FOUND |✔️

7.

✱

N O E L

"You're moving out of my room as of tonight. You're grown enough to take the nights alone."

Were the drums of my ears malfunctioning? Or the cortex of my brain had just misinterpreted what was heard? Confusion could solely wring in my head, a diverse novelty to understand why...just why was he saying this? I recalled the embarrassing things I had done earlier today—reading my protector's books— and I could only feel stupid when the answer was clear as to why he would make such a suggestion. No, it wasn't a suggestion, it was an order, one I needed to follow, I had no choice or wording in the matter.

I felt so hurt, so annoyingly hurt. My chest began to burn a hot emotion igniting a big lump in my throat. The embarrassment wouldn't leave, it was raining exhaustingly hard on me.

"I know you did a good job today, and I acknowledge that. But your previous deeds couldn't just be forgiven and forgotten without a punishment. So, you must take the nights alone from now on," Devin ate his last piece of bread, gulping down his water.

"W-Was what I did so bad?" I whispered out, the situation seemed unfair in my head. I just can't blame myself when a bit of curiosity takes over. If he really wanted to keep the books away, then he should've hid them from me!

"I won't answer any of your questions, this conversation is over. Goodnight." My protector stood, taking one last gulp from his cup. I sat on my stool watching him collect his own plate from the table as he wiped his mouth. Devin went straight to the kitchen to clean up. I just watched him from the distance, still processing my thoughts and the other adverse emotions that kept piling in my guts.

Devin finished up before he turned to me, the fire torch adding a faint warmth to his skin. His eyes were on me once again, he must have noticed I stopped eating. I didn't want to look at him, I couldn't because I was unhappy, my protector had just excused me without hearing my side, without even understanding me. I couldn't blame him because I was partly at fault, I told him it was nothing earlier but could he really believe that with no single doubt?

A sigh went passed his lips making me look up at him, maybe he began regretting what he said, maybe he wanted to tell me to follow him to bed...maybe—

"Noel, you need to start acting like an adult." My protector's words felt like a serpent goring its fangs into my neck, I swallowed the last build of saliva in my mouth. Disappointment.

Delulu at its finest. Bravo.

And just like that, he walked into his own room, the wooden door making a creaking sound before he shut it. Silence crept towards me, leaving me with a bunch of indecisive thoughts.

I guess it's me and the couch tonight...and all other nights in the future.

***

"I have a junior sister around your age, maybe I could bring her over so the both of you can talk. You're giving me the uncomfortable eyes, Noel." Hadley wouldn't stop talking to me, his Irish accent just kept ringing in my ears like the huge bells in Rivdin Chapel. He kept mentioning how pretty I was and he wouldn't stop giving flirty remarks. I didn't even understand some of the slang he used—goddamn, fuck? What in the world is that supposed to mean? Who is god damning?