Noah – Shit! Your ego seems almost as big as mine.
Henley – Almost.
Noah - …
Noah – What do you say?
I swallow back and cringe. Maybe I should double check before I end up embarrassing myself.
Henley – This better not be your idea of a date.
Noah – Trust me, if I was taking you on a date, you’d fucking know it. Now, are you coming or not? Tully liked having a girl in the house. She needs more tough friends, not bitches like the ones she’s got now.
Henley – Will there be more Mr. Grey and popcorn?
Noah groans beside me.
Noah – Really?
Henley – No Mr. Grey = No deal.
Noah – Fine, but I ain’t watching that shit.
Henley – Then I guess I could do you a solid by showing my face. Wouldn’t want the pain of my rejection to make you ugly cry.
Noah’s chest gently vibrates with his silent laughter as his arm over the chair comes forward and lets his fingers brush across the skin of my shoulder, sending a jolt of electricity through me. I try to ignore it, but damn it, I’m not that strong.
I can’t help but wonder if he feels the fire too, or maybe it’s just something I’ve built up in my head. Yeah, it’s probably my imagination, the same way it was with Jackson. I have a habit of reading these kinds of situations wrong.
Noah – Spitfire…
I read over his message again and again. It’s just one word, yet it has the power to paralyze me. It holds a million different meanings and yet, here I am, trying to decipher just one as my heart races in my chest.
Why me? Why am I the girl he’s giving all this attention to? Why now?
This is too much for me to handle, but I can assure anyone who asks, there’s no doubt in my mind that the second the after school bell rings, I’ll be heading straight there to get another fix of this guy beside me. I have a feeling that this half hour next to him isn’t going to be anywhere near enough.
Not knowing how to respond, I place my phone back down on the desk and replace it with the Kindle, only now, there’s no way I’ll be able to concentrate on the pages in front of me, not with this guy sitting so close beside me.
I give it a try anyway. I read the page, and then I read it again. Not once taking in a single word.
I give up. This is pointless.
I put the Kindle back down and lean back into my chair, briefly forgetting that Noah’s arm is resting there. He doesn’t move it and I’m glad. I like it there. I like it, even more, when his fingers brush my skin.
I look across to find his smoldering eyes already on mine and I swear, I’d have to be a fool to think this is all part of my imagination. He’s right here and the chemistry and pull between us is real. Hell, it’s more than real. It’s staring me in the face, daring me to do something about it.
Only what? I barely know the guy. Do I make a move or wait him out? After pining over Jackson for so long and getting nowhere, I feel incredibly inexperienced right now.
I am so out of my element and my league, but something is growing inside me, a desperate need to see what this is between us.
Crap. Am I blushing right now?
I sit beside him in complete silence with my heart racing until our detention is over. The bell rings and I grab my things off the desk before pushing back out of my chair. My phone gets slipped back into my jeans pocket and I make my way out of the classroom with Noah right behind me.
“I hope I don’t have to see any of you tomorrow,” Miss Jameson calls out as the students file out of the room.
Candice is waiting for Monica just outside the classroom, and the second I step out and they lay eyes on me, it’s like an all-out war. “Well,” Candice says, roaming her eyes over me and taking in Noah right beside me. “Look who’s trying to bag herself a man.”
I roll my eyes and keep walking, only they follow right behind us. “You know,” Candice continues with a laugh, “it’s kind of pathetic. You don’t belong in this world. You’re a loser. Why don’t you go find someone else to sink your claws into? You know, someone a little more your speed.”
Noah looks back over his shoulder. “Knock it off,” he tells her.
“Excuse me,” she sputters. “You need to remember who you’re talking to.”
That stops Noah in his tracks and within the blink of an eye, he spins around and storms towards her. Candice’s eyes widen a fraction, but for the most part, she holds her own. It’s like the king and queen of Haven Falls facing off and I don’t doubt who the winner will be here. “You need to remember who you’re talking to,” Noah shoots back at her, using her own words against her. She begins to shrink back from him and I desperately wonder what kind of look is on his face to make her react this way. “Leave her the fuck alone or you’ll have me to deal with, and I can guarantee, just one word from me and you’ll lose your fucking crown.”
Woah. I’ve been forgetting what kind of power he has around here, but he’s right, he could crush her and leave her as the school reject in a matter of seconds, and clearly, she realizes this. Candice narrows her eyes on Noah as Monica huffs and narrows her eyes on me.
I briefly want to hate on the fact that he’s standing up for me when for the past eight months, I’ve been standing on my own two feet. I don’t need his protection, but at the same time, it’s kind of nice knowing someone has my back.
Noah turns back to me, throwing his arm over my shoulder and dragging me away, only Monica and Candice storm past us in one last show of superiority before walking ahead of us towards the cafeteria.
Noah scoffs under his breath as they strut off in front of us, swaying their hips as though they’re trying to prove some kind of point. Though I don’t know if the point is supposed to be made to me or to Noah. Either way, it doesn’t seem like either of us really give a shit.
“You ok?” he murmurs, pulling his arm in a little closer, drawing me into his side.
