Better Beginnings 💞

22 - Strained Relations ( Noah's POV )

As Sadie and I strategically planned our visit to my house, we anticipated Adelaide's presence. When we arrived, I feigned surprise at finding Adelaide at home. She shot me a skeptical glance before approaching Sadie.

"Hey, Sadie," Adelaide greeted, her tone laced with disdain. "What brings you here today?"

I cleared my throat, intervening before things escalated. "Adelaide, this is Sadie. We're just here to catch up and spend some time together," I explained, trying to diffuse the tension.

Adelaide rolled her eyes, her skepticism evident. "Right, because you two are just the best of friends," she remarked sarcastically, crossing her arms.

Sadie maintained her composure, offering a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Adelaide. Noah speaks highly of you," she said diplomatically, extending her hand.

Adelaide hesitated for a moment before reluctantly shaking Sadie's hand. "Sure, whatever," she muttered dismissively, before turning her attention back to me. "Noah, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I exchanged a knowing glance with Sadie before nodding, silently signaling for her to wait. As I followed Adelaide into the other room, I couldn't help but wonder what she wanted to discuss.

As Adelaide questioned my motives, her tone dripping with skepticism, I struggled to find the right words to explain. "Sadie is here because... because she's my girlfriend," I stammered, feeling the weight of Adelaide's incredulous gaze.

Adelaide's eyes widened in disbelief, her expression incredulous. "Your girlfriend? Since when?" she demanded, her voice rising with indignation.

I shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, acutely aware of the tension building between us. "Since... since a while now," I replied vaguely, avoiding her gaze.

Adelaide scoffed, her disbelief turning into frustration. "Oh, come on, Noah. You expect me to believe that you suddenly have a girlfriend out of nowhere?" she retorted, her tone bordering on accusatory.

I bristled at her skepticism, feeling defensive. "It's not sudden, Adelaide. Sadie and I have been spending a lot of time together lately, and we realized that we have feelings for each other," I explained, trying to reason with her.

Adelaide shook her head in disbelief, her frustration evident. "And you expect Mom to believe that too? That you magically found a girlfriend just to impress her?" she shot back, her tone tinged with scorn.

I felt a surge of frustration bubbling up inside me, the tension between us reaching its breaking point. "This isn't about impressing Mom, Adelaide. Sadie and I genuinely care about each other," I insisted, my voice tinged with frustration.

Adelaide's eyes narrowed skeptically, her expression hardening. "Right, because that's what this is all about, isn't it? You just can't stand being overshadowed by Mom's constant attention to her work, so you have to find some way to get her attention back on you," she accused, her tone biting.

I felt a pang of guilt gnawing at me as Adelaide's words hit home. Deep down, I knew she was right. But I couldn't admit it, not even to myself. Instead, I lashed out defensively, the frustration and resentment bubbling over. "You don't know anything, Adelaide. This is about me and Sadie, not Mom," I retorted, my voice laced with bitterness.

Adelaide shook her head in exasperation, her frustration evident. "Fine, Noah. Believe what you want. But don't expect me to buy into your little charade," she snapped.

As Adelaide stormed out of the room, I felt a surge of frustration and helplessness wash over me. I knew I had to follow her, to try and reason with her, to make her understand. But as I stepped into the hallway, Adelaide's accusing gaze fell upon Sadie, and I knew that things were about to escalate.