“It’s not that easy,” I tell her scrambling for an excuse. “Too much was… said.”
“I don’t get it,” she says throwing her hands up. “What could have been said? You guys hardly know each other enough to fight.”
I shake my head, desperately not wanting to replay the conversation over in my head. “Do we really have to talk about this?”
“Uhhh, yeah,” she scoffs. “Either that or we can go track him down and beat the living shit out of him. I’m keen if you are.”
Damn, that sounds good.
“You really think we’d have a chance against him?” I question, not sure if I’m being serious or not, but the idea of pummelling my fists into his steel stomach over and over again seems intriguing.
Tully studies me for a second too long and I begin to feel uncomfortable with her curiosity. “What…,” she sighs. “He hurt you, didn’t he?”
I press my lips together and finally admit it. I slowly nod my head and disappointment washes over Tully. “That rat bastard,” she curses. “Just you wait until I get my hands on him.”
“Don’t,” I say, replaying the conversation in my head from last night where he told me that I was his. “I just want to forget about it. It’s not like we were actually together or anything.”
“How can you say that? You guys weren’t official or anything, but anyone could see the chemistry between you two. Hell, even Rivers admitted it. You know that’s why he stopped giving you a hard time, right?” she laughs. “Come to think of it, you and Noah were kind of annoying. I didn’t like sharing you with him, actually, maybe it’s a twin thing, I don’t like sharing anything with him.”
I roll my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “I just want to forget about it,” I tell her. “What’s Rivers problem with me anyway? Does he not like me?”
“He likes you just fine,” she tells me. “He doesn’t like change and that’s exactly what he sees you as, but I think he can see it’s a good change. He sees me happier and he sees Noah opening himself up in a way he’s never done before. I think Rivers is finally starting to see that you’re a good change.”
I shrug my shoulder. “I guess he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore.”
“Come on,” she says. “Noah is a good guy. Whatever it is, you two can figure it out.”
I shake my head for what seems like the millionth time today. “No,” I tell her. “I’d hate to break your little ‘Noah and Henley’ bubble, but there’s no going back. We’re done.”
“It’s really that bad?”
“Yeah,” I breathe, hugging my pillow to my chest. “It’s that bad.”
A throat clears at my bedroom door and both Tully and I gasp as our heads whip around to find Noah, awkwardly hovering in the doorway, looking like a shell of the guy I’ve come to know over the past week.
Tully instantly shoots to her feet and Noah reluctantly tears his eyes from mine as he fights off his sister. “What did you do to her?” she demands. “I swear, Noah, she’s the only good friend I’ve got. You never let anyone else in. If you screw this up for me, I’m never going to forgive you.”
“Tullz,” he murmurs. “Go home.”
“Over my dead body,” she threatens. “What did you do?”
“Just…Tully, go home. Please. We’ll talk later.”
She lets out a frustrated huff before turning back to me. “Do you want me to leave or kick his ass out of here?”
My eyes flick back to Noah and seeing that defeated look in his eyes has me caving. “It’s fine,” I tell her. “Go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Ok,” she says. “Text me later.”
I nod and she turns a ferocious glare on her brother. “You better make this right,” she warns him.
“Trust me,” he murmurs, stepping aside to let her pass. “I wish I could.”
Tully disappears and Noah doesn’t take his intense eyes off me as we listen to Tully making her way out the door and into her Jeep. It’s not until she’s halfway down the street that Noah pushes off the side of my doorway, looking both sick and nervous. “Can I come in?”
“You’ve already welcomed yourself inside my house, I don’t see why you wouldn’t just barge your way in here too.”
He takes that as some sort of ‘yes’ and slowly makes his way inside my bedroom. I watch as he stands at the foot of my bed, not snooping around and touching everything the way his sister had done, instead he only has eyes for me. “You didn’t tell her?” he questions.
“Why would I?” I ask. “It’s not my bomb to drop. I figured if you’re about to disappoint your family, I shouldn’t give them the heads up to lessen the blow.”