Run, Girl (If You Can)

Chapter 464: Something About That Guy

Violet was relieved Jeremy didn't press further. Nobody but her parents and Noah knew that was why she had become a professional ballerina instead of dancing only as a hobby until now.

She had been praised for her intelligence since she was a little girl; she could have gone on to do anything. Her teachers had been surprised when the career consultations came around in high school and she said she was going to become a ballerina. Her science and math grades were so high they expected her to go into some sort of academic field.

While she did have her mother's natural aptitude for such things, they didn't interest her one bit. She preferred the emotional release that came from dancing. Not every smart person could become a scientist.

Unfortunately, people tended to expect more from Violet since she was the daughter of two intellectual powerhouses. Even Kaleb, who she thought would understand since he wanted to become a baseball player, gave her a hard time for it since he was always jealous of her good grades.

"You got into an Ivy League school, why would you waste it on dancing?" he had asked incredulously.

That had hurt more than she could ever say. She had to stop Noah from going out and kicking her twin's teeth in when she told him.

The way she saw it, Kaleb seemed to think he only got into college because he was good at baseball. He studied history only because he had to pick something; his real goal was to get scouted by the major league. He figured that someone as smart and good at school as his sister should take advantage of her brains.

Knowing his logic didn't make it hurt any less though. Violet hated being looked down on by the few people she actually liked.

The fact that Jeremy hadn't given her the same reaction most people did was a point in his favor. Her parents hadn't cared what she did with her life, which wasn't terribly surprising since they had always been supportive.

The only other person who had instantly supported her career choice was Noah. When she asked him why he wasn't questioning her desire to be a ballerina he shrugged it off and said something that had engraved itself on her heart.

"You love it and you're really good at it. Why not?"

His simple reasoning became a shield that she used against anyone from then on who asked her why she was wasting her brains. She would hold her head high, look them straight in the eye, and repeat what he had said. No one ever had a response for that and the matter was always dropped.

Not having to use her go-to explanation on someone was refreshing. And Jeremy had been highly complimentary of her dancing. Her heart was softening a bit toward him already.

"I need to get going," Violet said a bit ruefully after checking the time. "But I enjoyed myself today."

Jeremy signaled the waiter for the check before turning back to her. "I did too. Would you like to get together again next week?"

Her heart flipped. A third date.

"I would love to. I doubt our schedules match up very well but I'll text you and we can figure something out," Violet replied warmly. She couldn't wait.

===

Noah sighed as he saw the latest message from his best friend. She had already gone out with Jeremy Ward no less than six times in the past two weeks.

The man was a sly one. Looking back, Noah was sure that Jeremy had been planning on sneakily sliding his way into the usually reclusive Violet's life from the beginning.

First taking her out to 'make things up to her' after she helped him. Then coming to her show with roses and getting another date out of her by saying he wanted to talk about the performance. It only spiraled from there.

These days it seemed like every time Noah asked her if she wanted to hang out, she already had plans with Jeremy. It was driving him crazy.

They didn't even end up watching horror movies together on Halloween like usual because Jeremy had the bright idea of going to a Halloween party downtown and asked her first. Violet had felt really bad about breaking tradition and promised to make it up to him.

Unfortunately, Noah didn't think anything could make up for the feeling of being left behind. She hadn't been like this with any of the other guys she dated. In college she always made sure to see him every few days, boyfriend or no boyfriend.

Noah hadn't seen her for a solid week. It was unnerving. Violet was such a constant presence in his life that he truly felt her absence. She still texted him like usual but it wasn't the same.

"You alright, Noah?" his downstairs neighbor Kristen McKinney asked in concern.

Well, he was leaning his head against a pillar in the parking garage of their building. He looked like an idiot. That could be considered concerning.

"Not really," he confessed with a sigh.

She smiled at him sympathetically and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think you need a pick-me-up. Come on, I'll take you to get some hot chocolate."

That was an offer he couldn't refuse. He needed to vent to somebody and nobody else was offering.

Kristen looked at him expectantly once they sat down with their drinks in a café across the street and Noah unloaded the entire thing.

How he was in love with Violet but she was too dense to see it. How he really didn't trust the guy she was unofficially seeing. How he felt like he was losing her even though she usually still made time for him while she was dating. All of it.

Saying it out loud somehow loosened a knot in his chest. It actually made him feel a little bit better.

"This is the girl who is always at your place, right? I've seen her in the elevator a bunch of times over the years," Kristen said.

Noah nodded and she pursed her lips thoughtfully. He ended up drinking his hot chocolate while he waited for her to say more. When she did speak again it was with obvious hesitance.

"Have you considered it might be different this time because this guy is 'the one'?"

Jeremy Ward, 'the one'?! No way. A guy like that would never make someone like Violet happy. He knew his best friend; someone as calculating as Jeremy would never be able to give her more than superficial romance.

Noah had watched more than a few romantic comedies in theaters with her over the years. Based on her reactions to them, she liked warm and fluffy romance. Jeremy couldn't give her that in a million years.

Honestly, he wasn't even sure why she was even accepting so many dates from this guy. What sort of emotional payoff was he offering?

Violet lost interest in people quickly; he had seen it a dozen times. He wanted to believe the same thing would happen here but there was something about that guy that set his teeth on edge in a way none of her past boyfriends had.

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