Trials {Editing}

Chapter 31

Harper's POV

~Three Weeks Later~

Kate, Jade, Jennifer and I all piled into the cafeteria at our own table. Jade was nice enough to carry my lunch tray for me, and Kate brought me iced tea from the vending machine. Jennifer popped out a mini pillow from her purse and set it on the table.

"Rest your arm on this," she commanded me. I shook my head. "Oh, Jennifer, that's so sweet of you, but I-"

"No buts," she interrupted me, a playful smile on her pink lips. "I want to help my crippled friend in any way I can, so you can't take that away from me. Now rest it."

I smiled appreciatively and thanked her, doing exactly as she said. When I had woken up in my room one day, only remembering falling asleep in Damon's car, I was surrounded by Kate, Jade, Jennifer, Damon, Jeff, Alex, and Connie. They all told me that I had faded in and out of consciousness for the past two days. Connie had gotten a doctor to take care of my injuries from the crash and I woke up with a tender left wrist in a cast. I went to school two days after that, and all the while these girls have been helping me with everything. Carrying books, getting through the halls... anything and everything you can think of. Eventually, they were even able to convince me that it wasn't really my fault. Sometimes I still felt like it was, but I had grown to accept it. I tried calling Noah once or twice, but it almost always went straight to voicemail. He really wants nothing to do with me.

Us girls all sat around and talked freely, not having to filter what we say because of nearby boys. I was having a lot of fun. But then, halfway through lunch, I saw Noah. He was sitting at his usual table with all the boys. I made eye contact with Jeff, who smiled at me, but he knew better than to wave with Noah right there. I looked down at the table, and I realized that this can't go on forever. I need a definitive answer from Noah, whether we are a couple or broken up; I need to know if he's willing to work through things or never wants to see my face again.

I looked up at the girls, and the minute they saw the expression on my face, they all grew silent. I took a deep breath to hold in the tears and told them of my plan to solve this thing with Noah. They all thought I was crazy, but in the end, they all agreed that it was a good plan. So I stood up, the girls following closely behind me. I charged straight towards Noah, not caring that I was wearing my emotions on my sleeve. When I reached him, I slammed my hands down onto the table, forgetting about my wrist. I bit my tongue to hold in the scream that threatened to escape and my eyes swelled up. I heard Jeff make a sound of sympathetic pain, knowing exactly what I just did. However, I was focused on Noah, and watched as he looked at me with mixed emotions. At first, he looked surprised, then his eyes began to dance and his lips quirked upwards until a shadow came over his face and it became stone cold.

"Noah," I called out his name, my voice shaky from holding in the tears that threatened to flow. By now, I couldn't tell if it was because I missed Noah or because of the pain in my wrist underneath the cast. I took a deep breath and continued on. "I understand that you blame me for your mother's death, 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 paused for a second, watching a flicker of emotion in Noah's eyes before returning to their callous state. "Now, you have two options," I continued. "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 my voice cracking, emotion slipping through my words. I knew I was going to break down any minute, but I needed to stay strong. I needed to finish this. "Or, 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."