A Cheers to the Life You Don't Get to Choose //Noah Sebastian

XI

They say you have three loves in your life. It's called The 3 Loves Theory. All powerful loves, all different, but they say the third one is supposed to be the strongest..

The first love, the intense love, the unconditional love.

I say this is all bullshit.

I've had three loves in my lifetime, but nothing like the one that I've been running away from. That scares me.

"Wait - Will! Please come back!!" I call as he makes his way down the driveway. The party is starting to take notice of our disruption.

"What more is there to say, Avery?" He turns around and throws his arms up.

"I love you, Will." I shout back at him and he walks back towards me and cups my cheek.

"I know you do, but you don't love me like you love him. You don't love me the way I love you. You are only kidding yourself, Avery. You want to love me, and maybe you really do, but I am never going to be anything compared to him in your eyes."

I look at him in astonishment as I take in his words and a tear slips down my cheek. He kisses my forehead and heads toward his car leaving me to my own devices with the rest of the crowd watching. "Will!"

I push past the group of people all trying to call my name and talk to me. I just need to get to my room and be alone. I slam the door and crawl in bed, shoving my airpods in my ears to drown out my own thoughts.

I don't hear the knock on my door over the music and see the door creak open slowly followed by Nadia and Spencer's heads poking in the room. Usually I would protest and tell them to get out, but it's Nadia and Spencer we're talking about. I sit up and scoot over so they can join me on either side. He takes one of the airpods out of my ear and puts it into his own.

"Everyone is worried about you, especially Noah." Nadia spoke first. "I had to fight him so he wouldn't come in here."

"Knocked Loose kind of moment, huh?" Spencer chuckles and I nod bringing my knees up to my chest.

"How many people heard, Nad?" I mumble.

"Honestly, Avey? I think everyone. You should probably talk to him soon." She takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze.

I should've known it was always going to be him, together or not.

"I can't do that tonight, Nad. I've got to check on Sloane." I wipe my tears and leave the room to Sloane's for my escape. Of course Noah has beat me to it.

"Hey." Noah flashes his bright smile towards me. He's sitting next to Sloane's toddler bed and I return a smile at the sight of her sound asleep.

"Can you believe we created her?" He softly asks me as I sit beside him on the rug. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, admiring our sleeping daughter.

"Goodnight, Noah." I push myself off of the floor and lightly touch his shoulder on my way out of the room. Before my hand trails away from his shoulder, his hand meets mine for a second sending shock waves through my whole body. I decide not to join the party again and just go to bed.

I think Will was right.

-

The next morning I am definitely feeling my head pounding. I stretch and put on some Bad Omens sweatpants and a black sports bra and make my way downstairs after getting Sloane out of bed. Patrick and Joe are passed out on the couch and Ricky is on the floor, Jolly and Ruff are snuggling on the love seat which I find hilarious and definitely get a few pictures with my camera. Spencer and Nadia must be in one of the guest rooms and I have no idea where Noah is. I start doing some dishes so I can get coffee and breakfast started for everyone.