Chapter 9 Why Is He Following Me?
I walked into the kitchen and nearly jumped when I saw Noah standing right behind me.
"Whoa!"
He blinked up at me calmly like appearing silently behind people was completely normal behavior.
"Okay," I said, putting my hand on my chest. "You scared me."
Noah said nothing.
Just stared.
I crouched down to his level.
"Were you looking for something?"
He looked at the counter.
Then back at me.
Not exactly helpful information.
I glanced around the kitchen.
"Snack?"
Noah nodded.
I pointed at him again.
"You are really getting good at this whole communication thing."
Mrs Miller looked up from the other side of the kitchen.
"He has been following you."
I blinked.
"Following me?"
"Yes."
I looked down at Noah again.
"Are you following me?"
He did not answer.
Which honestly felt like a yes.
I grabbed a small bowl and put some fruit inside before handing it to him.
"There you go."
He took it quietly and walked back toward the living room.
I turned around to grab a glass of water.
And when I turned back around again...
He was standing there.
Right behind me.
Still holding the bowl.
I stared at him.
He stared at me.
"Okay," I said slowly. "You are definitely following me."
Mrs Miller hid a small smile.
A little later I was walking through the hallway toward the library.
Footsteps followed behind me.
Tiny footsteps.
I turned around.
Noah stood there.
Holding his toy train.
I raised an eyebrow.
"You again."
Silence.
"You know you can just walk next to me."
He stayed exactly where he was.
Watching.
I started walking again.
The tiny footsteps followed.
I stopped suddenly.
He stopped too.
I spun around dramatically.
"You are absolutely following me."
No reaction.
I sighed.
"Alright."
I crouched down again.
"You can follow me. That is allowed."
His expression did not change.
But he stepped a little closer.
Which felt like another small victory.
Later that afternoon Dominic walked into the living room while I was sitting on the floor building a block tower.
Noah was right next to me.
Actually he had been next to me most of the day.
Dominic stopped when he saw us.
His eyes moved to Noah.
Then to me.
Then back to Noah again.
"You are building a tower," he said.
I looked up.
"Oh hi."
He gave a short nod.
Noah carefully placed another block on top of the tower.
Dominic watched him quietly.
Then he spoke again.
"He usually prefers playing alone."
I shrugged.
"I think he just enjoys my incredible architectural skills."
Dominic looked at the slightly crooked block tower.
He did not look impressed.
Noah added another block.
The tower leaned dangerously.
I pointed at it.
"This is modern art."
Dominic said nothing.
He just continued watching Noah.
Then something interesting happened.
Noah grabbed another block.
But instead of placing it himself...
He handed it to me.
Dominic noticed immediately.
So did I.
I placed the block on the tower.
"There we go."
The tower wobbled.
Then collapsed completely.
Blocks scattered everywhere.
I gasped dramatically.
"Oh no."
Noah blinked at the pile.
Then he looked at me.
For a moment I thought he might be upset.
Instead he pushed one block toward me.
Like he wanted to start again.
Dominic watched the entire interaction silently.
His gaze slowly moved from Noah to me.
There was something thoughtful in his expression now.
Like he was analyzing something.
Finally he spoke.
"He follows you."
I blinked.
"You noticed that too?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"He never does that."
I looked down at Noah who was already stacking blocks again.
"I think he just likes my personality."
Dominic looked unconvinced.
Then Ryan's voice suddenly echoed from the hallway.
"Dom!"
Ryan walked into the room a second later.
Sebastian followed behind him.
Ryan immediately spotted Noah sitting beside me.
He looked between us.
Then grinned.
"Oh wow."
Dominic sighed quietly.
Ryan pointed dramatically.
"He really is following her."
Sebastian leaned against the doorway calmly.
Observing everything like usual.
Ryan crouched down near Noah.
"So Noah."
He gestured toward me.
"Did Amelia kidnap you?"
Noah ignored him completely.
Ryan laughed.
"Okay that's rude."
Sebastian spoke quietly.
"He is comfortable."
Dominic's jaw tightened slightly.
Ryan stood up again and crossed his arms.
"I told you hiring her would work."
Dominic did not answer.
His eyes moved toward me again.
And suddenly I felt very aware of the fact that he was watching me.
Like really watching me.
Which made me slightly nervous.
So I immediately picked up another block.
"Alright Noah."
I held it up.
"We rebuild."
Noah nodded.
Ryan watched the two of us.
Then he looked at Dominic with a smirk.
"You are being replaced."
Dominic gave him a cold look.
Ryan just laughed.
Sebastian stayed quiet.
But even he looked slightly amused.
Meanwhile Noah placed another block on the tower.
And I realized something.
This quiet little boy who barely spoke...
Was now following me everywhere.
And somehow I had a feeling that was going to change a lot of things in this house.