N O A H

Leelo lounges on the edge of the pool, a ridiculous grin plastered on his face. "Man, you look like you're trying to wash away your sins in there," he jokes, taking a sip from his drink.

He leans closer, whispering conspiratorially, "But seriously, at least now it's just me monitoring them. I'll only watch when you're doing something embarrassing."

"Yeah, thanks for that," I mutter, though I'm honestly relieved he's taken over that job.

He's about to retort when we both notice Sarah standing at the edge of the patio. Her eyes are wide, as she takes in the scene before her-me and leelo half-naked in the pool.

I raise an eyebrow, unable to resist. "See something you like?" I call out.

Sarah's face goes beet red, and she quickly turns away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-" Her voice is a mix of panic and embarrassment as she scurries back into the house, practically tripping over her own feet.

Leelo bursts out laughing. "Dude, you scared her off! Not everyone's used to your... uh... charming personality."

"Undeniable." I winked at him.

The night air cools my skin as I lean back against the side of the pool, letting the water ripple around me. The earlier tension with Sarah lingers, but I push it aside, focusing on the moment. Leelo's still here, splashing around like a kid, trying to get a rise out of me.

"Come on, Noah, stop brooding," Leelo calls, tossing a small wave of water my way. "It's a pool, not a therapy session."

I chuckle despite myself, shaking my head. "You're just mad I'm not entertaining you," I shoot back, rolling my eyes as he dramatically clutches his chest, pretending to be wounded.

"Entertain me? Dude, you're the one always sulking around like a tragic hero," he quips, flashing that easy grin.

"Like you could ever survive a day in my shoes," I tease, splashing water back at him.

Leelo just laughs, and I can't help but join in. It's easy with him. He doesn't judge; he just is.

After a while, Leelo pulls himself out of the pool, dripping wet, and starts rifling through his bag.

"Alright, let's eat. I'm starving," he announces.

I follow him inside, grabbing a towel on the way. Sarah's in the kitchen, finishing up whatever meal she's been whipping together with the ingredients Leelo brought over earlier. The smell of something warm and hearty fills the air, making my stomach rumble.

Leelo's eyes light up when he sees her. "Sarah! You are an absolute angel. What's on the menu tonight?" He leans against the counter, flashing her a flirtatious smile.

Sarah rolls her eyes but doesn't look entirely annoyed. "You'll eat whatever I serve, Mr. Hone, and you'll like it," she replies, her tone mixed with a hint of amusement.

"Oh, I like a woman who takes charge," Leelo shoots back, winking. "You should really consider ditching this guy"-he jerks a thumb in my direction-"and run off with me. I'm way more fun, I promise."

I can't help but feel a pang of something as I watch them interact. It's not jealousy exactly, but... okay, maybe it is. I don't know why it bothers me that she's more relaxed with him.

Trying to shake off the feeling, I grab some plates and bring them out to the table near the pool. "Enough flirting," I say, trying to sound casual. "Let's eat before Leelo starves to death."

Sarah serves the food, and we settle around the table, under the moonlight.

Leelo's already digging in, humming appreciatively at each bite. "Sarah, seriously, this is amazing. Are you sure you're not a secret chef or something?" he asks, his mouth half-full.

"I'm just resourceful," she replies, her eyes flicking to mine briefly before looking away.

The conversation is easy, mostly thanks to Leelo's non-stop chatter. Sarah is laughing, really laughing, and it's a sound I didn't expect from her.

I watch her, intrigued by the way her eyes light up, the way her shoulders relax when she's not bracing herself against me. It's annoying and fascinating all at once.

Leelo leans in, lowering his voice to a dramatic whisper. "Well, let's just say, Noah here is a master at finding trouble. If there's a disaster waiting to happen, he'll walk right into it."

"Is that why you're still hanging around him?" Sarah asks, raising an eyebrow. "To keep him out of trouble?"

Leelo laughs. "Nah, I'm here to make it worse. Someone's gotta keep life interesting."

For a moment, I'm genuinely relaxed, caught up in their banter. It feels... normal. Like I'm not the Noah who messed everything up, not the one under constant surveillance.

Just me, having dinner with a friend and a woman who doesn't completely hate me. Yet.

