8:46pm
Finally, the day was over. Exhausted and starving, I collapsed onto my bed, my mind swirling with thoughts. Him. The guy from my dreams—the one I'd seen today. "Why do I keep seeing him?" I muttered to myself. "It's like the universe is trying to tell me something, but I just can't figure it out." My thoughts were interrupted by Rylee bursting into my room and yelling, "Mum said you should come down for dinner!"
I sighed, shooting her an annoyed look. "Rylee, why do you always yell?"
"Because I know you'll ignore me if I don't!" she shot back, slamming the door hard as she left.
"Asshole," I muttered under my breath before rushing downstairs. The aroma of dinner wafted through the house, making my stomach growl.
"Hi, Mum… what's for dinner?" I asked as I entered the kitchen.
"Pasta with marinara and veggies, specially made by—"
"That would be me!" a familiar voice chimed in from behind me. I spun around, and there she was—Juliana, my second sister.
"Juliana!" I squealed, running to hug her tightly.
"Hey, Noah," she said, planting a kiss on my cheek.
"When did you get here?" I asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Not too long ago. How have you been? How's school? And your detective work?" she teased with a wink.
"It's not detective work!" I said, laughing.
"Alright, you two," Mum cut in, smiling. "You can gossip later. It's dinner time."
"Do I hear pasta again?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
"Do you need it repeated?" Rylee quipped sarcastically.
"Ryleeeee!" we all shouted, laughing as Juliana added, "Do you always have to be this sarcastic?"
Two hours later, after a lively family dinner filled with laughter and stories, I trudged upstairs and flopped onto my bed. My mind wandered back to the mysterious guy from my dreams. "Why does he keep showing up?" I wondered aloud. "It's like the universe is screaming something at me, but I just can't hear it. Ugh, overthinking is the last thing I need right now."
Determined to shake the thoughts off, I grabbed my bathrobe and headed for a cold shower. Five minutes later, feeling refreshed, I stepped out of the bathroom to find Juliana sitting on my bed, snooping through the papers on my desk.
"Looking for something?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope. Just curious about what my little sister has been up to," she said, grinning.
"And?" I prompted, heading to my closet.
"Just old school papers… didn't know you were this good at math," she teased, making me laugh.
"I am, thank you very much," I replied, emerging in my blue pajamas and fluffy slippers.
"So… any juicy gossip? Who's the lucky guy?" she asked, poking me playfully.
"Stop it!" I giggled. "If you must know, I just broke up with Lennon."
"Ouch," she said, wincing.
"Yeah. He ditched me for Kamorah at a party and got caught red-handed," I explained, rolling my eyes.
"He's an idiot," she said with a dismissive wave.
For a moment, I thought about telling her about the guy in my dreams but decided against it. Instead, I shifted the focus to her. "So, how's your nail tech business going?"
"Busy, as always, but I'm making sure I don't lose any clients to Helen," she said, rolling her eyes.
"You're still dealing with that witch?" I asked, and we both burst out laughing.
"So, why are you home?" I asked.
"I have a job tomorrow for a big client who lives nearby. Thought I'd spend some time with you guys while I'm here."
"Aww! Can I come with you? I'll be your little assistant," I said, giving her my best puppy-dog eyes.
"Alright, alright," she relented, laughing. "But after church."
"Yay! I get to see you in action," I said, grinning.
We chatted and laughed late into the night. Don't judge me—it's been a while since I had my favorite sister all to myself. Finally, we said goodnight, and she headed to her room. I turned off the lights, letting sleep take me.
7:45am Sun. 19th May 2019
"Vroooooom!"
The roar of a lawn mower shattered the stillness of my morning, jolting me awake. My heart pounded as I sat up, groaning. "What kind of horrible sound is that?" I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
A glance outside revealed the culprit: moody old Mr. Parker, furiously mowing his lawn like it was a battlefield. It was Sunday, for goodness' sake. "Doesn't this man ever take a day off?" I thought, rolling my eyes.
But then an idea struck me. Mum and I were baking cakes to hand out in the neighborhood today—it was our little Thanksgiving tradition. Maybe I could include Mr. Parker, grumpy as he was. Perhaps that would soften him a bit.
With that settled, I stretched and dragged myself to the wardrobe. Thanksgiving service was today, so I needed to look my absolute best. After rifling through my clothes, I finally found it: the flowing blue gown Adriana gave me for my 15th birthday. I couldn't believe I hadn't worn it since then, but it still looked as stunning as ever.
