Chapter 17 Poppy
N oah grabs my arm and tugs me towards my classroom as soon as we’re dismissed for lunch. “How was your group for that last session? Mr. Johnson wanted to compare tattoos, did you know he got one over break?”
“That’s what you want to talk to me about? Mr. Johnson’s midlife crisis? We have bigger things to deal with.” His eyes narrow at me as we pass through the white doorway into my room as a large smile spreads across his face. The lights are still off and other than dropping off my lunch here this morning, I haven’t been here. Flicking on the holiday lights I have hanging throughout the room, we go in, settling by one of the student tables. “We didn’t get to finish our chat earlier.”
I can hear Noah chiding me over not texting him about my first one night stand or about how Andi’s wedding went, but my eyes are still moving around the room. My room. The last time I was here I was a completely different person and somehow being here again, I’m seeing the room with new eyes and new ideas for the year start pouring into my head. I did miss this.
“If you don’t tell me right now who it was with, so help me…” Noah’s voice brings me back to the moment. “You said I knew him before we got interrupted during the break?” He motions for me to go on, drumming his fingers on the wooden table behind him, covered in layers of paint and ink from years past.
“I missed you,” I say, almost in a whisper before continuing, “I thought he was from out of town, but he’s here today, at the training.” I’m not sure why I hadn’t clued Noah in to everything that had been going on for me the past week. I think it was another piece I wanted to keep to myself and transition back slowly.
His eyes go wide before he steps next to me, wrapping me into a big hug. “I’ve missed you too. But, you can’t mean, Owen? Really?”
“Yes, but he was clearly playing me. I had no idea who he was. Only that he was related somehow to Brandon.”
His laugh crackles through the room. “He’s a great guy. He’d never do that to you, not on purpose anyway.”
“Oh yeah, how would you even know what kind of guy he is?” Grabbing my lunch out of my mini fridge, I pull a stool over to the table he’s standing by and sit down to eat. Noah grabs a protein shake—he’s always trying to eat cleaner—out of his pack and sits as well.
“He was the sub for Ms. Gibs all spring.” What? Maybe that’s what Erin was saying about him when I was zoned out on remembering how his skin tasted that night. How could Andi not tell me Brandon’s cousin was working here? I suppose I did tell her I didn’t want any Honey Cove information, but this seems like a pretty big thing to not tell me. How much did I miss?
“And you and he became…”
“Friends, yes. He jumped right in here, really caring with the kids, and he even volunteered to do the lock-in for the seniors at the end of the year.” He’s still looking at me as if I’ve lost a chunk of my memory and can’t be trusted. “How did you and he, you know?”
I take my time finishing a chip, unsure of how to respond at first, unsure how much of those moments I want to keep for myself. “He came up to talk with me at the reception and we had this whole thing of being just Poppy and Owen.” I can see the smirk on Noah’s mouth before hearing his laughter again. “It was cute, although it sounds a little silly now.”
“I’m sure drunk Poppy found it cute.” He takes a long sip of his shake, moving his eyes to look out the window while fishing a bar out of his pack.
“You love drunk Poppy.”
“I do. What do you think you’re going to do?” he asks.
Thinking for a moment, I run my hand through my hair before answering, “Well I was so angry when I saw him here, but after what you said, I’m wondering if he was somehow as in the dark as I was.”
“He only found out a couple days ago that he got the job. He was preparing to move home and probably thought he’d never see you again. Did you like him?”
Feeling Noah’s eyes on me, I try to pick my words carefully. This wasn’t the carefree night of fun I thought it was. Now things feel suddenly serious. Owen lives here now, he has connections and friends. I can tell Noah’s mind is already churning with ideas and I don’t feel interested in any of that. I made myself a promise and would like to stick to it. This time is about me and finding my own way.
“Well yeah, he was sweet and he got stung by a bee and I helped him. But I’m not looking for anything. I can see where your mind is headed.” I point a finger at him, letting him know I am serious.
“You know that also sounds absurd, right?”
“The bee? I am aware.”
“Hey, I am glad to have you back. I missed you. And this. ”
A sigh brushes past my lips. I missed him too. While I don’t love being grilled, it was warranted. Being back this week has been hard and I’ve, so far, avoided any unnecessarily intrusive conversations about my time away. Talking with Noah is like a breath of fresh air comparatively.
“Me too. Now enough about my sex life, fill me in on what else happened here. I clearly missed a lot.”