Midnight Love || ✔️

11:47 pm

x | | ten

n o a h ' s p o v

NOAH HUGO hadn't talked to Ella Ali in almost four days when his phone rang, and her name popped on his screen. He instantly knew something was different with this call from all the other texts she sent that he ignored. Ella almost never called, and she expressed her views on the awkwardness of being the one to call instead of just text to make sure the person was in a good place to call.

Noah had laughed at that, and thought how sweet it was that that was something she cared about. But he didn't tell her that.

He never told her most of the thoughts he had of her.

Noah felt like a jerk for ignoring her texts. He was a jerk for ignoring her texts. His reasons didn't justify his actions but every time he picked up his phone, his thumbs refused to type out a response. He would stare at her words for too long and then exit the app, flinging his phone away from him.

But he couldn't ignore her call.

"He—" he started but was interrupted by Ella.

"Oh, thank God you answered," she said. Noah straightened from his seat on the couch at the sound of her voice, breathless and like she was running. There was . . . fear? It was laced through her words, sending fear slithering through his own chest.

"Ella? What's wrong?" he asked. His heart started beating fast. He had a very bad feeling about this.

"Noah," she gasped out. "I need help. I'm being chased by someone and I need help. Can you please drive to the Walmart at RioCan? I'll meet you there. Please hurry."

Noah was already on his feet, grabbing his keys, jacket, and slipping on his shoes. "Why are you being chased? Ella, what happened?"

"It's a long story," she said and she choked on a sob. The sound shredded Noah's heart.

"Okay, stay on the phone, alright? I'm getting in my car," Noah put his phone on speaker and in the cup holder, starting his car and reversing out of the driveway quickly.

"Please, hurry," she said.

"Okay," Noah said. In that instance he remembered when he called her to distract himself from his parents' fighting. He had to do the same to her. "My mom tried to make a pumpkin pie today. It didn't work," he started. "She's an awful baker. She can make a great turkey, but ask her to bake anything and it'll most likely not work. I went and bought one of those store bought pies, but they're not the same as homemade. My aunt usually makes them, but she just had a baby a couple months ago and couldn't come from Oshawa to spend thanksgiving with us," and so Noah continued for the minutes it took him to reach the Walmart. He asked her where she was and she told him to just go out front and he did. He left the doors open and she got in, shaking and gasping for breath.

Ella looked behind her, her eyes terrified and said, "Drive faster. Please, get me out of here," she said. Noah didn't question, and just did what she said.

◯●◯●◯●◯

"Can you please just cover for me?" Ella said into her phone. "Rose, please, just—" she paused to listen a bit before sighing. "I had a thing, Rose. It happened. I had to get out. Can you just cover for me? Most won't even notice, they'll be too drunk," she listened to something before nodding and saying her goodbyes.