Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 473: I'm Not A Child

Violet knew something was wrong with her friend when he said it wasn't a big deal. Noah only ever said that when something truly was a big deal. Usually he ended up spilling what it was eventually after some coaxing but this time he kept his mouth firmly shut.

How horrible could it be that Noah couldn't tell her? Was he dying or something?

His tension carried over throughout the rest of the time they hung out. It was affecting his game; he was normally a lot better than this but he kept losing at everything he played. That was an obvious sign of distraction.

She stood on tiptoe and leaned close to his face to see if she could decipher his expression better. He was so startled he stumbled backwards.

"What are you doing?" Noah stammered.

"Trying to read your mind."

He rolled his eyes at her, seeming more like his normal self. "Everybody knows mind-reading doesn't actually work, Vi."

"I'll achieve it someday," she said confidently, making him laugh, which was her goal all along.

Violet didn't get silly often but she knew Noah enjoyed it when she did. He thought she was funny even though no one else in her family did. Nathan and Kaleb frequently battled it out for the position of 'the funny one.'

It was gratifying having someone laugh when you're trying to be funny every now and then. Truthfully, it was gratifying having someone like Noah validating her all the time in more ways than just her sense of humor. He always understood what she was feeling.

As someone who frequently felt on the outside of things even with the people who loved her, that ability of his was a priceless treasure. Violet valued Noah's friendship more than almost anything.

So when he continued his pattern of almost completely avoiding her texts in the weeks following their time at the arcade, she was more than a little disappointed. Even trying to go to his house didn't yield any results; Jennica apologetically said he wasn't home.

What could he be doing that he wasn't home at nine o'clock at night on multiple different days? Had he found himself a girlfriend and didn't tell her? But why? Violet always told him about her boyfriends; she would be happy for him!

Even spending time with Jeremy pretty much every day and getting even closer to him couldn't dispel her gloom at not knowing what was going on with her best friend. What was his problem? Hadn't he always told her what was going on with him before?

===

The day before Thanksgiving, Violet's father pulled her aside with a tragic expression on his face.

"Okay don't judge me…but I couldn't manage to convince Michael Gray not to want to come over for Thanksgiving dinner. He already said he wouldn't impose on me for Christmas and I figured it would be better to do it now since Jeremy will be here too and he won't be the only guest."

"Dad! You're seriously letting someone you consider dangerous into the house?!" she asked incredulously.

"It's not like it's the first time," Aaron muttered. "He's been here before, back when you were a baby."

Violet really didn't get it. None of this made sense. And since she had only seen Noah twice since they originally ran into Michael Gray she hadn't had the chance to ask him what his thoughts were about her dad's relationship with him yet.

Now she didn't know if she would considering he seemed to be avoiding her. No, that was stupid. He had never avoided her before. He probably really was busy. She couldn't get paranoid now.

"Dad…what aren't you telling me about this guy?" she demanded with her hands on her h.i.p.s.

"Please don't ask me that," he pleaded. "Just don't say anything to your brothers, alright?"

Aaron had never asked anything of her like this before. He really didn't want anyone else to know. What was so horrible about this man that he couldn't tell the people he loved most?

Maybe Violet could get answers out of her mother. So she sweetly agreed not to press him about it anymore and he seemed relieved.

"Thanks, Vi. You're the best."

About an hour later she was able to make her move as her mother watered the plants in the rooftop garden. It was cold enough that they had already lost their leaves for the season but it hadn't rained or snowed in a couple weeks so she felt the need to give them moisture.

"Why is Dad so afraid of Michael Gray but still invited him over for Thanksgiving?" Violet asked casually.

Her mother didn't even look up from her plants. "Oh, he didn't. He invited himself."

Wait, what? Who would have the nerve to invite himself to Aaron Hale's Thanksgiving dinner?! This was getting even more confusing!

"I feel a bit sorry for him. Your father is his only real friend and he doesn't even like him," Keeley continued. "Don't mind Gray too much, alright? I don't like it much either but he wants to be at least minimally involved in your father's life. We won't have to see him very often."

Violet's confusion grew even worse. She knew her mother would know more about this mysterious man but didn't think she would have even more questions than answers after talking to her. She didn't like this situation one bit. She had always hated being out of the loop about things.

"I'm not a child," she sniffed. "You can tell me what the actual deal is. It's not like I'll go blabbing to the boys."

Keeley finally looked up from her plants and smiled ruefully. "I know you aren't. But your dad…he doesn't want you guys to have to worry about ghosts from his past."

Ghosts from his past? Violet knew his relationship with his parents had never been good…she had never even officially met her Hale grandparents. That one brief encounter when she was in preschool was more than enough to tell her what kind of people they were.

But Aaron was an only child. He didn't have any other family. Right?

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