Chapter 14
The walk through Central Park was wonderful.
We applauded the street performers, snapped selfies on picture-perfect bridges, and enjoyed some of the best people-watching you could imagine.
We even sort of paid attention when the group stopped to look at a few statues and landmarks and Mr. Wagner tried to lecture us about them.
The best part was that it was easy to stay clear of Noah, and I barely noticed him.
I was too busy having fun with my friends and admiring the sights.
I didn’t see him at dinner either. There were so many students on the trip we sat at a few different tables, and he was nowhere near me.
We went to an amazing Asian fusion restaurant Cress told me was one of the best in the city.
The servers brought out a wide array of incredible dishes, most of which I’d never even heard of, let alone tried before.
Even so, I found myself sampling every dish and wolfing down anything that hit my plate.
I loved my mom’s cooking at the café, but this was a different world of food altogether.
I was growing tired by the time we made it to the theater.
Between the drive to New York and the afternoon exploring Central Park, I was exhausted.
I’d also gotten a bit overexcited at dinner, and I was feeling very full.
It was a short walk to the theater from the restaurant, but Cress, Anna, and I lagged at the back of the group.
When we got to the theater, students were already lining up in front of the entrance where Mr. Wagner was handing out tickets.
We joined the back of the queue and shuffled forward as students filed into the theater and went to find their seats.
Anna grinned when she glanced down at her ticket and saw where she was sitting.
“Wow, they got us good seats,” she said.
“We’re so close to the front we’ll practically be able to feel Romeo spitting his lines. ”
I looked at her ticket and saw she was in row C. But when I looked at my own, I appeared to be nowhere near her. “You’ll have to tell me all about his spit,” I said. “I don’t think I’ll be getting sprayed by it in row MM.”
Anna glanced over at my ticket and frowned. “What? Are we really not sitting together?”
“It must be random,” Cress said. “I’m in row F.”
“Sorry, girls.” Mr. Wagner’s low voice interrupted our complaints. “Most of the group are in the front rows, but there’s too many of us, so some of you will be sitting elsewhere. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only ones.”
“Damn, I can’t believe they don’t have us sitting together,” Anna said as we left Mr. Wagner in the foyer. “I don’t want to be sprayed in spit without you guys.”
I laughed. “Why do I feel like that’s not something people often say?”
“Ha, you may think that, but I bet it is,” Anna replied with a smile. She started to frown though as she looked at me. “Shit, and it’s your first performance in New York, Isobel. Do you want to swap seats with me?”
I quickly shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I wouldn’t want to deprive you of Romeo’s spit.”
“I’m sure I can live without it. Seriously, let’s swap.”
“I’m happy to swap too if you like,” Cress added. “Though my seat isn’t as good as Anna’s.”
I pulled my ticket in close to my chest. “Nope, like I said, I’m fine.
” I started toward the stairs that led up to my seat before they could argue.
There was a look in Anna’s eyes that made me feel like she might try to wrestle the ticket from my hands if I hung around. “I’ll catch you guys after the show.”
I wandered up the stairs until I found the door I was supposed to enter through.
As I entered the auditorium, I could see I was right at the back of the theater.
I wasn’t just a few rows from my friends.
I was a whole other level away from them.
The place was packed, but I saw a few other students scattered throughout the seats, so at least I wasn’t the only one back here.
I climbed the stairs until I reached my row, which was the very last one in the entire theater.
While Anna was being covered in spit from the performers, I’d be lucky to hear them at all.
I looked down the row and could just make out an empty seat over the sea of heads.
Every seat between me and my destination was taken, so I slowly began to edge my way past the other patrons, keeping my eyes down so I didn’t trip and whispering my apologies as I went.
I was just about to reach my seat when I looked up and saw who I would be sitting next to.
I froze. My blood turned to ice as I locked eyes with Noah.
His look of shock must have mirrored mine.
I imagined the universe was having a good old laugh right now.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.
