Chapter 7 In the end, Noah still came with me. Everyone in our class showed-except Henry. The white sand was soft under my feet as I tugged Noah to the shoreline. The waves washed over our toes, cool and teasing. Behind us, everyone splashed, snapped pics, buzzing loud. "Crazy how fast he leveled up," someone sneered. "Hasn't even hit college and already landed a rich girl." "Please. Andrea chased Henry for years, then ditched him. She'll drop Noah too." "Yeah. No rich kid's dumb enough to stay with someone like him. Status matters." I dropped Noah's hand, fire already on my tongue. He caught my arm and faced them. "Yeah, I didn't grow up with much. But I'll work hard. Someday I'll be worthy of her. And even if she's over me, that's fine-I'll never be over her." Noah had this way of talking that made you believe him. His eyes-steady, sharp: The ones who tried to laugh just looked stupid. The rest of the trip? Smooth. Not a single snide word after that. Still, I couldn't shake the thought that Noah might feel crushed by our totally different backgrounds. So I video-called my parents. "Mom, Dad, meet my boyfriend. He pays for his own tuition and living, barely has time to breathe, but still ranks first in our grade. Impressive, right?" I'd hit call too fast, and Noah just froze, staring at them. "Mr. Ambrose, Mrs. Ambrose, nice to meet you. I'm Noah, Andrea's boyfriend.' Mom, riding shotgun, waved like he was already part of the family. "Nice to meet you, my future son-in-law! Supporting yourself and still ranking first? That's incredible!" Dad, driving, went straight into fantasy land. "You two should major in finance. Be her right-hand, run my company. Then your mom and I can finally travel." They were way too hyped. Poor Noah was drowning. When I saw the sweat on his forehead, I cut the call, laughing. "Noah, you've met your future in-laws. Don't you think it's time I 1/2 see my future mother-in-law?" He pulled out his beat-up phone. It lagged forever before a photo popped up. He brushed a thumb over it. "She's deaf, doesn't talk. Earns a little putting screws together. When my dad hits her, she can't even scream." One look at the woman on-screen and it felt like lightning hit me. In my past life, when my parents went to the suburbs for a land deal, some punks shoved a deaf woman into the road. My dad's car struck her. That face-I could never forget. It was her. No wonder Noah had feelings back then but never made a move. I always thought he looked down on me-but that wasn't it. My parents were headed to the suburbs today for that same redevelopment meeting. Around eleven... that's when it happened last time. How could I forget something this huge? Noah caught the panic in me. "Andrea, what's going on?" No time to explain. My hands shook as I dialed my parents. Ring after ring. No answer. Had it already happened?