Noah runs to the door and flings it open.
"What about my mom?" He asks with his voice cracking.
Christine walks in the room and sees me on the bed a look of surprise comes across her face.
"What you doing here, Lindsey?" She asks me. "I don't feel comfortable telling you about his mother.."
Noah turns around, locking eyes with me. His eyes are filled with a mix of sadness and hopefulness.
"Yeah I totally understand." I say as I walk to Noah, give him a small smile then leave.
My phone vibrates, it's a text from Morgan.
"Hey sorry I'm hanging out with Connor @ our cabin."
Okay then, I guess I'll go there then. Since there's nothing else to do.
"Lindsey! Hey where were you?" Morgan asks me when I enter the cabin.
I glare at Connor as I sit next to Morgan on the floor. He looks down at the floor in embarrassment.
Morgan senses the tension between us, which always seems to be there, and tries changing the subject.
"So how was your day with Noah?" She asks me.
Could she have thought of a worse topic? Sometimes she's really a blonde. It's sad as dumb she can be sometimes.
"It was great. Until Eric called me saying Connor said something about Noah and I." Anger rising in my voice.
"I just-"
"You just what?! I was going to talk to him later! I didn't need you to fucking do it for me!"
"Lindsey I was-"
"You weren't doing anything! I can handle my relationship by myself!"
"I wanted him to know so you could just be happy with Noah." Connor eventually says.
"What are you talking about?" I sigh.
"I'm guessing that by the way you were acting with Noah then you didn't really have feelings for Eric."
"How would you know that?" I ask, getting kind of defensive.
"I don't but if you really liked Eric then you wouldn't have kissed him."
"Well I didn't." I murmur.
At first I thought I did. but as our relationship moved along I felt less and less connection between us. It's not my fault that there was nothing between us. Even he said he might want to take a break soon.
"Honestly I wanted you to be happy with just Noah rather than faking it with Eric and also having Noah."
" I wasn't going to "fake it" for long but thanks.. I guess."
Lucy smiles.
"Anyways It's 6 dinner should be ready at the cafeteria."
The 3 of us walk to the cafeteria, grab a plate of hotdogs and corn, then sit down at an empty table.
"Someone want my food?" I ask, pushing my plate forward.
Connor takes the hotdog but leaves the corn untouched.
I sit at the table awkwardly while Connor and Morgan talk and laugh from across the table.
I cross my arms and lay my head down on the table. I'm starting to get a headache.
I feel a shift in the bench I'm sitting on, I lift my head and see Noah with his head down on the table, sitting as I just was.
I sit up completely, gently place my hand on his back, and slowly rub it.
Whatever Christine said about his mom really must've bummed him out. This time though I think I don't want to ask about it. This seems overly private.
Morgan and Connor sit in silence across the table, glancing from me to Noah and back. They get up and leave.
They probably felt awkward there since they didn't know what was going on. Neither do I but I need to stay.
"Noah?" I ask still gently rubbing his back. "How are you feeling?"
He shrugs but doesn't say anything.
"You gotta talk to me Noah."
He shrugs.
"Do you want me to leave?"
He shrugs so I start to get up but he grabs my arm with with one his hands.
His head remains down. I take his hand in my mine and hold it in my lap. Then rest my head on his upper arm.
"Come on let's go back to the cabin and talk." I say.
"Shes still in there." Noah whispers.
"Let's go to the dock then?"
"Sure."
"Alright." I say.
I stand up, pull him up by the hand, and drag him along. He slumps slowly behind me.
"Pick up the pace slow poke ." I joke.
He stops walking, I still have a hold of his hand so I try tugging him behind me. He pulls me back and embraces me in a hug. A tight hug. It's like one of those hugs you give your best friend before they move. I wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me as close as he can with his arms around my lower back.
"My mom committed suicide." He whispers to me.
I'm speechless. I couldn't imagine my mom leaving and then years later killing herself.
"I'm leaving camp for the funeral." He whispers.
"When?"
"In a week." He replies.
"I'm gonna miss you Noah." I whisper.
"But take as much time as you need."
His hug becomes tighter, "I'll miss you too."
