Noah's Lifeline

No One's Lifeline

Author's spiel: Hope you had a good spooky season! Here's to a new month where I try to be more consistent hehe ! Btdubs - AHHHH 1K VOTES!!! I've been on here forever it feels like and I never thought anyone would actually read my work. Thank you all sm (:

Let me know when you peep that excerpt scene ......

(UNEDITED UNTIL 11/8/22)

Noah's POV

Even though I was physically there I may as well have been miles apart from the people I sat around the table with where my thoughts were concerned. As much as I tried to laugh and smile at the inside jokes I knew like the back of my head, I still felt lost in it.

Lost in time. Time I couldn't get back if I tried and I knew I wouldn't deserve it if the opportunity ever arose.

Today should've been one of the most joyous days of the year but I couldn't even pretend to put up with my family, not even for the Thanksgiving my mom had planned down to the second. I was sitting around a dinner table with people that suffocated me but there was nowhere else to go.

You made sure of that didn't you ?

"Oh cheer up, Noah. The least you could do is help your sister with cutting the pumpkin pie and playing it." My mom's nasally voice snapped. I looked up and rolled my eyes at her dramatic gesturing towards the kitchen.

"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted, Karolin." I shoved past her and Wolf, not looking back when she swore profusely.

Kaia was snickering with a large knife in her hand when I walked through the entryway. We were all wearing the same shade of forest green for the pictures mom and Aunt Bridgette had forced us to take when Thanksgiving brunch began.

Only Kaia had spiced it up with a copious amount of makeup and some bright lipstick I was sure she'd swapped from mom's stash, much to her chagrin. She was a free spirit that way, always having done what she wanted when she wanted to do it and holidays would never get in her way.

"You just had to piss on her parade didn't you big bro? Karolin? Really?" She was laughing through the serious mask she'd tried to put on which was classic Kaia Westwood behavior.

She was the fun loving one of the two kids Nathaniel Westwood had fathered but everyone knew Kaia was the more protective of the two of us. While dad never let her in the ring she would much sooner go toe to toe with any bully then I would growing up. A fierce heart and loud mouth, case in point.

"Shut up. Let's start playing before she comes back here with one of those oars Wolf likes to collect."

She laughed but didn't waste any time because Karolin would make good on her threats if this food want out soon : holiday be damned.

We were curing and playing in silence for all of two minutes when Kaia broke the silence with a dramatic sigh. I knew a lecture was coming when she stuck the sharpest part of the blade into the cutting board and turned towards me.

"I know my big brother which means I know when something is wrong. I know family isn't your thing but you haven't even tried tonight and that's not like you, Noah." I kept my gaze down knowing those blue eyes that mirrored my own were burning into my bicep right now.

I couldn't lie to my sister but I knew she'd get in my ass if I shared what was really wrong with me. She had more girl code than most her age and would choose Zahra over me in a heartbeat if I told her.

Zahra

Just the weight of her name made my chest feel heavy suddenly and I gripped the edge of the counter tightly. The marble began to crack with how much pressure I used but couldn't run from the tumultuous feelings that came with those particular five letters.