Who Killed Noah Cohen?

01

Tuesday 13th November 2018

08:04 am

I hear distant ringing, resulting for a groan to escape my mouth once I realize that the ringing is coming from my phone.

I try opening my eyes slowly, but the bright light blinds me causing me to shut my eyelids back quickly.

Why in the name of God didn't I shut the curtains last night?!

After a couple more tries, I finally managed to open my eyes successfully. I reach for my still ringing phone from my bedside table.

Who the hell calls someone at eight in the morning?! Especially if it's an unknown number..

I push aside my bitterness, and answer.

"Hello?"

Okay, so an unknown number calls at an ungodly hour just to breathe?

"Hello?" I repeat a little louder; just in case the person on the other side didn't catch the first hello, but once again I don't receive an answer.

Anger starts boiling within me.

"Who is this?!"

But is it anger or fear?

The only thing I was hearing was my very loud heartbeat, and I gulped debating whether or not to ask the next question.

I hesitantly opened my mouth, "N-noah?"

My voice was barely audible, yet immediately the other person hung up, leaving me alone with my thoughts in a room that was more small now than it's ever been.

Could it be?

The thought itself made my palms sweaty.

Could it be the only person who should have been chasing me like crazy for the past two months, but didn't once reach out?

Thoughtlessly, I found myself dialing Conner's number, and once he picked up- yawning- I broke down.

08:56 am

Conner drove all the way to mine even though he was asleep when I reached out to him. I was beyond thankful he was willing to do this just to listen to me finally opening up about what went down between Noah, and I.

He was silent. Too silent.

I know he was trying to absorb the new information provided to him, but I needed to hear him.

Hear him yell at me for not listening to his warnings in the beginning. Hear him yell at me for not calling him back when I received his voice mails because Noah told me not to talk to him. Hear him yell at me for letting Noah take over my life, and hide me from the world for himself.

I watched pain dance in Conner's blue eyes, as he opened him mouth to talk, but shut it quickly.

"I am sorry.."

Conner's eyes widen before he quickly gets up from the couch across mine, and gets on his knees in front of me.

"No, Charlie, no! Whatever rules Noah made you stick to are wrong! You have nothing to be sorry for." His hand cupped my right cheek. "I am sorry," He sucks in a deep breath. "for not noticing. For feeling offended, and leaving you instead of catching on, and helping you out."

We stay silent for a while 

"Charlie, I don't think you are safe here.." Conner took a seat close beside me instead of his previous seat opposite me. "Noah knows where your sister lives, and he probably knows that you would stay at hers until you can move out on your own."

"He knew that for the past two months and he didn't make a move, I think this means he is not interested in me anymore. And maybe it wasn't even him this morning."

"Maybe the reason why he hasn't attacked earlier is because he was planning." Conner says slowly, watching my face warily.

"You make him sound like an animal, Conner! He wouldn't hurt me or 'attack' me." I roll my eyes at his silliness.

"Why are we acting like this is a different Noah than the one who broke your ribs?"

I flinch. "Too harsh, Conner."

"Sorry, but I have to remind you, Charlie. You seem to keep forgetting, and letting your heart reach for him. We can't have that happen, we need to remember how many times you've suffered for choosing to love him." 

Conner takes my hand in his, and squeezes it.

"Thank you. For everything really, from coming here so quickly so early, to listening to me, to forgiving me, and for helping me. I love you so much." I watch as he gives me a sad smile, before hugging me tightly.

"Me too. More than you can imagine."

We stay like that for a good minute before Conner breaks the comforting hug with a serious face.

"As I was saying, I don't think it's safe here, and you have two options. Either stay in a hotel for a couple of days until we are sure you are safe, or come stay at mine for as long as you want."

I know staying with Conner makes more sense for so many reasons. A chance for us to catch up, cheaper because I am financially unstable at the moment, and Noah has no idea where he lives.

"Before you say no to staying at mine, you should consider that it makes more sense to stay at mine because I am sick than just staying at a hotel. I am speaking from your sister's side of course." He raises his hands in surrender with a sloppy smile on his face.

I bite my lip for a second. "Well, I might just save you the begging and say yes now, but I am not leaving until something else happens."

Conner frowns in confusion, "I don't understand?"

"I mean if I receive another call or something more serious I will leave, but if nothing happens then this was all a big misunderstanding, and Noah is probably over me or maybe even dead."

"But, Charlie! What if he doesn't call again, and just barges in through the door and kidnaps you or even kill you?!" Conner exclaims.

"At least lets give it two more days. If anything fishy happens I will be at yours immediately." I roll my eyes when his narrowed eyes don't change. "I promise!"

He lets out a long, unhappy sigh. "I will be here everyday just in case." He gets up, "and just know, I don't approve of your stay here." 

I chuckle, "Just admit, you just want me to stay at yours. You probably don't care if Noah attacks or not."

"Ouch, I should have known you thought so low of me! Why would I want you to be at mine everyday when I will already be at yours everyday?!"

I know I look like an idiot smiling so hard, but I just miss human contact. Noah was the only human I talked for more than thirty minutes. He only talked about how much he loved me when he was drunk which was most of the time.

When he wasn't drunk he only apologized.

"I will go buy some snacks for us, and change out of my pjs, and be back." He snaps me out of my thoughts, and opens the front door. "Oh, right! Do you still eat blueberry pancakes or did you finally admit chocolate rules?"

"Why would you ever think I would prefer chocolate over the blue heavens?" I arch an eyebrow, and he rolls his eyes.

"Tasteless." He mutters under his breath, shutting the door behind him.

"Basic!" I yell, praying he heard me.