𝑂𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠 || 𝐸𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔

[Chapter 10] Gorgeous.

𝑁 𝑂 𝐴 𝐻 𝑆   𝑃 𝑂 𝑉

"Carter, baby!" Who I'm guessing is Carter's grandma wraps her in a hug.

"Move out of the way Marian, let me hug my grandbaby." Her grandpa shoves past the older woman and hugs Carter. I make eye contact with the guy at the table. He looks our age, maybe a little older. He holds eye contact for a minute before shifting back to Carter.

"Oh, you must be Noah!" I look at her grandma. She bears hugs me. I smile before hugging her back. It's been a long time since I've had a hug like this.

"Oh sorry. Grandma, grandpa, Noah Miller." Marian unwraps me and then squeezes my cheeks.

"You're so adorable!" I try to hold back a laugh.

"Grandma!" She looks over at Carter.

"Oh shut it." She steps away from me and Car's grandpa steps forward.

"I'm Jack." I shake his hand.

"Noah. Nice to meet you, sir."

"Oh we don't do that here, call me Jack. Her name is Marian." I smile at him. "Now let's eat before it goes cold." Carter and I sit down while the adults go to the kitchen. I pull Carter's chair out for her. She quietly thanks me, still holding eye contact with the guy. I can tell she's not happy to see him.

"Carter," the guy starts but she holds up her hand.

"Don't talk to me." He sighs.

"Come on," he tries again.

"No. Don't talk to me." He rolls his eyes.

"Stop being drama-" I interrupt him.

"Dude she doesn't want you to talk to her so leave her alone." His eyes find mine.

"Who the hell are you anyway? It's not any of your damn business." I go to fire back but the adults walk into the room. Carter grabs my hand under the table. I freeze for a second before intertwining our hands. Her grandparents sit down.

"So Noah, I heard you play football."

******

"When I tell you to do something you do it!" My dad lands a punch across my face and his ring jams into my lip. I wasn't home before him so the house was still dirty.

I fall to the floor and he jams his knee into my face. Usually, he doesn't leave bruises where people can see them but I think he's wasted more than normal. A few kicks to the ribs and stomach and a couple of punches to my whole body later he finally stops worth one last shove into the corner of the metal sign.

He storms upstairs and I feel the back of my head, I'm bleeding. I let out a shaky breath before trying to stand up. I don't even get an inch off the ground before dropping back on my ass. It hurts too bad, I'm dizzy. After a half-hour, I'm finally able to drag myself up the stairs and to my room.

I lock the door and sit on my bed. I can't wait for senior year to be over.

******

𝐶 𝐴 𝑅 𝑇 𝐸 𝑅 𝑆 𝑃 𝑂𝑉

"We should all go to your house and swim in your pool." I sigh.

"Yeah, whatever." My mind keeps going back to mine and my mom's conversation last night.

"Why the hell is he here?" She sighs and takes the plate from me.

"Because I invited him and his mother. You didn't have to be rude all night."

"Mom, why would you invite him into our house knowing what he did to me?" She rolls her eyes.