Flashbacks novel Chapter 9

I couldn’t get a single bit of sleep last night. I kept tossing and turning, afraid that if I closed my eyes, he would appear there. I was already in trouble. I didn’t want to make the family regret their choice of taking me in even more by screaming every night.

Ever since the incident, I haven’t touched my phone. I wanted to check on Dan. I hope he doesn’t think I intentionally ghosted him. And I hope his girlfriend doesn’t think there’s something going on between us. I’ll ask for my things when everyone’s awake.

I checked the clock on the wall and saw that it was 5 in the morning. Everyone was definitely asleep at this time. I decided to make my way out of my room since I was a bit thirsty and I wanted to clear my mind.

I opened the door slowly and tiptoed downstairs, not wanting to make any noise and wake anyone up. Halfway to the kitchen, I heard someone talking and it was Noah.

“I still love you, but we can’t be together anymore. You know that -” he said, but it seemed like he was cut off by someone.

“You know what you did, Charlotte. You can’t come back from it -” Again, he was cut off.

“You keep cutting me off! If you loved me, you wouldn’t have done what you did!” After saying that, he hung up the phone and began rubbing his face. I felt a little awkward. I wasn’t supposed to hear their conversation, but I was too thirsty to go back to my room. Therefore, I walked straight to the fridge and took out a bottle of water.

“How long have you been here?” Noah asked.

“I just came here for water,” I softly replied. “Do you know where my phone is?”

He looked at me, confused. I felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. Shit, I realized, I’m probably making things difficult for him right now. I don’t think he knows where it is.

“Sorry, you probably don’t know.” I immediately began walking away from him but then he called out my name, making me freeze.

“Eleonora?”

“Yes…?” I turned around to face him.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. It was dumb of me. I was just going through something and I took my anger out on you. And, um, your phone is in one of the cars. I’ll give it to you tomorrow, if you don’t mind.”

“It’s okay.” I attempted to smile. “I was a difficult person. I should’ve been more mature instead of acting like a child. I deserved you snapping at me, and thank you.” My hands began shaking a little.

“No,” he said, getting up and coming closer to me. I grew more nervous, though I didn’t know why. “You don’t deserve anything bad that has happened to you in the past few weeks - well, years actually. I was being an asshole. I am sorry.”

“It’s fine.”