After I confessed to my childhood crush, he smirked and said, "If you can get that loser to drink from the same bottle you did, I'll date you."

Seriously? Was I really reborn fifteen years ago?

I raced over to Noah—top of the class and hot as hell—and dropped the water bottle on his desk in front of everyone.

He clocked the lipstick stain, face turning crimson.

Future business mogul? Right now, he looked like some poor kid waiting to get crushed.

I nudged the bottle closer. "Using that genius brain to collect bottles for cash? Kinda tragic. Be my private tutor instead."

He might be broke, but lucky for him, I've got money to burn.

"Andrea, If you can get that loser to drink from the same bottle you did, I'll date you."

I blinked.

Henry Rummell stood there, one eyebrow raised, that smug smile already loading another hit.

The rich kids around us jumped in.

"Come on, Andrea! You've been after Henry forever—he's finally saying yes!"

"I'm so over that Noah guy. Straight A's don't make him better than us."

"Let him grind all he wants—he'll be fetching our coffee in ten years."

Their laughter felt like a vice around my lungs. Couldn't breathe.

Henry and I grew up in the same ritzy neighborhood. The rest of them? D.C. nepo brats with last names that opened doors.

Bullying was their group sport. I never joined, but I never stopped it either.

Pissing them off could tank my dad's business, and I used to think staying quiet was enough.

In my last life, I finally confessed to Henry. His response? If I got Noah Novak to drink from a bottle I'd already used, he'd date me.

It felt wrong. But I was sixteen. And stupid. And in love.

So yeah, I did it.

To quiet the guilt, I slipped Noah a thousand bucks.

He took the cash, drank the water, and from then on? Wouldn't even look at me. Just kept his head down like I didn't exist.

I didn't care. I was too wrapped up in Henry.

After college, everything crashed.

Dad's company tanked—he jumped off a building. Mom got cancer.

Henry? He cheated, made me get an abortion, then tossed me out.

A degree no one cared about and zero real skills. I ended up scrubbing floors at some club just to keep Mom's treatments going.

"Don't say I'm heartless," Henry would sneer. "My girl wants a laugh. Bark like a dog, Andrea. I'll toss you two hundred."

Every time he had a new girl, he pulled the same twisted stunt.

His crew came to watch. Even Peggy—my ex-best friend—joined in.

"Princess Andrea, shine my shoes. On your knees. Twenty bucks."

"I'm gonna puke. Catch it with your hands and I'll give you a hundred."

I used to wonder how people lived on fifty bucks a day.

Then I started living it. Swallowing my pride, blinking back tears, and smiling through gritted teeth.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am."

Dignity?

Doesn't pay for chemo.

When they started egging me on to strip, Noah walked in. Took me out of there.

Sharp suit. Quiet power.

I couldn't even lift my head. Just stared at his polished shoes, watching my wrecked reflection in the floor.

I thought he came to humiliate me.

But he didn't.

He paid for my mom's treatment and told me to stop crying.

How was I supposed to hold it in?

That same day, after he covered the bill, my mom—thinking she was just a burden—took her own life.

Dad was gone.

Now Mom, too.

I had no one.

Noah kept me close and said, "I'll be your family now."

When I told him I wanted to rebuild my dad's company, he backed me—no hesitation. Time, money, everything. Anytime I hit a wall, he was already there.

He was brilliant, patient, kind in ways I'd never known.

Falling for him? Easy.

But just when I was ready to tell him, he said, "I don't ever plan on getting married."

He said it like it was no big deal.

I felt... stupid. Embarrassed. Maybe even ashamed.

Because the man he'd become?

I didn't deserve him.

Noah worked himself into the ground. Right after his company went public—boom. Late-stage liver cancer.

He hated hospitals. Moved into a riverside villa instead.

I tried to stay, but he shoved me away. Said awful things, just to make me go.

I left. But he was miserable without me.

So I came back. "Don't send me away, Noah," I begged.

He was all bones, too weak to move. First thing he did? Cover my eyes.

"Don't look at me," he whispered. "I'm ugly."

I still couldn't stay.

Never even got to say goodbye.

His lawyer told me later—Noah left everything to me.

But I didn't care about the money. I just wanted him to live.

I dragged myself up Mount Calvary Church's steps, where people said prayers came true.

Dropped to my knees. Begged God to give Noah peace. Maybe even a better life next time.

I didn't expect that walking back down...

I'd get hit by a car—

And wake up in senior year.

Noah stood there—alive, fine, right in front of me—and my chest straight-up clenched.

I wanted to hug him so bad, but I played it cool, walking over with half a water bottle.

"Hey, Noah. You're always collecting bottles, right? How many you got now? I'll buy 'em—one buck each!"

Last time around, he worked himself sick. No breaks, no sleep. Died from liver cancer.

Not again. Not on my watch.

Noah glanced up, face pale and unreadable. "They go for fifty cents. Why would anyone pay a dollar? Don't mock me."

"I'm not joking. I mean it!"

I'd heard he kept bottles in his desk. Figured I'd just grab one and pay him on the spot.

He tried to stop me, but I was already pulling the drawer open.

Instead of bottles, I found a lunchbox. Inside?

Half a stale piece of bread and a few sad pickles.

