Kane

Seven Years Earlier

“Why won’t she answer me?” I throw my phone across the bed, frustrated.

“You’re probably scaring her because you’ve done nothing but call her for the last hour,” Kai––my twin brother––says, rolling his eyes.

“It’s not like her not to answer,” I point out.

“Maybe she finally realized what a piece of garbage you are, and she’s moving on with her life.” He shrugs, and I launch a pillow in his direction.

“Fuck off, Kai.”

He gets off the bed, laughing. “Whatever. It’s not my fault you’re obsessed with your best friend.”

“I’m not obsessed with Noel,” I insist, lying through my teeth.

“Everyone but Noelle knows that you’re obsessed with her.”

I watch him leave the room and I get out of bed, frustrated. I guess I’ll go over to her house and find out what’s going on.

After what happened last night, I feel like we have a lot to talk about. I think I’m ready to tell her how I really feel. Last night changed everything. I don’t know if we can go back to what we were before.

I go outside, walking out to the sidewalk. Noelle Cooper has lived two houses down from us since we were in grade school. She was riding her bike down the sidewalk one day when her shoestring got stuck in her bike chain and she fell right in front of our house. I came outside to help, and we’ve been attached at the hip ever since.

I’m not obsessed with her. More like in love with her. I have been since we turned twelve and I started to notice just how gorgeous she really is. Now that we’re fifteen, it’s the only thing I notice.

She’s got this long blonde hair, almost white, that falls just past her shoulders. Her legs are long, and she has a yearlong tan that makes all the girls jealous. She could be a supermodel.

I’ve been pounding on their door for about five minutes when Mr. James––their neighbor––comes outside.

“They left,” he shouts from his porch.

“What do you mean, they left?” I ask.

“They loaded a moving van in the middle of the night and left early this morning. It looked like they were in a hurry.” He shrugs, walking back inside his house.

I feel my heart drop down to my stomach. That can’t be true. Noelle wouldn’t do that to me. She’s my best friend.

I walk around the house, peeking into the windows, and I’m starting to think Mr. James is right. There’s nothing left here.

What could have happened to make her family just up and leave in the middle of the night? Why wouldn’t she have at least called me and told me she was leaving?

My sadness quickly turns to anger. That’s fine. I guess Noelle Cooper was never really the friend I thought she was.

I’m wondering how long it will take to fall out of love with the first girl you ever fell in love with?