Page 26 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

Chapter Nineteen

NOAH

“ Y ou can’t do that!” Nathan shouts.

Caleb grins, dribbling past him before passing the basketball off to Jason, who runs in for a lay-up. Getting the shot in, I’m under the ring, catching it and holding on as Caleb gets in Nathan’s face.

“There’s no rule against bouncing it off chests,” Caleb deadpans, clearly not caring about Nathan’s rules. But as a coach, Nate knows what he’s talking about.

Nathan’s tongue pokes his cheek as he shakes his head. “Those points don’t count.”

Caleb and Jason groan as I wait with the ball, letting Nathan go on because I know better than to argue with him when it comes to his sports. He’s had a passion for this game since he learnt how to run, so who am I to go up against him?

“Look, man, it’s just a friendly game,” Jason supplies, approaching the two of them.

“Yeah, we aren’t even keeping score,” Caleb argues.

Nathan’s mouth opens, eyes bugging out of his head and sweat glistening on his forehead. “Are you serious? That’s only because you’re losing! ”

“No way, man. We’re up by five!” Jason shouts back. Caleb hits him on the back of the head.

Nathan points at them, jaw slack as he coughs out a laugh. “I knew it!”

“All right, enough,” I ground out, and all three heads snap my way. “Just leave it, Nate. We want to play. There’s no need to get all technical on us.”

“Exactly,” Caleb drawls, and Nathan’s jaw clenches.

I step between them, putting the ball in Nathan’s hands. “Just let it go, and it’s our ball.”

“But we scored,” Jason counters, and I glare in his direction. “Fine. Your ball, losers.”

Nathan turns to lunge at Jason, but I grab a hold of him and push him backwards, putting myself between them. “Enough, Nate. What’s going on with you today?”

His dark eyes move behind me, staring at Caleb and Jason, waiting for Nathan to calm down. Face tensed, I can tell something is going on. He’s not normally this uptight about a game. The tightness in his shoulders, sharpness of his jaw, and flared nostrils give it away.

I gently push him away from them to give him space. Nathan rubs the back of his neck, troubled gaze dropping to the ground when he mumbles, “Dad got his results this afternoon.”

My chest stills at the pain etched into his features, making him look younger despite the stubble shadowing his chin. “And?”

Chocolate eyes find mine. Nathan just shakes his head.

My shoulders sink as I silently pull him into a hug, not caring if the other two see us right now. “I’m so sorry, Nate.”

My best friend just sniffs, and I can tell he’s trying his best not to break apart in front of Caleb and Jason. I’m not sure if it was just us together, alone in my house, he’d fall apart. He’s always been resilient and in control.

“Ivy isn’t taking it very well,” he murmurs out, and my spine tenses. “She just left without telling me where she was going and told me not to find her.” Moving away, Nathan runs a hand through his inky hair, sighing loudly. “I don’t know if she’ll be able to take this again.”

“Ivy is a smart girl. She knows not to get herself into anything too messy, but you need to let her deal with this in her own way. The more you try to control her, the less she’ll listen. And last time, she was still young. She didn’t know how to deal with grief.”

Digging the heels of his hand into his eyes, Nathan nods, blowing out a breath and cracking his neck.

“You’re right. I need to give her some space.

But she’s not completely smart. Her friend Tahlia is with her and updating me on their whereabouts.

” His mouth twitches, but there’s no amusement in his eyes.

I sniff out a laugh, slapping him on the back gently. “Good. But she’s going to be fine. You just need to give her time to deal with the news.”

“I know,” he utters in a low tone. “It’s just hard trying to look after her and dad at the same time.”

“I’ll help if you need. You know I will.”

Nathan flicks me a small appreciative smile, but it does nothing to ease the knotting in my stomach. “Thanks, man. And I will let you know if I do.”

“Sure. Now come on, we have six points to make up so we can rub it in their faces.” I pump my brows, slinging an arm around his shoulders.

“Just don’t say anything to anyone,” Nathan murmurs as we approach the others. “I don’t want everyone to know yet.”

“Of course I won’t. It’s not my secret to share, Nate. You know I’ll always have your back, yeah? ”

“Yeah,” he echoes, smiling at me before glaring at the other two waiting. “All right. We’re keeping score now, and Noah and I are about to wipe the floor with your asses.”

I snort a laugh as we get back into position.

Nathan starts with the ball, dribbling from the half court, dancing around Jason, who’s trying to defend against him.

Turning around him, Nathan passes the ball to me, but Caleb tries to knock me over.

I stand my ground, dodging his blow and running past him towards the ring.

My arms raise, angling the ball, but it’s plucked from my hands by a taller Caleb. Laughing, he runs off, passing to Jason, who legs it down the other end. Nathan takes off after him, and I follow, bolting as fast as I can, and push Caleb away when he comes for me.

These guys know how to play dirty.

Jason lines up for a shot, but Nathan taps it backwards and away from the ring.

Jumping, I snatch it. Taking off, I dribble past Caleb, faking left and going right before passing to Nathan in front of me.

He runs down and sinks a three-pointer so easily that it makes the rest of us look like rubbish.

“Yes!” he shouts and runs up to slap my palm.

Caleb grunts, chasing the ball to start again. We go on for another twenty minutes, running back and forth on the court, until we’re sweating and panting. Nathan gets in the last point.

Jason collapses on the ground, catching his breath. “I’m calling quits. You guys win.”

Nathan grins, slapping my back. I don’t miss Caleb smiling, which is quite rare for him. He’s usually moody and sarcastic.

