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.

In both lives, I'd never seen him like that.

My eye twitched. My stomach dropped. I forced a smile, ready to explain.

But he just said, "Sorry to interrupt," and turned away.

Henry smirked. "At least he knows his place. Andrea, now that no one's bothering us—"

He leaned in again.

Smack!

I slapped him so hard my palm stung, wishing I could take his teeth with it.

I'd worked so hard to fix things with Noah, and Henry trashed it all.

His face twisted. "Andrea Ambrose, playing hard to get only works to a point. Push it too far and it gets old."

Smug, arrogant—how had I ever fallen for this jerk?

"Hard to get, my ass. Kissing you's nastier than eating garbage. Get lost."

I didn't waste another second on him. I went after Noah.

But he was dodging me.

In lineup, he stood way off.

In volleyball, he'd rather sit out—same old Noah—than team with me.

After class, he ducked into the guys' restroom. No chance following him there.

By the final bell, I had no choice but to corner him in front of everyone.

He didn't run this time. Just stared at me, steady.

"Andrea, you've got privilege. You don't need grades the way I do. All I've got is the SAT. So keep your rich kid love games out of my life."

I rushed out, "Don't listen to Henry. I haven't liked him in forever. I'm helping you, getting close, because I like you!"

"I don't date in high school."

"Then after we graduate—"

"Let's talk about after graduation when it happens. Anything else?"

His voice stayed calm, but the wall between us was loud and clear.

Danny and Peggy strolled by, voices dripping sarcasm.

"Hey, junk kid. Princess Andrea using you to mess with Henry? You should feel honored."

"Totally. Andrea throws a tantrum, plays with you a few days, maybe tosses you some cash—your whole family could live off it."

Every word sliced deep.

I snapped. "And who the hell are you to mock Noah? Apologize!"

Peggy's face went pale. "You want me to apologize to that junk kid?"

I glared at them both. "Apologize. Don't make me say it again."

They shut up fast.

They muttered quick apologies and bolted, still fuming.

"Thanks for speaking up," Noah said, flat. "But don't next time. It just makes things worse for me later."

I caught the shoe prints smeared on his uniform, and my throat tightened. "Sorry. I just wanted to treat you better."

In my last life, I knew things were rough for him.

I just never realized how rough.

"Thanks, but... it's not necessary." He gave me a polite nod and walked off.

I watched his back get smaller, the gap between us stretching wider and wider.

My chest clenched. It hurt.

I quit trying to force my way in.

But when Henry, Danny, and Peggy went after Noah again, I grabbed a chair and smashed it over them—heads, arms, whatever I could hit.

Their courage broke right along with it.

My parents freaked, ripped away my allowance.

Everyone whispered I'd lost it.

I didn't care.

Now nobody would dare lay a hand on Noah.

This time, I'd protect him.

Noah came to find me after that.

His face was unreadable. "You didn't have to go that far for me."

"But I like you. How could I just stand there while someone I like gets hurt?"

His cheeks flushed. He quickly changed the subject. "I heard you got a top tutor, studying late into the night. Guess I had you wrong."

I blinked. "If you're really sorry, then whenever I get stuck in class, I'm dumping it on you."

He froze. "...Okay."

Yeah, part of asking was just to stay close.

But I did need him.

I wanted to actually be capable—so when everything fell apart again, my family, my mom—I wouldn't be helpless.

With both Noah and a top tutor helping me, my grades shot up.

If I held it together on the SAT, college wouldn't be a problem.

Wherever Noah went, I'd follow to the same city.

Everything felt on track—until the SAT.

Fifteen minutes before it started, Noah still hadn't shown.

I called. His dad picked up. Albert Novak. Total gambling addict.

"You're that rich girl my kid talks about, huh? Some guy named Henry slipped me two hundred to keep him from the test. So I locked him up. But if you pay more, I'll let him out."

My jaw tightened. "How much?"

"Three hundred—nah, five. You send it, I'll drive him over. We're close. Fifty minutes, tops."

Too late. Once that fifteen-minute window closed, nobody got in.

Noah missed the test.

Because of two stupid hundred bucks.