Paparazzi || Luke Hemmings

chapter 18: Oh No-ah

•••

I fucking hated Luke Robert Hemmings.

Hated.

No, loved.

UGH.

I was currently laying in the comforting arms of my couch, listening to the harsh wrath that was my very own thoughts.

Harsh thoughts because Luke- the word tasted bitter on my tongue, Luke was marrying her.

'You should've believed what Lauren had said that day, Charlotte' my mind tells me.

I cringe, thanking back to the day that had all went down. How Lauren had proclaimed that Luke was going to 'pop the question' soon.

I guess soon is now.

Why does soon have to be now?

My phone vibrates sullenly in my grasp, and I look down to see who had texted me.

Noah: hey char, can we maybe meet up today ? Talk about what went on yesterday.

Me: ya whatever noah

I was still very upset with Noah for two upsetting reasons. One being that Luke had walked in on us, making it like I actually like Noah in that type of way.

Which I don't, not at all.

The thought is like kissing a brother, that's what kissing Noah felt like.

It was pure disgust, and I want him to never do it again. Ever.

But I do want to know why in the world he had even done it in the very first place.

Waiting upon his arrival, I decide to throw some normal clothes on, and then knot my hair into a noncaring knot at the top of my head.

I haven't cared about appearances one bit, not since seeing Luke last.

Right as I had expected him, I hear the intercom beep, signaling Noah was there.

Taking a deep breath to prepare myself, I open the door and Noah solemnly lets himself in behind me, shutting the door.

Wearing a simple black shirt and jeans, and looking nervous as ever, he sits down.

"Well out with it, Noah." I say straightforwardly, throwing my hands up in the air and then taking a seat on the couch, making sure to not get too close to him.

Fidgeting his hands around nervously, he takes a deep, shaky, breath of air in slowly.

"I-I don't know where to start, Charlotte." Noah says, glancing at the ground.

"Start from, - the beginning." I say, my mouth in a thin line.

"Well- it started back in seventh grade. It was that day that I- I started liking you. Like a lot, and from then on I knew I was hooked. I couldn't get enough. You remember that day in seventh grade right? About the shirt thing that happened with Abbey?" Noah starts, and it all comes flashing back to me, in a whirl of memories.

Seven years prior:

•

The day was Monday, and the previous Sunday my dad had forgot to take me clothes shopping, again.

I know it sounded like a bratty thing, to force your working, busy, single father to take you simple- clothes shopping.

But the truth was, I only owned three single shirts.

I didn't mind really, only having three shirts.

But the bitchy popular girls at school did.

They noticed how I would wear the same arrangement of shirts each and every week, constantly tormenting me about how I was a 'dirt bag' who belonged on the streets, alone.

It was that very Monday I had met Noah.

That morning I had woken up, going over to my practically bare dresser drawer, and putting on my plain black  T-shirt that I had had forever now.

I pulled it on over my head, admiring the scent of my mother's laundry detergent.

After she had passed, my dad always bought the same laundry detergent my mother had boughten, and it was almost- soothing in a way.

I had put on the shirt, along with other clothing necessities.

It was later at school that day, in the cafeteria, when it had happened.

I was walking through the lunch room, about to go to the library, where I went as soon as the teacher had left us kids alone in the cafeteria.

On my way there, the queen of school, Abbey Galing, shoved me.

Backing up and away from her, I continued on my way, not thinking much of it.

Until she made a huge production, exclaiming loudly,

"Oh my god, you guys, Charlotte stinks!"

It was then when I stood up to her, going directly in front of her prissy glossed-up face, saying,

"I fucking use the washing machine."

And walking away.

Walking away, straight into Noah, who had a stunned look on his features, because I had stuck up to Abbey.

Ever since then we'd been best of friends.

•

"You've liked me since the day you met me!?" I exclaim, wondering how in the world I didn't know this by now.

"Yeah," Noah's face turns red.

"I'm sorry Noah," I say, leaning forward and hugging him lightly.

"But I don't like you back."

ugh this story is slowly and slowly becoming a big piece of shit.

vote :(

-H