Chapter 1

It's spring and Eliza Clark is sitting on a bench, looking at the small lake in front of her. Forming an integral part of the park, the waterhole – where many fish of different sizes and colors live – is surrounded by very well-maintained plants with flowers of various colors. Being a lover of nature, the seventeen-year-old young lady admires the view that is offered to her, listening to the passing birdsong that resonates throughout the park. Eliza is there every weekday morning waiting for Noah Lambert, her best friend, with the goal of going to high school together. Dressed in a black sequined top and white jean, she begins to stress; the young man is fifteen minutes late. This therefore means that she risks arriving late at school and, for a Monday morning, she does not want to have her suspenders pulled up by her teacher, who is rather strict. Looking for something interesting to look at to forget about it, she is suddenly attracted by a teenage couple walking hand in hand. The fair-skinned young lady with long brown hair and green eyes projects herself into this situation, seeing herself walking alongside Noah, with the latter hugging her at the hips, when someone touches her shoulder, snapping out of his dream.

- Hi, says Noah, all smiles.

- Here you are at last! she replies after jumping up. But where were you? I've been waiting for you for more than fifteen minutes!

- I'm twenty minutes late, but it'll be fine, he defends himself. We still have thirty minutes before us and I can assure you that we will be back on time.

- To get back on time, we're going to have to walk faster than usual...

- You could have left without waiting for me, he continues immediately.

- You know very well that I will never go to school without you, unless you have warned me beforehand that you will be absent. May I know what delayed you? Eliza asks, trying to rack her brains as they set off. What happened? Did you wake up late?

- Actually, something much more interesting happened.

- What could have been so interesting this morning to risk arriving late for class?

- I ran into Audrey...

- Audrey? she wonders. She lives four hours from here. How could you meet her?

- Just imagine that she has an aunt who lives only two hundred meters from my house. I have just learned that she lives there on weekdays to save her from having to make a long journey between her home and the school, the young man explains to her. Apparently, that's been the case since she was in our high school.

- One moment... Audrey is the girl who caught your eye, isn't it?

- It's her...

- How did she know where you live? asks Eliza, feeling that her day is turning sour.

- I don't know... Someone must have told him; she was outside my door when I left the house. You have no idea how happy I was to see her. I really want to ask her out.

- Great! she says ironically as the disappointment is heard in her voice.

- You don't seem happy...

- I am, let's see! she takes him back, doing her best to pull herself together. What makes you say that?

- I know you, Eliza. I know when something is wrong.

- How do you like me? she asks him suddenly, just to change the subject.

- Well, as I just told you, I have the impression that you're not really happy for me...

- I'm talking about my clothes!

- You are very beautiful; he replies simply before his thoughts return to the one who capsizes his heart. It's too bad you weren't with me when I saw Audrey. She was so beautiful...

- It would be nice if we picked up the pace, she says, disappointed, doing her best to avoid the young man's gaze.

- We're not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong. Noah holds Eliza by the arm after stopping dead. What's wrong?

- I asked you about my clothes – I put on something new today – and all you can say is a simple 'You're very beautiful'? What will happen when Audrey will be your life? Are you going to put me aside? I have a feeling that will be the case! You're already starting to do it...

- How can you say such a thing? You know very well that I will never abandon you! You are my best friend see!

- "It's a pity that you only manage to perceive me as your best friend and not as the one with whom you could build your future..." she thought sadly. Eliza takes a deep breath, before speaking again. It's true that you've never let me down, but what do you think she'll accept that you spend so much time with me once you're very close? I seriously doubt it.

- You don't have to worry about that.

As soon as Eliza calms down, the friends set off again, advancing with a calm step towards the school.

- Why not?

- She would very much like to accompany us every morning. She wants to meet you because she knows how much you mean to me.

- "All that was missing... I don't want to know her!" She can't keep doing her four-hour drive like she used to? exasperated Eliza before answering him, doing her best to have a smile on her face. She can accompany us. I would be delighted to meet him.

- I was sure you were going to accept, enthuses Noah. I wanted to talk to you about it first; It's not okay to tell him to come with us without having broached the subject with you first. I'm glad you take it so well.

- "Do you think I'm taking it well?" You don't know me that well after all! "You've been attracted to her for quite some time as far as I know. If I can help you get in a relationship with her, I will. "I'll do it, even if it means suffering..."

Madly in love with her best friend, Eliza always puts Noah's well-being before her own. During the conversation, where she understands that the young man has not developed any feelings of love for her after more than ten years of friendship, she constantly feels her tears welling up in her eyes, but she does her best not to. let them escape in front of him. She knows she will have a hard time finding a plausible explanation for them. To avoid lingering on the subject "Audrey", Eliza tries to venture on other topics of conversation, but it doesn't work; Noah keeps coming back to it. The teenager feels that she is losing the person for whom her heart is beating and she dreads this moment enormously.