Chapter 3: Unfinished Conversations

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Ava. She sat through her remaining classes, only half-listening to the lectures, her thoughts still trapped in that storeroom with Noah. His words echoed in her mind, unrelenting. I didn’t leave to hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing. She gritted her teeth and shook her head, trying to will away the feelings threatening to surface. She refused to let him get under her skin again. Not after everything. By the time the final bell rang, she had convinced herself she was fine. She shoved her books into her bag and practically sprinted out of the classroom, desperate for fresh air. The hallway was already thinning out as students hurried to leave, but just as she rounded the corner, she collided with a solid figure. “Whoa.” A firm grip steadied her before she could stumble back. Ava’s breath caught as she looked up— and met Noah’s eyes. Of course. She took a step back immediately, breaking his hold. “Watch where you’re going.” Noah raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure you ran into me.” She huffed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “Whatever.” His expression shifted, something unreadable passing through his gaze. “Ava—” “No,” she cut in sharply. “We’re not doing this.” He sighed, running a hand through his dark curls. “We need to talk.” “No, we don’t.” “Yes, we do.” His voice was firm, but not unkind. “You think I don’t notice how much you hate me? How you can’t even stand being in the same room as me?” Her stomach twisted. “Maybe because you left me, Noah. You walked away when I needed you the most.” “I know,” he admitted, surprising her. “And I regret it.” Ava’s breath hitched. It was the last thing she expected him to say. She had spent months building up walls around her pain, telling herself that Noah didn’t care, that he had never cared. But now—he was standing right in front of her, saying the one thing she had needed to hear for so long. She shook her head. “You don’t get to just say that and expect things to be okay.” “I don’t expect that.” His voice was quiet now. “But I wanted you to know.” Ava swallowed hard. The weight of his words pressed against her chest, making it hard to breathe. Part of her wanted to lash out, to throw his regret back in his face. But another part—the part she hated— wanted to believe him. Silence stretched between them, thick with all the things they had left unsaid. Finally, Ava tore her gaze away. “I have to go.” She turned before he could say anything else, forcing herself to walk away, even as her heart screamed at her to stay.

Ava didn’t stop walking until she was off school grounds. Her breath was uneven, her heart pounding for reasons she refused to acknowledge. Noah had always been good at getting under her skin, but today? Today was different. He had regrets. The word twisted in her chest as she crossed the street, heading toward the small bookstore she often escaped to when she needed space. The bell chimed as she pushed the door open, and the familiar scent of old paper and ink wrapped around her like a blanket. “Rough day?” Ava turned to see Mrs. Collins, the elderly shopkeeper, eyeing her from behind the counter. “You could say that.” Ava forced a small smile. Mrs. Collins nodded knowingly. “There’s tea in the back if you need to sit for a while.” Ava hesitated, then gave her a grateful nod before slipping into her usual corner of the store. She ran her fingers over the spines of books, her mind still tangled in Noah’s words. I regret it. I thought I was doing the right thing. Ava sighed, pulling a random book from the shelf and sinking into the worn-out armchair in the corner. She tried to focus on the words in front of her, but the past had a cruel way of creeping in when she least expected it. She had spent months convincing herself that Noah had never cared, that he had left without looking back. But if that were true, why did he look at her like he was carrying the weight of a thousand unsaid apologies? The bell chimed again, and Ava instinctively glanced up—only to feel her stomach drop. Noah stood in the doorway, his sharp blue eyes scanning the room before landing on her. Seriously? Ava tensed, gripping the book in her hands as if it could shield her from whatever this was. He walked toward her, slow and hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if she’d bolt or throw something at him. Both options were tempting. “What are you doing here?” she asked, keeping her voice low. Noah shoved his hands into his pockets. “I figured you’d be here.” She narrowed her eyes. “Are you following me now?” “No.” A pause. “I just…wanted to talk.” Ava exhaled sharply, snapping the book shut. “We already talked, Noah.” “Not really.” His gaze softened, but there was something determined in it, too. “You’re angry. I get it. You should be. But I can’t change what happened.” Her jaw clenched. “Then what do you want from me?” “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just—I don’t want us to keep doing this.” She hated how his words made something crack inside her. Hated how, despite everything, a part of her wanted to stop hating him. But wanting and forgiving were two very different things. She stood, gripping the book like it was a lifeline. “You don’t get to decide when this stops, Noah. You don’t get to walk away and then come back like nothing happened.” “I’m not asking you to forget,” he said, voice steady. “I’m just asking if we can stop pretending we don’t exist.” Ava swallowed hard. She wanted to tell him no. That she didn’t care. That he could disappear all over again, and it wouldn’t matter. But the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she turned and walked past him, out the door, into the cold evening air. Because if she stayed any longer, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to leave at all.

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