STRAWBERRIES × CIGERETTES

Chapter 3 | Noah

"Alright Boys! Pack up now." The coach yelled.

We all ran to the benches and sat down drinking water and taking off our gears.

I went to the changing room and went to shower. After I was done, I put on my Boston hoodie and my black shorts and shoes.

I ruffled my hair, making them dry.

"Yo anyone wants coke?" Ryan asked.

"Me" I said.

"Me too !" Matt yelled struggling to put on his shirt.

"Dude how'd you even manage to make Jenna your girlfriend?" Kolen asked.

"Dude, she's in love with me" Matt smirked making us all roll our eyes.

"Just get the coke Kolen!" Matt yelled.

"Fine grumpy! Meet me by Noah's car." He exclaimed, stomping outside.

We all laughed, walking out the changing room.

" Jenna didn't come to see you practice today? " I asked.

Me, Ryan, Kolen and Matt were best buddies since middle school. We were mostly known as those bad boys who party around and make out with girls. Well we did party around but Kolen was the only one who made out with girls. He had a different girlfriend every two weeks.

I never knew that many girls even existed in high school. Matt and Jenna met in the starting year of college. It was summer break right now and only a week was left for it to get over. Today was our last practice and I was glad.

"Nah man, she said she has her relatives at home" he groaned.

"Hi! Is Kolen here?" A girl just popped out in front of us from nowhere.

"Who are you ?" Ryan asked.

"Oh I'm Carrie, Kolen and I have been dating for two weeks now.. but he isn't responding, do you know where he is ? "

We three looked at each other. This chick is definitely over from Kolen's side. You see Kolen never dates a girl more than two weeks. Ryan was like this too but he stopped. Thank God.

"He may be near the vending machines" Ryan replied. I bit back my laugh as I knew what he was doing. Good luck Kolen.

"Oh thanks !" She said running towards the machines. As soon as she left we all burst into laughter.

"Bro Kolen's dead !" Matt laughed.

"He deserves it, he just won't stop!" I said, trying to control my laugh. I failed.

"Oh god. Let's go" Ryan said as he finally stopped laughing.

We walked towards my car. It was a white Range Rover.

We stood there waiting while on our phones. Matt was on call with Jenna and me and Ryan were just talking.

"There's a party tonight, wanna go? " He asked.

"Whose hosting?"

"I don't know, Marina I guess" I rolled my eyes.

Marina Haaz was the popular slutty girl. She just practically wanted to have sex with all the rich and handsome looking guys.

"I'm out!" I said,surrendering.

"Ha, she is legit after you dude." He laughed. I smacked his arm.

"Shut it. She's the most annoying alien ever" I said groaning.

" What's taking that boy so long " Matt groaned as he put his phone in his pocket.

" Aarghhh, I'm never dating again! " Kolen came yelling at basically no one.

"You say that every time" Matt said as he caught the coke Kolen threw at him.

"I swear to god. She's impossible!" Kolen said.

I took my coke and gulped half of it.

"Let's go ?" Ryan asked and we all nodded.

We sat in my car. I was driving, Ryan was beside me and Matt and Kolen just talked about their girlfriends.

Annoying.

I had dropped Matt and Kolen and now headed towards my house.

As I parked the car in my driveway and got out, I looked at the house beside mine.

"Noah, you always look at her house." Ryan said, keeping his hand on my shoulder.

"I don't know man, she promised " I groaned.

"Let's walk?"

I nodded and we walked to the park nearby. It was 11 in the morning and it was a windy weather. Good for a walk.

As we walked, I was lost in my thoughts.

After Emily left, I was back to my sad and alone phase. Before I met Emily, I was always alone and lonely. I never really made any friends and talked to anyone. It was always me and my grandma who still visits during Christmas.

After Emily happened, I finally made a friend. She was my comfort zone. I loved her reaction whenever I annoyed her but at the same time seeing her all sad made me uncomfortable.

After she left New York, I felt lonely all again. It was like I was missing a peice of me. There was a hole in my heart which no matter what I did, it never filled.

I had gotten in the habit of smoking. It made me calm my nerves down. I wasn't addicted, I only did it when I thought about her.

She must have all changed now. Her personality and her looks.

A small part of me always waited for her to come back. I missed her.

Thinking about her I absentmindedly took out a Cigerette and lit it up.

"Noah, you gotta stop, it's morning." Ryan groaned.

I shrugged. Making him roll his eyes.

"Will you stop being so depressed all the time. You got us and your parents, stop walking around like your world has ended."

"It has Ryan. I miss her like hell. The most annoying thing is I can clearly see that empty room of hers through my bedroom balcony. My world has indeed ended, the world in which I had her." I said throwing the cigarette and messing my hair.

"What if she comes, you never know. Just stop whining, have faith"

" You always talk about her, what did she look like? " he continued. I smiled at that question as I imagined her.

" She had long wavy black hair. Her eyes were brown and her nose was the cutest nose ever" Ryan chuckled earning a glare from me.

" She had red chubby cheeks and pink lips."

" You sound like a Lovestruck Boy! It doesn't suit your bad boy vibes man! " Ryan laughed.

" Oh shut up ! " I said putting my hands in my hoodie pockets.

We took a U turn and walked back towards our house. Ryan only lived two blocks away from my house. We'd probably spent time in my house though.

" Damn I don't wanna go to College " I groaned.

" Haa look whose talking ! Sounds funny hearing it from a topper " Ryan let out scoff.

You heard it right so to conclude I was a football player, a topper, a bad boy - as they all say- and a player - which I'm not!

It's always been my dream to be in the NFL and I'll do anything to make it true. I was surprised when my parents agreed with me playing football even though my dad was a buisness man. I expected him to force me to run his company but he didn't and I was really lucky to have them.