Reborn: A Second Chance Through Time

Chapter 9: CHAPTR 8 : GIFT



Chapter 8

After returning to Cedar Falls from New York Fashion Week, Lily felt a wave of relief and nostalgia as she settled back into her small-town life. She brought souvenirs for Noah, Leah, and Anna, her closest friends. Her popularity was slowly growing, with her Instagram followers surpassing 20,000, and she was getting recognized more often in school.

The Sunday night flight left both Lily and her mom, Lisa, exhausted. On Monday morning, as Lily was sipping her coffee and preparing for school, there was a knock on the door.

"Lily, it's Noah!" her mom called from the living room.

Lily opened the door to see Noah leaning casually against the frame, his signature crooked smile lighting up his face.

"Good morning, superstar," Noah teased, his hazel eyes twinkling. "Missed me?"

Lily laughed, feeling her cheeks warm. "Good morning, Noah. Maybe just a little. How about you?"

"More than a little," Noah admitted softly, his voice losing its teasing tone. "School wasn't the same without you."

Lily smiled, touched by his sincerity. "Thanks, Noah. That means a lot."

As they got into Noah's car, he handed her a small bouquet of daisies. "For the hardworking model who's also a straight-A student," he said with a grin.

Lily accepted the flowers, her heart warming. "You're too sweet, Noah. Thank you."

As Noah drove, they chatted about her trip.

"My mom and dad missed you too," Noah said. "Mom keeps saying how proud she is of you. She even joked that if we got married, she wouldn't have to wait to call you her daughter."

Lily laughed, though her heart skipped a beat. "Your mom's always been so sweet to me. I really miss her too. I should stop by sometime."

"You should," Noah agreed. "She's your number one fan, you know. She's been showing everyone your modeling photos. She's got the whole neighborhood talking."

Lily giggled. "That sounds like her. She's the best."

As they pulled into the school parking lot, Noah glanced at her. "Lily, I… I wanted to say something."

"What's up?" Lily asked, looking over at him.

He hesitated, his gaze lingering on her face. "Your green eyes… they're beautiful. I never noticed how bright they were without your glasses."

Lily blinked in surprise before a shy smile spread across her lips. "Thank you, Noah. That's really sweet of you to say."

If Noah had said that to her before, Lily knew she would have turned bright red and stuttered in embarrassment. But now, she felt more confident—yet, a flicker of something unfamiliar danced in her chest.

At School

Lily was greeted with hugs from Leah and Anna.

"Lily, we missed you so much!" Leah exclaimed, squeezing her tightly.

"I missed you too, guys!" Lily said, laughing as she handed them their souvenirs.

"Thanks, Lily! You didn't have to do this," Anna said, holding up a keychain of the New York skyline. "How was New York?"

"It was incredible," Lily said, her eyes lighting up as she recounted her experiences. "The city never sleeps, and the energy is just… magical."

Anna grinned. "Well, while you were off being fabulous, you've gained a fan club here. A lot of the boys have a crush on you now."

Leah nodded. "But they're all too scared to approach you because they think you're dating Noah."

Lily's smile faltered. "Wait, the school thinks Noah and I are dating? Don't they know he's with Emma?"

"They've kept it pretty low-key," Leah said. "Honestly, if you didn't tell us, we wouldn't even know."

Lily frowned, realizing she might need to put some distance between her and Noah to avoid any misunderstandings.

The Mall

After school, Lily met Noah at the parking lot, and they headed to the mall to pick out a gift for Emma's birthday.

"Does Emma know we're shopping for her gift?" Lily asked as they drove.

Noah shook his head. "No, I want it to be a surprise."

Lily frowned. "You really should've told her. Even if we're just friends, it's about respecting her."

"She knows we're best friends, Lily," Noah replied, a bit defensive.

"Still," Lily insisted, "if it were me, I'd want to know. It's not about doubting us—it's about being open with your partner."

Noah sighed. "Alright, you're right. I'll tell her next time."

When they reached the mall, they wandered into a jewelry store. A delicate rose gold necklace with a swan pendant caught Lily's eye.

"It's beautiful," Lily murmured, picking it up. The tiny diamond in the swan's eye sparkled under the store's lights.

Noah noticed her admiring it. "That's perfect for Emma," he said suddenly.

Lily froze, her fingers tightening around the necklace. For a moment, she had imagined herself wearing it, but his words shattered the thought.

"Yeah," she said, forcing a smile. "She'll love it."

"You have a great eye, Lily," Noah said, oblivious to her inner turmoil.

She placed the necklace back on the display, her heart sinking. "Thanks."

Back Home

After dropping Lily off, Noah smiled at her. "Thanks for helping me today, Lily. You're the best."

"Anytime," Lily replied, her smile tight.

As she watched him drive away, she felt the ache in her chest resurface. She leaned against the door, her fingers brushing the daisies Noah had given her that morning.

"I'm done with this," she whispered to herself.

But even as she said it, a faint pang of hurt lingered in her heart. No matter how much she wanted to move on, it wasn't that simple. Some feelings stayed, even when you wished they wouldn't.


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