The Truth About Us [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twenty Two

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Standing at Noah's front door, my mind was reeling from meeting my birth father. I wanted so badly to be able to give him the benefit of the doubt, that he was a good man and he would have been a good father but I couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach. We were better off without him, but there was no going back.

I heard the door open and I spun around expecting it to be Noah but instead I came face to face with his mother.

"Hi hun, are you looking for Noah?" She smiled, holding the door open for me to come inside. I quickly nodded, biting my tongue so all of my emotions wouldn't just come spilling out on her floor. "He's up in his room, you can go on up. Though I'd tread lightly, it's been a rough one for him."

I nodded again, wondering if it was something with his father. He'd been my rock through my whole adoption discovery that deep down I welcomed the chance to be able to be there for him.

I stopped in front of his closed door and knocked lightly, my hand lingering on the white painted wood.

"Mom I told you, I just want to be left alone," he huffed. My heart broke hearing the pain behind his voice. I rubbed my hand against my chest, working up the courage to speak.

I took a deep breath, "Noah it's me, can I come in?"

Shuffling pulled me closer to the door and then I heard a soft, "Yeah, come in."

My hand shook as I turned the doorknob. I felt the door open beneath my fingertips and saw Noah standing on the other side. My eyes automatically cling to his bloodshot brown eyes, that were still lingering with tears and his disheveled hair. Seeing him like that made it feel like a hand had wrapped around my heart, keeping me stuck in place.

After Noah had comforted me so many times, I found myself scared to let his emotions in. Fear was draped over me like at any minute I'd come crumbling down and then what use would I be. Snap out of it Samara! I screamed at myself and forced myself to be the person I knew he needed.

I leaped toward him and wrapped my arms around his torso, running my fingers through his hair. Tears pool in my eyes as I felt his body melt into me; his head laid on my shoulder and his hands clenched in fists around my shirt. I let us stay there, but I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong and I kept assuming the worst.

He pulled back and wiped his hands across his eyes. Hesitantly I reached up and laid my hand on his cheek. "Noah, what happened?"

"My dad can be such a prick." Noah took a shaky breath and threw his head back in frustration. "He didn't even show up to the recital today! My sister has been practicing all year, how could he not show up for her? God, it's like the only person he cares about is himself. You should have seen the look on her face when she saw the empty seat beside my mom. She was so excited for him to see her dance. He couldn't even be bothered to go!"

I'd never seen him like this before, his emotions out of control. He was usually so calculated and thought out. He let out an exasperated huff and turned away from me, laying his fist into the wall. I stood my ground, watching his shoulders rise and fall before he faltered and leaned his forehead against the wall.

"Noah," I whispered and strode toward him, rubbing his back. My hand caressed his cheek as I turned him back around to face me. "I'm here, I've got you."

Even though his hands wrapped around my waist, I still felt like I was holding him up and keeping him steady. There was a funny tickle in my heart, knowing that I was needed.