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Keith looked up from his coffee, his expression a mix of softness and fatigue. "Would you like the chauffeur to take you to school today, Noah? It might be easier than hanging around here."
That would definitely draw way too much attention! No way!
I quickly shook my head and set my fork down. "I appreciate it, but Gigi's on her way to pick me up. I'd rather ride with her."
Mom smiled faintly. "Of course she is. You two are practically attached at the hip."
I managed a small laugh, even though the atmosphere felt heavy after Adrien's sudden departure. I picked at a corner of my toast, my eyes fixed on my plate. The silence seemed to stretch on endlessly, and my thoughts started to spiral again. I glanced toward the doorway Adrien had stormed out of. There were so many things about this family that I just didn't get—especially him.
Before I knew it, I blurted out, "Um… can I ask something?"
Keith looked at me kindly. "Of course."
I hesitated, fiddling with my fingers in my lap. "What happened to Adrien's mom?"
Instantly, the mood shifted. Mom froze with her hand halfway to her glass, and Keith's smile dimmed slightly. The sound of the ceiling fan suddenly felt way too loud.
"Noah," Mom's voice was sharp, her tone tight. "That's not an appropriate question."
"I'm sorry," I rushed out, feeling heat creep to my cheeks. "I didn't mean to sound rude, I just—"
"It's alright," Keith gently interrupted, placing his hand over Mom's to calm her down. His eyes softened as he looked at me, but there was also a distant look, like he was recalling something painful. "It's okay that you asked. You deserve to know a bit about what you've stepped into."
Mom pressed her lips together but didn't say anything.
Keith sighed, his voice low and steady. "Joanne… Adrien's mother… she died in a car accident. She was on her way to pick him up from middle school. He was twelve at the time."
The room felt like it dimmed a bit. I swallowed hard, unsure what to say. "That's… that's terrible. I'm really sorry."
He nodded, a sad smile barely forming. "It was a tough time for both of us. Especially for Adrien. He hasn't been the same since that day."
Mom reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to talk about it, Keith," she whispered.
But he shook his head. "No, it's okay. She deserves to be remembered, even if it hurts."
I looked down at my plate again, feeling guilty in my stomach. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. Maybe this was why Adrien acted the way he did—because whenever he looked at us, he saw what he'd lost.
Outside, I heard the familiar honk of Gigi's car.
"That must be her," I said softly, getting up from the table. "Thanks for telling me, Mr. Fell."
"Keith," he corrected gently. "And you're welcome, Noah. Have a great first day, okay?"
I nodded, grabbing my bag. "I'll try."
As I walked out of the dining room, I could still feel the weight of that story lingering behind me—like a shadow that didn't want to leave.
But as soon as I stepped outside, the morning air felt lighter than it had in days. Maybe it was the gentle sunlight hitting the driveway, or just seeing Gigi leaning against her car, phone in hand, the moment she spotted me her face lit up with a big smile.
"Damn, Noah," she said, giving a low whistle as I walked up. "You look amazing."
I felt my cheeks heat up. "You think so?"
"I know so." She grinned, nudging me playfully. "If you walk into school looking like that, half the boys are gonna want to be you, and the other half will want to date you."
I rolled my eyes, trying to laugh it off, but my blush didn't go away. "You're exaggerating."
She just smirked. "You'll see."
We hopped into her car, her old stereo humming as she pulled out of the driveway. The drive to school felt surprisingly calm. Gigi sang softly to the song playing, and I couldn't help but smile a little. She had this effortless way of making everything seem normal.
But as soon as we pulled into the school parking lot, that calm vanished quickly.
The moment I got out, I felt so many eyes on me. A few guys nearby stopped mid-sentence, and even some girls turned to whisper behind their hands. My stomach twisted with discomfort. I tugged at my bag strap, trying to act like I didn't see it.
"Uh… why are they all staring?" I muttered under my breath.
"Because you're hot?" Gigi said casually, locking the car. "Don't worry, they'll get used to it."
"Great," I mumbled, following her toward the entrance.
We spotted Skylar sitting on a bench near the school gates, her electric guitar resting on her knee. She was hard to miss—tall with sharp features, short black hair styled into a wolf cut that perfectly framed her pale face. Her outfit screamed gothic rebellion: ripped black jeans, combat boots, a choker, and dark lipstick that made her smirk even more intimidating.
"Hey, babe," Gigi called out, her tone instantly softening in that way it always did around Skylar. I couldn't help but wish someone would look at me like that.
Skylar looked up, her eyes lighting up in a way I hadn't seen before. "There's my girl."
Before I could even process it, they were already kissing—like full-on, hands-in-hair, not-a-care-in-the-world kissing. Right there in front of everyone.
I froze. "Oh—okay. Um. Wow."
I tried to look anywhere else—the trees, the pavement, the sky, literally anything—but my brain wouldn't stop focusing on the sound of lip-smacking that really shouldn't be part of a morning routine.
"Can you guys… maybe breathe at some point?" I said weakly. "People are starting to stare."
Gigi pulled back with a grin, her lipstick slightly smudged. "Jealous much?"
I made a face. "Disgusted, actually. But you do you."
Skylar chuckled, slinging her guitar strap over her shoulder. "Relax, Noah. You'll get used to it."
"Yeah, sure," I muttered as I walked alongside them toward the main doors. "Or I'll just develop chronic secondhand embarrassment, one of the two."
They both laughed, and despite the warmth still lingering in my cheeks, I couldn't help but smile too. Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all… even if it started with a live concert and an unsolicited make-out session before first period.