NovelEnglishTIM
LAURA STILL STUCK IN THE PAST...
The smell of paint and varnish hung heavy in the air as | stood in the corner of the shop, scanning the shelves.
I'd been here for what felt like forever, searching for the perfect sage green. Every shade | picked up was either
too minty or too dull. Maybe I'd have to mix it myself.
The bell above the door jingled, but | didn't bother looking up. Customers cand went all the tin this
place, and | never noticed them-not until Tim. Which was a massive mistake-huge-one | won't be repeating
anytsoon.
| crouched down to check the bottom shelf, brushing my hair out of my face. Just as | grabbed another swatch of
green, a voice floated over to me.
His voice.
"Laura?"
| froze, my hand hovering mid-air. For a second, | thought | might've imagined it, but when | glanced up, there he
was. Tim.
He stood a few feet away, his hands shoved into his pockets, looking every bit as sheepish as I'd expected.
1 didn't want to do this. Not here. Not now.
1225 TM
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Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Go away, Tim," | said, keeping my voice steady as | turned back to the shelf. "I don't want to hear it."
He hesitated, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Laura, please. | just
"| said, go away," | snapped, straightening up and turning to face him. My heart was pounding, but didn't let it
show. "I don't need your apology. | don't need anything from you." Tim winced like my words had physically hit
him. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. | swear"
"You weren't trying to hurt me?" | cut him off, my voice rising. "You have a girlfriend, Tim. A girlfriend. Did you
even think about her? About me? What the hell is wrong with you!"
He looked down at his shoes, the sstupid pair he'd worn on our date. It madehate him just a little bit
more.
"I didn't mean for it to happen like that. | just saw you, and you were so... | don't know. I didn't think, I guess. |
just saw you and wanted you," he mumbled.
| laughed bitterly, shaking my head. "Well, it did. And now | get to deal with it. So, congratulations, Tim. You got
what you, wanted, and | got to be the idiot who fell for it."
| grabbed the closest paint sample | could find and brushed past him, heading for the counter. My hands were
trembling as | set the swatch down.
"Laura, wait
"Don't," | said without turning around. "Just... don't."
The cashier raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he rang me
1. up.
As | walked out of the store, | felt his eyes on me, but | didn't look back. I couldn't. I'd spent enough tletting
Tim makefeel small. | wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeingbreak. Not again.
The cool air hitas | stepped out of the shop, my chest tight and my mind racing. | stopped just outside the
door, pinching the bridge of my nose to calm myself down.
Why did he have to show up here? Of all places?
Before | could fully spiral, someone stepped in front of me, steadyingwith a firm hand on my arm.
"You okay?" Josh's voice was low and steady, but the tension in it made my heart sink.
| looked up, and there he was, his eyes scanning my face with that familiar intensity.
"Josh, I'm fine," | started, but before | could say more, the door banged open behind me.
"Laura! Wait, I'm sorry!" Tim's voice called out.
| froze, my stomach sinking.
Josh's gaze snapped past me,
locking onto Tim like erm
spotting ts prey:Hie ire demeanor
shifted in an instant- shoulders
squaring, jaw clenching. TIM The
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Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm1288 Vouchers
"Josh-"I started, but he was already moving.
Without a word, he stormed past me,
closing the cstagapaneerif
I
apd Tira MeSrtbeat. The content
is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
"Hey, man, what the-" Tim barely got
the words out Pe (ophgrebned
hak tieccoldran slammed him
into the side of the building. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
"Josh! Stop!" | yelled, but it was like he couldn't hear me.
Tim's hands shot up in surrender, his voice shaky. "What the hell, man?"
NOT THE FIRST TIME
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NOT THE FIRST TI
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