N O A H

The cold water cascades over me, biting into my skin, but it's not enough. My head rests against the tiled wall as I let the stream soak me, trying to drown out the chaos inside.

Her lips. Her touch. The way she clung to me as if I were the only thing grounding her, it's all I can think about. The warmth of her breath against mine, the softness of her hands gripping my shirt...

I groan, running a hand through my wet hair. What the hell is wrong with me? That kiss? Not because it wasn't perfect, but because of how she reacted.

I close my eyes, remembering how she pulled away, her eyes wide with panic.

"I need time," she had said, her voice trembling, before rushing into her room and shutting the door behind her.

The memory stings. I should have stopped her, said something to reassure her. But instead, I let her go, standing there like an idiot while she fled. And now, the guilt is eating me alive.

Did I push her too far?

Was she not ready for this?

I scrub my face with both hands, trying to shake the thoughts away. But no matter how hard I try, I can't forget the way she looked at me during that kiss, like I was the only thing that mattered in the world.

And damn it, her lips. They're burned into my memory, soft and sweet and utterly intoxicating.

But the way she panicked... that's what twists the knife deeper. I made her feel something she wasn't ready to face, and I hate myself for it.

The water runs cold, even colder than before, but it's still not enough to numb the storm inside. Eventually, I turn it off and grab a towel, wrapping it around my waist. My skin is still damp, droplets clinging to my chest as I step out into my room.

Leelo is sprawled out on my bed, a wide grin plastered across his face.

"What the-Leelo? What are you doing here?" I snap, glaring at him.

He props himself up on his elbows, completely unfazed by my dripping state. "Good evening to you too," he says with a chuckle.

I groan, grabbing another towel to dry off. "Leelo, I'm really not in the mood right now. Get to the point or get out."

He sits up fully, clapping his hands together. "Fine, fine. I'll get to the good stuff. Guess what?"

"What?" I mutter, already irritated.

"Your confinement is over!" he announces, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.

I pause, blinking at him. "What?"

"You're free! No more house arrest, no more hiding out. You can leave whenever you want!"

My stomach twists, suspicion immediately setting in. "Why? What changed?"

Leelo leans back, folding his arms behind his head. "Apparently, another video went viral. This time of your dear old dad's nemesis and his precious daughter. It's all over the internet.

Public opinion's shifted; everyone's too busy fawning over them to care about your little scandal."

My jaw tightens. "A video of my father's nemesis and his daughter?"

"Yep," Leelo confirms, his grin widening. "Super wholesome stuff. The world is eating it up. And you? You're off the hook."

I narrow my eyes, my mind racing. My father never does anything without a reason. Could he have orchestrated this? Released the video intentionally to clean up the mess from before?

Of course he did. It's exactly the kind of move he'd pull, sacrificing his own principles to save mine.

Leelo notices my silence and tilts his head. "You don't look happy. This is good news, isn't it?"

I force a tight smile. "Yeah. Great news."

But inside, my thoughts are spinning. If my father did this to clear my name, then it wasn't just for me. It was for the family's reputation. And knowing him, there's always a price to pay.

I glance at Leelo, who's still lounging on my bed like he owns the place. "Get out," I say flatly.

He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's all the thanks I get for delivering the best news of your life?"

"Out, Leelo," I repeat, my voice leaving no room for argument.

Freedom. That's what I've been wanting for weeks now. But as I sit here, all I can think about is Sarah.

Freedom doesn't mean anything if I can't figure out how to make things right with her.

Leelo isn't done yet. He straightens, a little too enthusiastic for my liking. "Oh, and one more thing," he says casually, but his grin betrays him.

I narrow my eyes. "What now?"

"The cooks, the guards, the cleaners... They'll all be back tomorrow," he says, almost smugly.

"Okay, and?"

He gives me a look, as if I'm missing the obvious. "Tomorrow's Sarah's last day working here. Her job's done. Back to her normal life, I guess."

My chest tightens, my stomach sinking like a stone. "What?"

Leelo shrugs. "You knew this was temporary, Noah. She's only here because of the confinement situation. Now that it's over, so is her job."

I take a sharp breath, the thought of her leaving hitting me like a freight train. She can't leave. Not now, not after everything that's happened.

I meet Leelo's gaze, my voice firm. "I want her to stay."

Leelo raises an eyebrow. "You can't just make her stay, Noah. She's not a prisoner."

"I'm not saying that," I snap. "I want her to work for me. Permanently. As my personal assistant. You and her, both."

Leelo blinks, caught off guard. "You... want her to work with us?"

"Yes," I say, standing taller. "Convince my father. Tell him I need two assistants. You can handle the logistics, and she can..." My voice softens, "...stay close."

Leelo watches me before smirking. "You've got it bad, don't you?"

I glare at him. "Just promise me you'll talk to him."

He chuckles, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll see what I can do. But you owe me."

"Deal," I mutter.

Leelo grins and heads for the door, pausing to glance back. "You really are something, Noah. You don't even know how obvious you're being."

"Get out," I growl, and he laughs as he disappears down the hall.

As the door shuts behind him, I sit on the edge of my bed, running a hand through my hair.

I have one day. One day to make sure Sarah stays. And I'll be damned if I let her slip away.