Chapter Twenty-Four
Noah
Things are no different from yesterday when I enter the school building.
Guys smile, nod, slap my hands, clap me on the back as I pass them in the hallway.
Girls crowd around me, each pushing each other to get close to me.
And I send them kind smiles, trying not to be too friendly because I don’t want them to get the wrong idea.
I don’t want a girlfriend.
Correction, I’m looking for someone special. Someone who’d love me for me—with all my hang-ups—not a girl who only sees me because I was the quarterback for four years or because I’m a musician with a viral video.
“Sing us something, Noah,” they beg, just like they did yesterday.
One girl wraps her fingers around my bicep. “You’re so shy.” She giggles. “But you don’t have to be shy in front of us. We love you!”
The rest of the girls cheer and giggle as well.
I spot Mateo and Wyatt further down the hall, also getting attention from girls, but not as much as me. Wyatt looks like he’s living the dream, while Mateo, who has a girlfriend, Regina, seems very uncomfortable. Regina’s trying to push through the throng of girls to get to him.
I hope this doesn’t tear them apart. Maybe having the whole school know about the band was a bad idea.
The girl clutching my bicep steps closer to me. “Maybe we can go somewhere private?” Her gaze flicks to my lips as she bats her eyelashes.
I gently pry her fingers off me. “Sorry, I need to get to class.”
She pouts while the other girls smile like they won a prize. “See you later, Noah,” they say in sing-song voices.
I force a smile, wave, and make my way to my locker. A few girls follow me. I wonder if this is how it’ll be years from now if I make it as a musician. Will girls throw themselves at me? Will the woman I marry one day leave me because of it?
Shaking those thoughts away, I try to remember what Evie told me—that I’m only seventeen and shouldn’t be worrying about things like my future wife and family.
That I should enjoy this moment. And while I do, I don’t exactly like the attention I’m getting from girls.
Never even liked it when I was the Edenbury Lions’ quarterback.
One thing I do like, though, is that I’m making people happy through my music.
“Hey,” Evie says as she sidles up to me, books pressed to her chest. She takes in the girls staring at me with what I’d call hearts in their eyes. “Wow. Center of attention much? It’s worse than yesterday. You’d better not cheat on me, Shnookums.”
Shaking my head, I pull open my locker and rummage inside for my books. “I didn’t expect this to happen.”
She rolls her eyes. “They see a sexy rockstar and pounce.” Her eyes widen as soon as the words are out. “I mean, not sexy, you know. Just…they think…” She runs her fingers through her hair. “I think I need to be somewhere. See ya.” She dashes down the hall.
I stare at her retreating form. Did Evie Hastings just call me…?
No. No. Of course not.
But she did. Why does that make this strange feeling enter my body, something I’ve never felt before?
I internally groan. It’s that darn kiss. As much as we’re trying to pretend it didn’t happen, it still creeps up on us here and there. More times than I can count for me, but I’m trying not to think about it. We’re in a band and we need to work together or else we’ll fail.
Wyatt would tell me to use these girls as a distraction, but that would be a very jerk thing of me to do. I’d never take advantage of a girl, or anyone.
The bell rings and I head to first period. After lowering myself in a desk in the back, I take out my things and place them on my desk. As I’m reading over the notes from yesterday, I feel eyes on me. Lifting my head, I find a few girls smiling and waving at me. A few blow kisses.
I smile kindly at them before focusing on my notes.
***
“I didn’t know you’re going out with a freshman,” Wyatt says during lunch. “Good going, man.” He fist bumps my shoulder.
He, Mateo, the football players, the cheerleaders, Mallory, and my other friends are all seated at the table with me, though some girls have pushed their chairs close to me, even though there’s no room.
I look up from my pizza. “What?”
Wyatt passes his phone over to me. There’s a selfie of me and a blonde girl with her arm around me and her lips pressed to my cheek. The caption says, “Me and Noah forever” and there are hundreds of heart emojis.
I don’t remember her taking that picture. Throughout the day, girls have snapped photos of me every chance they could get.
I pass Wyatt’s phone back to him. “We’re not dating.”
He chuckles, and so do many others at the table. “I tell ya, man,” he says with a wide grin. “Take the girls up on their offer. They’re desperate and you want a good time.”
“You know I’m not into that.”
The other guys at the table tell me I’m being an idiot for shooting the girls down.
