. Keep in mind, he was doing just fine before all that." Mason explains.

Personally confused myself, I look over at Noah wanting to understand.

"How's that weird?" Is all that Noah says.

"Kiana, you felt it too though, right?" Mason turns to me.

I shrug. "Yeah."

"See, it wasn't just me."

"What was that about, Noah?" Nia asks, a grin on her face.

"I think we all know the answer already actually." Mason laughs and I immediately realise where Nia and Mason's heads are at.

"Guys, really? Maybe he was just tired or something, I don't know." I defend Noah not wanting my head to go there as well.

"Yeah, I was. I just had the most draining maths class before that." Noah says, eyes glued to the screen.

Mason looks at Noah intently before giving in. "That sounds legit only because I was also in that stupid class, but I'm not letting this go."

"I know you're not." Noah says and Nia and I both laugh.

"You two will forever be at each other's throats, huh?" Nia smiles at the two of them.

"For as long as Mason keeps being stupid, yeah."

"And Noah's just a dick." Mason spits back, throwing an empty redbull can at Noah.

"You should both go to couple's therapy, it might work." Nia says and I burst out laughing as Mason and Noah divert their attention to my tv, choosing to ignore us.

Still not convinced about Noah's strange behaviour, I decide that I'll ask him myself when we're next alone because he was acting strange, not tired.