When I woke up the next morning, Noah wasn’t by my side anymore.

He may have left when he saw that I was asleep already. Personally, I think that’s okay because I wouldn’t know what to do when I face him in the morning. But I should’ve at least thanked him for what he did last night.

Honestly, that was the most decent sleep I’ve had after the accident. I didn’t get to experience my usual nightmares and when I got up from my bed, there were no headaches to bother me early in the morning.

I quickly finished my food and head out for school.

……………………………………………………………………………….

I looked for Emily when I arrived at school. I saw her talking to someone and when I looked closely, I figured that it was one of our schoolmates whose name I don’t even know. I went there and greeted the both of them. Emily said goodbye to our schoolmate and faced me.

“You’re in a good mood,“ Emily told me. “Did you sleep well last night?”

I’m really amazed at how she would quickly notice changes in my behavior. For all of the times that we were together, I didn't know that she was actually paying attention. She really is my best friend.

“Did you use Serenity?”she then asked. “How was it?”

There's no point in denying it so, I nodded my head as a response. “It wasn’t bad at all. You get to choose who you want to be your agent and the agent has a good way of putting you to sleep.”

“Really?" she started. "What does your agent look like? Is he cute?”

I was about to answer her simultaneous questions when I saw Noah and his friends passed by near us. And what surprised me is that, he made eye contact with me as if he was saying, ‘Don’t say anything.’

Is he still not convinced with what I told him last night? I mean, I promised that I wouldn't tell on him. But, I couldn’t blame him though. He doesn’t really know me and yet, he told me his secret. I mean, how messed up could that be?

“Meredith? What are you looking at?” then she also looked at who I was staring. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was. “Avert your gaze. Quick!” She told me with worry in her voice so I looked back at her questioningly.

“Why? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“What do you mean, what’s wrong?” She looked at me with wide eyes. “Meredith, don’t you know them?”

“Of course, I do. It’s just--”I didn’t get to continue because she cut me off.

“Good. Then you wouldn’t want to involve yourself with them," she looked around and then whispered to me. "Especially Noah Delgado, the guy in the middle. I heard that he has quite the reputation. He’s obviously bad news.”

‘I think it’s too late to say that now’ is what I wanted to tell her but I wouldn't want to raise suspicions and since I promised Noah that I would keep my mouth shut, then he has my word.

“You can have the assurance that I won’t. And anyway, it’s impossible in the first place,” I just told her in a low voice instead. She looked convinced with what I said then she dragged me inside of our classroom. But before we totally got inside, I looked back at Noah who was still staring at me but there was no threat in his eyes anymore. Instead, they look relieved and more calm. He said something to his friends and then they left.

……………………………...

School is really something that should not be taken advantaged of. Most especially the projects and the paper works.They are not jokes.

When I got home that afternoon after a day full of nothing but studying and writing essays, that’s when I felt the throbbing in my head again. This is what I really hate the most. When you overworked your self at school and then afterwards, you get a massive headache, it's just too much to handle.

I sat at a nearby chair when I felt my surroundings spinning. I closed my eyes and massaged my temples hoping that the pain would somehow go away.

It did not. Instead, the pain that I was feeling intensified and I had to lie down to prevent myself from falling face flat on the floor.

This is bad. Really, really bad.

I am alone in the house and I don't think that this headache will go away anytime soon. Maybe I should call Emily over. I reached for my phone in my pocket and was about to do so, when I remembered that she's attending her special class right now. There is no way that I am disturbing her.

I was already feeling helpless and hopeless at the same time when I remembered a certain person who helped me fall asleep last time.

Noah.

At first, I was hesitant. But, when I felt another wave of pain in my head, I just couldn't take it anymore. In my disgruntled state, I called Noah. I closed my eyes and let darkness consume me.

........................................................................................................

I woke up to the sound of knocking on my door. I looked at the time on my phone and I found out that I was out for like fifteen minutes. I looked at the door when I heard the knocking repeatedly. And that's when realization hit me. Noah must've arrived already. I quickly sat up but regretted it instantly when I felt my head throb again. Not minding it, I stood up and went to the door to open it. When I did, I saw a very pissed and impatient Noah looking down at me.

"I've been knocking on your door for the past fifteen minutes!" he told me angrily. "If you don't have any plans on opening up, you don't have to call me or are you trying to make me look like a fool?"

His voice continues to rise as he told me those things and I had to close my eyes because it's making my condition worse.

"I-I'm sorry," I said quietly. I opened the door wider in order for him to come in. I didn't look at him and just kept my head down. "Please sit down. I'm just going to get you a glass of water."

I walked past him but then, I felt my surroundings spinning again so I lost my balance and bumped into him.

"What are you doing?!" he told me and was about to push me away when he noticed my condition. "Hey... you don't look okay."

I didn't say anything and just leaned my body against him.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier!" He started raising his voice again but stopped immediately. "You really don't know how to take care of yourself," he whispered then he bent over to carry me. He started making his way to my bedroom but I stopped him.

"I still have to get you water," I told him weakly.

I heard him sigh heavily then he looked at me. "You're far more important so forget that d*mn water."

I looked up at him with a surprised expression. We stared at each other for a moment but I was the first one to break it off.

Noah continued to walk towards my room and when we arrived, he gently put me down and covered me up with my blanket. He climbed on my bed and lied down beside me.

"I'm sorry," he whispered then he started stroking my head.

"F-for what?" I asked him. I tried to look at him but he stopped me.

"You're really stu - " he stopped himself from saying 'stupid' and just continued to stroke my head. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It wasn't my intention to raise my voice at you."

"It's my fault for not telling you so I should be the one saying sorry. Also, I didn't open the door immediately so I -" I told him but he cut me off.

"It's fine already. Close your eyes," he said in a low voice and gently tap my shoulders.

I did what he told me to do. I can feel his gentle hand on my head and the way he stroke it. His light taps on my shoulder that were really soothing and comforting. I remember the rumors that Emily told me. I think Noah is just wearing a mask. He's not really a bad boy. At first, I thought he's one of those people who hits walls at school. I knew his name because he was popular at school. He was always a popular person, who always had people around him.

With those thoughts in my mind, sleep fully consumed me.