He quickly pushed his plate away and hurriedly placed it in the fridge. His mom, Caroline, called out from the living room, "Noah, why didn't you finish your food?"
"I've got to do something important!" he shouted, already halfway up the stairs. "I'll eat it later, I promise!"
Without waiting for her response, Noah rushed into his room, grabbed a towel, and jumped into the shower.
"How could I forget dinner with Sarah?" he thought, feeling a wave of guilt.
After a quick shower, he stepped out, threw on some casual but nice clothes—jeans and a fitted shirt—and applied cologne. His parents had already gone to their room, and his little sister was fast asleep.
He grabbed his phone, ordered a taxi, and within minutes, he was on his way to Sarah's place.
As the taxi pulled up to her house, Noah felt a knot of guilt tighten in his stomach.
"She was probably waiting this whole time…"
