What Love Feels Like

Two | Lala

Ariella

The story of Noah and I growing up together was not that we were friends, it was that we were neighbours and both our older sisters' were friends.

Best friends actually.

And they still are.

As inseparable as they always were.

I know that because Isabella still comes over at our place and we too are also really close.
She's like my other sister.

Audrey and Isabella- Noah's sister are only 2 years older than both of us.

Which is why our mom's used to force Noah and I to 'hang out' when Isa and Audrey were hanging out.

Our 'hanging out' mostly consisted of us fighting for toys and not sharing with one another, or on a good day, building legos or Uno, which also, surprise surprise ended with us fighting each other.

Audrey was pretty bummed when her best friend moved away, and so was I.

Even though I hated Noah's guts when I was younger, he still kinda was my best friend. Basically my only one ever.

Their family didn't necessarily move so far away, they were plus minus only 10 minutes away from our home by car.

I still meet Isabella whenever she comes over, but not once did I meet or see Noah in the years after they moved.

I wouldn't admit this out loud but, I used to miss Noah. It was like I didn't have anyone to fight with for no reason anymore and I hated it even though I used to hate him.

Which was probably why I was stunned when I realized the really good looking guy, is Noah.

Noah. The guy who would race me to the car when we would go to the mall with our families because we both wanted to ride shotgun.

Noah. who would bite a whole chunk of my ice cream after he'd just finished his own.

Noah. Who would set a timer on us to do anything just to see who could finish doing it first.
Like who could build a whole set of Lego first.

He would always win.

Basically, he was an obnoxious jerk.
Yet, I still missed him.

"So, you guys never really tell us how you two know each other." Thea asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Ella, over here used to be jealous of me in everything I did, just 'cus I was faster at it." Noah says, his smile smug, recovering way faster than me from the fact that we had just met each other after years.

Normalize not being nonchalant in every situation guys, please.

Because then I feel like the one who's being dramatic.

It makes me want to punch him in his smug face.

Which proves how true his statement of me being jealous of him was.

"I was never jealous of you," I lie cooly.

"Should I get the fire extinguisher? Because your pants are on fire."

Okay, that was a good one, I'll give him that. I would laugh if someone else said it.

"I am not lying." I grit out.

I am, but I will not tell him that.

"Lies again." Noah says in a sing-song tune.

"Nuh uh." I say.