Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts




"Don't worry. My word is my bond."\

Phoebe scanned the contents of the fridge, which was probably stocked by her mom's doing. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of ingredients, but cooking was just too much of a hassle and too time-consuming. She didn't fancy ending the day smelling like a greasy spoon diner. So she grabbed some lean beef and peppers. While boiling some pasta, she quickly stir-fried a simple beef and pepper dish.

Noel watched her bustling about the kitchen, captivated. His own mother never cooked, so this domestic scene was a rarity for him. A strange emotion welled up inside him; he thought he understood why Ethan loved to cook for his newlywed wife. It truly brought a sense of warmth to a home.

This girl certainly had the makings of a doting spouse. If he brought someone like her home, maybe his grandpa would give his blessing without a fuss?

Phoebe was quick, and in no time, a plate of the beef and pepper pasta was ready. She faced Noel with a stern expression, "Eat up, and leave my place as soon as you're done."

"You're not eating?" Noel asked, looking up. "You haven't had dinner either, have you?"

"Why do you care? Just eat," she snapped back. She was accustomed to eating light at night and often just having some fruit for dinner.

Noel glanced at her. His eyes lingered a bit too long on her chest. "Guess you skip dinners, huh? No wonder you're not... well-developed."

What kind of look was that? Disdain? Phoebe was fuming. She considered herself quite even-tempered, but around this guy, everything changed. She raised her voice, "Noel, if you're not eating, then get out. Now."

Noel chuckled, trying to appease her, "Of course I'll eat. I'm starving." He dug in voraciously, and he couldn't deny that the girl had some serious culinary skills - it was delicious.

As soon as Noel finished, the two security guards from earlier called, saying the cops had arrived and they needed to go give their statements.

Though he was reluctant to leave, he had already made significant headway by getting into her house, and that was satisfying enough. Considering Phoebe's "ready to bite" expression, he didn't dare overstay his welcome.

They both made their way to the security station, where the police took their statements and then escorted the troublemaker away.

Phoebe headed straight into the building, but Noel couldn't help calling out to her, "Phoebe, I can't drive home with my hand like this."

She turned around, rolled her eyes at him, and hailed a cab at the building's entrance. She opened the door and simply stared at Noel, motionless.

With no other option, Noel got in the cab, grumbling, "After saving your life tonight, the least you could give me is a smile, not this 'death glare' business."

Before he could finish, Phoebe slammed the car door shut, and it nearly hit his

nose.

The cab driver chuckled, "Boy, your girlfriend's got quite the temper."

Girlfriend? That was a novel term. Noel smirked, "Yeah, she's fiery." But he liked it; spunky company kept things interesting.

The driver added, with a hint of wisdom in his voice, "I have seen too many couples. Let me tell you. I saw the way she looks at you - pure loathing, not a hint of affection. Girls like her aren't easy to win over."

Noel's expression hardened as he muttered, "She's not my girlfriend... yet."

"Well, you've got your work cut out for you, then," the driver said. They were in silence for a while.

The next day, Noel couldn't shake off Phoebe's attitude from last night; despite playing the hero, he ended up with a cold shoulder. He dialed up Ethan. "Ethan, you busy? I need some advice."

"I've got a meeting in fifteen, so make it quick," Ethan replied.

"It's about Izzy's friend, Phoebe. I've met her, and I've already started making my move. She got mugged last night, and I played the hero, but she's still giving me the cold shoulder. Why?"

"You need to give me the full story of the past few days if you want my take on it," Ethan said after Noel's brief recap.

Ethan's chuckle came through the phone, "So you're telling me you got chewed gut; but still went after her You even got yourself hurt playing the hero last night, but she's still giving you the brush-off? You're a walking tragedy, my friend. Content belongs to Novelxo.org S

"Come on, Ethan, are we bros or not? And here you are, laughing at me. What should I do?" Noel was at his wit's end. That was why, despite expecting some ribbing, he had called for advice.

After a pause, Ethan spoke, "If you're complaining this much now, maybe you

should back off. She's Izzy's best friend, so I don't want you to hurt her. I'd have a hard time explaining that to Izzy."

et

"Ethan, don't be like that. You think I'm not serious about her? Phoebe's the first woman I've decided to pursue; Ve never chased anyone before. And didn't you fall for Izzy at first sight too? If your feelings are valid, why aren't mine? You can't measure sincerity by time," Noel defended himself, frustrated at his

friend's skepticism. Content belongs

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Ethan finally relented, "Phoebe's as old as Izzy. They're both 27. Women at this age aren't looking for romance or passion. They want a man with responsibility,

someone who can provide security."

The conversation gave Noel plenty to think about as the cab rolled on to his

destination.

"Man, did I not just go all out to save her? How come she still feels shaken up?" Noel grumbled. His brow furrowed in frustration.

"Look dude, it's two different things," his buddy explained with a shake of his head. You might have pulled her out of the fire, but it's all about how you talk to her after. You've only known her for a hot minute. No matter how ticked off or rushed you feel, you can't just go barking at her. She just went through something horrific, and instead of giving her some comfort, you're all up in her face yelling. No girl's gonna be okay

with that." Content belongs to

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Hearing his friend lay it out like that, Noel had to admit there was sense to it. "I just...

I thought maybe giving her a bit of a scolding would teach her a lesson," he said,

almost sheepishly.

"Save the tough love for when you've actually got something between you two," his friend advised. "Right now, to her, you're pretty much a stranger. She can't make heads or tails of why you'd act that way."