LENNON POV:
"Lennon, get back here! I'm talking to you!" my mom's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"What is it now, Mom?" I snapped, spinning around. "I told you, I'm fine, okay? I just had a stupid argument with someone. That's all."
"And let me guess—that someone is Noah?" she shot back, her tone dripping with accusation.
I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "For crying out loud, Mom. Yes. Are you happy now?"
"I knew it," she said triumphantly, crossing her arms. "I told you that girl is no good for you. You don't need someone like her—"
"Wow, Mom. Thanks for the lovely pep talk. Really, I appreciate it," I cut in, my voice heavy with sarcasm.
But she wasn't done. "Listen to me, son. The sooner you find yourself another girl—someone respectable—the better. For all of us. In this house." She turned sharply, ready to leave.
I couldn't hold back anymore. "You know what's funny? You're so quick to hate people because you're scared of them. And you have the nerve to tell me to face my fears?"
She froze mid-step. "Excuse me, young man? What did you just say?"
"You heard me, Mom. Maybe you should take your own advice for once." I shot back; my voice quieter but firm. Without waiting for her response, I walked out, slamming the door behind me.
Hi, I'm Lennon Smith Jenonsky, a 19-year-old basketball athlete.
There's not much to say about me—just a not-so-normal kid doing whatever his parents tell him, never asking himself what he actually wants.
My father, Dr. Darrel Smith Jenonsky, is a renowned businessman who barely has time for his family. The only reason he even shows up at home is to close more deals or yell at me for losing a game, skipping a fundraiser, or dodging one of his over-the-top parties. Honestly, I might as well be equal to those kids whose dads walked out of their lives—except mine didn't leave physically. He just doesn't care. And guess what? Neither do I.
Well, except for my twin sister, Sheila. Yeah, I have a twin. Lucky me. She's the kind of sibling no one would wish for: manipulative, entitled, and always out to make someone's life miserable.
And my mom? Let's just say I'll skip that part for now.
...back to the present…
I slid into my sleek black 2022 SUV and drove out of the mansion, leaving its suffocating walls behind. I didn't know where I was headed—just that I needed to escape. Gripping the wheel with one hand, I tapped a number on my phone. It rang once before a familiar voice answered.
"Yo, Tray… you home?" I asked, my voice heavy.
"Yo, my man! Yeah, I'm home. You coming over?"
"I don't know, man… I just need to get out of my house," I admitted, the frustration seeping through.
"Your mom again?" he guessed, hitting the nail on the head.
"Yeah… she's making things unbearable," I sighed.
"How about we meet up at Ferries? I haven't grabbed lunch yet," he suggested.
"Alright, man. See you there."
The call ended, and the quiet hum of the engine filled the silence as I cruised down a long, straight road. It gave me too much time to think.
This felt like the end of whatever I had with Noah. The realization gnawed at me, each mile deepening my doubt. Maybe she was right. I hadn't been the boyfriend she deserved.
But if that was true, then I had one chance to fix it. One chance to prove I still cared. And I wasn't about to waste it.
The engine roared as I made a sharp U-turn, the tires screeching against the pavement. Her house—it was the only destination that mattered now. Losing Noah wasn't an option. Maybe it was finally time to lay it all on the line, to let her know how I really felt. My chest tightened at the thought, but before I could delve too deep, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Tray, I assumed. I answered without hesitation.
"Yo… Tray… I don't think I'll make it tonight. I have to see Noah," I said, urgency lacing my words.
But the voice on the other end wasn't Tray's.
"Um… hi, Lennon."
My heart stopped. Noah.
"Oh… hey… Noah," I stammered, caught completely off guard. "How're you?"
"Good, I guess," she replied casually. Then, after a pause, her voice turned hopeful. "Wanna meet up?"
I could barely keep my thoughts straight. "Um… yeah! I was actually on my way to your place.
She laughed softly, a sound that melted every nerve in my body. "Yeah, I heard."
"So, um… where do you want to meet?" I asked, trying to sound composed but failing miserably.
"The café downtown. 5:30."
"Alright, that works. See you then," I said, my pulse racing.
"Bye," she said, her voice lingering just long enough to leave me breathless. The call ended, but the world felt sharper, brighter.
This was it.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. At last, we were going to sort things out. The tension I'd been carrying seemed to lighten, and for a moment, I allowed myself to hope. But just then, my phone buzzed again. This time, I was certain it was Tray calling back.
I swiped to answer, trying to keep my voice steady. "Yo... what's up?"
"Lennon, Dad wants you home. Right. Now," my sister Sheila's sharp tone cut through the air, instantly pulling me back to reality.
"What? Wait... Sheila, is Dad actually home?" I stammered, my heart starting to race.
"Yes, and he's waiting for you. You'd better get your ass back here, or I swear, I'll tell Mom you're sneaking off to see that bitch," Sheila snapped before abruptly hanging up without waiting for a reply.
I stared at the phone, disbelief turning to anger. "Oh, come on! This cannot be happening!" I yelled, increasing the speed of my car a little higher
The weight of her words sank in. My dad was home. That meant trouble. Serious trouble. I couldn't face him, not now—not when everything else in my life was already spiraling out of control.
"I can't go back," I muttered to myself, my mind racing. "There's too much to be done… I can't deal with him right now."
But as much as I hated to admit it, I knew Sheila wasn't bluffing. If I didn't go home, she'd follow through on her threat. And if my dad got angrier than he already was... well, I didn't want to imagine how that would play out.
How did she even know I was going to see Noah? That thought lingered, twisting in my chest like a dagger. Did she know everything? Had she been spying on me, waiting for the perfect moment to strike?
I clenched my fists, anger and fear swirling inside me. My options were running out. If I didn't act fast, I'd only make things worse.
Then, suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind, quick and bright like a match being struck in the dark. A small, sly smile curled on my lips as the plan began to take shape. If I played this right, I might just get out of this mess. Or at least, buy myself enough time to figure things out.
NOAH POV: 6:45pm
The café felt quieter than usual, the air thick with anticipation as I sat at a corner table, rehearsing the words I'd practiced over and over. I was there to patch things up with Lennon, to apologize for accusing him wrongly based on rumors and misunderstandings. My heart raced, but I had armored myself with courage, every line perfectly memorized. Yet, beneath the rehearsed calm, there was a fire inside me—stoked by my mom's lectures and fueled by my own resolve to play hard-to-get if things went south.
It felt like I was the star of a drama, a life-or-death scene playing out, except Lennon, the other actor in this unwritten movie, was late. I tried not to assume the worst—surely he hadn't stood me up. His voice on the phone had carried a weight, like he had something important to say. So, I waited, keeping myself distracted with Classified, one of my favorite teen dramas.