Three years after his mother's death, Noah Reed is lost once again. Unsure of where to go after running from his problems for so long, he ends up back home, wanting a place to finally settle down. He's ready to tie up loose ends and to try and corre...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I wait a month.
Some might say that's too much time to give someone space, others may say it's not enough. In response to that, I would have to say it was never my intention to give Blake space in the first place. For the past thirty days, I haven't been keeping my distance, waiting for her to call me to tell me if she wants me back or not. She made her decision to live her life separately from mine for a little while, and that was that.
But now it's time for me to make my decision. Which is exactly what I intend to do as I hop into my truck, knowing where I am going to end up before the thought of leaving even registers in my mind.
Night has fallen by now, turning the sky from a dark blue to a deep black. It's not too late, just a few minutes past ten, though it's probably considered too late to be doing something along the lines of what I am now. Yet I don't turn around, because I've done enough giving up in my lifetime already.
I don't stop driving until I end up parked in the lot that belongs to the apartment building of Jess and Blake's place. I have no clue what I'm going to say or do as I climb out of my truck, only knowing one thing for sure: I have to talk to Blake.
I don't think as I ascend the steps to the apartment, stopping once I reach the fourth floor. My feet absentmindedly lead me to the door marked 118. Standing in front of her door, I inhale a deep breath before knocking lightly, making my presence known before I can do something stupid like turn around and drive off as if I'd never been here at all.
I hold my breath as the sound of shuffling and footsteps takes place from behind the door, nerves beginning to eat at me. Maybe I wouldn't be so anxious if I had actually planned this visit, or if I had told Blake I was coming, or if the last time I saw Blake hadn't ended the way it did. Unfortunately, none of this happened, and I'm stuck having to nervously anticipate how this evening will play out.
Suddenly, the front door opens to reveal Blake herself. I study her for a moment. Not seeing her for a month has felt like an eternity. Her dirty blond waves are pulled up into a messy ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face. Her features are remarkably free of makeup, and I can just make out the light spray of freckles across her nose and cheekbones.
My gaze meets hers, finding her brown eyes full of curiosity and disbelief. Furrowing her eyebrows, Blake questions, "Noah? What are you doing here?"
"I have to ask you something," I mutter.
Blake tilts her head as she glances up at me, puzzled. "What's so important that means you couldn't have just called? You have to do this in person?"
"I know you don't want to see me," I mumble. "If I were you, I wouldn't want to see me, either. But I just . . . I need to know something, Blake."
Blake crosses her arms as she stands in the doorway, staring at me as if she thinks I'm crazy. She makes no effort to invite me inside. I get the feeling we're going to have this entire conversation standing by the door. I don't mind, so long as she doesn't slam it in my face.
