seemed to lift, and the silence between her and Olivia stretched for what felt like an eternity. She hadn't heard from her best friend since that

oment, Emily thought that perhaps he had understood the boundaries she was trying to set, the invisible

oah had been honest with her that night in the park, offering her solace in ways she hadn't expected.

to breathe without the constant suffocating weight of her emotions. The world around her seemed to move at a pace that was so much faster than her o

paused in front of the door. It had been so long since she'd been here with Olivia-long before Noah had come into the picture,

nse of comfort settling over her for the first time in what felt like days. She ordered her usual and

so chaotic, but in this café, she could almost pretend that nothing had changed. But the truth was, everythin

her out of her thoughts. She pulled it ou

I've been thin

stared at the screen for a moment, her thumb hovering over the reply

It's bee

send. The phone buzzed a

en't stopped thinking about our c

But the message felt different-more intimate. It was clear that he had thought about

ngers trembling slightly. I just... I don't know wha

t want to make things harder for you, Emily. But I a

ed a weight that was impossible to ignore. Did he care about her the

ow what to say. I don

phone, waiting for a response that she wasn't sure she was ready fo

t's between us. You're not the only one who's confused, Emily. I don't want to

d been holding onto until now. She hadn't understood the depth of her feelings for Noah, nor the way they had grown with every encount

t tear hers

to lose either of you, but I feel

en, unsent for a few moments, be

ame almost

o figure this

ars barely visible through the haze of city lights. She hadn't meant to meet Noah in person, but the pull between them was undeniab

he wasn't sure if it was the right one, but s

evator and pressed the

way, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a slight smile playing o

said softly,

n't keep avoiding this. I don't know wha

you're here," he said. "I don't want to be in the middle of this ei

st. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Everything she had

ispered, almost to herself. "I don't

his touch warm against her skin. "We're fig

onesty she had felt every time they had talked. There was no going back n

e truly move forward witho

y said, her voice breaking.

ourself," Noah replied gently. "And I'm not going

ice-not between them, but for herself. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew one thing for sure:

that was en

n her conversation with Noah. The uncertainty still lingered in the pit of her stomach, but for the fir

ould make things right with Olivia, but she couldn't keep hiding from herself. The road ahead would

heart was leadin