REVAMPING | Faulted Desires: A Culpa Mía/My Fault fanfic

15 - Nick

After that awkward encounter with Noah and those guys and our small argument, I made my way toward Noah after a couple of hours.

"I'm going home. You coming?" I asked Noah.

"Jenna will give me a ride," she replied.

"Sorry, girl. I have somewhere to be. I can't take you home," Jenna said.

"Fine. Let's go then," Noah said to me. Jenna and Noah exchanged hugs as they said their goodbyes.

Noah and I walked toward the car, avoiding any glances or attempts to communicate after the earlier incident with those jerks, which only made things more uncomfortable. I got into the car, slamming the door aggressively and opening the driver and passenger windows to let the heat out. Although, I did wonder if the heat was coming from my car or from the tension between me and Noah right now.

"Aren't you even going to open the door for me?" Noah asked through the window.

"No, I'm not going to open the door for you," I replied.

Noah got into the car, slamming her door as well.

"You're going to break the fucking door," I remarked.

"So you can slam your door, but I can't slam mine?" Noah snapped back.

"It's my car, not yours, so yes, the rules are different for me, and I can slam the door if I please," I responded with malice.

"Whatever, this conversation is pointless and stupid," Noah dismissed.

The rest of the night was filled with awkward silence and uncomfortable glances, as if both of us wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.

Once we arrived back home, Rafaella and my papá greeted us with hugs and asked about the party. Noah and I glanced at each other, then looked away, synchronously saying, "It was fine." Rafaella and my papá exchanged curious looks but accepted our response.

Noah and I went straight upstairs to our rooms, slamming the doors shut behind us, clearly still aggravated by the earlier events. I walked to the wall on the opposite end of my bed and sat down against it, putting my head in my hands. I was deeply affected by this situation for reasons I couldn't fathom. The truth was, when I told Noah that I had to ensure her safety to avoid blame, and she asked if that was the only reason I cared, that wasn't entirely true. I genuinely cared, and the thought of what those guys might have done to her if I hadn't been there to protect her was unbearable. Despite everything, I cared about Noah. I fucking hated it, but I cared. I wasn't supposed to care, but I did. I had no fucking clue what was happening to me. When Noah first came here, I had no intention of getting to know her or engaging in conversation. She was simply a stranger living in my house. But now, I found myself wanting to talk to her and enjoying our conversations. I also cherished our time spent together, even though it hadn't been much. Those moments between us, when everything felt perfect, were the moments I craved, every single time.

Unable to handle my thoughts properly, I reached for a pack of cigarettes. Taking one out, I lit it up with the lighter in the back pocket of my shorts. Inhaling the smoke, I felt a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, bringing me a moment of peace.