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Back The Infinite Noise Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  70. Newsletter Sign-up

“But they love you a lot,” I blurt, missing his smile. “They think you’re so great. And I’m sorry that I made such a bad impression, I know it was important to you. That I not fuck up in front of them. But they don’t hate me or anything, so you don’t have to worry. I think your mom is maybe a little … I don’t know, suspicious of me? I don’t know, she’s hard to get a read on—”

“Caleb, what are you talking about?” Adam interrupts, his eyes bugging out of his head.

Fuck, I really went on a ramble there. I guess I’m not as sober as I thought.

“Nothing.” I shake my head, panicking. “Sorry, I’m just—I’m really tired. I should go.”

“Caleb…” Adam starts, twisting vines of worry-confusion-curiosity wrapping around me. And something else too. Fear. He’s scared of me. I have to get out of here.

“I’ll see you tomorrow in school,” I call out, already halfway down his front walk. “Happy birthday!” I give an awkward wave, avoiding Adam’s crestfallen face, and walk quickly down the sidewalk before realizing that I need to call my mom to pick me up. I dial quickly and tell her to meet me three blocks down from Adam’s house. For once, I can’t bear to be anywhere near his feelings.

35

ADAM

Well, that was fucking weird.

I watch Caleb speed down the street before I turn to go back into the house. Spending time with Caleb means getting emotional whiplash all the time. One moment things are great, the next, he’s skittering away like a scared mouse.

As I shut the front door behind me, I think back on the moment before my parents brought out the cake. Caleb leaning toward me, smirking. It felt like … flirting. I have to stop myself from thinking that word too loudly in my own head. It’s ridiculous. It’s not the first time I’ve felt that Caleb might be flirting, but that doesn’t make it any less ridiculous.

“You all right, sweetie pie?” I look up to see my mom holding chocolate-covered plates in the doorway to the dining room.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, forcing a smile. “I’m good.”

“Want to come help with dishes?” She jerks her head toward the kitchen.

“Don’t I get a break because it’s my birthday?” I rebut, with a real smile this time.

“Want another piece of cake?” she offers instead, eyes glittering. A small laugh escapes me and I follow her into the kitchen, where my dad seems to be making more of a mess than should be possible when washing the dishes.

“That Caleb is a real mensch,” my dad shouts over his shoulder, the sound of the faucet nearly drowning him out. I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me.