Chapter 4

In both lives, I'd never seen him like that.

My eye twitched. My stomach dropped. I forced a smile, ready to explain.

But he just said, "Sorry to interrupt," and turned away.

Henry smirked. "At least he knows his place. Andrea, now that no one's bothering us—"

He leaned in again.

Smack!

I slapped him so hard my palm stung, wishing I could take his teeth with it.

I'd worked so hard to fix things with Noah, and Henry trashed it all.

His face twisted. "Andrea Ambrose, playing hard to get only works to a point. Push it too far and it gets old."

Smug, arrogant—how had I ever fallen for this jerk?

"Hard to get, my ass. Kissing you's nastier than eating garbage. Get lost."

I didn't waste another second on him. I went after Noah.

But he was dodging me.

In lineup, he stood way off.

In volleyball, he'd rather sit out—same old Noah—than team with me.

After class, he ducked into the guys' restroom. No chance following him there.

By the final bell, I had no choice but to corner him in front of everyone.

He didn't run this time. Just stared at me, steady.

"Andrea, you've got privilege. You don't need grades the way I do. All I've got is the SAT. So keep your rich kid love games out of my life."

I rushed out, "Don't listen to Henry. I haven't liked him in forever. I'm helping you, getting close, because I like you!"

"I don't date in high school."

"Then after we graduate—"

"Let's talk about after graduation when it happens. Anything else?"

His voice stayed calm, but the wall between us was loud and clear.

Danny and Peggy strolled by, voices dripping sarcasm.

"Hey, junk kid. Princess Andrea using you to mess with Henry? You should feel honored."

"Totally. Andrea throws a tantrum, plays with you a few days, maybe tosses you some cash—your whole family could live off it."

Every word sliced deep.

I snapped. "And who the hell are you to mock Noah? Apologize!"

Peggy's face went pale. "You want me to apologize to that junk kid?"

I glared at them both. "Apologize. Don't make me say it again."

They shut up fast.

They muttered quick apologies and bolted, still fuming.

"Thanks for speaking up," Noah said, flat. "But don't next time. It just makes things worse for me later."

I caught the shoe prints smeared on his uniform, and my throat tightened. "Sorry. I just wanted to treat you better."

In my last life, I knew things were rough for him.

I just never realized how rough.

"Thanks, but... it's not necessary." He gave me a polite nod and walked off.

I watched his back get smaller, the gap between us stretching wider and wider.

My chest clenched. It hurt.

I quit trying to force my way in.

But when Henry, Danny, and Peggy went after Noah again, I grabbed a chair and smashed it over them—heads, arms, whatever I could hit.

Their courage broke right along with it.

My parents freaked, ripped away my allowance.

Everyone whispered I'd lost it.

I didn't care.

Now nobody would dare lay a hand on Noah.

This time, I'd protect him.

Noah came to find me after that.

His face was unreadable. "You didn't have to go that far for me."

"But I like you. How could I just stand there while someone I like gets hurt?"

His cheeks flushed. He quickly changed the subject. "I heard you got a top tutor, studying late into the night. Guess I had you wrong."

I blinked. "If you're really sorry, then whenever I get stuck in class, I'm dumping it on you."

He froze. "...Okay."

Yeah, part of asking was just to stay close.

But I did need him.

I wanted to actually be capable—so when everything fell apart again, my family, my mom—I wouldn't be helpless.

With both Noah and a top tutor helping me, my grades shot up.

If I held it together on the SAT, college wouldn't be a problem.

Wherever Noah went, I'd follow to the same city.

Everything felt on track—until the SAT.

Fifteen minutes before it started, Noah still hadn't shown.

I called. His dad picked up. Albert Novak. Total gambling addict.

"You're that rich girl my kid talks about, huh? Some guy named Henry slipped me two hundred to keep him from the test. So I locked him up. But if you pay more, I'll let him out."

My jaw tightened. "How much?"

"Three hundred—nah, five. You send it, I'll drive him over. We're close. Fifty minutes, tops."

Too late. Once that fifteen-minute window closed, nobody got in.

Noah missed the test.

Because of two stupid hundred bucks.