Chapter 1:
Haley POV
If I could go back to the day I met him
I would walk away
I would ignore the way he looked at him
I would ignore the way he made me feel
I would ignore the way he called my name
I would ignore the way my heart betrayed me….. But I didn't
Falling in love with him didn't just break me……
It cost everything…..
‘Ding Dong'
As soon as I heard the doorbell rang off, I sauntered out of the kitchen and towards the front door, opening it I smiled as I met Amara.
“Yoo bestie” she beamed
“Why are you dressed like that” I asked closing the door
“Ooh Noah is taking me on dinner date tonight”
“Isn't it the fourth dinner date this week” I furrowed my eyebrows
“Nah it's actually the fifth time” she smiled….. “How do I look”
“You look very beautiful”
“Awwn my best friend…. I love you”
“I love you too” I managed to smile
“Noah just texted me now to meet him at the parking lot and guess what he booked a private lounge for us….. I'm so excited, I'll get going now….. Bye Harley”
Immediately she left, a wave of loneliness hit me again……. She's going out with him….. At that moment, I realised how lucky Amara was.
I turned off the gas cooker and brought out the fruits. I was home alone because Amara is yet to return from her picnic with Noah.
Sometimes I wished I was Amara, sometimes I wished I had someone that loves me, I wished I had a caring, obsessed partner but I guess it won't happen anytime soon. I really envy Amara but at least one of us is happy.
I heard footsteps behind me and I smiled. No one needed to tell me it was Amara.
“How did the picnic go” I asked
“Oooh Harley it was the best….. I never knew Noah could cook nice meals”
“I'm happy you enjoyed it”
“I'm happy but you're not” she looked at me as if she was searching for something in my eyes
“I'm happy seriously” my tone was indifferent
“Okay if you say so…… we're going for get together tomorrow evening and you're coming no buts”
“Like seriously, Amara you know I hate crowds and people and everything outside” I almost yelled
“Harley sometimes you just need to go out and have fun…. It's not every time books”she replied sounding somewhat upset
I turned around abruptly
“Okay… fine I'll go”
“Yes” she jumped and hugged me
“Please, Harley,” she begged, pulling my hand.“You’ve been locked in your room all week. Come and breathe fresh air.”
“I am breathing,” I muttered.
She rolled her eyes. “You'd say you'll go with us…. Alright come meet Noah.”
That name again.
I had heard it too many times already.
Noah this. Noah that.
My boyfriend. My baby. My everything.
I should’ve been excited for her.
I wasn’t.
The moment we walked in, my eyes found him.
And somehow… His eyes found mine too.
It felt wrong.
Too fast. Too intense.
Like we had skipped introductions and gone straight into something deeper.
“Harley,” Amara said, smiling brightly, “this is Noah….. Noah, this is Harley.”
He stepped forward slowly.
Too slowly.
Like he was studying me.
“Hi,” he said.
Just one word.
But the way he said it… soft, low, intentional…
It did something to me.
I forced a smile. “Hi.”
Amara slipped her hand into his.
That should have been my reminder.
He was hers.
But that night, something kept happening.
Every time I laughed…He was looking at me. Every time I spoke…
He was listening like it mattered too much.
And every time our eyes met…He didn’t look away. Later that night, I stepped outside to breathe.
I shouldn’t have stayed that long.And I definitely shouldn’t have been thinking about him.
“Running away already?” He asked
His voice.
Behind me.
I froze.
“I'm not running,” I said, without turning. “I just needed air.”
He stepped closer.
I could feel it.
That closeness.
That tension.
“That’s funny,” he said softly. “I needed air too.”
I turned this time.
Big mistake.
Because now he was right there.
Too close.
Way too close.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” I said quietly.
His brows furrowed. “Like what?”
“Like…” I swallowed. “Like you see something.”
“I do.”
My heart skipped.
