Maria.
I skidded to a stop in front of Noah's door, my chest heaving and my hands trembling slightly as I pressed them against the wood. I could hear the rapid thump of my heartbeat in my ears. The hallway felt suffocating, the walls closing in, and every step I had taken toward him seemed insignificant compared to the storm raging inside me.
I lifted my hand and knocked, not even bothering to give it a gentle rap. My impatience didn't allow it.
A second later, the door opened, and there he was—Noah. His expression shifted instantly from calm to concerned as he took in the state I was in.
"Maria?" His voice was low, cautious, but tinged with that sharp edge I had learned to recognize, the one he used when something serious had his attention.
I didn't speak immediately. I simply grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly as if holding on to him could keep the world from spinning further out of control.
