Without You (gxg)

Part 10 - High School

Sure, a few people knew about Noelle. And we were official. But I knew I wasn't ready to be out to everyone, especially at school.
So Noelle and I would act like friends at school. Friends who would exchange sneaky, flirtatious glances during class. Who had an immense about of sexual tension while resisting walking hand in hand in the hall.
Priya was getting to know her as well. Noelle was starting to eat lunch with us a few days out of the week. And they got along well, which made me happy.
"What are you thinking about formal?" Priya asked me at lunch. Her, Noelle, and I were eating together.
"I'm not sure if I want to go or not." I said.
Priya narrowed her eyes, "You're going. You go with me every year."
"Okay. Fine. I'll go." I rolled my eyes.
"Formal?" Noelle looked between the two of us.
"It's a dance the school has a week before Thanksgiving break." Priya explained, "Would you want to go with Harley and I?"
Noelle looked at me, almost as if she was asking me for permission. I nodded. "Come with us."
"Okay." she smiled, and then her smiled slightly faded, "Do I have to wear a dress? I hate dresses."
"You should wear a jumpsuit." Priya suggested, "Still cute. Not a dress."
I started picturing Noelle in a jumpsuit. "Do it. That would look amazing. I'll help you pick one out."
My mom is a hair stylist and makeup artist, and has been doing mine and Priya's formal hair and makeup every year. I told her this year, we were going to add Noelle to the mix.
"Oh good. I'll finally get to meet her." my mom smiled at me. "Can you actually show me a picture of what she looks like now?"
I nodded and went to Noelle's Facebook. She didn't do a lot on social media. Her profile picture was of her and her dad. They were standing in front of her old house before she moved. He had his arm around her. She had her hair down and was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. She looked really pretty. And my mom thought so too.
"I already have a couple of ideas for what I'm going to do." she said, "And nice job." she joked to me.
I was slightly nervous to Noelle to meet my mom. This was someone important to me, meeting someone important to me. I hoped my mom liked her.
Formal was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, after we had already gone on break a day before. Noelle drove to my house at 3 PM for my mom to doll us up.
Priya always liked getting ready at my house so she could wear something more revealing and not have to hide it. Which is exactly what she did this year with her form fitting red dress. I had chosen a simple black dress with a sweetheart neckline.
And when I opened the door after Noelle texted me she had arrived, I saw the black jumpsuit she had ordered online. It was short sleeved and I couldn't help but stare at how it looked on her. It hugged every curve perfectly.
My mom appeared at the door before I could say anything.
"Noelle! It's so nice to meet you!" she said.
"It's very nice to meet you too." Noelle said to my mom. And then my mom reached over and gave her a hug. Noelle looked almost surprised for a moment, but she hugged my mom back.
"Noelle, look at you!" Priya said as the three of us walked into my room, where my mom was going to do our hair and makeup.
"You look great too, Priya." Noelle said, taking a seat on my bed.
My mom was being very sweet to Noelle- she seemed genuinely happy to meet her. Noelle seemed surprised almost, and then it dawned on me- she wasn't used to a mother figure being so nice to her.
My mom took pictures of the three of us, and then she took some separately of me and Noelle as well and Priya and I.
I looked at the picture my mom took of Noelle and I. She had given me a light kiss on my cheek, and my mom snapped a picture. I smiled when I looked at it- us two all dressed up, and I looked happy. I had a genuine smile on my face. Noelle was making me the happiest I had been.
Noelle drove the three of us to school for the dance.
Of course the first person I saw as I was walking in was Carter. He was hand in hand with a girl- Kayla Steele- that I knew was a year younger than us. He looked at me for a moment, walking in with Noelle and Priya.
We piled into the gym with everyone else and the music was blasting and strobe lights were going off in the dark.
"I have never been to a high school dance before." Noelle said, leaning close into me.
The three of us danced together- and some other girls that we knew from school joined us at points.
God, what it took for me to not just kiss Noelle in the middle of the dance floor. Dance up against her. I did do that a little- pressed myself into her- but it blended well because every girl was doing that. But by the way she grabbed my hips- it didn't feel like how friends did. So I had to back away.
I knew I needed her lips on mine. About an hour and a half into the dance, I grabbed her hand. "Follow me."
I guided her across the gym to the back door of the school, and then I opened it.
"Where are we going?" she asked me.
"You'll see." I said.
I rounded the corner of the building, until we were behind the back entrance, facing the tennis courts. And there was no one else around.
I pressed Noelle up against the brick wall of the building. I then leaned in and kissed her.
She chuckled, "Couldn't wait until we were back from the dance, huh?"
"Shut up." I laughed, and she leaned in and kissed me again.
Before I knew it, she had turned me around and pressed me against the wall. She started kissing my neck.
"You look so hot tonight." she said in my ear.
We kept on kissing. And I felt like I was in pure bliss being in the moment with Noelle. Someone I felt so strongly about. Someone who-
"Oh shit. Looks like we are interrupting something." I heard a familiar voice in front of me.
Noelle immediately stepped in front of me and turned around.
In the dark I could make out Carter, in his button down and then Kayla- his date- who had on a hot pink dress that was way too tight for a 16 year old.
"Yeah. You kind of are." Noelle said back.
Carter looked at me. "So is this why you broke up with me? What, you're a fucking lesbian?"
I didn't know what to say. I was froze in that moment.
"It's not why she broke up with you, Carter. Can you leave us alone?" Noelle said to him.
"I bet it is why she broke up with me." Carter shook his head, "I'm sure the school will love knowing this information. Fucking lesbian."
I had never seen Carter be so mean. I didn't even know he had it in him.
"Go ahead. Tell everyone. See if I give a fuck." I said. But my voice was shaky. And I did give a fuck. I wasn't ready.
"I'm sure you do." Carter said, and then he grabbed his dates hand and walked away.
"Don't listen to him. He's a dick." Noelle turned back and looked at me, "Are you okay?"
"I'm a little shaken up. But I'm okay." I said, "I really liked want to go home now."
"So let's go back to my house. My mom is working. I'll get us some treats on the way back." Noelle grabbed my hand.
"I love you." I said. And then I immediately said, "Oh my god. I don't know where that came from. You do not have to say it back. I can't believe I just said that." I could feel myself getting hot.
"Oh, you love me?" Noelle said in a playful voice.
"Maybe." I rolled my eyes and smiled.
"Well I love you too, Harley."
Damn.