Forced to be my sisters lover in a reverse world-Chapter 26: awakening

Sinking deeper into the cushion, I rubbed my aching belly and let out a loud burp, not even bothering to be polite in front of Noah. The weight of three entire pizzas sat heavy inside me, warm and comforting but exhausting at the same time. Who knew eating that much could make you feel like you ran a marathon?
Good thing Noah's sister-girlfriend was paying—if I had to cover this bill, I'd be pissed.
"Another?" Elara asked, already halfway out of her seat, like she actually could go for more.
I waved a lazy hand, slumping further down. "Nah, I'm okay. Just need some rest..." My eyelids felt heavy, and a strange warmth filled my chest. I wanted to hug someone—no, him. For some reason, my heart only wanted to curl up next to Noah.
"I'm full too..." Noah mumbled from across the table, looking pale and tired. He'd barely eaten three slices before almost tossing them back up, while Elara, somehow, had gone through seven like it was nothing.
I smiled faintly at that—guess we all had our strengths.
"Well... time to go, I guess," Elara said, taking one last sip of her soda before setting the cup down with a soft thump. The restaurant lights glimmered against her hair, and I could tell she was already calculating the tip in her head.
I didn't wanna move. My stomach was full, my body heavy, and the thought of walking home made me want to sink into the booth and disappear.
"Can we drop off Bella?" Noah asked suddenly.
My chest felt weird. He cared enough to say that? The simple thought made something warm stir in me, though I tried not to show it.
"Oh—yeah, of course," Elara replied, glancing my way with that easy smile of hers. "Where do you live?"
"I'll give you the directions," I said, pushing myself up from the seat with a small groan. "Let's go."
The three of us stepped out into the cool night air, the scent of baked dough and tomato sauce still clinging to our clothes.
Noah slid into the backseat — unusual for him since he was always a passenger prince. Elara gave him a quick, puzzled glance before shrugging it off and starting the car.
I climbed into the front passenger seat, clicking my seatbelt as the engine hummed to life. Streetlights streaked across the windshield, painting us in flashes of gold and white.
"Take a right here," I said, leaning a little toward Elara to point out the turn. "Anyway—" I continued, grinning as the memory came back, "I hit her straight in the face, and she started bawling, saying she'd tell her sister. Then her sister actually does show up at my house... and literally pisses herself when she sees me."
Elara snorted mid-drive, glancing at me with a mix of disbelief and amusement, while Noah watched from the back, quietly shaking his head.
"She tried to look tough, but it was obvious she was terrified," I added with a small laugh, the memory still fresh in my head. The streets outside were starting to look familiar—the cracked sidewalks, the leaning streetlight, the graffiti-stained wall at the corner.
"Around this turn and we should be there," I said, sinking deeper into the passenger seat, wanting to make the last few seconds with Noah last a little longer.
Elara took the corner smoothly, the soft hum of the engine filling the silence until we rolled up to the curb in front of my house.
"Alright, here we are," I murmured, unbuckling my seatbelt and opening the door. "Thank you, Noah and Elara..."
"No—thank you!" Elara said brightly.
"Yeah, thanks, Bella," Noah added from the back, his voice soft but warm.
I smiled, waving at them as they pulled away. "See you tomorrow at school, friend!" I called out, my voice carrying down the quiet street as their car disappeared into the distance.
I sighed, turning toward my house — the same sad, quiet place where the only thing that ever seemed to fill the silence was the sound of my own thoughts. The same walls, the same emptiness.
Unlocking the door, I pushed it open to find my mom passed out on the couch, TV still flickering blue light across her face. Guess she'd skipped the gym again. Nothing new there.
I headed straight for the garage, the air thick with the smell of oil and dust. Locking the door behind me, I cracked my knuckles and dropped to my knees. The silence pressed down on me until I couldn't take it anymore — I drove my fists into the concrete, again and again. Each strike sent dull pain up my arms, the floor giving way slightly under the force, tiny craters forming beneath my knuckles.
