This chapter is dedicated to reenie03  I'm thankful for all the support you are giving my book❤️😊

I am finally back home, back to reality and back to all the difficult decisions that I  need to make and conversations that need to be spoken out there. It's 3:30AM when I leave the airport, Noah said he will pick so I don't have to call am Uber. I am so tired and the time difference between these two countries has me yawning and my brain to tired to comprehend everything around me.

I don't see Noah until he is just two feet from me, I throw him a tired but smile thankful that he didn't forget to pick me up. I didn't mind taking an Uber, but my brother wouldn't have it, saying he rather wake up at 2AM and also giving me a 3rd degree on how much unsafe New York is, especially for us women.

I give Noah a hug and only notice then that he is in his PJs. 'Thank you for picking me up, you must be tired'

"It's f*cking cold, let's get out of here" Noah pulls me with him to the parking.

Noah and I drive all the way to his place in silence, both too tired to utter a word. When we arrive at Hailey and Noah's apartment, Noah attempts to pull my suitcase and goes to the guest room where I will be sleeping. 'Don't take that upstairs, who will bring it back here tomorrow?'

Noah looks at me before saying "you just got here and you are already thinking of leaving?"

'Why would I stay, you and Hailey are going back to work tomorrow aren't you?'

"So?" He asks with a deep frown on his face making me feel bad.

'So I don't want to stay here alone all day, while you are out'

Noah leaves the suitcase at the foot of the staircase and mumbles something along the lines of "I liked you better when you were younger and saw me as your own hero" I wonder what Noah's problem is as I follow him to my room. I thought he was just tired and mad that he had to pick me up, but it seems there's something bothering him.

I will ask him about it tomorrow when he is not tired. The plan was to jump in the shower when I arrived, but the jetlag gets to me. I take my phone and text Liam that I arrived safely and wear old PJs that I keep at Noah's place and jump in bed.

Growing up Noah was very protective of me, he fought my battles, I followed him around like a lost puppy and at some point it killed his reputation with the older girls. I remember when we moved to Florida, I cried myself to sleep most nights, because I was being bullied and I missed our house in New York.

Noah would sneak into my room with the leftover dessert from supper. When we first arrived in Florida we lived with my maternal grandparents in Miami for a almost a year. I was happy there because it was the first time seeing them for so long without leaving, so when we moved again in a short space of time I really struggled with some many changes. Noah was the one to look out for me when he was with me.

Each time I was at school I would get bullied because I was the new girl from God knows where, I couldn't fight back so I kept quiet and took it all without telling my teachers or parents. One day Noah heard me crying on his way to his bedroom and he came in and asked what was wrong and I didn't tell him, this happened for the next couple of days.

One day he came into my bedroom with a big slice carrot cake and asked me what was going on, I didn't tell him and he took a mouthful of cake, he knew that I had a sweet tooth so he was taunting me with cake. When half of the cake was remaining I told him some kids were bulling me a school.

Noah wanted to tell mum, but I stopped him because mum had her hands full with work and Sam. He told me that if this happened again he would have to go beat them up or tell mum, the next day when those kids came to steal my lunch Lily told them off, and swore to report them to the principal who was her mum. I looked at her with so much adoration, because besides Noah nobody had stood up for me.

I later learned that Lily lied, the principal was not her mum, she just wanted to scare the bullies, that's how she became my friend and my older brother didn't have to beat up little kids for me. Noah will always be my hero, but now I have to fight my own battles. With those thoughts in mind I doze off.

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

When I wake up it's in 11AM, my muscles are aching and I have a headache due to lack of enough sleep. I get out of bed yawning, a clear indication that I need more sleep, but how can I sleep when my stomach is growling with hunger and my head feels like it's slitting in half. I walk to the bathroom, brush my teeth and take a shower, the hot water massaging my aching muscles making me moan with delight.

I get out of the shower when I believe I'm clean and smelling good. Wrapping the towel around my body and another on my wet hair I get out of the steamy bathroom, I will have to check if there's something I can wear in the closet here because my suitcase is downstairs.

