Trials {Editing}

Chapter 32

Noah's POV

I was sitting at the table with my friends when it happened. If I had seen her coming, I would have most definitely walked away before she had the chance to say a word to me. However, I was preoccupied arguing with Jeff when, all of a sudden, a pair of hands slammed down onto the table, making me jump a foot in the air. When I looked up and saw that blue pair of eyes, my heart started to beat uncontrollably. I wish it didn't; I hate her with a passion but I can't turn off the feelings she gives me. She caused my mother to die; she is the last person I want to see on this planet.

"Noah," Harper called out my name, setting off fireworks in my chest. Her voice sounded more angelic than ever. Even when it sounded shaky, as if she were about to burst into tears, I love the sound of it. I felt concern build inside of me, but I immediately shooed it away, reminding myself of what she's done to me and my family and half-listened to what she was saying.

"I understand that you blame me for your mother's death," she started out. I raised my eyebrows, unimpressed by her figuring out that much. "But it wasn't. My. Fault. It was an accident, and there was nothing I could have done no matter how much I wish I could have taken her place."

I felt something inside me when she stated that, but I shooed it away before I could find out what it was. She killed my mother. "Now, you have two options. Either you can sit here and pretend that you never knew of my existence and spend the rest of senior year- the rest of life, even- Harper free. I'll move away and never come back."

I felt something deep inside my chest at her words. She sounded like she was trying so hard to be strong, but her voice was starting to crack. Part of me didn't want her to go, but the rest of me said good riddance.

"Or," she continued. "You can meet me at the cafe tomorrow after school and talk things out. It's your decision. I'll be waiting for you there immediately after school, but if you're not there by four, I will turn in the last of my homework to my teachers, take my files, and leave. And I won't come back. Ever."

Without leaving me time to respond, Harper turned and ran out of the cafeteria, the girls right behind her. Only then, when my heart wasn't beating out of my chest anymore, did I realize that the entire cafeteria was silent. I looked around, and realized that some were staring at the doorway with sympathetic, almost broken, expressions and others were glaring, watching curiously, and whispering towards me. I turned and looked at my table, and saw Drake, Jace, Tom, Jeff, and Alex all staring at me. Once the cafeteria had returned to normal, they all began to lean in and talk to me.

"What are you going to do?" Drake asked. I shrugged and lifted a fork of mashed potatoes. "Nothing," I said before shoving the food into my mouth. Jeff looked at me incredulously.

"Are you serious?" Jeff said, anger flaring in his eyes. "You've loved her for years, and not too long ago did everything in your power to win her back after you screwed up big time. She's been more forgiving than any girl has ever been, and felt absolutely horrible after your mom died. She cried in her room for days, Noah. And she risked being a public spectacle in order to get you to work things out for her, being willing to move to god knows where and you won't even try to work things out?"

"This is my life, not yours," I growled at Jeff. "You may want me to try and patch things up, but that's not what I want to do. Yes, I still somewhat love her, but I hate her even more. My mom is dead, and all because she couldn't look both ways before entering an intersection. So no, I will not meet with her. She could die, for all I care."

Jeff looked at me in disbelief, anger flaring on his face and radiating off of him. He stood from the table and stalked off in the same direction Harper went in. I looked back to my table, raising my eyebrows. Alex stared at me long and hard, then calmly stood up. "You're not the Noah I used to know," he said disappointedly before following Jeff. Tom stood up as well, walking along with Alex. Drake and Jace were the only ones left with me. I began to wonder if I really was being as ridiculous as they thought I was.