I don’t bother explaining to them that I’m looking for a special girl.
They wouldn’t understand. My dad was the same way when he was my age.
He was the star quarterback and could have had any girl.
But he was waiting for his special girl and my mom came along.
That hasn’t happened to me yet, but I know it will. One day.
We talk about other things until lunch is over.
I make it through the day dodging girls as they continue to fling themselves at me.
I’ve always gotten attention when I was QB, but this is completely different.
Honestly, I’m not sure I know how to handle it.
I feel like I’m being rude by rejecting them.
But at the same time, I don’t want to give them false hope. And I’m thankful for their support.
I head to my last class of the day, LRG, and a feeling of calm washes over me because this class brings me peace. Stresses me out, too, since it makes me think about my future, but it mostly calms me. Maybe because I’m learning things that will help me navigate my future life.
On my way to class, the girls once again bombard me, and try as I might, I can’t get them to back off.
I’ll be late for class, and I hate being late.
“What’s going on here?” Vice Principal Rivera shouts over the voices. I can’t even see her because of the crowd of girls. “Break it up and get to class or you’re all getting detention.”
Half the girls listen while the other half ignore her.
“I won’t repeat myself,” she warns.
Slowly, they disperse, leaving me with my back pressed to the lockers.
Hiking my backpack strap up my shoulder, I turn to head for class, when VP Rivera says, “A moment, Mr. Barrington.”
I turn to face her, noting the deep frown on her face. “Yes, Ms. Rivera?”
She inches closer to me. “I understand that you’re in a band and that your video has gone viral, but…” She holds up her index finger as though I’m a little kid. “I won’t have this behavior at school. You’re distracting the students from their lessons.”
My jaw drops. “I’m sorry?”
She gestures around. “I know you’ll be graduating in less than two months and your foot is out the door, but please behave as an Edenbury High School student should.”
“I haven’t done anything, Ms. Rivera. I swear. I’m here to finish up my classes and graduate without any trouble.”
She nods. “Yes. You’re one of the top students in your class, and I know you don’t mean to distract the girls. I’m sorry to be this harsh with you.”
I hold up my hands. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it. I’m late for class.”
She nods again. “All right.”
As I turn to go, she says, “Mr. Barrington? You’re very talented and I wish you the best in your music endeavors.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
LRG class has already started by the time I reach the classroom. Looks like the couples have gathered together and are working on another assignment.
“Sorry, I’m late,” I say as I walk up to Mrs. Duncan’s desk. “I was talking with the vice principal.”
She smiles in understanding. “Of course. You know I don’t penalize students for coming late. Like I said, this class is for your benefit, not mine.”
I nod and turn to head to Evie, who’s frowning at the paper on her desk, but then I face the teacher. “Mrs. Duncan? Can I discuss something with you?”
“Sure, Noah. What’s on your mind?”
“Is it possible for me to change careers? I’d like to be a musician. That’s the career I should have chosen from the start.”
She smiles again. “Of course you can change careers. That’s an excellent addition to your assignment.
How would changing careers affect you and your football teammates?
Your family? Yourself. That’s perfect! Go to your wife and discuss it with her.
I’d like to know what you two come up with.
” She pauses. “Let me give you some advice, though. You do know that if you’re changing careers, you’d need to start from the beginning.
You won’t become a hit overnight. It takes time and determination and perseverance.
Your income will be significantly reduced and you have a wife and baby to care for. ”
I swallow and nod. “I know, Mrs. Duncan. Thanks. But I need to do this.”
She motions toward Evie, whose head is lifted and eyes are narrowed as she curiously watches us. “Please discuss it with your wife before making any decisions.”
“Thanks.”
Evie still watches me as I make my way to the desk next to her and plop down. “What was that about? Were you and Mrs. Duncan talking about me?”
I retrieve my notebook from my backpack and place it on my desk. “No, we were talking about us.”
“Us? You’re divorcing me?”
“No, why would you think that?”
She slides the paper on her desk over to me. “The couples have the option to get divorced. I was seriously considering it because I was certain you ditched me to hang out with your groupies.”
I scowl at her. “Sometimes I wonder if you even know me.”
She rolls her eyes. “How can I when you’re so closed off? I already told you that the only time I get a glimpse of emotion from you is when you’re singing on stage.”