I find yoga pants and a purple minion shirt, this will have to do for now. I moisturize my body and put on the clothes, there's no hairdryer in this room so I leave the towel around my head and make the bed. After making sure that the room and bathroom looks neat enough I take my handbag and phone then head downstairs.

It's quiet downstairs and I am reminded of Noah's behavior from early this morning. I open a few cabinets in search of pain medication that will help with this headache, I take two tablets and drink some water afterwards. I look if I have any messages on my phone and see that Liam texted after I told him I'm safe at Noah's place.

"Okay Kitten, I'm happy that you visited. We will talk later when you are up"

The other message is from Hailey and it's the best one yet. I was just about to pour cereal and eat, because I'm feeling lazy.

"I made you breakfast, it's in the oven so make sure you eat"

I open the microwave and sure there's my breakfast, I re-heat the food and munch on them as soon as they are cool down. The last time I ate was hours ago on the plane and the food wasn't very nice. After eating I ho over to the sink and wash my plate and put it back in the cupboard. I wonder if Hayden is also at work today, I promised myself to face the truth that I like Hayden while I was in Italy, so I text him before I can talk myself out of it.

'Hey, are you working today? I was hoping we could meet for late lunch"

I hit send and wheel my suitcase when my Uber guy says he is here. I lock the door behind me and take the elevator to take me downstairs to the lobby. The driver helps me with the suitcase and drives me home, I'm looking outside the window, admiring the beautiful city of New York, everyone is hurrying to somewhere. I'm brought out of my thoughts by the driver telling me we have arrived, I pay him his fare and once again he helps me with my suitcase and offs he goes.

When I get to my apartment, I look around the place to see if everything is still as I left it. I know these apartments buildings are safe, but this is New York and one can never be too safe. I must admit it's good to be home, I look for my phone in my handbag to check if Hayden replied my message.

"I am at work, but I will be free by 3:00 so I guess we can meet you around 3:30 if traffic isn't bad. Send the address"

I send him the address and throw myself on the couch hoping to nap just for a little while, because it's only after 1PM. What was supposed to be an hour nap ended up being  more and I am running late!

I have a missed call from Hayden from two minutes ago. 'Sh*t why is my phone still on silent. I curse calling Hayden and rushing to my bedroom to change as fast as I can. He answers on the first ring and I put the phone on speaker so I can multitask.

I'm so sorry Hayden, I took a small nap and overslept, I will be there in 15 minutes.

I thought you stood me up, or that I had the wrong address.

I wouldn't do that, let me change and I will be right there..

Alright.

As soon as Hayden hangs up I run to the bathroom and wash my face and brush my teeth to get rid of the garlic from the breakfast I had this morning. I change into warm clothes because temperatures are going to drop later on. I wear black long sleeved shirt, pair it with maroon corduroy overall dress, and wear a knee length brown coat, and black boots. When I am happy with my look I change my big handbag for a smaller side bag.

I rush downstairs and once I'm sure I have everything that I will need, I get out and lock the door behind me. I contemplate taking my car or taking a taxi, but decide it's best to take a taxi to avoid looking for parking and luck is on my side because as soon as I leave the apartment building I see my neighbor getting out of a cab and I take it.

I hope I am not too late.

By the time I get at the restaurant, it's 4PM meaning I'm 20 minutes late, because Hade called me at 3:40. I don't like making people wait for me, especially because I hate it when other people make me wait. When I enter the restaurant I look around searching for Hayden and I see him at the far end of the restaurant in a suit!

How am I supposed to sit through the entire date with him looking like that?

So it's a date? My subconscious asks.

Please vote, comment and follow

Is this Victoria's step into healing and letting go? Will she finally give Hayden a chance to show her how he truly feels for her? Most importantly is she done running away?

These and more questions will be answered in the next chapter and it will be in Hade's POV.

Kikipee 💙