Chapter 62: From Calm to Panic in Seconds.
Noah opened his eyes slowly, and for the first few seconds he couldn’t remember where he was.
The ceiling wasn’t the one in his room, and the walls were a different color. The light coming through the curtains came from a window in a completely different position.
He tried to move, but something stopped him, so he looked down and saw that Luna was still hugging him.
She had both arms wrapped around his torso and her face resting against his chest. She was still asleep, breathing calmly, as if she had no intention of letting him go.
Noah stayed completely still.
’I fell asleep.’
He scanned the room and then looked around for his phone.
He spotted it on a small table beside the bed, the screen dark.
’What time is it?’
He carefully stretched his arm to reach it, trying not to wake Luna, but he had barely brushed the edge of the phone with his fingers when Luna tightened her embrace.
Noah froze, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"I-I was trying to check the time."
Luna lifted her head a little.
"You don’t need to check it."
"Of course I need to check it!"
"You can stay."
"You know I can’t stay."
"Yes, you can."
"Luna, my family doesn’t know where I am."
She looked at him without changing her expression.
"You told them you’d be with Ren."
"I told them I was going out with Ren, and that was many hours ago."
Noah stretched his arm again and finally managed to grab the phone.
When he turned on the screen, his whole body tensed up. It was almost ten at night.
He had several missed calls.
Three from Sarah, two from Emma, and four from Ava, along with a bunch of messages.
Noah sat up abruptly.
"It’s really late!"
Luna lost her support on his chest and ended up sitting beside him.
"You could sleep here."
"That would only make everything worse!"
"We can explain that you fell asleep."
"And how do I explain that I was at your place?"
Luna seemed to think about it.
"I’ll tell them I’m your girlfriend."
"No."
"It would be the truth."
"They can’t find out like that!"
Noah started looking for his clothes.
Guilt and worry hit him at the same time.
Not only had he spent the whole day with Luna without his family knowing, but he also had to make sure Yume didn’t find out about the date and everything that happened afterward.
’What the hell am I going to say!?’
He had used Ren as an excuse when he left the house, but that lie had a limit. If Sarah had called Ren directly, it was all over.
Noah quickly put on his shirt while Luna watched him from the bed.
"You’re worried."
"My mom called me several times."
"Call her back."
"What am I supposed to tell her!?"
"The truth."
Noah looked at her.
"I can’t tell her the truth."
"Then tell her a lie."
"That doesn’t help either."
Luna moved closer and started fixing the collar of his shirt. Noah let her do it while he checked the messages.
The first one was from Sarah.
[Where are you?]
The second had arrived fifteen minutes later.
[Call me when you see this.]
Emma had also texted him.
[Let us know you’re okay.]
Ava’s messages were much less calm.
[Where the hell are you?]
[Why aren’t you answering?]
[Noah, you’d better not be doing anything weird.]
[Answer already.]
[I’m calling Ren.]
Noah felt a chill run down his spine.
’I’m dead.’
Luna finished fixing his collar.
"All set."
"Thanks."
"You can stay until tomorrow."
"Stop insisting."
"Fine, I won’t insist..."
Luna stayed quiet for two seconds.
"But you can stay."
Noah ignored the suggestion.
"I have to go."
Luna got up and walked him to the apartment door, but before he could open it, she took his hand.
Noah turned around.
Luna stepped closer and hugged him again.
This time Noah didn’t try to pull away.
"Text me when you get home," she said.
"I will."
"And don’t let Yume kiss you tomorrow."
Noah’s eyes widened slightly.
"Luna."
"This was our date."
"And it’s already over."
"I know."
She lifted her face.
"But I don’t want it to end."
Noah didn’t know what to say, and Luna slowly let him go.
"Go before your family calls the cops."
"That joke actually scares me."
"That was the point."
Noah left the apartment and headed for the station.
The entire way he kept checking his phone, expecting another call, but no one tried to reach him again. That didn’t calm him down, it only worried him even more.
’Maybe they’re already too mad.’
He started preparing explanations.
He could say his phone died, even though the battery was still at sixty percent.
He could say he hadn’t heard the calls, but that didn’t explain why he hadn’t answered the messages either.
He could also claim he’d been studying with Ren, fell asleep, and lost track of time.
The problem was that Ren had probably already denied everything.
’Ava said she was going to call him.’
Noah closed his eyes for a few seconds.
’There’s no way to fix this!’
When he got off the train, he started walking faster, but when he reached his house he stopped.
The lights were still on.
He could already picture Ava waiting behind the door with her arms crossed, Sarah ready to interrogate him, and Emma checking if he was hurt.
Noah took a deep breath.
’I just have to go in and face the consequences.’
He opened the door.
"I’m home."
He waited, but no one came running, and he didn’t hear hurried footsteps or questions.
He stepped inside carefully.
Emma was sitting on the couch watching TV, Ava was next to her looking at her phone, and Sarah was in the kitchen pouring a drink.
All three looked at him, and Noah braced himself.
Sarah spoke first.
"Welcome back."
"Th-Thanks...?"
She set the glass down on the table and walked over. Noah expected the interrogation, but instead Sarah tilted her head slightly.
"Sorry for calling you so many times."
Noah blinked.
"What?"
"I got too worried."
"No, wait..."
"I should have trusted you."
Noah glanced at Emma, who smiled with a hint of guilt.
"I sent you messages too. Sorry."
Ava didn’t apologize, but she looked away.
Noah had no idea what was going on.