Noelle

Chapter 5

I pause in front of the white door and force myself to take a deep breath before knocking firmly a few times. A second later it's pulled open to reveal someone that I could've gone without seeing today. It's already been a rough one as it is.

"What?" she snaps in that all too familiar tone.

I clench my jaw but stand firm, holding my ground. I've decided that I will not be pushed around by this woman, or anyone else. I'm done being a puppet. "I picked up the things on your list, but this is the last time I'm doing this. You haven't paid me back for anything and you are very disrespectful."

Ms. Greta purses her lips, a scowl twisting her features. "What's wrong with helping out a neighbor? It's not like you've got anything better to do."

I decide to ignore her last comment. "I don't have an issue with helping you out. But I won't do it if you're going to be so damn nasty about it. If you weren't so rude to me I wouldn't even have so much of a problem with you never paying me back," I say, pushing the plastic bag into the older woman's arms.

"What do you know? Have those people been telling you things? Yes, I've heard about you spending time in that dump. They're liars! You just mark my words."

I meet her penetrating gaze with a hard look of my own. "Why do you dislike them so much?"

Ms. Greta spits on the ground. "Those fools? They think themselves above everyone else," she snarls venomously. "Have you seen them act kindly towards anyone in this town?"

As it turns out, I haven't seen them at all save for the past Friday at Eli's, which wasn't the most pleasant experience. Still, though, I can't see them speaking out against people in town. They seem more likely to ignore everyone than anything.

Ms. Greta raises an eyebrow. "They're nothing but bad news."

•••

With my back to the TV that drones on quietly in the background, I curl up in the window seat in my bedroom. The leaves have completely fallen as November has crept in, and I can't believe that in a few weeks Thanksgiving will be upon us. It will be my first Thanksgiving away from home.

My heart aches at the thought of spending the holidays alone. I've always had at least my mother. Granted, she does make things more difficult than they have to be, but it was always nice to be with someone during a time that everyone else seems to spend surrounded by people.

West told me that the best part of the holiday season is having all of his family and friends over to share dinner and stories. I imagine, for just one moment, that he cares for me enough to call me a friend. That the people around him like me.

And then I imagine that my mother misses me and asks me to come home. She still has my number, but she never calls. I know that this is a good thing. It's what I wanted; needed even. Still, some small part of me thought leaving would make her care more.

I grimace at the absurdity of that thought. She doesn't care one way or another what I'm doing, and I refuse to allow myself to believe in things that are not real.

West has asked me to come back to Eli's for dinner. His reasoning is that several weeks have passed and he's had the chance to talk to his friends. He wants me to give them a second chance.

I know he's desperate for things to work between us, because he can't choose between the people he's known forever and the girl he met less than a month ago. He will always choose them, and I understand. I would choose them too. But the fact that he is still trying to make it work tells me that he cares at least a little bit.

I've been mulling over the idea all week and Friday is quickly approaching. I need to decide if I am going to get in my car and face them again or stay at home and hide. I'm good at hiding.