"What time did you get home last night?" Audrina startled me, making me jump up.

I yawned, resting my weight on my elbows.

"You scared me!" I opened my crusty eyes to see Audrey, curiously looking down at me.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in last night." She shrugged, taking a bite of a granola bar.

"Like at 12." I got out of bed and straightened out the sheets.

I hurriedly did the bed, checking the time on my phone. It was 9 am, a little later than the time I usually woke up.

"Oh. Mom and dad told me to tell you they said bye. And that they wanted to make plans again soon." She munched happily, wiping crumbs away from the corners of her lips.

"I'll get back to them on that." I rolled my eyes, walking into the restroom to wash my face and begin my morning routine.

"Is Tiffany okay? She wasn't home when I woke up."

I looked at her momentarily, remembering our conversation. I promised I wouldn't say anything, so I didn't.

"Have you called her?" I asked, drying my face.

"Yeah, she didn't answer."

I slipped out my phone, unlocking it and stepping outside the house. I was barefoot, pacing around the front porch in pajama shorts and a tank top.

She picked up after a couple of rings, I sighed in relief.

"Are you okay? Why did you leave?" I asked.

"I just needed fresh air. I'm at the park. I'll be back in a few." I heard her soft voice through the phone. I frowned a bit, hoping she still didn't feel bad.

It broke my heart, knowing she was struggling but I couldn't help her. I just needed to be there to support her, no matter what.

"Okay. Don't take too long." I hung up, walking back inside the house. The sky was cloudy, maybe it would rain today.

Audrina was sitting on the couch, finishing up the snacks from yesterday. I rolled my eyes as she looked up, shoving junk in to her mouth.

"Eat real food." I snatched the bag away, making her whine outloud.

"It is real food." She said, her voice muffled.

*

"I got breakfast! Well, brunch I guess." Tiffany walked through the door,holding a McDonald's bag.

"I got the breakfast combo because I know how much you like pancakes." She grinned at me, setting the bags down on the counter.

"Thank you Tiff!" Audrina kissed Tiffany on the cheek jokingly. Her cheeks got red, making her turn around.

If only Audrina had known. Maybe she wouldn't have done that.

We ate, having a conversation about everything random. We talked about when Audrina would leave. She said she would leave in a week, maybe longer. I guess it depended on my parents.

"Have you guys seen anything about protests recently?" Audrina asked, sipping her orange juice and scrolling through her phone.

"I heard they started blocking stuff like that on Twitter and instagram." Tiffany added, raising her brows.

"Have they?" I grabbed the remote and turned on the tv, going to the news. They weren't reporting it anymore. There was nothing about George Floyd. It was like everyone forgot.

"Oh look, they're still having them." Tiffany showed me Twitter videos of recent protests.

"Huh." I breathed out, frowning.

I looked to the news, a live broadcast of a protest downtown. We could have gone to it.

I ran to the couch, jumping on it to see better.

I wondered if Noah, or Ryan or even Natalie knew about them. Probably not, they would've told us.

"Is that-" Audrina squinted at the tv, sitting down next to me.

"No way." Her eyes widened.

"That's Ryan."

I looked at her in disbelief. And sure enough, I saw him. His broad shoulders, his dreads peeking out under his helmet and mask. If he was there....

"Natalie?" Tiffany softly questioned, her eyes fixated on the smaller one in all black armor. Yep, it was Natalie.

"Is Noah there?" She grabbed my shoulder, all of us looking around the screen.

Shit. There he was, talking to Ryan and Natalie in the background.

I saw as he turned his head to the camera, then briskly walked away, followed by the rest of the crew.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I frowned, remembering that he had said was busy. But I never thought he was doing this. How long? Why didn't he just say anything?

"You didn't know?" Audrina stared at me, her eyes wide.

"No, I didn't. He didn't say he was still going." I furrowed my brows and got up from the seat, taking my phone with me to my room.

I called him, expecting him to not answer but, surprisingly, he did.

"What are you doing right now?" I asked, trying not to sound angry.

"Nothing, why?"

I felt my nostrils flare in anger.

"Nothing huh? Is that what Riot and Athena are doing too?" I spat, waiting to see what his response would be.

"Fuck. How did you know?"

"It doesn't matter! Why didn't you tell me?" I felt my face heat up, I balled up my fists. I hated feeling like an idiot.

"It's dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt becauseof this." He said, the sound of yelling and cheering behind him.

"Noah, you don't have to lie about it. I feel stupid thinking you're safe when you're out doing this." I huffed, staring at myself in my mirror.

"I didn't lie, I just didn't tell you. If I did you would've wanted to come and I would've needed to take care of you."

"I'm not a fucking baby, I can do things myself." I raised my voice, not being able to stay quiet.

"You've been gassed, maced, shot and arrested. I had to save you from everything." His voice boomed, making me flinch a bit.

He... had a point.

"Oh my God. You think I'm a burden." My face dropped.

"No, no I don't. Fuck, don't say that." His tone of voice dropped, it was soft.

"I feel like one." I felt my eyes tear up, it burned a bit.

"You're not, baby." If he were here, this is the part where he would hug me, and give me a kiss.

But he wasn't.

"This is something I need to do by myself. I don't want you getting hurt under my watch." He whispered. I loosed my grip on the phone, a tear escaping and rolling down my cheek.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted." My voice was soft, sounding like a whimper.

"No you didn't. I should have told you. I'm sorry. Fuck, I'm sorry."

"No, I feel like a bitch-" I couldn't finish the sentence. My voice broke down.

"Melanie. You are the furthest thing from a bitch. I l-" he stopped mid sentence, heavily breathing.

"You have every right to be mad at me. I just don't want things like this to harm our relationship." He said after pausing for a moment.

"I don't want you to be mad at me." I whispered, knowing my voice would break if I went any louder.

"I'm not. I shouldn't be. I'm sorry."

My whole body got warm, I couldn't help but smile.

"Is that what you've been busy doing? Going out with Ryan and Natalie?" I sniffled, laughing a bit.

"Uh, yeah. That..." his voice trailed off, eventually disappearing.

"So whe-"

"Listen, I have to go. Ryan's waiting for me."

I bit my tongue. I was about to ask when he'd be out of there but I guess not.

I scoffed to myself, hoping he didn't hear it. At least we ended on good terms. I hoped we would.

I actually expected a screaming match but I was overjoyed we didn't, thank God.

"See you later." I huffed, pursing my lips.

"Promise." He said and hung up.

I felt a weight on my shoulder, the warmth in my body faded away.

Maybe I missed him,maybe I just wanted to be out there with him. Whatever, not a big deal.

"Natalie told me they would be out soon." Tiffany smiled at me from the couch.

"Whatever." I sat next to her, switching the channel.

"Did you guys have a fight?" She asked, her hair falling over her face.

"It's fine now, I just don't want to think about him." I looked at her, my eyes blank.

"Are you okay?" I asked Tiffany, noticing her leg was shaking, something she did when she was anxious.

"Hm? Yeah. I'm just still figuring things out." She smiled at me, her leg still a shaking mess.

"I'm here for you." I smiled, watching as her face lit up after I said that.

"I love you mel." She hugged me tightly, making me smile to myself.

At least she didn't think I was a burden.

--