Moonshot - Marco Pena & Elle Evans

7: Numb

"What happened yesterday?"

I reluctantly ask Lee. We were spending time together studying as per our "Berkeley Pact". The question had been on my mind for the whole evening and day. I had promised myself to not ask, but curiosity got the best of me. It made no sense that Noah would come back from Boston, with Chloe, while they both had classes. It's not like you can miss class at Harvard. At least not in my mind.

"What do you mean yesterday?"
By the way he was avoiding my stare, I knew Lee was only pretending. He didn't want to have this conversation. He didn't want to tell me.

"You know what. Your brother coming home, all of a sudden."

Lee looked very embarrassed. He was still avoiding my eyes. He was nervous but it only made my desire to know grow. He sighed.

"I'm sorry Elle, I can't tell you."
"Why not? We tell each other everything."
"It's not for me to tell. I promised Noah."
"A hint maybe?"
"No"

Lee had never told me no so abruptly. I didn't want to create an argument and he clearly wouldn't tell me. And even if he would, it would be at the price of guilt towards his brother. I nodded.

"I understand. Sorry I asked."

He didn't reply. We went back to our books but the atmosphere became heavy between us. I became worried that something terrible had happened. And maybe it did. But Lee wouldn't tell me. I felt really alone and sad at that moment. Seeing Noah again and Chloe had re-opened my wounds that were still fresh. I decided to go home early, pretending a headache that felt real by the time I got home.

"Hey Honey, how are you?"

As soon as I pushed the door, my dad was looking at me from the kitchen with an unconditional look of love. I went towards him and gave him a hug. He put the pan he was using aside and started hugging me and carressing my hair.

"I miss Mum."

"I know, honey. Me too. I miss her so much, every day."

I went to my room to calm down a bit. I had received a few texts from Marco. My heart was so heavy. I put my phone down and sighed. I decided to put on some music and relax before dinner.

After dinner, I was playing random videogames on my phone when I heard a noise on my window. I pulled down my earphones and listened. Nothing. I was going back to my game when I heard another crack at the window. I frowned and looked out. I gasped in surprise.

Noah was standing outside. Alone. Scared that my father might hear us, I opened the window and started whispering.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you, Elle."

There was something odd about him. His gaze was uncertain, his speech very slow. He kind of looked like he was searching for his balance when he was simply standing up.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I... I just... Elle... need to talk to you."

"Are you drunk??"

"No no I..."

"I'm not talking to you. You have no place coming here, late at night and DRUNK. My father could hear you. Bye Noah.

"ELLE PLEA..."

"Shhhhh"

"I'm not going until I've talked to you."

He sat down in the lawn, looking lost. I felt nothing but anger at that moment. Part of me wanted to call my dad or even the cops, but part of me wanted to lash out at him. He was so selfish and manipulative. Stating he would not leave when I expressed my not wanting to talk? It reminded me of all the little manipulative things he had done when we were together that I didn't realize at the time because I was so in love.