Naya eventually pulled up to her apartment building. She guided the car into the parking lot and switched off the engine. Her first instinct was to wake Noah to announce their arrival, but when she turned and looked at him, seeing the profound peace on his face, she couldn't bring herself to disturb him.
Instead, Naya quietly grabbed her phone, plugged in her earbuds, and settled back to watch reels online. She sat there for over an hour, maintaining a peaceful silence. It was only when Noah stirred, shifting his body perhaps due to the discomfort of extended rest in the seat, that he finally opened his eyes.
He looked around in confusion, quickly realizing he was still in Naya's car. He glanced at Naya beside him; she was so engrossed in her phone that she hadn't noticed he was awake. Noah gently tapped her shoulder.
Naya quickly pulled the earbuds out, beaming at him. "You're awake!" she said.
Noah nodded, smiling back gratefully. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked.
Naya checked the time on her phone, comparing it to when they arrived. "Not long, actually. Just about an hour."
Noah rolled his eyes playfully. "How is an hour 'not long'? You should have woken me up."
Naya shook her head. "You were sleeping so peacefully, I couldn't bear to disturb you."
Noah felt a warmth bloom in his chest. After everything he had endured, he was deeply grateful that at least one person in his life was completely sincere and cared for him. He beamed at Naya.
"Let's go in, then," he said. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to bother you and live here for a while, until I figure out a solution to my problem."
Naya refused to let him talk that way. She gave him a light tap on the head. "How long have we known each other? And how long have I been pleading with you to move in with me? Stop saying things like you're bothering me, okay?"
Noah rubbed the spot where Naya had lightly hit him, smiling. "Fine, fine. I won't keep talking about it. Let's just go in."
Noah reached toward the back seat to grab the bag containing his belongings, but Naya immediately stopped him. "Aren't you dead tired? Don't worry, I can carry that for you."
Noah looked at her, understanding she was right about his exhaustion. He thanked her and didn't argue further, accepting her help.
He watched Naya get out of the car, open the back door, and retrieve his bag. He got out too. Once Naya locked the car, he followed her into the apartment building.
The elevator brought them to Naya's floor. They walked down the hallway and finally reached her apartment. Naya opened the door and carried his bag directly to his room.
Noah had been to Naya's apartment countless times and even had a designated room there; it was only when Naya started nagging him about moving in permanently that he would reluctantly leave. It seemed now, however, that he was destined to live with her.
After Naya set the bag down, she looked over to see Noah following her and promptly collapsing onto the bed.
"What would you like me to get for you to eat?" Naya asked. "I'm sure you missed breakfast and lunch. What do you want?"
Noah didn't answer. Naya, worried, moved quickly toward him. She realized he hadn't spoken because he was already deeply asleep again.
Naya shook her head in amusement, then gently covered him with a blanket. She only left his room after ensuring he was warm and comfortable. She decided to order some of Noah's favorite dishes, so the food would be ready the moment he woke up.
Noah slept from around one in the afternoon until nine at night. When he finally woke up, instead of feeling refreshed, he felt dangerously weak.
His vision was slightly blurry. The last meal he had consumed was breakfast the day before. He had skipped lunch, gone through the agonizing night with Adam, then argued with his family—all without food. Now, the probability of fainting from sheer hunger was frighteningly high.
He staggered off the bed, using the walls for support as he walked toward the living room, where Naya was engrossed in a television series.
Naya saw him emerge. "Oh, you're awake! Your food is on the dining table. I already warmed it up a bit for you."
Noah nearly cried. He wanted to give Naya a huge hug to thank her, but he was too weak. Food was his priority. He moved sluggishly toward the dining area, lifted the covers Naya had placed over the dishes, and when he saw that she had ordered all his favorite meals, his eyes watered slightly.
Naya was probably the only person in the world who knew his food preferences. His parents couldn't even be bothered by what he liked; he was lucky if they fed him at all.
Noah quickly shook his head, pushing thoughts of his awful family away. He decided they weren't worth his sadness or anger anymore. He forced himself to stop reminiscing and ravenously gobbled down all the dishes Naya had bought.
He collected the used plates and started toward the kitchen, intending to wash them, but Naya appeared instantly beside him. She gently took the dishes from his hands.
"Just go sit in the living room," she commanded. "Your hand is injured and can't touch water."
Naya's words made Noah realize something crucial: he had completely forgotten about the injury he sustained when he broke the bottles. He looked down at his hands and saw that his wounded wrist and the minor cuts on his palms were all neatly bandaged. He smiled warmly, realizing Naya had tended to his wounds while he slept.
He looked up gratefully, about to offer his thanks, but Naya seemed to preemptively know what he was thinking.
"If you dare say another word of thanks, see if I won't hit you," she warned him immediately.
Noah's mouth twitched into a teasing grin. "Tch. I can't even say thank you without getting hit? You're really domineering."
Naya raised her chin happily. "What, you just realized I'm domineering? I've always been domineering! So, if you dare say thank you to me again, I will hit you."
Noah couldn't help but laugh. Since he couldn't help with the dishes and knew Naya wouldn't relent, he said, "I'm going to the living room then."
Naya nodded. "I already told you to go there before! Why are you standing here, dangling around?"
Noah laughed again as he started toward the living room. "It's not like I'm an ornament or something! Why would I dangle around?"
Naya's final word came back over her shoulder in her usual overbearing manner. "If I said you're dangling, then you're dangling! Don't argue with me!"
Noah simply smiled, deeply grateful for a friend like Naya.