But what about shoes? I scanned my rack, hoping for something perfect to match. Nothing caught my eye, so I grabbed my reliable black heels instead. My outfit was coming together, but I needed to freshen up first.
After a quick shower, I dried my hair and styled it into a sleek ponytail. The gown fit a little tighter than I remembered—ugh—but I managed to squeeze into it. Just as I was reaching for my heels, a loud, impatient knock interrupted me.
"Come in!" I called, already bracing for drama.
Rylee, my younger sister, stormed in like a hurricane. Her glare could melt steel.
"Well, hello to you too," I said sarcastically, crossing my arms.
"Don't play dumb, Noah. I told Juliana I wanted to help her today with her client, who happens to be Lennon's mom, but apparently someone beat me to it. Care to explain?"
Her tone was accusatory, and her narrowed eyes left no room for escape.
"Wait, I didn't know it was Lennon's mom," I said, confused but also annoyed by her theatrics.
"Well, now you do! And stay out of it," she snapped before stomping out, leaving a trail of irritation in her way
Her outburst lingered as I stared into the mirror. Lennon. His name brought a storm of emotions; confusion, anger, and… something else.
For months, I'd been caught in a web of uncertainty with him. Was it real, or was I just another girl in his long line of conquests? Everyone knew Lennon was a player, but still, I'd fallen for his charm. I started dating him because of a silly bet, but somewhere along the line, my feelings had changed.
I shook off the thoughts and forced myself to focus. I'd deal with Lennon later; after church.
Thanksgiving Service
Church was packed, and the service dragged on longer than usual. My impatience grew with every passing moment. I spotted Lennon sitting a few pews away with his bratty sister Sheila and their elegant mother.
Sheila. Just seeing her smug face was enough to ruin my day. Back in high school, she'd made my life miserable with her cyberbullying and "I'm-better-than-you" attitude. I hadn't missed her one bit.
When Mrs. Jenonsky smiled at me, I managed a polite smile in return. But I couldn't shake the feeling that Sheila was whispering something about me.
Finally, the service ended. I wanted to confront Lennon, but his entourage made it impossible. I tried texting him, but then I remembered—I had blocked him. Great timing, Noah, I thought, unblocking him and sending a message. But the network wasn't on my side, and the message wouldn't send.
"Hi, Noah."
The deep, familiar voice sent a jolt through me. I turned, expecting Lennon, but instead saw Derrick.
"Derrick?!" I gasped, my heart skipping a beat.
He was my junior high crush, the boy who'd moved to Johannesburg and disappeared from my life. Seeing him again felt surreal.
We chatted briefly, catching up, but my focus was elsewhere. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lennon leaving with his mom. Panicking, I cut Derrick off mid-sentence.
"Sorry, I have to go!" I blurted, running out before he could reply.
I caught up to Lennon just as they paused to greet some people. Breathless, I called his name, but he didn't hear me; earbuds. Of course.
"Lennon!" I shouted, frustration boiling over.
He turned, his eyes locking with mine. Slowly, he walked toward me.
"What's wrong, Noah?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with concern.
"What's wrong? Are you serious? You lied to me about Kamren's party! I saw you there, flirting with Kamorah after you told me you weren't going. Do you even realize how that made me feel?"
He stared at me, stunned. "I can't believe you think I'd do that. Noah, I—"
"I don't want to hear it!" I cut him off, my voice trembling with anger. "Everyone knows you're a player. I was stupid to think I'd be any different."
Hurt flashed across his face. He opened his mouth to respond but then closed it. Without another word, he turned and walked away, his shoulders slumped.
As I watched him leave, a wave of guilt hit me. Maybe I'd been too harsh. Maybe I should've let him explain. My phone buzzed; Mom was calling. I declined and headed to the car.
I climbed in and slammed the door, my emotions in turmoil. Mom glanced at me but said nothing. She always knew when to give me space.
At Home
Back in the kitchen, Mom approached me again. "Is this about Lennon?"
I froze. How did she know? Then it clicked; Juliana. I sighed, the words spilling out. Mom listened patiently. For the first time, I felt close to her.
At first, I resisted. But her gentle persistence broke through my walls. Bit by bit, I poured out the story, about Lennon, the party, the bet, and my doubts.
For the first time in years, I felt truly heard. Mom didn't judge me or lecture me. Instead, she hugged me tightly and said, "It's okay to feel confused, Noah. Just don't let your emotions stop you from finding the truth."
Her words stayed with me long after that. Maybe I needed to talk to Lennon again, not to fight, but to truly understand.