But then Sarah's gaze shifts, her eyes meeting mine, and I see that flicker of judgment again, like she's remembering who I am. What I did.

I look away, focusing on my food. Leelo nudges my hand. "Come on, Noah, tell us something embarrassing. You're too quiet tonight."

I smirk, trying to match his light-heartedness. "You want embarrassing? Alright, how about the time you got pranked by a group of teenager at Thailand?"

Sarah looks at Leelo, eyes wide.

Leelo groans dramatically, covering his face with his hands. "Oh no, not that one!"

By the end of dinner, we're all laughing. Even Sarah looks like she's starting to warm up-just a little. I can't shake the feeling that it's all temporary, a fleeting moment of peace in the middle of a storm.

I don't want to admit it, but there's something about her that gets under my skin-something that makes me want to get closer, even if it's just to prove her wrong.

But that's a problem for another night. Right now, I'm just trying to keep my head above water.

Leelo leans back, satisfied with his performance. "Alright, I'm gonna grab some dessert from the fridge," he says, getting up and heading towards the kitchen.

As he leaves, the room feels a bit quieter, the energy shifting. I clear my throat and start to collect the dishes, but Sarah's quicker, reaching over to grab the stack of plates in front of her.

"Let me help," I offer, getting up and moving around the table.

"It's fine. I've got it," she says curtly, not looking at me.

But as I lean down to grab a napkin, my hand accidentally brushes against her thigh under the table. It's a fleeting touch, barely even a second, but I can feel the warmth of her skin, soft and smooth against my fingertips.

Her reaction is instant. She jerks back like I've burned her, her eyes flashing with something sharp and angry. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snaps, her voice low but venomous.

I pull back, hands raised in surrender. "It was an accident, alright? I didn't mean-"

"Sure, an accident," she cuts me off, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Just like everything else with you."

"Look, I didn't-" I start, but she's already turning away, her face set in a hard line.

I bite back a retort, knowing anything I say will only make it worse. Instead, I take a step back, giving her space. My chest tightens with a mix of frustration and guilt. I want to explain, to tell her it was nothing, but I know she won't believe me. Not after everything she's seen.

Leelo returns with a tub of ice cream. "Who's ready for dessert?" he announces cheerfully, holding up the carton.

Sarah doesn't even look at him, her shoulders stiff as she continues gathering the plates with a vengeance. I catch Leelo's confused look, but I just shake my head, signaling him to drop it.

"Uh, okay then," Leelo mutters, raising an eyebrow. He grabs two bowls and plops down beside me, scooping out a generous portion of ice cream. "More for us, I guess."

Sarah retreats into the kitchen, and I can hear the clatter of dishes, louder than necessary, like she's taking out her anger on the plates. I exhale, running a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the growing sense of unease.

"What did you do now?" Leelo asks, shoving a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

"Nothing," I mutter, feeling the frustration bubble up again. "It was an accident."

Leelo just gives me a skeptical look, clearly not buying it, but he wisely decides to let it go.

A few minutes later, Sarah returns, her expression carefully neutral. "I'll clean up," she says shortly, avoiding my gaze entirely.

Leelo tries to lighten the mood, tossing her a playful smile. "You're too good to us, Sarah. Honestly, Noah should be the one doing the cleaning for a change. He needs the practice."

Sarah gives a tight-lipped smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I think I'd rather not have him helping," she says, her voice clipped.

I force a smile, but inside I'm still reeling from Sarah's reaction. That split second of touching her thigh, the way she recoiled-it's like a reminder that no matter what I do, I'm already judged.

When dinner finally wraps up, Sarah quickly excuses herself, disappearing upstairs without a word.

Leelo pokes me, his voice low. "What happened? Did you piss her off again?"

I just shrug, staring after her. "I don't even know anymore."

Something about the way she looked at me, like I'm no better than the man in that video... it sticks with me, long after she's gone.

Leelo grabs his stuff, heading for the room he always sleeps in. "Thanks for the swim, handsome. You really gotta stop picking fights with the help though," he jokes, but there's a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, waving him off.

I stand there for a moment, wondering how everything got so complicated. I glance up at the stairs, half-expecting to see Sarah watching me from the shadows, but there's nothing.

Just me, alone in this big, empty house.