Kapitel 6: MEMORIES OF NOAH

After a long evening with Cassy, Claire walked home through the quiet streets, feeling the cool breeze on her face. Her mind was full of questions she didn't have answers to, and all of them circled back to one person—Noah.

When she got home, she quietly had dinner with her parents, then retreated to her old room, hoping to find some peace. But sitting there, surrounded by familiar things, her thoughts wouldn't let go of him. Cassy's words had stirred memories she hadn't touched in years, memories she thought were locked away for good.

She let out a sigh and leaned back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Slowly, images of Noah filled her mind—moments from years ago, moments she hadn't let herself think about. The Noah she remembered was nothing like the stranger Cassy had described. He was warm, confident, always with a faint smile that seemed like he was hiding some secret.

Then, as she closed her eyes, a memory from high school surfaced…

---

It was spring, and the campus was alive with color. Cherry blossoms lined the path to the school entrance, and the air smelled sweet. Claire was carrying a stack of books across the courtyard, focused on not dropping them, when she nearly ran into someone. She looked up, startled, and found herself staring into Noah's eyes.

"Whoa, careful there," he said, stepping back with that little smile of his. He had always looked good—tall, with dark hair that fell in a slight wave over his forehead, and eyes that seemed to see more than he let on.

"Oh, sorry!" she mumbled, feeling her cheeks heat up.

Noah just laughed, shaking his head. "You're always reading, Claire. Ever take a break?"

She shrugged, trying to act casual. "I like books. They're easier than people sometimes."

He raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Well, you should look up once in a while. There's more to see."

It was such a simple thing to say, but somehow it made her heart skip a beat. She'd seen him in school a hundred times, but this was one of the few moments they'd actually spoken alone. There was something easygoing about him that made everyone else in school seem ordinary by comparison. He wasn't just popular—he was someone everyone looked up to. She knew he came from a powerful family, though nobody seemed to know the details. That added to the mystery around him.

And she… she was just Claire. She wasn't popular, wasn't from a well-known family. She was the quiet one who loved books, the one who liked to stay out of the spotlight. But somehow, with Noah, she didn't feel invisible. Just for a moment, she felt like he actually saw her.

"Maybe one day you'll show me what I'm missing," she'd replied, trying to sound confident, even though her heart was pounding.

He smiled a little wider. "Maybe I will."

---

The memory faded, and Claire opened her eyes, blinking back to the present. She could still feel that moment, the warmth in his gaze, the quiet connection they'd shared, however brief it had been. How could that boy—the one she remembered so clearly—turn into the cold, distant man everyone whispered about?

As she sat there, Claire realized one thing: she had to know. She had to see him, to find out if that Noah was still there, somewhere beneath the shadows of whatever had happened since.