“Let’s get a drink. I'm dying of thirst,” groans Jason. Nathan offers him a hand. “Pub? ”

“Yeah, but not too late, otherwise Jade will fall asleep, and I hate coming home when she’s out like a light.”

“Of course, Daddy Noah,” Nathan jokes, and I just stare at him.

Jason chuckles, pushing Nathan towards his car.

Caleb goes to follow him, but I stop him. “You heard, didn’t you?”

His blue eyes burn into mine. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Daddy Noah.” I roll mine as he snickers. “Yeah, we heard. Thought Nathan could use the win.”

“So you do have a nice bone in your body…”

He snorts a laugh. “Yeah, one, and the ladies love it.” He winks at me before trailing off to Nathan’s car, leaving me shaking my head.

Grabbing the ball, I walk towards my car when my phone dings with a text. Frowning, I pull it out, hoping it’s not Mia telling me that Jade’s fallen asleep, because I really want to cuddle her after my talk with Nathan.

My legs freeze when I see the name of who sent me the text. Ice chills my blood, draining from my face as I read Mum’s name.

JUDITH: Noah, call me when you can.

I swallow down bitter bile as my pulse shocks me with each beat. It feels like sludge is being pushed through my veins as I stare down at the bright screen.

“Noah!”

Jaw tightening, my breathing becomes shorter and quicker as my mind starts reeling with all the possibilities as to why she wants me to call her when we haven’t spoken in almost two years.

Has she not gotten the hint that I don’t want anything to do with them?

“Noah!”

I tilt my chin to see my friends waiting for me over by the cars. Jaw ticking, I shove my phone into my pocket and stalk over.

Nathan frowns, knowing that something is up, but I don’t offer any information.

“I’ve got to go,” I mumble, placing the ball into Nathan’s hands. “Call you tomorrow, man.”

Grabbing my keys, I move to the driver’s side when Nathan’s voice rises over the top of the car. “Hey, are you okay?”

I nod, flicking him a quick, fake smile, not wanting him to worry since he has much heavier things to deal with right now.

“Yeah, I just have to get home. Didn’t realise the time.

” My voice is clipped, but it’s not directed at my friend.

It’s at my mum who just randomly decided to contact me again after all this time, and I really don’t want to know why.

“All right. I’ll text you later.”

“See you, man,” I murmur before sliding into my car and slamming the door closed. I don’t want to call her yet, and honestly, I just want to be alone right now, even though Jade is waiting for me at home with Mia and her gran.

Flicking on the ignition, I pull out of the park and take off. Driving has always been my coping mechanism, even when I was karting as a little kid. I feel alive when I drive. My anxiety seeps away when I’m behind the wheel. It’s exhilarating and thrilling and therapeutic.

Passing through the main street, I keep driving away towards Diamond Falls, a secluded, peaceful place that I like to come to when I need some space for myself.

I haven’t been here since Jade was born, but I’m struggling to deal with this message.

There’s a reason I cut my parents out of my life.

Their incessant pressure was becoming too overwhelming, and then, when Jade was born, they made her out to be the biggest burden in my life.

I hated them, and I still do. Nobody is going to tell me how to run my life.

Rolling down the windows, I let the wind blow through my hair, making me feel calm and rife.

It pushes through my strands as I lean my head on my hand.

Blasting rock music, I fly down the one-lane road.

It’s dark out, and my car lights definitely aren’t strong enough to pick up animals from a long distance, but I keep speeding anyway.

I just need this to take my mind off that text.

Pulling up at the quaint woodland space, I turn off my car and bang my head on the steering wheel, trying to control my anger and racing inner thoughts.

Clamping my eyes, I listen to my heavy breathing and the blood rushing to my ears.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I lean back, exhaling shakily before picking up my phone and calling her.

I just need to hear her voice right now.

“Noah?” Mia’s quiet voice comes through, and it does something to my insides. Melts them, I think .

Swallowing down the formed lump, I sniff. “Hi, Grey.”

“Are you okay? Do you need me to pick you up?” Worry is evident in her lilt, and it settles my pounding pulse.

“No. I’m in my car already.”

“Oh,” she lets out softly. “Are you on your way home?”

I shake my head against the headrest. “Not yet. Maybe another hour.” My normally warm tone sounds cold and distant.

“Okay.”

She doesn't sound bothered or annoyed that I've interrupted her evening. I wish I didn’t have to, but her voice alone centres me. Just hearing it grounds me.

“Grey?” My voice cracks a little on her name.

“Yeah?” Her voice matches mine, a little wary .

Raking at hand through my hair, I gaze around at the blackened area outside, listening to the sounds of the night on the other side of the car windows. “Can you stay on the line with me until I’m home?”

She’s silent for a moment, and my heart sinks a little. “Yeah. I’m not going anywhere, thirty-four.”

My lips quirk at her name for me. I close my eyes, balancing my phone on my lap. “Thank you.” The two words escape my mouth like a secret.

“Are you sure that you’re okay, though?”

Eyes shut, I nod again, letting the pent-up anger flow out of me the longer I sit in the silence of my car. “I will be. I just need a moment.”

“Did something happen?”

My voice comes out rougher than usual. “Yes.”

“Okay,” she breathes out, and I hear her shutting a door. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Swallowing, my breathing slows to a normal rate.

I hate that my parents bring back all the anxiety and heartache of that night.

It still pains me to think about. I want to move on.

I have moved on. But there’s still something that lingers in the back of my mind, reminding me of what happened.

About how selfish my parents are. Of how alone I feel.

“Thank you, Grey.” My heart beats heavier knowing that I at least have her for now. And hopefully forever…