he'll never be the one (a.i)

"restrospect is everything"

• C H A P T E R • E I G H T •

"Don't you fucking go in there, girl!" As Hannah's girlfriend—Alex—yells toward the TV, Noa giggles quietly. "Fuck, man," Alex continues as she brings the blanket that she and Hannah are sharing up over her head.

"I will never get over the fact that you're such a baby about horror movies," Noa says to Alex from the opposite end of the couch. Though Alex would usually send Noa a playful glare for poking fun at her, she was far too concerned with hiding from the jumpscare that was seconds away from playing on the screen. Noa and Hannah both jump at the scare, but let out laughs once they realize they had fallen for it.

"Her tough act is all a facade," Hannah pokes fun at Alex. "I'm the tough one in the relationship. I don't have a single fear."

"Oh, please. You wish that were true," Alex bites back. "I don't like watching these dumb movies, but we both know that I'd be more useful if we were stuck in one of these fucked up scenarios."

"Hannah would die first," Noa says as a way to agree with Alex's words.

"I would not!"

"Sorry, Han. You definitely would," Noa says with a shrug just as a Hulu ad interrupts their viewing. Hannah groans in annoyance, like she always does, while Alex lets out a relieved sigh that the ads had saved her from enduring more scares for the time being. "Anyone want more popcorn?" asks Noa.

"Yes, please," Alex says as she leans forward and retrieves her empty bowl from the coffee table in front of her. Noa takes it into her hand before getting up from the couch and turning toward the kitchen. Once she gets into the kitchen, her phone dings from the pocket of the sweatpants she's currently wearing. She waits to check it until she places an unpopped bag of popcorn in the microwave.

Ash
8:47 PM

Hey you ;)

What are you up to?

As Noa reads the text, a smile forms on her face. This was one of the first times she had heard from Ashton since the day after the wedding. She had ended up staying at Ashton's place until nearly seven o'clock that day, and Alice and Hannah had conducted an almost two-hour-long interrogation once she stumbled home.

Wouldn't you like to know ;)

It's movie night

Ohh... I see

Too bad, I might have to steal you away

Is that so?

Mmmhmmmm :)

And you'll never guess who I'm with right now

You're right... I never will.

Who are you with?

Not even a guess?? so boring of you Noa

I'm with Luke and Jordan !

"Holy shit," Noa whispers to herself. Those were the two last people she would have possibly guessed. She knew Jordan lived in the area, but it wasn't something that often crossed her mind.

You should come out

And then come over ;)

"Hannah!" Noa rushes back into the living room and both Hannah and Alex are looking over the back of the couch at Noa. "Guess who Ashton's with right now."