NOAH POV: Sat. 18th May 2019
"Hey… stop right there!" I yelled, sprinting after him. He kept running, his figure fading into the distance until I lost him. Frustrated, I grumbled under my breath, turned back to my car, and drove away, the chase a dead end.
"Noah… Noah, wake up!" My sister's voice cut through my dreams as she shook me awake.
"What is it, Rylee?" I muttered, groggy, and sat up lazily.
"Mum's looking for you. It's almost 10 a.m., and you're still in bed," she said, her tone half-scolding.
I stretched and dragged myself to the window. Outside, I spotted Mr. Parker, the gardener, in the backyard. As always, he looked moody. I still couldn't figure out why he was like that all the time.
"Alright, I'll be out in five," I said with a sigh. Rylee nodded and left the room.
Hi, everyone. I'm Noah Raphaella Peterson. I'm 17 years old and training to be an FBI agent—so yeah, start calling me Deputy Noah! Let me give you a little background about me and my family.
I live in Charleston, a small city in South Carolina, USA, with my family. My mother, Estella Raphaella Peterson, is a lawyer, and I have four sisters: Adriana, Makayla, Juliana, and Rylee. My father, Peterson Raphael Jr., isn't really in the picture anymore. He lives in New Mexico with his new wife, Camille. I met her once—three years ago—at a Sunday brunch with my dad, and let's just say it didn't go well. Adriana wasn't thrilled about Camille joining our family gathering. Things escalated, and she called Camille a harlot… indirectly, of course. My dad was furious and left with Camille that same night.
Now, let me break down my family dynamics:
My Mom, Estella: She's 52, a part time nurse, and married my dad back in 2009. Their marriage didn't last, and they divorced when I was 9.
Adriana: My eldest sister. She's 30, married to Damian, and they live in the UK with their two kids, Amorah and Colten. She's a fashionista and owns her own clothing brand.
Makayla: My second sister. She's 28 and runs a big restaurant in Georgia. She's not married but has a 4-year-old daughter, Rayna, with her ex, Mason. Fun fact—Rayna's my favorite little cousin!
Juliana: My third sister. She's 22, lives in Summerville, not too far from us, and works as a nail technician.
Then there's me, the fourth girl. Like I said, I'm 17 and in my final year of high school. I'm training to be an FBI agent but also dabble in cooking and baking. Currently a student of Everglyn High and I'm even considering culinary school before heading to college.
Finally, there's Rylee, the baby of the family. She's 13 and just started high school. There's not much to say about her except… well, she's kind of a crybaby.
And that's my chaotic, wonderful family.
…. Back to the present….
It's Saturday, and my day is already packed. First up, I'm meeting my friends, Tomika and Stacy, at the park to join the fundraising committee for JJ's Pet House—a local pet store we all love. Then, I need to head over to Makayla's to babysit Rayna because my sisters swamped today. And of course, there's my biology homework waiting for me. Ugh… fingers crossed I survive it all.
I got out of bed, went through my morning routine, and stepped into my closet. Knowing I'd be running around all day, I picked something simple: a black top, color-striped shorts, a black leather jacket, and matching black boots. I let my wavy brown hair cascade down, added a touch of mascara, and glossed my lips. After a quick wink at myself in the mirror (for the fifth time, no less), I headed downstairs for breakfast.
Pancakes with maple syrup and berries fueled me for the day. After kissing my mom goodbye and snuggling with my dog, Lori, I hopped into my black 2016 Toyota Corolla—the car my dad gave me for my 16th birthday—and drove off to the park.
When I arrived, my best friends were already waiting. I honked, and they hopped in.
"Hey, baby girl!... how are you" Tomika greeted, giving me a warm hug.
"I'm good. How about you?" I replied.
"Guys, let's move! My mom wants me back by noon," Stacy chimed in from the backseat, clearly in a rush.
"Good morning to you too, hon!" I teased, and we all burst into laughter.
"So, what's new, Noah?" Stacy asked.
"Oh, I'll tell you what's new—she's been hanging out with Lennon!" Tomika exclaimed, laughing as Stacy joined in.
"Actually," I began, my tone serious, "Lennon and I are history."
Their laughter stopped abruptly.
"Ha! You're joking, right?" Stacy said, skeptical.
"She's got to be kidding," Tomika added.
"I'm serious," I said, my voice firm.
"Wait… for real?" Tomika asked, her eyes widening.
"Yeah. Two weeks ago, I went to Kamren's party and caught him making out with Kamorah; the new cheerleader. He told me he wasn't going, but there he was. I left the party right then and there."
"Girl, I told you that boy was no good," Stacy said, shaking her head.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Tomika asked.
"It slipped my mind," I shrugged.
"Slipped your mind? Please. We know you better than that," Stacy countered.
"Alright, fine. I didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me. Honestly, I'm glad it happened—I was already getting tired of him."
"Yeah, we could tell," Stacy said, laughing with Tomika.
"For real? Was it that obvious?" I asked, slightly embarrassed.
"Very obvious," Tomika teased.
"Anyway, that's in the past," I said. "What about you two?"
"Just spending time with my mom," Stacy replied.
"Stacy! You're always with your mom," Tomika quipped, making us all laugh.
We made it to the fundraiser, joined the activities, and an hour later, we wrapped up. Just as I was about to leave, I saw him. The guy from my dreams. My heart raced as I tried to reach him, but he disappeared into the crowd. I searched frantically, but he was gone.
The girls' voices snapped me back to reality.
"Noah! Where'd you go?" Stacy asked.
"Nowhere. I thought I saw someone familiar," I replied, brushing it off.
"Can we leave now? I'm tired," Tomika groaned.
"And hungry!" Stacy added. "Can we grab cheeseburgers on the way?"
"Fine," I said, but my thoughts lingered on the mysterious guy. He'd been haunting my dreams—sometimes I was chasing him, other times he was locked up in prison—but I didn't know why. Finally seeing him in person today felt surreal, and I kicked myself for not catching up to him.
Minutes later, we pulled into a restaurant parking lot. As I stepped out, my gaze landed on Lennon. He was sitting there, giving me those pity-filled eyes. Not surprising—this was his favorite spot. We hadn't spoken in days. I'd blocked him right after the party, unwilling to hear his explanations or, more likely, excuses. Seeing him now didn't change a thing.