Nochelle Oneshots

Regionals Mix-Up Part 2

Noah's Perspective:

When Richelle came in, the last thing I wanted to do was acknowledge her. I didn't want to see anyone right now, but still... I wanted to see her. Only her, and it unnerved me more than anything. But moves weren't to be made tonight; tonight was simply just for being sad. I needed a night to relish in Jacquie and the time that we spent together, soaking up the memories we'd been left with.

She seemed to know it too, never even hinting that we needed to talk about the hug that we'd shared. She understood me perfectly, something that I knew would come in handy down the road.

Sometimes I regretted that I'd let our friendship run such a short course. Richelle and I were inseparable when we were younger and on the same team, and even when I was on A Troupe. And you would've thought that being on A Troupe together would've made us closer, but we drifted further than ever before. Partly because I was stupid and I always put my relationships ahead of my friendships. The last moment as friends that we'd had was when she went to see me at the hospital, and after that... nothing.

Not until this week.

I'd never regretted anything in my life before. Anything but her.

First I neglected her for Abi, then Amanda, then Jacquie. I was blind, completely blind, and didn't see what was right in front of me. If I'd just listened to myself, I wouldn't be in this position. I always valued romantic love more than anything. If only I'd realised sooner that all it would lead to was heartbreak, I'd have saved myself all of this. And kept the thing that I should've.

Philia. Not Eros. It just wasn't worth it. And Richelle was proving that now, being there for me, just as a friend should.

She padded over to the bed on tip-toe, probably thinking that I was sleeping. "I'm sorry, Noah," she whispered.

Why was she apologising? She didn't have anything to be sorry for, unless... oh. She thought that she caused this whole thing, just because of that hug. She didn't at all. It was nobody's fault for the breakup, but as of everything else... it was mine.

I was the one that was stupid, I was the one that hugged her and made her think that she had a part in this mess; that was all on me. I felt a drop of something land on my arm and realised that... she was crying. I heard her sniffling beside me, taking a deep breath to prepare herself to speak again.

"I'm so, so sorry. This is all my fault. I should've pushed you away or something. Neither you or Jacquie deserved this. If I'm the reason you broke up... I'll never forgive myself, Noah."

She stifled a sob and laid her head down on the pillow. I could picture her crying, thinking that I was't aware of it. Trust me, she wouldn't have been crying if she knew I was listening. She always wanted to retain that 'wall.' One of the reasons I stupidly left her in the first place. I didn't see then that that was what made her the most perplexing person I knew, and it was what made me want to know every detail about her.

"You're wrong, Riche," I mumbled, half into my pillow. I hadn't called her that since we were kids; it felt good to say.

"What? Noah - you're awake?" she said, clearly shocked that I was listening to her lay her feelings out on a silver platter.

I turned on my elbows to face her. "Yes. And I had to tell you that you're wrong. It had nothing to do with you, and I could never let you think that."

"But- but you and Jacquie broke up because of me... didn't you?"

"No, Riche, why would you ever think that? We broke up for a lot of reasons, mainly that... we both just knew it was time. You know?"

"I guess," she muttered. "So you're not mad at me?"

"Of course I'm not mad at you! You didn't do anything wrong," I stared into her eyes so that she knew I was serious and we shared a moment of peace and understanding. "It was me who made a wrong decision. I'm sorry."

"Noah, you hugged me, you don't need to apologise for that," she chuckled.

"No, this," I said, gesturing between us. She looked puzzled, so I went on. "You came straight here for me, just to make sure I was okay. You were being a great friends, you've tried to be a great friend. I should've been. I should've came to visit you in the hospital like you came to me, I should've never taken you off of that stupid duet, I should've -"

Richelle put her hand over my mouth, cutting me off. "You didn't have to do anything. It's okay, I forgive you. And you can make up for it now." She smiled, making me intrigued.

"What do you have planned?" I asked her as she got out of the bed and walked across the room to the door, opening it.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you'd be up for this but I thought I'd bring it just in case." Richelle reached out and pulled out chips, a movie, and an extra blanket from her room. "Wanna have a movie night?"

I laughed, remembering the epic movie nights that we would have when we were kids. My mom would make popcorn and set up sleeping bags next to the TV downstairs, and we would giggle, then fight over who got to choose the movie. Her stubborn nature always gave her an advantage in the arguments, making me always have to suffer through her choices. Though, to be honest, some of them weren't half bad.

Once though, she picked Orphan and then proceeded to show me a YouTube video proving that it was based on an entirely true story. And after that, she acted creepily, making herself seem like she wasn't a 12-year-old, rather, a 30-year-old psychopath like in the movie. I'd never forget how terrifying that was. I'd begged her to sleep with the lights on out of fear that I'd be murdered. It wasn't a fun night.

But when I asked tonight, she finally allowed me to have my choice. I chose High School Musical anyway, just to make her happy. She always claimed it was her all time favourite movie.

We got into the bed and slowly, she inched closer. I put my arm around her, showing her it was alright. She leaned on me, and stayed that way until the end of the movie.

"Thanks, Riche," I whispered when the credits rolled.

"Anytime, Noah. I'm glad we're friends again."

And I knew from looking into her sea-green eyes that we would't just be friends.