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“Y–yeah, I’m g–good. I’m great, good, yup. I’m good.” He mumbles his way through.

I nod my head, still gripping his wrist, holding him hostage in my space.

“We should get going.” Unsure if I’m trying to convince myself or him.

Minutes pass before Noah seems to find himself again.

“You’ll have to let me go if we’re going to go.”

“Right.”

I drop his wrist like he burned me. Not sparing Noah a second glance, I move around him and hold my breath.

Oh, I’m definitely fucked.

CHAPTER14

Noah

I’m not sure Reed even realizes that he's kept looking back at me for the past hour. I would like to think it’s because he’s starting to like me, that I’m beginning to grow on him. But knowing Reed, the small amount that I do know, he's probably checking to see if I’m still following him like a lost puppy.

When he grabbed my wrist, it was like I got shocked by electricity. A flutter rose in my chest, like a swarm of butterflies. I’m used to making others uncomfortable, but in that moment I found myself in a position of wanting to run away instead. It was a mix of vulnerability and surprise at being exposed. I almost shoved him away, but thankfully he was the one to drop my wrist like he caught fire.

I clear my throat and look around. “So, Georgia, what are we checking on there?”

“Something important.”

I shouldn’t be surprised this is all he gives me. Reed isn’t one to talk. What a pair we make! One that yaps too much and one that would rather not mutter a word.

“I think we’ve established this, but since this is going to be a long walk, can you give me something to work with?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Reed shake his head. Probably regretting saving me from that zombie.

When he doesn’t bother to say anything, I try to bite my tongue, but I can’t.

“Right, so thissomething,can you at least tell me what it entails? Like, I’m picturing a dog, which is outrageous because why on God's green Earth would you leave a dog behind?”

I gasp, turning my head towards him. “Don’t tell me you left some poor animal in Georgia and now you’re just hoping it’s alive, because I might not be able to take you in a fight, but I will somehow manage to fight you.”

“Calm down there; no need to turn into the Hulk or some shit. No, it’s not an animal.” Reed huffs.

I felt an immediate flash of relief knowing he didn’t leave a dog or something to fend for itself out there. But he still seems unwilling to tell me what exactly he’s going to Georgia for.

“Do you have like a secret girlfriend? Is that who we’re going back for?”

I wasn’t sure why I asked because the quiet ache that settles in my chest at the realization I’m not even an option hurts. Before the dead rose up, I had very few choices to begin with. Most men I crushed on were either closeted or straighter than a pencil. I never wanted to be the reason someone got outed before they were ready. And then there were the straight men, who most of the time in school liked to pull jokes about being into me just to turn around and poke fun at me with their friends.

“No, no girlfriend.” Reed finally says.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. We walked in silence for a few minutes, but I couldn’t hold the burning question any longer.

“Why did you bring me along?” My question comes out whiny and desperate, but at this rate I might as well be.

He was quiet for longer than I liked, so long I wasn’t sure he was ever going to answer me.

“You looked sad.”

My breath catches in my chest, my body going still at his words.