He never ate in the cafeteria. I had no clue this was what lunch looked like for him.

I froze. My heart twisted.

The class burst out laughing.

Noah's hands shook as he grabbed the lunchbox and shoved it back in his desk. His face went ghost-pale.

"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to," I blurted. "If you don't want to sell the bottles, then... could you tutor me? I'll pay a hundred an hour."

He was too proud to just take money.

I just needed a reason to help him.

Anything to make sure he didn't have to live like this again.

Noah stared at me, jaw tight. "I might be poor, but I earn what I make. I don't steal. I don't beg. I'm not one of your rich-kid toys."

Then he got up and walked out.

I stood there, stunned, not getting why he was that angry—until Henry stepped in front of me, cracking up so hard he was tearing up.

"You seriously asked him to tutor you? You? Andrea Ambrose, the queen of failing grades? That's comedy gold."

He wasn't wrong. Coming from me, it probably sounded like a joke.

No wonder Noah was pissed...

Regret hit me like a punch to the gut.

Henry's lackey Danny and Peggy were slapping the desk, losing it.

"Did you see that loser's face? Priceless!"

"Guy like him's only worth anything if he strips for cash or sells himself."

Their smug faces lit a fire in me.

I splashed the water in my hand straight at them—soaked.

Then I chucked the empty bottle right at Henry's head.

"With mouths that filthy, what'd you eat this morning?" I snapped. "Toilet food?"

Henry's face went bright red. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"I'm done watching you bully people!" I shot back. "You're nasty, stupid, and gross—how are you even real?"

They just stood there, seething. No comebacks. Just rage.

I didn't care.

I bolted out of there to find Noah, to tell him I didn't mean to hurt him.

But by the time I did, class had already started.

Noah sat in the second row. I was stuck all the way in the back—no chance to even whisper.

Frustrated, I scribbled a quick note and tried to pass it up.

The chem teacher caught us.

"Andrea Ambrose, Noah Novak—if you're not here to learn, go stand outside!"

Noah—straight-A, never-stepped-out-of-line Noah—getting called out? That had never happened.

The class lit up with whispers and muffled laughs.

I glanced at him, standing there with his head down, totally silent, and guilt hit hard.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I didn't mean to drag you into this. I meant what I said about tutoring. Will you?"

He didn't even look at me.

"If you really needed a tutor, you'd hire a pro," he said. "Why ask a poor student like me?"

Then he stepped away, just enough to make it clear—he thought this was all a joke.

Noah's eyes were ice. Words weren't gonna melt that.

And honestly? I couldn't blame him.

I never picked on him, but Henry and his crew sure did. I just stood there, watching. In his book, that made me the same as them.

You can't undo that overnight. I'd have to earn it, slow and steady.

I talked Dad into secretly covering Noah's tuition and living costs—no more scraping by on bottle money.

He used to skip lunch, just chewing on bread. I hated it, so I had the maid pack an extra meal every day.

He wouldn't touch it. Said he didn't want to owe me.

I dropped it.

This time around, I wasn't just set on saving him. I had to level up too. That was the only way to keep my family's company alive—and protect my parents.

I bugged Noah nonstop with questions I couldn't figure out. At first, he shut me out, then finally tossed his notes at me like, 'figure it out yourself.'

So I did.

When he realized I wasn't joking, he started thawing a little. Then one day he got jumped after school, and I jumped in too—caught a few punches for it.

After that, something shifted between us.

By midterms, my grades were climbing, so I treated him to dinner. The fried wings were insane. Out of habit from my old life, I picked one up and held it to his mouth.

"Whoa, she's feeding him? My teeth hurt already."

"For real. Even our class couples don't act this clingy."

Of course it had to be Henry, Danny, and Peggy walking in right then.

Henry's face went dark. He spun around. "Andrea, wow. Don't ever come crawling back to me."

This time, I didn't follow. I just smiled. "He's smart and good-looking. Liking him's only natural, right?"

Noah's grip tightened on his utensils. "Andrea, that's not a funny joke."

"It's not a joke. I can't focus when anyone else teaches me. Only you. Just help me, okay? I want to crush the SATs, get into a college in the same city—stay close to you."

Pretty much a confession.

The kids watching went wild—hooting, whistling, banging on the table.

Noah's face went fire-engine red. "I-I'll think about it."

Then he shot up and bolted.

I was hopeless. Even watching him run off had my heart racing.

Back at school, Noah's face was still red, and he could barely meet my eyes.

I didn't push. Just reminded him to eat.

First class that afternoon was PE.

Volleyball. I headed to the supply room for a ball.

The second I walked in, Henry slipped in behind me and slammed me against the wall, leaning in for a kiss.

Gross. I shoved him hard. "Don't touch me!"

Henry sneered. "Look at you, all tough now. Said you wouldn't crawl back, and you didn't. But hanging all over that loser? Don't tell me you actually like him."

"He's amazing. Why wouldn't I?"

"Please. You crushed on me for years. No way you flipped that fast. I know what this is—you're jealous I'm close with that scholarship girl. So you're using him to get back at me—"

I didn't hear the rest.

Because when I turned, Noah was at the door, face cold as ice.

And my heart just dropped.