60 days of learning love ✔️

Part 24

Noah POV

I woke up to an unfamiliar room, again. But instead of being wrapped in sheets, I was wrapped in small blanket.

"Tyler?" I murmured, my voice still quiet and slurred from sleep.

"I'm here" I opened my eyes a little wider and looked in the direction of the voice, he was smiling at me warmly with a tray in his hands, "Morning sleepyhead".

I watched him as he came closer to me, placing the tray down on my lap before sliding down to the floor and just sitting there.

I brought the tray closer to me and saw a few toasties and a cup of coffee. The smell of the toasties filled my nose and it smelt amazing. The melted cheese dripping from the edge of the slightly browned bread. I didn't wait another second before scoffing it down, I acted as if I hadn't eaten in months, which if I'm being honest, is kind of true.

I don't get fed much, but I'm grateful for what I get, and this meal right here was just what I needed to gain some more strength.

I looked back down at Tyler, he was still just sitting there, his eyes on the wall in front of him. I could almost see a million questions going through his mind, his eyebrows curved down a little in confusion. It was adorable.

"Tyler, you okay?" I ask, his attention leaving the wall and onto my now empty tray.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, just thinking." He was looking at me now, and I knew he wanted to tell me something. So I gave him a nod, but not an 'okay, I understand that' type of nod, it was an 'okay, tell me more' type of nod.

He sighed a little before dragging his hand through his messy black hair.

"What would you do if you had someone really important to you try and take their life away?"

His words carried so much sorrow, I nearly broke down again. When I woke up 5 minutes ago, i just wanted to forget last night ever happened, and I thought Tyler would let me. But I know it's not fair on him to leave him in the dark about all this, he at least deserves an answer to his questions.

"I would ask them why" I said, hoping he'd ask so I could give him something other than a problem. Because that's all I was, I was a problem.

"Don't do that" he said, my eyes snapped towards him, "don't think like that, I can see it in your eyes, Noah. You aren't a problem"

I was left slightly speechless as butterflies erupted in my stomach and sent my heart to beat a little faster, and my chest tighten a little bit too.

"Thanks" was all I manged to say.

"So, why?" He asked, his green eyes locking with my brown ones.

"because I was afraid of living" I was just going to leave it there, but the look he gave me, urging me to continue, was enough to make me take a deep breath and tell this beautiful boy my problems.

"It started when I was a teenager, or around that time, my dad just changed, he bacame angrier and he would drink a lot..." I started telling my story, and he was listening the whole time. I watched as he facial expressions changed every time I mentioned my father and all the people that bullied me, but then how they softened when I told him that some of my best moments ever were when I was with him, his face also softened when I told him about all the good Olivia has done for me. I could tell he cared about me a lot, I just didn't know why.

He's an amazing, handsome and kind boy, and I'm just me, I'm not special at all. But somehow, he makes me feel special.

"...So then he kicked me out. I went to Olivia's but then I felt really bad because she was already with a friend and I just ruined their time together, which made my mental state even worse, so I decided to just give up. So I walked around the town for a while, saying goodbye, and then you found me at the bridge and I fell asleep in your car and woke up here" I finished.

"stand up" he demanded, but nicely.

I followed his order and stood up, slightly worried about what he was going to do, but I trusted him a lot more than I trusted myself.

"Now, hold out your arms to the side, like your T-posing" he said, whilst demonstrating.

I did as I was told too, holding out my arms, and I honestly just felt stupid. But before I could say anything, Tyler had wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. I immediately hugged him back, it just felt so natural to be in his arms.

"I'm sorry all of that happened to you Noah. And I think you should go talk to a professional about it" he began to sway us side to side whilst he spoke, his voice was gentle and soothing, his hand rubbing up and down my back.

"And what of they don't help?" I've never been fond if therapists, if they could actually help people then why did my father get worse when he went to therapy? And why did my mother change so much after speaking with an online therapist? They didn't help anyone I cared about, they just made them worse. So I'm sorry if I'm being a little bit skeptical about them.

"There's no harm in trying. And at least you'd know that you tried, and I'll be so proud of you for taking that step. Even if it doesn't help I would like you to at least try, if not for me, then for yourself" he was still holding me and swaying me in his arms, his chin resting on the top on my head.

"But what if the people you cared about all went to see a therapist before they got worse? And what if the therapists didn't help them at all? What am I expected to do if I don't trust them?" my voice broke a little, but Tyler just pulled me closer to him. It was like we were dancing now. Holding onto each other, swaying with each other and being so close. It felt surreal.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm always going to be here, holding you close until you pull away first, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here to keep you grounded for as long as you need me, so please try. If it doesn't work out, then I'll pull you in and hold you again. I'm here, Noah" my chest tightened even more with his words, I swear, this kid was about to make me puke butterflies.

I didn't say anything back, I just wrapped my arms around him tighter. We stopped swaying and just stood there, embracing each other as tightly as we could without hurting the other. He smelt like coffee and cake, and I loved it.

"I'll try. I promise" I said after a few minutes of us just hugging.

I could feel him smiling, his chin raising slightly from where it was still resting at the top of my head.

"Thank you, that's all I need. I just need you to try" He kissed the top of my head and a smile of my own finally reached my lips. As well as a huge blush.

I pulled away a little to let him know I was smiling, and the huge ass grin he gave me when he realised made me smile even wider.

I don't know how, but Tyler just made me happy.

It was strange how I could trust him so much after only knowing him for a few weeks, he knew everything about me now. And that fact didn't even scare, it was more comfortable than anything.

He ruffled my hair before speaking, and the action made me blush but no more than when he kissed my head, I think that was the third time he's kissed my head in total.

"Well, Noah. I still have a job to do, and if I want to keep it I better go back to the till" he said with a chuckle, "rest a little bit more and then we'll figure out where your staying later tonight, because I am not letting you go home, and that's final"

He kissed the top of my head again before leaving the room and going down the stairs. I watched after him and once I knew he was gone, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before smiling like a love-sick teen.

"What are you doing to me Tyler" I mumbled, the smile still present on my face.

I sat down again and prepared myself for more sleep, dangling my legs over the arm of the couch, and resting my head on the other arm, a pillow beneath me. It wasn't anywhere near comfortable, but I was tired, so I decided to ignore the discomfort.

I fell back to sleep shortly after, my head filling with nothing but Tyler, his sunny smile, his comforting words, and the remaining feeling of his lips on the top of my head.

It was the safest I've felt in a while, my thoughts being of him and far away from the madness of my own home, I was at peace.

I'm falling hard for this boy, aren't I?