Chapter Thirty-Two #2
Hannah raises her finger. “In another context, that would be very weird.”
“Then why does he care so much about who you go out with and how he’s treating you?” Penny asks.
I lift my shoulders. “How should I know? I’m not in the mood to try to analyze him.”
“I think…” Hannah says as her eyes move to him. “I think despite your constant bickering, you guys care about each other.” I’m about to protest, but she quickly adds. “In a non-romantic way! More like a family way. Like you said, a protective older brother.”
Except, why do I feel deep inside me that she’s wrong? Noah doesn’t feel like a brother to me. He feels…
Like something else entirely.
I shove the thought away before it settles in my brain and forces me to contemplate it. “I don’t really care how he feels. It’s not my problem that he has this ridiculous need to look out for me. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll leave me alone.”
A shadow looms over me. When I raise my head, I find Noah standing there.
No way in heck…
“I thought of one more thing,” he says.
“Oh my gosh, Noah. If you don’t quit doing this, I’ll—”
“Does he have a good relationship with his parents? His family? Or is he estranged?”
“I thought you’re not supposed to get so personal on first dates,” I remind him.
He grimaces. “You’re right. When are you going out with him again?”
I grit my teeth.
“The next time you guys hang out, ask him about his family. See if he gets along—”
“Noah.” I get up, take hold of his arm, and drag him back to the jock table. Everyone seated there stops talking and pins their gazes on me.
“Can you keep this one on a leash?” I gently push him toward them. “He keeps wandering to my table and won’t stop barking.”
Wyatt chuckles. “Have you guys been locked in the house with each other for too long? You know time apart is healthy.”
Everyone else at the table laughs. Noah doesn’t seem to care about that. It looks like his brain is buzzing with a million more questions to fire at me.
I hold up my finger. “One more peep out of you and I’m going to duct tape your mouth shut.”
I give Noah a look that says I mean business and march away.
***
We have band practice after school. I’m dreading it for a whole new reason now.
Before today, I wasn’t looking forward to it because of the almost kiss with Noah.
Now there’s the added annoyance of Noah and his grilling.
If he doesn’t stop, he’ll make me lose all interest in going out with Cam again.
Speaking of Cam, he called me after school and asked me out on Wednesday evening. I told him yes and that I was looking forward to it. I hope I’ll feel some sort of spark and forget about…ugh, the stupid kiss and almost kiss.
When I arrive at Wyatt and Elliot’s house, Noah is the only one there, looking over the lyrics he wrote for a new song. He raises his eyes to me as soon as I enter, but I turn away and focus on taking off my bag and jacket.
“Evie?” he asks.
With my back facing him, I squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m really not in the mood, Noah. You know you’re sucking away every bit of my happiness? It’s like you want me to be miserable.”
“What?” His voice shakes a little. “That’s not true. I don’t want you to be miserable.”
I spin around to face him. “How do you think it makes me feel when you ask all these ridiculous questions about my date? I didn’t think about any of those things until you brought them up.
Now I’m wondering if maybe Cam did say something offensive but I didn’t realize.
Or what if I find out on Wednesday night that he doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents? Or what if I notice—”
“You have a date with him on Wednesday?”
I huff. “Is that the only thing you got out of what I said?”
He holds up his hands. “No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bombard you with all those questions. I…” He runs his hand through his hair. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
I stare at him. Is…is that the reason he’s been acting this way? Because he cares if I get my heart broken?
“Noah…” I take a step closer to him.
“Hey, hey!” Mateo barges into the room. “How are my favorite people in the world doing on this fine afternoon?” He throws his arm around me and yanks me to Noah and then throws his arm over him.
“I’m so stoked for the gigs we have lined up.
Elliot had to cancel one because we were double booked. Dude and dudette, we’re like famous.”
Neither Noah nor I say anything.
Mateo glances from me to him. “Did I interrupt a lovers’ spat or something? You guys look so bummed.”
I lift his arm off my shoulder. “Just stressed about stuff.”
“Worried about the song,” Noah says.
“Bet it’s great.” Mateo grins at him. “And about the stress, Evie? Let it go. You’re too young and too beautiful to worry about life like an older woman.”
“Ha. As if that’s so easy.”
Elliot and Wyatt join us, Elliot with mountains of snacks. I grab a bag of gummy worms and throw some into my mouth while the guys munch on other snacks. Not Noah, though. He’s still looking over his song.
Then with a sigh, he puts it down. “Are we ready?”
The guys get into position, and I slowly walk onto the “stage,” parking myself right next to Noah.
Well, not right next to him. I keep quite a few feet between us because if I stand too close?
I know two specific memories will play nonstop in my head.
I can already feel his body heat from all the way here. Unless it’s my memory conjuring it up.
“Do either of you have a contagious disease or something?” Wyatt says with a laugh.
Noah and I step closer to each other.
Mateo raises his brow and the rest of them look at us like something is wrong with us. Of course they have no idea why we’re acting weird. They don’t know we…
Clearing my throat, I take a step closer to Noah.
He takes one closer to me. Then I take another, and he does, too.
Then one more. The little hairs all over my body stand up at his close proximity.
I keep my gaze trained on the area before me, trying to block the memories of the kiss and the almost kiss.
“So here is the new song,” Noah says as he hands us each a paper. His hand accidentally brushes against mine, and that tingly feeling passes through my body again.
We spend a few minutes learning the song, then play the music. The song is pretty good, definitely evokes a feeling in me. It talks about staying true to yourself when everyone around you wants you to be someone else.
The song is great, but unfortunately, our male lead singer isn’t. I try not to flinch when Noah sings completely off-key. I’ve heard him sing a million times during practice and at performances, and he was always phenomenal. I have no idea what’s wrong now.
I catch Wyatt and Elliot exchange a confused look. Mateo frowns.
Noah stops singing and rubs a hand down his face. “I know. I’m terrible.”
“You coming down with something?” Mateo asks. “Maybe a cold?”
“Don’t think so.” He puffs out his cheeks. “I’m just…I guess I’m just not feeling it.”
“But the song is great,” I tell him.
“Not to stress you out or anything,” Elliot says. “But we got a lot of gigs lined up. We need to be on our game or we’re done.”
Mateo nods with a frown. “Elliot’s right. We got so much attention with the viral video. Everyone’s expecting us to be amazing.”
“We are amazing,” I say, giving Noah a reassuring smile. “We’ll get there.”
Noah rubs his forehead and sighs heavily.
“How about we take five?” I suggest.
Noah holds up his hand. “I think we should call it a day. I don’t think we’ll accomplish anything now. Hopefully I’ll be back to normal next time.”
“All right,” Wyatt says as he lowers his guitar. “Everyone, learn the lyrics by tomorrow.”
After grabbing my bag, I find myself walking side by side with Noah. “You okay?” I ask.
He doesn’t look my way. “I’m good.”
“If you want to, um, talk—”
“Thanks. I’m okay. I really need to head home. I have a test tomorrow.”
“Okay. Just, Noah?”
He stops walking and turns around.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has off days. You’ll do better next time.”
A small smile tickles his lips. “Thanks, Evie.”