“Yeah,” I laugh. “Trust me, that shit wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg with those girls. I can handle it.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.”
“It is the way it is,” I tell him. “That’s just the price you pay for being me. Kaylah and I have been dealing with it for years. Believe me, if there was something I could have done to make it stop, I would have already done it. This is just my life.”
“I don’t like it,” he says.
“I don’t exactly find it a walk in the park either, but I’ve grown a thick skin.”
“I can make it stop,” he tells me.
I give him a grateful smile. “I don’t mean to crush that big ego of yours, but I seriously doubt it. If Jackson couldn’t make it stop, nobody can make it stop.”
Something flashes in his eyes that I can’t quite place. “You know, the sun doesn’t shine out of Jackson’s ass right?” he questions. “He’s just a guy.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I know that now.”
“So, that’s…over?”
“Over?” I laugh. “Are you subtly trying to ask me if I like anyone at the moment?”
His only response is a wide grin before his phone buzzes in his hand. He looks down at the screen before grinning back at me. “Duty calls,” he says, evading the questions like a pro. “Got to go.”
“Uh huh,” I laugh before he jogs off towards the student parking lot where I notice Rivers joining him.
My stomach grumbles and I make my way into the cafeteria, desperate for something to eat. Though, if I was smart, I would have brought myself a sandwich or something a little more enticing than the cafeteria food.
As I step through the door, the two bitches in front of me instantly turn and force me into the corner of the cafeteria, hidden mostly by the big double doors. “Listen, Bitch,” Monica starts, getting in my face and deciding to take point on this one. Though, it’s not the first time she’s been in my face and I’m sure as hell it won’t be the last. “Consider this your warning. Noah
is mine and I don’t like filth like you moving in on him. So, understand this now, he’s not interested in you. You’re like some kind of pity project to him. Move along.”
“You done?” I question, pushing off the wall and getting right back in her face. “Noah came to me. Noah was the one who stepped in yesterday. Noah was the one who took me back to his place and Noah was the one who broke up with you. So, why don’t you understand this – he’s done with you.”
Her face flames and I push a little more. “You’re old news. It’s just a matter of time before you make your way through all the guys in school, and guess what? No one wants an old, used up whore, and that’s all they see you as.”
Her hand pulls up and barrels towards my face, but I’ve been here before. It’s the only move she’s got.
I pull back and catch her wrist in my hand before punching out and getting her right in the gut, instantly winding her. If I was outside of school, I probably would have followed it up with an ass whooping, but for being inside the school grounds, this will have to do. Besides, it’s enough to let her know who’s got the upper hand here.
Monica straightens herself up and I slam her hand back into her chest, pushing her back a few steps. “Next time come a little more prepared,” I tell her.
I step away, sure that Monica and Candice are gawking after me. I mean, they’ve both given me the occasional slap for speaking out of line, but I’ve never quite fought back like that, and to be honest, it felt good.
Tully barrels into me, catching me by the shoulders. “Shit, are you okay?” she questions with her eyes roaming over me. “That was a dangerous move you just made.”
“Tell me about it,” I agree.
“You’ve just put a massive target on your back.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Is it any different from the one I placed there yesterday?” I laugh. “Now, what’s to eat? I’m starving.”
Tully lets out a sigh and shakes her head. “I knew senior year was going to exciting.”
“It’s only just begun.”
Chapter 7
I’ve been here every night this week and I love it. Noah and Tully’s place is quickly becoming my own. They welcomed me in like family and neither of them has let me leave. Especially Noah after Tully filled him in on the ass whooping I handed out on Wednesday. Rivers though, while he’s welcoming, there’s still something there. Something uneasy.
Noah’s parents, Violet and Eddison, are freaking awesome. They don’t give a shit that I’ve become part of the furniture and they completely go out of their way to make me feel comfortable. When Tully blurted out that I was all alone at home for the week, Violet insisted on me staying over and when I ensured her that I was alright, she then insisted on sending Eddison over to make sure my house was locked up properly at night. Like I said, I’m part of the furniture now and I’m loving it.
Hell, yesterday I tried to go home so I could get a few chores done and Noah was there not a moment later, kidnapping me and dragging me back to his place. I’d like to say that I went kicking and screaming, but let’s be real, I practically dove head first through the window of his Camaro and impatiently waited for him to walk around the front of the car.
Apparently, the whole school is talking about it. I hadn’t realized at the time but when at least one person is witness to the queens of Haven Falls being put in their place, word seems to travel, like fast, and they’re not happy about it.
I stand in Tully’s room, staring at myself in the mirror as she rifles through her closet, pulling out little black dress after little black dress and hauling them across the room at me. “What about this one?” she asks, pulling out another.
I glance across and cringe. What was I thinking? I agreed to go to a party with her tonight, but she said in order for her to be the designated driver, I had to get dressed up. I’ve only been trying on dresses for ten minutes and I’m already missing my ripped jeans and boots.
Though, when she suggested I wear a pair of heels, I drew the line. There will be no heels for me, not unless she wants to drive me to the emergency room with a broken ankle.