The man I’d stopped in front of cleared his throat, and I quickly jolted back into action. “Sorry.” I gave him an empty smile before I slowly continued onward. Every second I delayed was one second less I had to spend at Noah’s side.
When I finally reached him, he stood to let me pass.
My body buzzed as I lightly brushed past him.
He was too big for such a small space, and it was impossible to get by him without touching.
I looked at the number on the empty seat next to him, and my heart sank as it was confirmed. I was sitting next to Noah.
I dropped into my seat and pulled out my program, hoping it might distract me from the boy I could feel at my side. There was only so much time you could spend reading about the actors in the play before it became painfully monotonous.
Noah let out a soft laugh, and I couldn’t stop myself from glancing up at him. He was watching me, and though he’d laughed, there wasn’t a trace of humor on his face.
“What?” I hissed at him.
“It’s nothing.”
“You laughed. Do you find something funny about this situation?”
He let out a sigh. “Only that no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to get away from you. It seems somewhat ironic given we’re seeing a play about fate.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Yes, well, I’m sure the universe will find some other people to mess with once it realizes no matter how many times it tries to throw us together it’ll make no difference.”
“Perhaps,” he agreed.
His response sliced through me. A part of me still wanted him to fight for us. To fight against his grandfather and choose me even though it was the wrong decision. The way he just seemed to surrender to it all only twisted the broken shards of my heart.
I just wished I didn’t feel such a strong connection to him. That I could ignore how my body urged me toward him even now.
“How was your afternoon?” he asked, somewhat taking me by surprise.
Apparently, we were making small talk now. It was unusual seeing as he hadn’t spoken two words to me all week. “I thought you weren’t talking to me.”
“I never said I wasn’t talking to you.”
I kept my arms crossed and stayed as small as I could in my seat. There was barely any space between the seats, and I felt too close to Noah. “Well, you haven’t been talking to me, and you’ve been acting as though I don’t exist.”
He let out a hard breath. “How could I be acting as though you don’t exist when you’re the only person I can see?”
This boy was more confusing than most of my chemistry lessons—and those were damn near impossible these days.
Thankfully, the lights in the theater started to dim, stopping our sad attempts at conversation.
I blew out a breath of relief. At least now I wouldn’t have to talk with Noah.
I could sit here and simply pretend he wasn’t there.
It was far easier said than done, and as soon as it grew dark, my body only seemed to become more aware of Noah’s presence beside me.
His arm was on the armrest between us, only inches away from my own.
His legs were close enough that I only had to shuffle slightly to brush against him.
The worst part was how clearly I could smell him.
His scent wrapped around me, beckoning me to him and tormenting my every breath.
I wondered if he was as plagued by me as I was by him.
It practically made me feel sick, and each passing moment only turned my stomach more.
I’d always found his presence impossible to ignore, but it had never made me feel quite so nauseated before.
Perhaps this was progress. Perhaps I’d gotten to the point in our breakup where he made me feel physically ill.
My stomach clenched, and I lifted a hand to my mouth. Nope. This couldn’t be because of Noah. I wasn’t just slightly queasy; I was ten days spent on the high seas kind of queasy.
“I’m going to be sick.” I jumped from my seat and darted back down the row toward the aisle as quickly as I could. People grumbled as I passed, but I ignored them as I climbed over their outstretched legs and rushed back down the steps and out into the foyer.
Thankfully, there was a women’s bathroom just outside the door, and I ran straight for it. I only just made it to the toilet before I vomited. My eyes watered, and my stomach turned. I hadn’t been sick this way in a long time.
I vaguely heard the bathroom door opening and the scuff of feet as someone entered. Whoever it was had a real treat in store because I wasn’t sure I could keep quiet. I was too sick to care though.
“Isobel, are you okay?”
Oh, God. Anyone but him. Noah had followed me in here, and I officially wanted to die.
I answered him by hurling my guts up again. I heard him swear, and moments later, his hands were brushing against the sides of my face as he pulled my hair back for me. If I wanted to get him to leave me alone by completely repulsing him, I was doing a great job.