His new, changed behavior makes me wonder sometimes whether the Noah I remember was just a bad dream. The person standing before me is sweet and gentle, and it’s hard to reconcile him with the cruel boy from my memories.

“So, where are we going?” I ask as I follow him out of the building.

“I wanted to check out the beach.” He glances at me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to one. And then, I thought we could grab lunch.”

I speak without thinking. “A walk on the beach ...