Our indelible pasts|✔

fifty eight - bryson

"A HOTEL ROOM?" Noah asks for the hundredth time.

"Yeah." I irately say.

"And are you sure the name you saw was Dylan?" There's something in the way Mason asks me that almost makes it seem like he's trying to tell me that I might probably be paranoid.

I am not paranoid.

"Yes guys. I know what I saw." I roll my eyes yet again.

"Do you know where she is right now?"

"What's with all the questions?" I pinch the bridge of my nose.

"We're just trying to help you out."

I sigh, wanting to talk about anything but this. But I still go ahead and answer, still wanting to understand what's going on myself. "It's Wednesday so she shouldn't be in class. This semester she has no Wednesday classes."

"Okay how about I call her and find out for myself?"

"And say what? 'Hey Sandra. Just checking in for my guy to make sure you're not secretly screwing Dylan right now'?"

"Just...trust me. I won't say anything like that, I'm not Mason." Noah says, earning a pillow to the face.

"Hey Noah." Sandra says into the phone after a few rings.

"Hey Sandra. I'm on my way back home and thinking of getting some takeout. Should I count you in?" Noah lies way too easily.

"No, no." Sandra quickly says. "I have classes all day today." She says too quickly.

The moment she says that, I cast my eyes to the ground and feel the boys' heavy gazes on me.

"Oh, okay. See you later?"

"No. I uh..." She trails off, leaving me to think she's trying to find an excuse. "I'll stay at my place tonight. Have some assignments to finish."

"Alright, cool."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Is it just me or did she sound a bit too eager to end the call?" Mason runs a hand through his hair.

I shake my head disappointedly, hoping that we're just reding things wrong. "It wasn't just you who felt that."

"Maybe a lecturer of hers decided he wanted a Wednesday class today." Noah suggests.

"Yeah, maybe."

"Yeah. We could be jumping to conclusions that don't even exist." Mason attempts to reassure me.

"Yeah." I say, but I know it sure as hell doesn't sound like I'm convinced. "Can we talk about something else? Anything! Please?"

"Um...we can talk about where Noah's being spending his nights." Mason offers and I raise my eyebrows, remembering that I forgot to ask him about that.

"What? Why?" Noah asks, disturbance overtaking his face.

"Why not?" I look at him pointedly.

"I spend my nights here."

"Not every night." Mason says. "Some days you leave in the evening and then come back the next day. You got some secret affair you don't want us to know about?"

Noah runs a hand over his face and sighs. "It's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?" I ask, curious.

Noah is the least secretive person I know, so this does sound kind of fishy.

"I've just been spending some nights at Kiana's place." He explains. "No big deal."

Mason and I both widen our eyes in shock.

"I said it's nothing like that, stop looking at me like that."

"Then why keep it from us? Why not tell us that you've been sleeping with your ex?"

"I'm not sleeping with her." Noah groans into his hands.

"Good question." I tell Mason before turning my attention back to Noah, completely ignoring what he just said. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I don't know. It's not like y'all need to know." Noah says and both and I eye him suspiciously. "She's just going through some stuff. I'm just fulfilling my duties as a best friend." Noah explains and I'm taken back to the conversation I had with Kiana at her place.

"You saying 'best friend' doesn't make you sound any more innocent. It just makes it sound like you're helping in other ways."

I laugh. "Mason does have a point, I won't even lie."

Noah rolls his eyes. "Like I said, it's nothing like that."

"I find that hard to believe knowing that you two were once a thing."

"Another valid point." I agree with Mason again.

Noah looks defeated but refuses to back down. "Guys, there's nothing going on."

"I have a question for you." Mason leans forward in his seat. "And you better answer honestly."

"Okay?" Noah looks over at Mason.

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Are you serious?" Noah asks, a hint of irritation sitting on his face. "It's been more than two years since we dated."

"You haven't answered the question." I tease.

"Why are you guys doing this to me?"

"Why are you not answering the question?" Mason asks.

Noah looks between Mason and I before answering. "I don't have feelings for her anymore."

"You hesitated."

"No, I did not."

"Yes, you did."

"You're such a liar." Mason smiles.

"I'm not lying."

"Sure." I say quietly.

"Okay." Mason nods his head as he watches Noah intently. "Just remember, we're your boys. We won't judge you for still having feelings for your best friend." Masons says and I laugh.

"Oh my days." Noah says getting up.

"Where are you going? To Kiana's?"

"No." Noah rolls his eyes. "I'm going to my room. I need a time out from you two."

"Tell Kiana we said 'hi'." Mason teases before Noah leaves the room.

"You think he's lying too, right?" Mason asks me.

I nod my head. "There's a huge chance that he might be. I mean, when have we seen Noah trying to make a move with anyone."

"True. So, it's either he plays for the other team or we're right about Kiana."

"If we're right about Kiana, he's never going to hear the end of it."

"I'm not gay." Noah says and Mason and I turn to see Noah enter the kitchen.

"You didn't deny the Kiana part. I wonder why."

"I've already denied it." Noah says as he rummages through the fridge. "Just tired of having to deny it time and time again."

"No need for that. You can just tell us the truth." Mason pushes.

"I'm just going to shut up about it now." Noah says, Gatorade in hand.

Mason and I smile at each other, knowing we're getting closer to making him crack.

"I hate the both of you." Noah says before proceeding to leave the kitchen.

"The truth will set you free brother!" I shout after his retreating figure.