There's something about night in Redwood.
It makes everything feel heavier.
Maybe it's the silence.
Or the way the streets seem emptier than they should be.
Or maybe…
It's just the memories.
I walked without a destination.
Hands in my pockets. Eyes on the ground.
Trying to organize thoughts that refused to stay in place.
Emily was afraid.
Ryan was controlling.
Sarah knew more than she let on.
And Noah…
I exhaled slowly.
Noah was the one I couldn't figure out.
"Walking alone at night? That's either brave… or stupid."
I stopped.
Didn't turn around right away.
I already knew who it was.
"Noah," I said.
"Missed me?" he asked, stepping beside me.
Same grin.
Same relaxed posture.
Like nothing ever bothered him.
But now…
I was paying attention.
"You following me?" I asked.
"Nah," he shrugged. "Just happened to be in the neighborhood."
"Right."
He chuckled.
"Okay, maybe I was."
We started walking again.
Side by side.
For a while…
Neither of us said anything.
And that silence?
It wasn't empty.
It was full of things we weren't saying.
"You picked a bad time to come back," Noah said again.
"You said that already."
"Yeah," he nodded. "Just making sure it sinks in."
I glanced at him.
"Or maybe you're trying to convince yourself."
That hit.
I saw it.
Just for a second.
His smile faded.
Not completely.
Just enough.
"You always did that," he muttered.
"Did what?"
"Act like you see things others don't."
"Maybe I do."
"Or maybe you just don't know the whole story."
I stopped walking.
"Then tell me."
He kept going for two more steps before stopping too.
Turned.
Looked at me.
And for the first time…
No jokes.
No sarcasm.
No mask.
"You really don't remember?" he asked.
That again.
"Everyone keeps asking me that," I said.
"Maybe I remember more than you think."
"Do you?" he challenged.
Silence.
Because the truth was…
I didn't know.
Not completely.
I remembered the rain.
The shouting.
The feeling that something was wrong.
And then…
Nothing.
"I remember enough," I said.
Noah let out a quiet laugh.
But there was no humor in it.
"That's the problem," he said.
"You remember just enough to be dangerous."
My jaw tightened.
"Dangerous to who?"
He looked away.
"To all of us."
That wasn't the answer I expected.
Or maybe…
It was exactly the one I was afraid of.
"Tell me what happened, Noah."
He shook his head immediately.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because if you really don't remember…"
he paused
"…then maybe it's better that way."
I stepped closer.
"You don't get to decide that for me."
"And you don't get to come back and break everything again," he shot back.
Again.
That word stayed there.
Hanging between us.
"What do you mean 'again'?" I asked.
He froze.
Just for a second.
Too late.
"You said it yourself," I continued.
"Things aren't the same."
"They're not."
"Because of me?"
Silence.
That was enough.
I laughed.
Low.
Bitter.
"Wow."
"It's not that simple," Noah said.
"It never is, right?" I replied.
"Lucas—"
"No," I cut him off.
"You don't get to half-explain things and expect me to just accept it."
His expression hardened.
"You think you're the only one who got hurt?" he asked.
That stopped me.
"What?"
"You left," he said.
"You disappeared. You think that didn't affect anyone?"
"I had my reasons."
"Yeah?" he stepped closer.
"So did we."
We.
Not me.
Not him.
We.
"You're hiding something," I said.
"So are you."
That hit harder than I expected.
Because part of me knew…
He was right.
"Maybe we all are," I admitted.
That surprised him.
I could see it.
Then—
"Lucas…"
A voice cut through the tension.
Soft.
But urgent.
We both turned.
Sarah.
Standing a few steps away.
Watching us.
"How long have you been there?" Noah asked.
"Long enough," she said.
Her eyes moved between us.
Calculating.
"This is exactly what I was talking about," she added.
"What?" I asked.
"This," she gestured between us.
"You two digging into things that should stay buried."
"There it is again," I said.
"Why is everyone so afraid of the truth?"
Sarah laughed.
Not amused.
Not kind.
"You think you're ready for it?" she asked.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."
She stepped closer.
"You're not," she said quietly.
"And when you realize that…"
She leaned in slightly.
"…it'll already be too late."
Something in her voice…
It wasn't a warning.
It was certainty.
"What happened that night?" I asked again.
Silence.
Noah looked away.
Sarah held my gaze.
Then—
"You really want to know?" she asked.
"Yes."
She studied me.
Long.
Deep.
Then shook her head.
"No, you don't."
And just like that…
She turned.
"Come on, Noah."
He hesitated.
Looked at me.
Like he wanted to say something.
But didn't.
Then followed her.
And I was left there.
Again.
Alone.
But this time…
It felt different.
Because now I knew something for sure.
It wasn't just about the past.
It was about what the truth would do…
Once it came out.
🖤 Poem — Noah
I laugh like nothing matters
like I'm not breaking inside
but some nights get louder
and there's nowhere to hide
and the truth I'm avoiding…
is the one I can't survive