My eyes rake over the dress she holds up. It’s just a bit shorter than the one I’m wearing now, but at least this one doesn’t plunge down between my boobs. “Fine,” I tell her, deciding I’d rather flash my ass than my tits all night.
I strip off the skanky dress and pull the partially skanky one over my head before tugging it into place. Tully and I are the same size, but she doesn’t quite have the rack that I’ve got, so when this dress finally comes into place, my chest is nearly busting at the seams and threatening to spill out of the tight fabric.
I look myself up and down in the mirror and even I have to admit that I look damn good.
I fluff my hair a bit and let the golden strands fall straight down my back before pulling my leather jacket over the top, despite Tully’s objections. I mean, just because I’m wearing a dress doesn’t mean I have to freeze all night. I don’t care what those other girls like to do, I’m a little more practical than that.
I pull my boots back on and grin. I look badass while also looking like a damn fox. I like it. I wonder why I never tried this little black dress thing before. Hell, I look like the perfect arm candy for Noah.
Shit. I shouldn’t be thinking like that. There’s been a shitload of flirting, but nothing serious. He’s just playing with me, getting my hopes up.
“Where are the boys?” I ask, distantly realizing that the house seems a little too quiet. After spending every afternoon here since Tuesday, I’ve come to realize that no matter what, this house is always generating some kind of noise. Whether it be from Tully blasting music in her room, the boys competing like idiots against one another on the PlayStation, the cars being worked on in the driveway, or the TV on as background noise.
The boys had disappeared again yesterday afternoon and I didn’t bother asking where they’d gone as Tully suggested heading down to the beach, but now that they’re not here again, the curiosity is getting to me.
Tully steps up beside me in the mirror and bumps me across with her hip before leaning in real close to start on her mascara and eyeliner. “They’re at Noah’s race,” she says, holding her mouth open as she applies the makeup.
“Race?” I question, momentarily forgetting about the whole illegal racing thing he likes to do and silently kicking myself. I would have loved to go and watch him. I’ve been there a few times last year when he raced, but I was never really watching. I wasn’t invested in what went on in his life, but now… things are changing.
“Do you ever go?” I ask her as I rummage through her huge box of make up for a black eye shadow.
“Sometimes,” she tells me. “But it’s not really my thing. Watching him go around a track is actually kind of boring. You know, once you’ve seen him do it, you don’t need to see it again.”
“Oh, ok,” I say, trying to sound like I couldn’t care less while continuing to rummage.
“Why?” she questions, watching me in the mirror with slight suspicion. “Did you want to go?”
I keep my eyes trained down. “No, I just… I don’t know,” I sigh with a cringe before looking up and deciding to be honest about it, “maybe.”
“You’re starting to like him, aren’t you?”
Another cringe, not wanting to admit it because the last time I liked a friend’s brother, it ended up ruining a good thing. “I think so.”
She nods in understanding as a smile pulls at her lips. “I knew it,” she says. “But don’t worry, he never invites me to his races because he knows I find it boring. He probably just assumed you weren’t into it either.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” I tell her. “I’m not into racing…”
“But you’re into him and want to swoon over the Haven Falls bad boy while he dominates the track?”
“Damn it,” I laugh. “I really do.”
“You’re such an idiot,” she chuckles, lighting up the screen of her phon
e and double checking the time. “He’s probably racing about now, so we won’t make it tonight, but we’ll go next week for sure.”
I groan to myself. That shouldn’t make me so happy. “K,” I grumble before focusing back on the make up box. I find the eyeshadow and get started on doing myself up. I used to do my make up quite a bit in the hopes of impressing a certain somebody, but after all that shit, I stuck with just using mascara, and that’s if I can remember to put it on. Standing here beside Tully, doing such a typical girl thing is so damn refreshing. I’ve missed this.
“Hey,” I say as I apply a little bronzer. Tully looks to me with a strange curiosity and I realize that my tone came across way too suspicious, but I might as well go for it. The question has been bugging me all week. “Does Noah actually put chili powder in everything?”
“What?” she barks out with a sharp laugh. “No, he can’t stand the stuff.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Why?” she says, getting back to adding a well-practiced wing to her eyeliner.
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “I get the feeling the moron was messing with me.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” she laughs. “Now, hurry up. I feel like dancing.”
Twenty minutes later, Tully and I are climbing up into her Jeep before she jams the keys in the ignition and turns. Her car starts up and along with it comes the deafening sound from the sound systems that Noah had insisted he install for her. Apparently, it was some kind of eighteenth birthday present. I can just imagine what their eighteenth birthday would have looked like. Crazy, epic, and intense probably doesn’t even start to cover it.
We pull up at a party a few minutes later and I find myself curiously looking around. Call me nosey, but I’ve never been here before and I’ve always found it fascinating to see how others live. Hell, maybe as the party gets going, I’ll even snoop around a little.
This place belongs to one of the many cheerleaders of Haven Falls and is one of the bigger places around here. Most of the houses in this part of the world are cramped and don’t offer much space. I’m fortunate enough that it’s only me and dad living at my place, so the whole ‘cramped’ thing doesn’t bother me, but for a bigger family, it would probably be an issue.
Untouchable: Haven Falls (Book 1) Page 7