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"We’ll be outside," Noah said before Abel could respond Roni was already down the hall "Outside" Noah motioned with his head and walked out before Abel

Abel followed, knowing he was in for one of Noah lectures Noah just better keep it short because Abel was in no thy Noah walked all the way down the porch stairs and onto the sidewalk; obviously, whatever he planned on saying to Abel, he wanted it as far away fro, he turned to Abel with a purpose but spoke in a lowered voice "First of all, if you think seeing her with other ht now that you’re out of your et worse each time And I don’t think I need to tell you that this couldn’t be happening at a worse tiht of your life,with your head?"

"It’s not"

Abel didn’t even knohy he bothered to try to sound convincing He knew Noah wasn’t buying anything fro me? You don’t think I’ve noticed all week how off your training has been?"

"I told you The closer the fight gets, the heavier the hype and paparazzi are getting" And again he didn’t knohy he bothered The bored look on Noah face said it all "It’s what I’ve been trying to adjust to It threwof things"

"Really?" Noah crossed his arms in front of him "So if that dude--the one she kissed," Noah emphasized that last word as if it were necessary to have Abel instantly lit again, "coht now and offers to take her ho, you’d be cool with that?"

Sing hard, Abel glanced away The thought of Nellie kissing the guy alone was enough to ju Noah was just being an assle now by taking it a step further and suggesting that uy Abel wouldn’t--couldn’t even pretend he’d be cool with that

To his relief, noise at Noah’s front door got their attention Roni and Nellie stood by the door, still talking Nellie held her shoes in her hands and appeared to be reassuring that Roni she was fine

"Either you coe things so they’re not as casual as she see other guys," Noah warned in a hushed but urgent voice, "or you end this shit now I don’t care what you say, Ayala This is alreadyup, not just any kind of delusional friendship you think you ht still be able to handle once this is all over but this fight You could seriously get hurt in that ring if your head’s not all there" Noah took a step further as Nellie started down the long porch toward the steps "Are you listening to--?"

"I heard you!" Abel snapped through his own clenched teeth

The i hiain Noah made some excellent points, but he had no idea how ily, it was true Obviously, Nellie was still great with this arrangeot all dressed up to oodbye terms with--more than just an acquaintance If he did what Noah said he should, tell her how he felt about this, she s down HeNoah had suggested: end this--stay away fro anymore

He turned to Noah just as Nellie made her way down the porch steps "I’ll handle this Don’t worry"

~~

Nellie waited with baited breath as Abel, who didn’t look at all thrilled, walked around the car after letting her in the passenger side She’d forced herself the entire day to look at the photos of hiot the chance The guilt she felt for being out with Sa exclusive, and those photos of hiirl were painful reminders of that

She hadn’t even realized that Abel was there until RoniNellie a ride Hearing his voice had been enough to choke her up The alcoholshe’d done all day over those da hiht at her place--soshe’d been out all day with anotherto be carsick and needing to throw up so she could run out of Roni’s sight before the tears really started flowing, had been her only choice

Now she couldn’t be sure, but she sensed that he wasn’t as casually okay with this as she first thought The an in her office cao all caveirl?

"That wasn’t Logan," he said as soon as he got in the car "Noah thought ht you went to the concert with Logan?"

He started up the car but was still staring at her, so she sat up straight, lifting her chin Not that she owed hi deal of it "I did go to the concert with Logan He had an eency and had to leave early His friend offered to take me home and then asked me if I wanted to have brunch today" His already outstretched broenteyes "Saood tiured, why not?"