The One Night Stand That Stayed

Chapter Eight: A Much Needed Talk

A few months ago

I couldn’t believe this. Noah had been sleeping with his professor this whole time. I should have known when he was only passing one class out of the four he was taking. Noah and I hadn’t said a single word to each other since he told me. He barely was even in the apartment – only to change clothes.

I didn’t know what to do and I wasn’t really sure what was going on between us. Were we broken up? I don’t really remember us saying those specific words to each otherI guess it was something that didn’t need to be said and if Noah and I weren’t together, then there wasn’t any reason for me to be in Washington anymore.

“Jayson,” Noah said catching me completely off-guard. “What are you doing?”

“I’m packing,” I sighed as I folded my things into my suitcase. “Might as well start. Don’t worry – I’ll be out of here by the end of the month.”

“But I can’t afford this place without you,” Noah replied. “What am I supposed to tell my parents?”

“I don’t know,” I sighed. “How about the truth?”

Noah sucked his teeth, resting a hand on his hip.

“You don’t honestly think I’m going to stay here,” I huffed. “Noah – you cheated on me with your professor. What’s keeping me here? It’s over between us.”

“I thought we could at least be friends,” Noah said running his fingers through his hair. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Us as friends? Was he out of his mind? I couldn’t take this.

“Noah, I’ll stay until you figure things out,” I replied. “Sound fair?”

“Whatever Jayson,” Noah sighed. “If you want to leave, go ahead. I won’t stop you.”

“Noah,” I called out, but he was already out of the apartment. I rolled my eyes. I guess that’s how things were now. We’d argue, and then he’d run away before I could even say a thing.

I guess this was it. It was really over between us.

Present

“Jayson! What was that back there?” Zack asked sliding into my car. “You rushed out of there pretty fast.”

“It was Noah,” I sighed pulling out from the curb. “That was him on the couch.”

“Oh,” Zack replied his eyes wide. “The blonde boy? He’s hot.”

I shot daggers at Zack, as I drove him to his job. I was having a crisis here because my ex-boyfriend is back in town. All he could think about was how hot he is. He could be a little more considerate.

“He’s back early,” I sighed. “He shouldn’t have been back so soon. I don’t get it. He gets out in May.”

“Maybe he’s on break?” Zack suggested. “But anyways, Jayson, you never answered my question earlier.”

“His break already passed,” I sighed. “He better not have screwed this up. Oh my god, if he messed up his scholarship. I – I don’t even know. It’s my fault. Everything is my fault.”

“Jayson! If he fucked up his scholarship, that’s not your fault,” Zack argued. “It’s his fault. He cheated. You didn’t. You did nothing wrong. Ok? Now like I was saying - About earlier, would you want to go out some time?”

“Wait? What?” I said in confusion. “Are you honestly asking me out right now? Zack, I like you. I do but I can’t not right now. I mean there’s too much going on.”