Chapter 6
The hallway was louder than usual.
Students crowded around, laughing, talking—normal.
Too normal.
Martha stood near her locker, trying to ignore the noise.
Trying to ignore the feeling.
He was there.
She couldn't see him—
but she knew.
"Hey."
A voice broke through her thoughts.
She turned.
A boy stood a little too close.
Smiling.
Casual.
Too casual.
"You're Martha, right?" he asked.
She hesitated. "Yes…?"
"I've seen you around," he said, leaning slightly closer. "You're always alone."
Something about the way he said it made her uncomfortable.
"I'm not—"
"You are," he interrupted softly. "And I was thinking… maybe you don't have to be."
Martha stepped back slightly.
"I'm fine."
He didn't move.
Didn't give her space.
"Come on," he said, lowering his voice. "At least talk properly."
A sudden chill ran through the air.
Martha felt it immediately.
That shift.
That presence.
Behind the boy—
something moved.
"Step back."
The voice was low.
Calm.
Cold.
The boy frowned. "What?"
Martha's heart skipped.
She knew that voice.
"I said," Noah repeated,
"step back."
The boy looked around, confused. "Who said that?"
Martha's eyes slowly shifted past him.
Noah stood there.
Closer than before.
Much closer.
His expression—
wasn't calm anymore.
Something darker flickered beneath it.
Something sharp.
Controlled.
Barely.
"There's no one here, bro," the boy muttered, laughing nervously.
Noah didn't react.
His gaze stayed locked on him.
"You're making her uncomfortable," he said.
The boy scoffed. "And who are you to say that?"
Silence.
Noah took a step forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"You shouldn't have come this close."
The boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah? Or what?"
For a second—
everything felt still.
Then—
the boy flinched.
Like something brushed past him.
Cold.
Unseen.
"What the—?" he stepped back suddenly.
Martha's breath caught.
Noah was right there now.
Right in front of him.
"You don't understand," Noah said quietly.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried something heavy.
"I don't like repeating myself."
The boy's confidence cracked.
Just slightly.
"Okay… this is weird," he muttered, stepping back again. "You're crazy."
He turned—
and walked away faster than before.
Silence returned.
Martha's heart was racing.
Noah stood there.
Still.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
The sudden softness in his voice caught her off guard.
"I…" she hesitated. "Yes."
A pause.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly.
Noah looked at her.
Really looked.
"Yes," he said.
"I did."
Her breath faltered.
"He was too close," Noah continued.
Something in his tone—
wasn't just observation anymore.
It was… something else.
"You didn't like it," he added.
Martha swallowed.
"No."
Silence.
Noah's gaze darkened slightly.
"I didn't like it either."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Unfamiliar.
Martha's heart skipped.
"Why?" she asked.
Noah didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
he stepped closer.
Not threatening.
But intense.
"I don't know," he said finally.
And somehow—
that made it worse.
Because it felt real.
"Stay away from people like that," he added quietly.
Martha blinked. "You sound like you're telling me what to do."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Maybe I am."
Her breath caught again.
"And if I don't listen?" she asked softly.
Noah leaned just slightly closer.
"Then I'll have to stay closer."
Silence.
Dangerous.
Unspoken.
Martha didn't step back.
And that—
was the real problem.