My lips curve up slightly, and I reach out, placing one hand on his chest.
“He was gentle. Maybe even too gentle.” I scoff a laugh. “He had no idea, but he treated me better than I could have asked him to. We have a complicated relationship, more so now, but he’d never hurt me.” I smile sadly. “Never intentionally anyway.”
Noah nods and brings his right hand up to cover mine on his chest.
“You know this has nothing to do with you, right?” he stresses. “This is all him and his uncertainties.”
When all I offer is a twitch of my lips, his eyes narrow slightly.
He squares his shoulders. “Trust me, I’d bet he’s just scared and doesn’t know what to do.”
“He doesn’t see me, Noah. Not like I wanted him to.”
“He sees you.” Noah’s steady gaze floats across my face. “How could he not?”
His sweet words have me pushing down an airy feeling in my stomach, but he’s wrong. Thinking that way is what got me into this mess.
“He loves and respects me the way I do Brady, the way Cameron does him, but that’s all.” I shrug. “I get it, but it still sucks, and it’s taking longer than I wish it would to come to terms with that fact.” I reach down, running my hand through the fountain water beside us. “I’ll get over it and hopefully, our friendship will make it once I do. It has to, for my brother and the others. For us too, I guess.”
Noah’s quiet for a few moments before he speaks. “This is why I haven’t seen you at the house.”
Not a question.
I grin at the water, admiring the way the moonlight beams through. “Been looking for me, huh?” I tease, tossing his words from the bonfire back at him.
“Yeah.”
His instant response has my gaze flying to his.
We sit there, staring at one another for a moment, and then suddenly, Noah jumps to his feet.
“Come on, Juliet.” He holds his sturdy hand out. “Let’s get you home. You mixed whiskey and beer tonight. Your head’ll be killing you come morning.”
I groan and allow him to pull me to my feet. Noah insists on walking me all the way to my door, so I ignore the nosy rosies in the halls as we pass.
Love how it’s totally normal to be up at three in the morning in college.
“You’ll be all right tonight?” He leans against the frame as I unlock the door.
I grin, slipping in and using the door as leverage. “I’ll be fine.”
A small frown slips over his face, but he nods.
“I really needed tonight. Thank you for… you know, all of it.” I glance away, heat sneaking up my cheeks. I can’t believe I unloaded all my problems, but Noah erases the unease swimming in my stomach.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He stares at me a moment, his low exhale following not long after, and he takes a step back. “Do me a favor and drink some water before bed tonight.”
My head falls to the frame. “How is that doing you a favor?”
He cocks his head the slightest bit, making me smile.
“I will, swear.”
Satisfied, he backs away. “Night, Juliet.”
I lift my hand, and once I close the door behind me, I only have a single thought.
I wasn’t ready for him to go just yet.
Chapter 14
Arianna
* * *
It’s ten to ten when there’s a knock at the door. Several seconds of groaning into my blankets pass, but Cameron’s feet never stomp along the linoleum floor, and then I remember she poked her head in earlier to tell me she was leaving.
A second knock sounds and I flop onto my back, huffing at the ceiling, slowly pulling myself to my feet.
“Com—” I try to speak, but my voice is a croaky mess, so I clear my throat and try again. “Coming,” I yawn mid-word, using all the muscles that are working right now to unlock and open the door.
My eyes widen, my body freezing, and autopilot has me slamming the thing closed as soon as I’ve opened it.
A deep chuckle echoes through from the other side, and I lightly bang my forehead against the cheap wood.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I whisper.
“Come on, Juliet. Open up.” Humor is clear in his tone. “I’ve already seen you now.”
I groan, shifting slightly to look in the mirror beside the door. I lick my fingers and rub beneath my eyes, attempting to rid myself of some of the black eyeliner that made its way down my face and smooth the Alfalfa-esque hair down that’s sticking up all over the place.
Taking a deep breath, I shake the sleeves of the hoodie I stole from Mason, until it’s swallowed my hands, and bring it up to my mouth.
I pull the door open, and I’m met with a big, bright morning smile, the kind that demands one in return, despite the horror and embarrassment of my appearance.