She's Back, But She's Different

Really?

Noah's POV

Jake just went upstairs to shower, leaving me and Kota alone in my kitchen. She still hadn't touched her pancakes and I was really starting to wonder what happened to my girl while she was gone. Kota seems so distant and her mind looks like it's in another world. 

"Stop staring" Kota snapped me out of my thoughts. Had I really been staring? I hadn't even noticed. Whoops. 

"Sorry" I said shyly looking away. I noticed a slight blush creep up onto her cheeks and that made me smile inside. I pretended not to notice so that I didn't embarrass her. 

"So how was Massachusetts? I've always wanted to see Boston." I attempted to make conversation with her. So far it had been an epic fail. 

"Cold." really? Cold? That's all I got? This is insane. Why do I even bother?! 

"Really, Dakota? Cold? You have been gone for three years and all you tell me is that it was cold?! Why are you even here, if you don't want to talk to me? We used to be best friends. You left and I was so upset. But now you're back, and I don't even know who you are anymore. Whatever." I stormed out of the house and slammed the door shut behind me. I slammed my truck into reverse and screeched down the street. 

What is wrong with this girl? I can't even ask her a simple question without her giving me a fucking one word answer. I have got to find out what happened up there.

~~Dakota's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You don't understand" I whisper in barely an audible voice. Noah had just walked out of the house and I was left alone at the table. He has no idea what it's like to be shipped off to some unknown school, with all new people. I was alone at Pennbrook and all I wanted was for Jake and Noah to be there with me, just like old times.  I want to tell him about those few months, but I'm scared Noah will never want to talk to me again...I couldn't bear to see the hurt in his eyes, especially since I was the one that caused it. 

I knew Jake was in the shower, aka he would be in there for an hour, so I decided to go for a walk. I quietly shut the door of the Anderson's home and headed down the familiar block. I ended up at the park. I ran towards my favorite swing--the one on the left near the tire swing--the one that I fell off of when I was six, and Noah helped me find band-aids for my cuts. He had walked me to his house while dragging me behind as I held onto his wrist. He was always so caring and loving.

I was snapped out of my thoughts of the past by a roaring thunder cloud, followed by a bright streak of lightning. I hate storms, they scare me...and that's when I took off running.