Share
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Arya KaunisThis is not the end! There will be a part 2 or book 2 if you will under the same title (I may come up with a new name in the future if part 2 ends up being a large part like this part has been). I also apologize again for the lack of updating, this has always been the plan with this book to have two parts but I didn't plan for it to be so delayed with my personal life. I promise part 2 will be coming soon! Thanks so much for reading along this journey xo
Related chapters
Keeper of my Heart Chapter One
'He was a boy. She was a girl. Can I make it anymore obvious. She did ballet-'"It's 6 o'clock in the morning, you better have a good reason for calling me so early," Noel Ashford grumbles from beneath her duvet, hand barely slipping out to grab hold of her phone. She heaves a heavy sigh when she sees her best friend, Priscilla Wright's name flash across the screen."Do you have any idea what time it is right now? Have you no self-awareness?"The dead-pan tone of her friend crackles through the other end. "Do you know what time it is? I've been standing outside your house for the last 20 minutes; school starts in 10."Shooting out of bed, she pulls her phone away from her ear to check, realizing she had checked her phone upside down when looking at the time.It isn't 6 o'clock in the morning, it's 9 o'clock."School starts in 10 minutes," Priscilla's singsong muffled voice bursts through the phone as Noel tosses her on speaker, rushing around the room to gather clothes that smell clea
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Two
"You're joking, right?" Noel scoffs. "I mean most father's bring home like a puppy or stray cat at most for their kids, not some...uh, some-""Delinquent? I think that's the word you're looking for," Harken chides.Noel glares at him."I understand your hesitation about welcoming someone like him to live with us, but I assure you Harken will be on his best behavior while he is here. Right, Harken?" He adds the last part with a tone of warning.Harken lifts his hand to salute him, a cocky grin on his face."Yes, sir, Mr. Ashford."Noel rolls her eyes and shakes her head, unable to wrap her head around the fact that she is going to be living with this immature man-child. She can already tell they won't be getting along, so she won't bother trying to, planning to steer clear of him until he is inevitably kicked out or leaves of his own accord, unable to cope under the house rules of her dad.If there is someone like Harken Lewis living in her home, she doubts her dad will be leaving her
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Three
The rest of the night went by without anymore disturbances from Harken, Priscilla staying the night just to be safe, reminding Noel of a guard dog glaring at the door all night, daring the big bad wolf to enter.To her surprise, her father shows up in the morning, walking in the door looking like he has slept a whole day, refreshed and energetic, rather than the exhausted and worn out look she expected him to have from working all night.Noel has already had her suspicions that he isn't just working when he stays out late but doesn't care enough about her dad's private affairs to question him about it. He took the blow of losing her mother the hardest, she can't tell him how to cope with it the same way she did, but she wishes he wouldn't proceed to neglect his own daughter in the process."So, are you going to explain to me why you decided to bring one of your clients home to live with us? Should I expect this to be a new thing until I graduate, or should I just surrender my room now
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Four
The rest of the morning is completely shot for Noel, not even caring that she has Mr. Hamilton for English first thing, her worst subject. She doesn't have any trouble understanding the subject, it's wrapping her head around the eccentric teaching style of Mr. Hamilton.You would think he was Shakespeare's distant relative or something.But she needs all academic courses for English, Math, and Social Studies to even qualify for California College of Arts, her last 2 years of high school counting the most towards her application because her father has drilled into her head that those years are the ones colleges care the most about.Having Mr. Hamilton for her final year of English is going to be a challenge when she was hoping to drift through this last year, floating on the good grades she has already achieved and not worry about having them drop far enough to affect her acceptance to CCA.She is confident she can do that with every other course she has this year, but not English.Why
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Five
"You seriously don't remember this?" Priscilla asks again.Noel shakes her head. "I remember this trip, but I don't remember Harken being on it or ever talking to him. Did I talk to him?""You must've, we were paired together a lot with him, I imagine it would've been hard to not exchange a few words in that case. But regardless," she says and takes out two plastic containers of to-go sushi, hanging one to Noel. "Enough talk about Harken and school drama, we don't have any classes together this year so this is the only time we will get to spend during school hours."Noel knows clearly what this means."You can't drive me home after school, can you?"Priscilla slumps her shoulder, her act saw through and through."I'm sorry, Nole. I have another date tonight, and this guy seems to have a lot of boyfriend potential," she pouts."Didn't you say that about what's-his-face from yesterday?"She has to think about it for a second. "Do you mean Carter?"Noel nods."No, I said he has good sex
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Six
"Where are you going?" Noel asks him, watching as he locks his bike and puts his helmet away. He shoves his hands into his jean pockets and shrugs, making it clear he isn't going to answer her."Well, thanks for the ride, I can find my own way home after this." She waves to him and turns to walk down the sidewalk. She half expects him to ask how she plans to get home, but he doesn't say anything. When she turns back around a few feet away, he is already gone, the street vacant of him.Looks like he was just giving her a ride out of convenience.Then, why did he wait for me at school?Not wanting to be bothered too much about thoughts of why Harken is Harken, she pops in her headphones and switches on her music to make her short journey to the art store. La Gallerie is a local art store that sells everything an artist would need, no matter their level of creativity or desired form of art, despite it being a small and local business."Good evening, Noel, what brings you here?" Mrs. Marc
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Seven
Harken stayed in his room for the rest of the night, not even answering when Noel tried to tell him dinner was ready, and when her dad tried again after. In the end, he gave up on trying to coax him out and went to the office, most likely for the night. Noel took his serving and wrapped them up, placing them in the fridge in case he ever decided to come out later.Putting on a comfortable pair of jogging pants and a fluffy sweater, she grabs a bag of Doritos and a box of Ritz crackers, seating herself in the middle of the couch and getting herself comfortable to binge watch the series Shameless, assuming she has the living room and most of the house to herself for the night with no other homework for tomorrow.A few episodes in and Noel is immersed in the show, not even paying attention to whether she is grabbing chips or crackers, she doesn't hear the creak of Harken coming down the stairs. Before she can react, he jumps on the couch and snatches the bag of Doritos away from her, hog
Keeper of my Heart Chapter Eight
After the argument between Harken and Noel that night, it seemed he listened and obeyed to what she said about staying away from her. It has been a few weeks now and neither of them have said a word to each other, never having the need to unless they want to. Harken hasn't offered to give her a ride to or from school since the last time, leaving before she gets up in the morning and gone before she gets to the parking lot after class.She avoided returning to Mr. Baldwin's class and ended up backing out from taking pictures for the homecoming dance, not bothering to go, and staying home to emerge herself in her painting like she did every other year. He was devastated, but there was nothing else he could do. Noel skipped the party at Karl's place, though Harken himself didn't attend either and locked himself in his room for the night instead, she didn't have it in her to go, regardless of if it meant giving up an opportunity to get closer to Nolan. Math is the only class they have tog
Latest chapter
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Seven
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Six
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Five
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Four
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Three
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-Two
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty-One
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Thirty
- Keeper of my Heart Chapter Twenty-Nine
