Our Safeguard

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

~Nolan~

       Joel had been trying to talk to me every day at school, but I ignored him. I really didn't want to talk to someone who tried breaking up me and Jerome. I was surprised Joel hadn't given up yet.

       I really hoped he would just give up soon and realize that I didn't want to be friends anymore. I never would want to be friends with someone who tried lying about Jerome. I loved Jerome. I knew he would never hurt me.

       I mean, this was the guy that pretended to sell drugs at school to get rumours off of me. The guy who helped me get so many opportunities as an artist. The guy who bought a studio so I would have more space to paint.

       The guy who literally saved my life.

       I was at my locker, putting my stuff away. Thankfully, I didn't have any homework, so Jerome and I were going to go to the studio today. It was almost fixed up, but it was up to the point where I could start painting if I wanted to, which I was going to do.

       Joel walked up to me, but I didn't even look at him. I just continued to put my stuff away. "Nolan, can we please talk?"

       Not a single reply came out of my mouth. I knew no matter what I said, he wasn't going to listen, so I didn't want to waste any energy saying something that would just be ignored in the end.

       "Listen, I didn't mean to hurt you," Joel said, once again not understanding my hints. "I just... You seriously can't be blind to everything your boyfriend has done when he was at this school. Selling drugs, getting into fights, cursing out teachers."

        I still didn't reply. He was just repeating himself, and if he was going to ignore everything I told him, he still wouldn't listen to what I say.

       "So... You're just not going to talk to me?" Joel asked once he realized I wasn't going to reply.

       This time, I decided to say something. "What's the point? You ignored everything I said."

       "Like what?" Joel asked.

       "Like how Jerome would never hurt me," I said. "Yeah, I get it. He has been arrested multiple times. But ever since Jerome and I started dating, he hasn't been arrested."

       "And what about everything at school?"

       I closed my locker. "I could tell you how a lot of it is fake. Just rumours people started spreading or things they took out of context. But you're probably not going to believe anything I say since you're so set on Jerome being a bad guy. I really don't want to keep arguing about this. It's not your decision to make on who I date."

       I started to walk away, but then Joel made the mistake of grabbing my wrist to stop me. He didn't grab it roughly, but the fact that he grabbed it in the first place made my wrist sting a bit. I didn't know if it was because of the slight pressure put on my wrist or it was just my mind playing games because I didn't like my wrist being touched.

       Either way, I pulled my arm out of his grasp, rubbing it to ease the pain. As I was doing so, I accidentally slipped my sleeve down, allowing Joel to see the bandages I still had on my wrist.

       As much as I didn't want him to see it, as much as I didn't want anyone to see it, I really hoped that Joel understand what it was from and just leave me alone.

       He didn't.

       I was starting to think he was a bigger idiot than Alan. And that was saying something.

       "Did... Did he do that to you?" Joel asked.

       "Oh my gosh, you are just relentless, aren't you?" I asked. "No, he didn't. I've told you over and over again that Jerome hasn't hurt me and he would never hurt me."

       I know I shouldn't tell Joel my personal issues, but I needed Joel to leave me alone. I was sick of him thinking the worst of Jerome when I said over and over again that Jerome wasn't that kind of person.

       "Remember the last thing I said to you when you lied to me about Jerome cheating on me?" I asked. "That I wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for him? He knew exactly where to find me after my suicide attempt and afterwards, he did whatever he could to help me recover. I was in a facility recovering from my attempt, and he visited me every single day. From the moment he got out of school all the way until visiting hours were over. He's always there when I need it and I can't imagine my life without him so please, just... Just leave me and Jerome alone."

       I walked off, hoping that would be enough for Joel to leave me alone. Part of me thought it would, but the other part of me thought that it wouldn't since Joel seemed very relentless.

       I exited the school and scanned the parking lot before I saw Jerome leaning against his car. I walked over to him, immediately cupping his face in my hands and going on my tiptoes to kiss him.

       Once we pulled away, Jerome tucked some of my hair behind my ear. "You okay?"

       "Why do you ask?"

       "Because I know you and can tell when something's wrong."

       I sighed. "Joel just won't leave me alone. Still convinced that you're a bad guy. He even caught a glimpse of my bandages and thought you hurt me."

       "Seriously?" Jerome asked.

       "Seriously." I sighed heavily. "I just hope he gives up eventually."

       "If he doesn't, Brandon said he knows multiple places to hide a body."

       "I don't know if I should be concerned or not."

       Jerome just smiled at me before kissing my cheek. He then went into the driver's seat while I got into the passenger's seat so we could head to the studio. It was definitely a place I needed to go to after my encounter with Joel.

       Once we got there, I chose one of the many canvases I had stored there, setting up my painting area as Jerome got to work on some of the finishing touches.

       It didn't take long for him to finish. The moment he did, he walked over to me and sat down beside me since I was painting while sitting on the floor. "I still can't get over how talented you are," Jerome said. "You should go to an art school."

       "I don't know..." I said. "As much as I would love to, I don't know any art schools that are close by. I don't think I would be able to handle being on my own."

       "That's fair," Jerome said. "Oh, actually, I think the university I go to has an amazing art program. You should check it out."

       "Maybe..." I still didn't know if I wanted to go to university. I mean, I didn't even have to go right away. I could take however long off I want from school before applying for university.

       "Consider it, at least," Jerome said. "And even if you do check out the program, it doesn't mean you have to apply for it. It's just, you know, an option."

       "I'll consider it."

______________________

yes please consider it nolan (i say as if i'm not the one controlling the narrative lol)

(fun fact: alan has circus music saved on his phone and now plays it whenever joel tries talking to him)(i was going to have him pop up during nolan and joel's conversation as he played the music, but it would ruin the seriousness of the conversation lol)