Never Know N.S.

Ch.9 "Your leg does NOT define who you are"

Parker

It's been about a month since I debuted with Bad Omens. Noah and I have managed to make some sort of friendship due to us working together. We haven't kissed again though and it makes me afraid that all he said was a lie.

Nicholas and I have gotten close as friends. I know he likes me, but he's been such a good friend to me, even telling me to give Noah some time and that he will come around.

Today since we have a free day, Nicholas offered to do some tattooing. Noah and I both agreed to let him tattoo us and I'm actually kind of excited. I've never had a tattoo before so this will be quite the experience.

As Nicholas gets his stuff ready to get tattooing, I see Noah go into the back. I furrow an eyebrow and follow him into the back.

"Hey. You okay?" I ask.

He stays quiet. I sit in front of him.

"I don't like how close you and Nicholas are if I'm being honest" he says.

What?

"I'm confused. I only have you guys to talk to. What am I supposed to do?" I ask.

He scoffs and looks up at me.

"I don't know Park" he says.

I tense at the name. Only Uncle Miles is allowed to call me that.

"Parker" I correct.

He scoffs again and looks down.

"And I've never had friends Noah. I didn't have friends in school. I didn't have friends growing up because I was the weird girl with no leg. I didn't have friends in high school because I was the freak who had no family and again no leg. So, forgive me if I wanna be friends with someone who's actually fucking nice to me" I snap.

His head snaps up as a single tear streams down my face.

"And you aren't very nice to me. I understand you're afraid of falling for me to avoid getting hurt but just realize that you are hurting me in the process as well" I say then step out of the back.

–

No One

Noah hated himself. He wanted to be nice to her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She stays in the bunk area for a minute to cry softly but he can hear her.

"Why can't he just be fucking nice for once?" she asks herself.

He tears up hearing her ask that. She sniffles and wipes her face. She walks into the main area to see Nicholas putting on some gloves.

"Hey pretty girl. Send me the design you want so I can draw it up" he says.

She smiles and pulls out her phone.

She sends him the design and he smile. (Pic above)

"It's based on our song," Nicholas says.

She smiles and nods.

–

Noah

I finally come out of the back area to see Parker looking out the window while she's getting tattooed. She looks so beautiful and like it doesn't even hurt her.

"Hey man. I still have a little bit left on her tattoo if you wanna take a seat and start getting a design ready of what you want done for your tattoo" Nicholas says.

She turns and looks at me. I swallow hard and sit at the end of the couch she's currently sitting on.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" he asks her.

She smiles and turns to him.

"Doesn't really hurt at all" she tells him.

She turns to look at me and my heart sinks. Her beautiful eyes. Her soft luscious lips. Her beautiful long hair. She then faces the window.

I sigh and pull out my phone. I start going through my gallery of tattoo inspiration.

I then hear her softly TDOPOM and I smile to myself. I look up at her and begin singing with her. She turns to me but continues to sing.

You come and go in waves

Leaving me in your wake

You come and go in waves

Swallowing everything

I then notice that Nicholas had stopped tattooing her and all the guys including our manager all stare at us.

"You two sound amazing together, you know" Nicholas says.

I could tell that it hurt him because he does like her a lot. She smiles slightly before looking out the window once again.

–

Parker

I don't know what to think or feel for Noah. He's been so complicated right now with how he acts or how he feels. After I got my tattoo finished, it was his turn. He laughed with the boys, and I got to watch them all interact together, and it made me wish that I had had friends growing up.

Uncle Miles comes over to me.

"You okay sweetheart?" he asks.

I suck it up and nod. The guys continue to talk amongst themselves.

"You keep looking over there" Uncle M says.

I sigh in defeat.

"I just wish I had had friends growing up. They all have each other. I haven't known them that long where I can just talk about anything with" I say.

He sighs as well and looks down at my prosthetic. I look down as well and notice I'm swelling up which isn't good.

"You should take your prosthetic off. You remember what your doctor said about your leg. You need to let it breathe" Uncle Miles says.

But am I really ready for the rest of the guys to see it?

I swallow hard as I click a button in the back of the leg to release it from its hold. I pull my leg with the liner out. I pull the liner off to see bruises.

The boys all look over to see me with my leg missing. I try to calm my breathing considering this is the first time for them except for Noah. My leg hits the ground, and my breathing picks up. Uncle Miles tried to rub my shoulders to calm me down, but it wasn't working. I start hyperventilating badly.

Noah moves from the end of the couch where he's being tattooed to come crouch in front of me. He takes my hands and makes me look at him.

"Focus on my voice. Focus on my eyes. Focus on me, okay?" he says.

I tried but it didn't work. I begin crying and squeezing his hands.

He then stands up quickly, connecting our lips in the process. I hold my breath while we kiss but begin to kiss back softly. The room goes dead silent. We pull away and he kisses my hand.

"You are beautiful with or without your leg sweet girl. Your leg does NOT define who you are. You are not to blame for that fire. You were 10. You were curious. It happens. You are a survivor and what you're experiencing is survivor's guilt. You are beautiful. Your scars are beautiful. All of you is beautiful" Noah says.

Fuck...