CHAPTER 6: THE FIGHT

The night before Liam's departure felt wrong.

Emma noticed it immediately.

The celebration dinner had ended hours ago, yet a strange tension still lingered in the air.

Liam had spent the evening laughing with friends, accepting congratulations, and talking excitedly about London.

But Noah had barely spoken.

Even now, standing on Liam's balcony overlooking the city, Noah remained silent.

The lights below blurred together like stars scattered across the earth.

Behind him, the apartment was filled with empty bottles, dirty plates, and the fading remains of a celebration.

Tomorrow, Liam would leave.

Tomorrow, everything would change.

Noah tightened his grip on the balcony railing.

He hated that thought.

He hated it more than he wanted to admit.

The balcony door slid open.

Liam stepped outside.

"You disappeared."

Noah shrugged.

"Needed some air."

Liam leaned against the railing beside him.

For a few moments neither spoke.

The silence felt unusually heavy.

Then Liam sighed.

"You don't look very happy for me."

Noah laughed humorlessly.

"I'm happy for you."

"That's a lie."

Noah looked away.

The city lights reflected in his eyes.

Liam studied him carefully.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Cut the crap."

Noah clenched his jaw.

Liam rarely sounded serious.

When he did, people listened.

Unfortunately, Noah wasn't in the mood.

"Drop it."

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Firm.

Direct.

Uncomfortable.

Liam crossed his arms.

"You've been acting weird for weeks."

Noah laughed bitterly.

"Weeks?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means you've been too busy to notice."

The words slipped out before Noah could stop them.

Liam frowned.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Noah finally turned toward him.

For the first time that night, anger flashed across his face.

"You want the truth?"

"Yeah."

"Fine."

Liam's expression hardened.

Noah continued.

"You've spent the last three months thinking about London."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Liam, don't—"

"No, you don't get to interrupt."

Years of frustration suddenly poured out.

"You've been so focused on your future that you've stopped paying attention to the people around you."

Liam stared.

Shocked.

Noah almost never raised his voice.

Yet here he was.

Angry.

Passionate.

Completely unlike himself.

"What people?" Liam asked.

"You know exactly who."

Something flickered in Liam's eyes.

Understanding.

Emma.

Noah continued.

"She smiles whenever you're around because she doesn't want to ruin your excitement."

Liam's jaw tightened.

"Emma supports me."

"Of course she does."

"Then what's the problem?"

Noah laughed.

The sound carried no humor.

"The problem is she's terrified."

Silence.

Liam looked away.

For the first time, Noah knew his words had landed.

Because Liam already knew.

Deep down, he knew.

"She's scared of losing you," Noah said quietly.

The anger slowly disappeared.

Only sadness remained.

"She's scared everything will change."

The city seemed unusually quiet.

Even the wind had stopped.

Liam stared at the ground.

When he finally spoke, his voice sounded smaller.

"We'll make it work."

Noah closed his eyes.

That answer again.

The same answer Liam always gave.

The same answer everyone wanted to believe.

"We'll make it work."

Except life wasn't that simple.

Relationships weren't that simple.

People weren't that simple.

"You don't know that."

Liam's head snapped upward.

"What?"

"You don't know that."

A dangerous tension settled between them.

The kind that existed before a storm.

"You think I'm making a mistake?"

Noah hesitated.

Then nodded.

The truth hung between them.

Liam looked genuinely hurt.

"I can't believe this."

"I'm trying to help."

"No."

Liam shook his head.

"No, you're judging me."

"No, I'm protecting her."

The second the words left his mouth, Noah regretted them.

Liam froze.

His eyes narrowed.

"Protecting her?"

Damn.

Noah immediately looked away.

Too late.

Liam had noticed.

And Liam Carter was many things.

But stupid wasn't one of them.

The silence stretched.

One second.

Five seconds.

Ten.

Then Liam laughed.

A slow, disbelieving laugh.

"No way."

Noah's stomach dropped.

Liam stared at him.

Really stared.

As if seeing him clearly for the first time.

And suddenly everything changed.

Every late-night conversation.

Every glance.

Every sacrifice.

Every moment Noah had spent beside Emma.

Liam saw it all.

"Oh my God."

Noah's pulse hammered.

"Liam—"

"You love her."

The words struck like lightning.

Noah froze.

Liam stared.

Waiting.

Neither moved.

Neither breathed.

The city lights blurred around them.

Everything narrowed to that single moment.

"You love Emma."

Noah looked away.

That alone was enough.

Liam's face drained of color.

"No."

The word sounded broken.

Disbelieving.

Impossible.

Yet Noah couldn't deny it.

Not anymore.

Not after years of fighting it.

Not after years of pretending.

The truth had finally escaped.

And now there was no taking it back.

"Liam..."

His voice cracked.

But Liam stepped backward.

As though Noah had struck him.

"How long?"

Noah remained silent.

"How long?"

The question exploded from Liam.

Years of friendship suddenly hanging by a thread.

Noah lowered his eyes.

The answer hurt too much to say.

Liam understood anyway.

And somehow that made everything worse.

The realization shattered something between them.

Something old.

Something precious.

Something neither knew how to repair.

Finally Liam spoke.

His voice barely above a whisper.

"Tell me the truth."

Noah looked up.

Liam's eyes were filled with betrayal.

Pain.

Anger.

Heartbreak.

"Tell me the truth, Noah."

The city seemed to stop breathing.

Then Liam asked the question that changed everything.

"Are you in love with my girlfriend?"

And for the first time in years...

Noah couldn't lie.