Charlotte took a deep breath as she stepped out of her dorm, the cool evening air brushing against her skin. The weight of her regret had become unbearable, gnawing at her heart as she walked. She had spent the last few hours rehearsing the words she would say to Noah, preparing herself to face him. Her mind was a storm of thoughts, each one more urgent than the last. She had to find him—before it was too late.
The academy grounds buzzed with activity, students milling about, some training, others laughing in groups. The sounds of chatter and the clatter of weapons on metal filled the air, yet none of it reached Charlotte. Her eyes were locked on the path ahead, her gaze fixed solely on finding Noah.
She could almost feel the rhythm of her heartbeat echo in her chest as she approached the academy entrance. The once-familiar stone pathway now felt like a foreign road, each step heavy with anticipation. When she finally reached the gates, her breath hitched in her throat. There he was—Noah.
He stood just outside the gates, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop. Noah was as striking as ever. His snow-white hair, now longer and more unruly than she remembered, shimmered in the light, a stark contrast to the dark, fitted shirt he wore. His crimson eyes, once distant, now burned with an intensity that made her heart flutter. He was…different. Stronger. Better.
Charlotte couldn't breathe as she watched him, the familiar boy she had once loved now transformed into someone untouchable. For a fleeting moment, she wished she could turn back time—before her father's harsh dismissal, before she had walked away from him, believing he was weak. But the truth was undeniable now: Noah was no longer the boy who would follow her lead. He had forged his own path, and it was one she could not follow so easily.
Her thoughts scattered as she snapped out of her reverie. She had to speak. She had to apologize before he slipped away from her life for good.
"Noah!" she called, her voice trembling with urgency.
But just as her words left her lips, another voice cut through the air, smooth and melodic, like a summer breeze. "Noah! There you are!"
Charlotte froze. A sharp pang of jealousy twisted in her chest as she turned to see the newcomer—a girl with fiery red hair cascading down her back like a living flame. Her eyes sparkled like the very sun itself, and her black one-piece dress clung to her figure, accentuating her graceful elegance. She was stunning.
Noah turned at the sound of her voice, and Charlotte watched, her heart sinking, as his expression shifted. For a brief second, he seemed…dazed. His crimson eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Scarlett?" he asked, his voice tinged with astonishment.
The girl smiled, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. "I was looking for you! I wanted to see if you'd like to join me for shopping."
Charlotte's heart tightened painfully. It was as if the ground had shifted beneath her feet. Noah's reaction was everything she hadn't expected. Hadn't he promised her—once—he would be strong for her? Now, here he was, looking at another girl with those same wide, eager eyes. The boy she had abandoned was slipping away from her.
"Of course! I'd love to," Noah said, his voice bright and sincere.
Charlotte stood frozen, her breath shallow, as she watched them interact. A sense of helplessness washed over her as Noah and Scarlett exchanged smiles—genuine, effortless. Their connection was palpable, like two people who had always been meant to find one another. And Charlotte? She was nothing more than an outsider.
Noah's gaze softened as he looked at Scarlett. "Wow, you look amazing," he said, his voice warm, sincere. "That dress really suits you."
Scarlett giggled, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Thank you! I wanted to look nice for you."
The words cut deep. Charlotte had been the one to hear Noah's compliments once, had been the one to feel his admiration, his affection. But now, Scarlett was the one who stood at the center of his attention. The bitter taste of jealousy crept up her throat, sour and sharp. She had always been the one he had sought out, the one who mattered. But now, it was someone else. Someone who wasn't her.
"Let's go for a walk by the lake after shopping," Scarlett suggested, her voice light and inviting. "I heard it's beautiful this time of day."
Noah's eyes lit up, his smile widening. "That sounds perfect."
Charlotte felt her chest tighten. It was as if someone had placed a cold hand over her heart. There was no place for her here, no space for her to step back into Noah's life. She had let her fears, her insecurities, her father's demands push him away, and now she was watching someone else take her place.
As Noah and Scarlett turned to leave, hand in hand, Charlotte's stomach twisted. Scarlett's blush deepened as Noah intertwined their fingers. Charlotte felt like she was suffocating—suffocating under the weight of her own regret. Why hadn't she acted sooner?
The two of them disappeared around the corner, their laughter ringing in the air like a melody Charlotte could no longer be a part of. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to call out. The vibrant colors of the academy grounds seemed dimmer now. The laughter, the sounds of training—everything felt distant. Hollow. The weight of her regret was unbearable.
She hadn't been brave enough. She hadn't been strong enough to face her own fears, her own doubts, until it was too late. And now, Noah was slipping away, as easily as water through her fingers.
A lump formed in Charlotte's throat, but she refused to let it consume her. She couldn't allow it to.
No. She would not let Scarlett—or anyone else—steal what she still desired. She could still fight for him.
Determined, Charlotte wiped the tears from her eyes. She would find a way back to Noah. She would make him see her again, hear her again. She wouldn't let this chance slip away, not after everything she had realized. She had been wrong. So terribly wrong. But that didn't mean it was the end.
With renewed resolve, she turned away from the academy gates. The path ahead was unclear, but one thing was certain: she wouldn't give up. Not yet.
And she would make Noah notice her, once again.