It was the only thing that made me feel real anymore.
Except when I thought of him.
That feeling — it was strange, almost alien. Every other guy I'd ever seen, spoken to, or even passed by never made me feel anything. Just empty air. But Noah... he was different. Every time I thought about him, something twisted in my chest — warmth, excitement, confusion, all tangled together.
My punches slowed until I stopped completely, the sound of my breathing the only thing filling the garage. I stared down at my hands — the skin split, knuckles raw and smeared with blood. The ache burned, but somehow, it felt good. Real good.
I flexed my fingers and tilted my head, imagining his face, his eyes widening if he saw me like this.
Would he be scared? Or... would he see how strong I was? Would Noah like my hands like this?
"why am I thinking about him so much..." I muttered, dragging a hand through my messy hair as I stomped over to the mini fridge in the corner. I yanked it open, the cool air brushing against my bruised knuckles. A single Red Bull sat inside, gleaming under the weak light.
I cracked it open and downed it in a few gulps, the fizz burning my throat, but it barely helped. My body buzzed with caffeine and exhaustion, but my mind — my stupid mind — just wouldn't shut up.
All I could hear, all I could feel, was Noah. His voice. His smile. The way he talked to me like I wasn't some girl that could just kill anyone with my bare hands.
I slammed the empty can onto the workbench to the side, the metal crunching under my palm.
"He has a girlfriend," I whispered to myself, almost growling. "Why the hell am I thinking of him like that..."
"I can't be... no, I'm not. He's my friend. Nothing else." I hissed under my breath, trying to convince myself that saying it would make it true.
Dropping to the cold garage floor, I planted my palms against the cracked concrete and started doing push-ups. Each one hit harder than the last, the ache in my arms mixing with the burn in my chest. I counted under my breath — fifty, sixty, seventy — anything to drown out the thoughts clawing at my skull.
By the time I hit one hundred, sweat ran down my temples and dripped onto the floor. My breath came out ragged, my muscles trembled... and still, he was there. His voice. His scent. That stupid, soft look in his eyes whenever he smiled.
"God damn it, Noah, why..." I slammed my fist into the floor, the sound echoing through the empty garage. My throat tightened. My eyes burned. I could feel it — that ugly, desperate twist in my chest that told me everything I didn't want to admit.
"Why can't I stop thinking about you..." I whispered, my voice breaking into a growl. "Why do I want you so bad..."
I bolted from the garage, my chest tight and my breath heavy, sweat clinging to my skin like guilt I couldn't wash off. I slammed my bedroom door shut behind me and collapsed onto the bed, my fingers shaking as I grabbed my phone. Maybe if I just talked to him — just heard his voice or saw his words — this feeling would go away. Maybe it wasn't love. Maybe I just missed him.
I typed fast, something short, something harmless, but before I could overthink it, I hit send. My heart pounded as I waited for the three dots to appear.
Then his message came.
"I'm sorry Bella, Elara's got me busy currently. I'll try talking to you later... okay?"
My stomach dropped.
That wasn't supposed to hurt — but it did. The words blurred on the screen as my eyes stung, my pulse thumping in my ears. I clutched my phone against my chest, biting my lip so hard it hurt.
Why does it hurt so much?
He wasn't mine. He never was. But hearing him say her name... it felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped something vital out, leaving nothing but heat and ache behind.
I threw my phone onto the nightstand and collapsed back against the bed, the sheets still warm from the day. My whole body felt heavy — like my thoughts had turned into weights, dragging me down.
"Just a nap..." I muttered to myself, shutting my eyes tight. "Just need to stop thinking for a bit."
The hum of the ceiling fan filled the room, soft and steady, the only sound cutting through the storm in my head. My heartbeat slowed, the ache in my chest dulling little by little.
Maybe when I woke up, it'd all feel normal again. Maybe I'd laugh at how stupid I was for thinking this way.
Yeah... just a reset. Nothing more.