If I'm There - A Noah Sebastian Story

Chapter Nineteen - A Decision Was Made

KAT'S POV
Silence. That's all I've gotten from Chris over the past two months that I've been on the road with Noah. I had unknowingly distanced myself, and I wasn't sure if it was because I felt smothered or because I wasn't sure what I wanted. Chris, or Noah. It was probably a blessing that Chris hadn't said a word to any of us. Noah wrote it off as he's a busy man, with lots of projects. He didn't know what was actually happening.
That combined with the twisted feeling in my gut that something terrible was in the works, I couldn't even stomach watching the guys eat breakfast.

"Kit Kat, you gotta eat something," Noah urged as I sipped my coffee at breakfast. I couldn't even stomach my coffee, much less the thought of food.
I pushed the plate that had a blueberry muffin towards Jolly, who joyfully accepted the offering.
"I'm not all that hungry." Noah sighed and his shoulders fell. Defeat came across his face.
Between my life being rudely interrupted by a psychopath, and being caught in a terrible love triangle it felt like there was a lot on my plate. Too much on my plate.  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I looked down at it. Part of me was glad to see Chris' name come across, the other part of me was troubled.
Kat, I need to talk to you. I'm sorry.
I hesitated at the message, then swiped it away. Noah noted my puzzled expression as I thought up a response, but came up blank.

"Everything okay, babe?" He asked. I nodded, deciding to just brush it off for the time being.

However, as I laid in bed that night my phone repeatedly buzzed. Notification after notification. Text after text. Noah snored, the people in the room next to us were screaming and moaning. My eye was going to start twitching soon. From lack of sleep and from being annoyed. So, I got up and went downstairs to the lobby of the hotel. I sat down at the bar, and got a drink.

"Something bugging you?" Nick asked as he sat down next to me. I looked at my phone. It was 1am. "I can never sleep after shows," he explained.  

"Can't say I blame you. That's a lot of adrenaline." Nick just smiled, then smashed the lime into my beer bottle for me. 

"What's going on, Kat?" He pushed. I shrugged and shook my head.

"You know what's happening. I'm being stalked and threatened—"

"No, not that. I know that. I mean, why is Chris constantly calling you?" My heart picked up. "Look, Kat, Noah is in this for the long haul. I have never seen him look at any woman the way he looks at you. To him, you're the only person in the room. Tonight, when he looked over at you and saw you smiling and having fun, it was like the weight and stress of being on stage slid off." Nick took a sip of his drink, pulled out some money for the bartender, then stood up. "You're his whole world. Just think about that. Relax, and know that you have someone who will always be on your side, and defend you even when you're wrong." Nick then wandered off, leaving me with my thoughts.
He was right, Noah was always on my side. No matter the situation. I mean, most people by now would have said I was out of luck, that I was on my own. But Noah was willing to take a bullet, even two, for me. He was willing to dish out the extra money to bring me along and pay for extra security. He was willing to keep me safe, no matter the risk. No matter the cost. 

"Where did you run off to? Was anyone with you? Are you okay?" Noah hounded me with questions the moment I got into the room. "I was about to panic and call security. Nick said he saw you at the bar and—" all I wanted to do was hug him, feel his arms around me. I jumped into his arms, feeling the closest to him than I had been in weeks. Noah buried his face into my hair, holding me tight against him. "I'm just glad you're okay," he said softly. "Now, do you want to tell me what's been going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Did I? Should I? Would he be mad? Irate? He'd for sure be stumped. But I knew my decision, I was confident in my choice. My heart laid in his hands. So, I told him. Everything.

"Chris had begged me to consider him, to think about choosing him—"

"Of course he did," Noah interrupted.

"But I know what I want." Noah smiled softly and sat down on the edge of the bed, then pulled me onto his lap.

"A normal life where you aren't being hunted down by a psychopath?" He said, making a joke of our current and unfortunate situation.

"Well, yes, that, too," I said, "but I want you. I want everything that comes with that. The trauma, the good days, the bad days. Bad and ugly. Terrible decisions, horrible haircuts. Rainy days where I lay on the couch with you reading a book while you watch TV. I want the fun days, the boring days, the concert days. All of it." Noah pushed some stray hair out of my face, then cupped my pale cheek softly in his hand.

"You, Ms. Walker, are the most extraordinary creature in this universe. And to have you choose me for your life partner is nothing but the highest honor."
~~~~~~~~

As I sat on a table next to the stage I watched the set for the millionth time, but I never got tired of watching him. Never got tired of the set. It was honestly my favorite part of being on tour with them. Th only thing that would make it better would be if I could get down into the crowd, but Noah wasn't going to let that pass. Not right now anyways, but once things settled down we discussed me being able to get in the crowd. 

"Ms. Walker," I heard one of the security guards say. I turned to face him, and his face was grim. "I need you to follow me, and listen closely to everything I tell you to do."