Chapter Sixteen

"You know him?" I heard Noah ask from behind and my heart hammered against my chest wildly. My lips quivered and I blinked back my tears.

"Know w-who?" I stuttered and pretended that it was not him.

"My dad, his middle name is John," Noah confirmed my doubt and I took a few steps back until my back hit the shelf. I was beyond shocked, my entire body shook and twitched. All the old memories stormed in my empty brain, mocking my fate. Noah's deep blue eyes studied my face carefully as he tried to calm me.

"N-No, I . . . well, I don't know him! I-I just saw his name in one of the trophies!" I lied and went into a state of hysteria. I nearly ran away from the shattered photoframe which contained the photograph, but I tripped over something and Noah's strong arms immediately prevented me from falling. "I-I'm sorry about the frame, I didn't mean to-to break it."

My mind was completely blank as I sat down to collect the pieces of broken glass on the floor.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't touch that! A