New Guy - Noah Beck

26

-Kylie's P.O.V-

My eyes are heavy and my head is pounding. I have the worst taste in my mouth and I feel like I just got hit by a bus. Why don't I remember getting home last night.

I fold back my covers and realize I'm still in my dress from last night, my stomach drops when I notice my underwear on the floor, and not on my body. Did I take those off? Where's Nate? Did he take those off? I hate that I can't remember anything. Did I have sex with Nate? I hope not he was being a dick last night.

I changed my clothes and wandered out to my living room to find Sarah watching TV on my couch.

"Kyles hey how are you feeling?" She's asked getting up.

"I'm ok, do you know how I got here? What happened last night?"

"Come here sit down" she invited me to the couch. "Do you remember anything?"

"I remember Nate getting me a drink, I downed it, and then it's fuzzy, I think I remember Nate taking me home, then nothing. How much did I have to drink? Was I really that drunk?"

"Kyles, I don't think you should see Nate anymore. You didn't have that much, we're pretty sure he put something in your drink and that's why you passed out at the bar"

"I passed out at Barney's?" I asked shocked.

"That's not everything" she said grabbing my hand. I started to feel panicked. What did I do, did I humiliate myself? Get naked? Is that why I don't have underwear on? Wait Nate put something in my drink? "Nate took you home after you fell unconscious" I sighed in relief that I didn't do anything too stupid. "We all had a really bad feeling about it so Noah followed you guys here. We all agreed that he should so don't be mad at him."

"Sarah what happened? Please" I begged.

"Noah busted through the door and found you on your bed, half naked, and unconscious"

"Oh" my voice shook.

"It's ok he didn't do anything, Noah got to him in time. Beat him pretty bad actually. Apparently he was running out the door trying to do his pants up. Kyles I'm so sorry."

Tears rolled don't my cheek and I quickly wiped them away.

"Noah put you under your covers and fixed the door he busted in. And he slept on the couch until I got here this morning. Please tell me you'll never see him again"

I nodded and tried to process the events.

"I think I need to be alone" I mumbled.

"It's ok I get it. We're all here for you ok Kyles"

"I'm sorry. Thank you Sarah for everything. I just need to process this"

She gathered her things and left. And when she closed the door behind her I instantly broke down in tears. I'm so embarrassed and pathetic and sad. I hate myself and him. I hate him so much. I wish I never downloaded the stupid dating app and never met him. Fuck what a waste of time.

-Noah's P.O.V-

I've been thinking about her all day. I can't get the image of last night out of my head. Her laying there, defenceless. I keep picturing what he would have done to her had I not shown up. If I ever see his face again, he's dead. It all just makes me so angry. I tried to take my mind off of it and take my aggression out on a workout, but came back angrier, wanting to track him down and hurt him. I'd never do that though.

I wonder if she knows what I did. I wonder if she hates me for getting involved. I wonder if she will ever speak to me again.

She deserves to be happy. After everything she's been through, everything I've put her through. It's all my fault. And I feel so so incredibly guilty about it. I hate myself for it.

Monday hit me like a brick. My mind hasn't shut off all weekend. Rain poured down as I ran into the shop. We were supposed to be at a job site roofing today but they're calling for lightning so we're stuck here.

I forgot it's Monday, Kylie's inventory day. I pulled my hat and jacket off, shook the water off of them, and brought them to my locker. I can hear her voice. I think talking to Stu. It became more clear as I got closer to the work area.

"So you have 8 crates of shingles here, how many do you have at the site?" She asked Stu

"4, we're bringing 2 more over tomorrow when we start back up, 6 should be plenty for this job"

"Ok perfect, I won't order any more then. Thanks"

She walked back towards our rows of shelves. You can get lost in there we have so much random shit. And she gets to count it all. I want so desperately to talk to her. To see if she's ok. But so far she hasn't even acknowledged that I'm here. Won't look up or even get near me. This is torture, she's so close, yet so far.

The guys all went out for lunch, asked me if I wanted to go but I said no. I don't really have an appetite. Kylie's been sitting at the top of a ladder going through the shelves for the last hour. Really doesn't sit well with me leaving her alone up there, so I forced myself to eat to have an excuse to sit close by.

I finished my lunch and she started to climb down. I watched as she got down safely and let a deep breath out. I turned away but found myself running toward her as I noticed out of the corner of my eye, a large pipe rolling off the top shelf towards her. She must have bumped it with her ladder.

"Kyles!" I shouted as I pushed her out of the way. The pipe crashed to the ground and rolled away, I didn't realize I pinned her against the next shelf. I turned my gaze back to her, her gaze was on the massive piece of metal that almost crushed her.

"Sorry" I said stepping back, knowing she probably doesn't want me this close to her. I looked down at my feet and turned on my heel walking back to my work.

"Noah" she whispered.

I turned and looked at her, her eyes overflowing with tears. I want to go to her but I can't tell if she wants me to or not.

Fuck it whatever

I stepped back to her and pulled her into a massive hug. Holding her as close as I possibly could. She tensed up at first, but relaxed into my arms after a moment. This is the happiest I've been in a while. I never want to let go.

You can imagine my enthusiasm when she let go and packed her things up. Leaving me alone again.