Chapter 78: Two Worlds

NORA’S POV

By eight o’clock that evening, our room was quiet and peaceful.

Priya had left for an all-night study session at the law library with her mock-trial group, leaving me alone in the dim, cozy room.

I had showered, changed into a pair of soft gray lounge pants and an oversized navy crewneck, and made myself a hot mug of chamomile tea. My desk was neatly organized with textbooks, highlighters, and the color-coded visual graphs I had prepared for Knox’s weekend study crunch.

At eight-fifteen, my phone began buzzing softly on the wooden desk.

The screen illuminated with an incoming call: Drew Miller.

I took a slow, steady breath, picked up the phone, and swiped to answer.

"Hey, Drew," I said, sinking back into my padded desk chair with my warm mug cradled in one hand.

"Hey, Nora," Drew’s voice came through the speaker. "How are you doing? How are you holding up?" 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"I’m fine, Drew. Just winding down from a long day."

"Good," Drew said, a small pause stretching between us before he continued. "So, how did the festival go? Did you make it across the quad in time with all those baked goods?"

"I did," I answered, the memory of the crazy afternoon bringing a subdued warmth to my voice. "I brought three dozen pumpkin spice muffins and walnut cookies from Mom’s recipe, and they sold out completely. We raised twelve hundred and forty dollars for the Children’s Hospital."

"Twelve hundred? Wow, Nora, that’s incredible," Drew’s genuine admiration cut through the slight awkwardness between us. "Anything from your mom’s kitchen always draws a crowd."

"Yeah," I murmured, staring at the steam rising from my tea. "She was really proud when I told her."

Drew cleared his throat on the other end of the line, his tone turning serious and quiet. "Look, Nora... I know I sent the card and already apologised, but I still want to say it out loud. I’m really sorry about keeping the State hockey thing from you. I should have been honest with you the second I committed. I was an idiot, and I hated feeling like I broke your trust."

I looked down at my tea, feeling the last cold edge of that night betrayal finally dissolve into quiet acceptance.

"It’s okay, Drew," I said softly, meaning it. "It’s all in the past now. We both had a lot going on."

Drew let out a long, audible exhale, sounding immensely relieved. "Thanks, Nora. That really means a lot to hear."

For the next twenty minutes, we talked. Our conversation went easily, and the awkwardness over his secret State jersey gradually smoothened back into our familiar, high school rhythm.

Drew talked about his classes at State, his rigorous training schedule under their new conditioning coach, and funny updates about mutual friends back in Oakhaven. There was no tension, no high-stakes media scrutiny, and no billionaire fathers hovering in the shadows

Talking to Drew was like slipping into a warm, familiar sweater. It was comfortable, safe, and completely predictable.

"So," Drew’s tone turned slightly hesitant, though still gentle. "My mom stopped by Sugar & Spice yesterday to pick up some sourdough. She mentioned your mom said you’re taking the bus home next week for midterm break."

"Yeah," I replied softly, swirling the tea in my mug. "Briar has a four-day reading break starting Wednesday afternoon. I’m heading home to help Mom at the bakery and get some quiet study time."

"State has a four-day bye week too," Drew said. "I’ll be in Oakhaven from Wednesday night through Sunday. I was thinking... maybe we could grab coffee at that diner by the lake? Or take a walk by the old high school track like we used to? Just the two of us... like old times."

I stared down at the surface of my tea, feeling a deep, soothing wave of relief wash over me.

Oakhaven. Quiet tree-lined streets. High school memories. A world where life wasn’t complicated by televised mutinies, fake-dating contracts, and hockey captains who made my entire body catch fire with a single touch.

It was exactly the reset I needed.

"Yeah, Drew," I said softly, a genuine smile touching my lips. "I’d really like that. Let’s do it."

"Great," Drew sounded noticeably relieved. "It’s a date... I mean, a plan. I’ll pick you up on Thursday afternoon."

"Sounds like a plan. Good luck with your weekend prep, Drew."

"You too, Nora. Good night."

I hung up the phone, setting it down on the wooden desk with a soft exhale.

For a few minutes, a sense of calm settled over my chest.

Drew represented peace. A safe, uncomplicated harbor where I knew exactly where I stood.

I turned back to my desk, reaching forward to organize my study binders for tomorrow morning.

My hand brushed against Knox’s worn black leather notebook, resting right beside my economics syllabus. A loose sheet of paper slipped out from between the pages, fluttering onto my lap.

I looked down.

It was the visual flowchart Knox had drawn during our very first breakthrough session in Study Room 4C... his messy, bold handwriting mapping out market equilibrium points in thick blue marker, surrounded by tiny hockey rink diagrams he had doodled in the margins.

And at the bottom of the page, written in Knox’s scrawl, was a single line:

Trust the system, Bookworm.

My breath caught in my throat.

Suddenly, the image of Knox from this afternoon rushed back with breathtaking force... the heat of his solid chest pressed against my back, his large, calloused hands enveloping mine on the stick, his low, raspy voice murmuring right against my ear on the grass.

My pulse surged, a hot, electric tremor shooting straight through my core.

I pressed my trembling fingers against my lips, staring at Knox’s handwriting in the quiet, dim room.

Drew was safe. Drew was the comfort of the past.

But Knox was an all-consuming fire that had burned down every defense I had ever built.

I closed my eyes tightly, clutching the paper to my chest as a terrifying realization settled in my soul.

I was running home to Oakhaven to escape Knox Sheridan.

And I was terrified that even ninety miles of distance wouldn’t be enough to stop me from falling completely in love with him.