The Dare

Chapter 33

Did that actually happen. I am now wide awake in my bed after I hear the apartment door open and close. I still feel the places on my body where his arms wrapped around me.

I can't shake the memory out of my head that he still feels the exact same.
I turn over to my night stand and I get my phone. I never said goodnight back.

-good night Noah.

I send it, and after only a few seconds he starts typing.

-sorry about what I just did there, I didn't know what I was thinking.

I drop my phone on my stomach, and I pull my eyebrows together while staring at the roof. I lift it back up
-It's okay

—it's just when you were
on the couch asleep you
were in such an awkward
position, and I didn't want
to wake you up.

-ahaha, it's okay Noah.

He types then stops. Then begins to type again.

-goodnight y/n

——————————————————

The alarm goes off again, I wake up in my empty bed relieved as Ethan is gone for a while. I slip on my ugg boots, and grab my blanket before walking out to the balcony.
I got out and look at Noah's balcony.
It's empty.
I sit down in one of the chairs and pull the blanket to my chin. I stare out at the sun as it slowly illuminated the city.
I'm in a complete trance for several minutes as the cold wind starts to pick up. As bright as the sunrise began, it slowly darkens as a storm takes over. The skies swallow up every hue of colour that was attempting to burst through, and after a while, everything is a muted grey.

And that's when the rain starts. I'm protected by a roof over the balcony, and the wind isn't extreme right now, so I remain outside, watching as everything that started out hopeful just fifteen minutes ago, slowly turns to gloom.

I wonder if Noah knew there would be a storm rolling in with the sunrise today. I glance over at this balcony and he's standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe, holding a cup of coffee.

He isn't looking at the rain, or the sky.

He was looking at me.

Seeing him watching me stirs something inside of me that I don't want to be stirred. I stare back at him for a moment, wondering if he wakes up every morning to watch the sunrise or if he just wanted to see what I would do about the alarm he set in my phone.

Maybe he actually appreciates the sunrise. Is he the one of the few who doesn't take this view for granted?

I break our stare and walk inside. I crawl back into bed.
I think I'll just stay here.

——————————————————

I'm sitting at my makeup table applying my eyeshadow, while Ellie's looking at herself in the mirror in her mini dress.
"Ugh It feels like forever since we went out to a party" She groans fixing her hair.

"And a long time since we saw Bryce" I reply.
"True"
She turns to me where I can see her in my mirror.
"So Noahs gonna be there huh"
"Mhm" I reply concentrating on putting on mascara so I don't mess up.

"Hm"  she says turning back to the mirror, still fixing her hair.

"What" I see turning in my stool to face her.
"I don't know, it's just... when he was over yesterday, the way he looks at you is as if your smile is the only thing that could possibly matter"

"Ellie-

"I'm being serious y/n, can't you see the way his face lights up when he sees you?"

I don't reply. I'm turned back at my makeup table putting on mascara on my other eye.

"Yours lights up too, it's the first time I've seen that face in a long time"  She says softly.
"Ellie, I have a boyfriend"

"Y/n he treats you like shit, don't you get that?"

I don't say anything back, i just think about what Noah has instead of Ethan.
"Noah ruined my life Ellie."

She pauses and turns back to me.
"And Ethans in the process of it" 

I pause looking at myself in the mirror. I stare at the person who is looking right back at me. I'm not even upset, hurt, or angry anymore. I'm just tired. I'm tired of putting in more effort than I receive.
There's a long silence.

"Y/n" Ellie's sayings crouching down beside me and holding my hands.

"How does Noah make you feel when your around him" She whispers.

I stare at her for a moment. My eyes immediately start to tear up and the thought comes into my head, remembering the last time I felt like this.

"You know that feeling of when you look at someone and your stomach suddenly start craving in on itself, even if it's for a second and you literally can't breathe"
I whisper.
She sits there looking at me. She doesn't say anything back, she just stares at me trying to figure me out.

"Ellie, how do you know when two people are in love with each other?"
She stares at me and stands up, walking back to the mirror, then calmly says.

"I believe that when two people are in love with each other, you can see it in their eyes. The way they look at each other, it's all there.
Their eyes are full of admiration, of attraction, of undying feelings for each other. Their eyes twinkle, their eyes are smiling. Even if they didn't say a word about it, there's this invisible thread connecting them two"

I stare down at the floor taking in the words she said.
I wipe a tear rolling down my face, and Ellie notices.

"No no no" she says standing up and hugging me.

"Y/n, look at me" she releases from the hug and looks into my eyes. 

"We're going to finish getting ready, and then we're gonna walk into that party like the baddest bitches we are and have the best night of our lives." She starts laughing and hugs me again, I laugh too and nod.