Love & Carnage✗Noah Foster [2]

Chapter Forty-Six// Piper's Doll

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"It's a terrible movie, but one hell of a sex scene."

--Noah Foster

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It's not that bad, Arielle. It's really not. I told myself. I slid up the radiator, gripping my stomach. The police had said they'd be here shortly. Yeah, I bet.

I gasped as the pain hit, just as I stood up. Why is it always me? God. I rushed towards the doorway, and peeked out, seeing nothing. "You can make her death easy or hard?" I heard Kieran's loud voice. "Audrey!" I grunted, quickly hobbling out of the room, following his voice. "You know, she's probably already gone!" Audrey screamed at him. "You already lost, Emma!"

"Don't give him what he wants! Get out of here!" Audrey yelled. I neared them now. I knew because I heard his voice in barely a whisper. I peeked around the corner, seeing that he was close in Audrey's face. "Don't think I won't end you right now! I'm done with you! You're trash."

That's when Emma's voice rang out. "Looks like you're gonna need her until you find me."

"Stop being stupid, Emma! If you go, at least one of us lives!" Audrey shouted back. I rounded the corner just as Kieran made his way with Audrey. I heard a grunt come from Audrey. I followed them for a while, before I had to stop because of the pain. That's when I heard a huge crash. I stood up immediately, and even though it hurt, I rushed to see what had happened. I walked right into the middle of it all. The gun was at my feet, and I didn't hesitate to pick it up. Kieran came out of nowhere, coming out of the wreckage of the fallen bookshelf. "Arielle!" He lunged towards me, and I shot. I shot him. Right in the thigh. "I was NOT Piper's doll! I am not your doll! You don't get to play with me!" I screamed at him. "You don't get to play with me--and put me back in the box when you're done! But guess what? You were---and you still are Piper's doll." I shot him once again. "Arielle!" Emma, also, came out of nowhere, grabbing the gun from me, shooting at him. He ducked, the bullet missing him. "How does it feel to be helpless?!" Emma called to him, pulling me behind another bookshelf with her. "How does it feel to be hunted?" Emma shoot at him again, missing on purpose. Then we came out from behind the bookshelf to see him, being forced against a pole. Behind him, I saw Audrey whipping the chain around. "Wondering when it's gonna end?" Emma pointed the gun at Kieran, as he pointed his knife at her. Audrey grunted before pulling the chain around Kieran's neck, pulling him to the pole. Kieran stopped it with his hand. "Okay... so how're we gonna end this game?" Emma taunted him. "Shoot him, Emma! He deserves it!" Audrey urged her. I nodded, panting, putting my hands on my knees. "Yeah, come on! You're a killer. Do it. Shoot me!" Kieran teased, as Audrey pulled him against the pole more. "I get to choose..." Emma pressed the gun against Kieran's forehead. "How you're gonna die." There was silence after that. And then Emma spoke again. "And you're not." She pulled away from him. "Not today. You're gonna rot in prison. Because you lost at your own sick game." Emma said. There was banging on the door. "Sheriff's department!" Acosta screamed, bursting in. Emma put her hands in the air, dropping the gun, and Audrey released Kieran. And me? I dropped to the ground, but not before I heard Emma call my name.

• • •

I woke up to see that I was moving...? I looked around and tried to move, only to realize that it hurt.

"Arielle, stay still. You're gonna be fine." I looked up to see Audrey and Noah beside each other, walking fast beside me. Audrey held my hand, and Noah put his hand on my forehead, soothing me.

"And we'll be here when you wake up." Audrey promised. I nodded. "Bullet wound." The doctor told. It was the same doctor from earlier. I was alive? That was a relief.

My eyes opened and I saw Noah. His green eyes bored into mine. I smiled suddenly. I turned my head to see Audrey, also. "Oh, thank God!" She said. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. They both sat on either side of my bed. "Your mom and Kat are in the cafeteria." Noah informed. "Please tell me I was dreaming and I just fell down a bunch of stairs?" I asked them, hopeful. "Yeah, I wish that happened." Audrey scoffed. "So... Kieran's the killer?" I whispered. They both nodded. I burst into a grin. I TOLD YA, I TOLD YA!" I began to do a little dance, then I stopped, as it hurt my abdomen. "You never said anything about it being Kieran!" Noah laughed. "I told Emma earlier, and I..." I paused. "I believed Eli." I said in barely a whisper. "And he's dead... because Emma didn't listen to me." I whispered. "Hey, she's been through a lot. Maybe... let this one slide?" Audrey suggested. "She was very distracted and scared. " I nodded at her words. "Did I really shoot Kieran?" I began to smile again. Audrey and Noah smiled, too. "Yeah. You were totally badass." Audrey joked. "I totally was." I laughed. Audrey's phone rang, and she stood up. "I'm gonna get this." Audrey said. She walked towards the door, and closed it behind her. I looked at Noah. "Hey." I whispered to him. "Hi." He said back. "Are you okay?" I asked him. He laughed. "You were shot, and you almost died and you're asking if I'm alright?"

"Yeah...?" I mumbled. His smile made my heart melt. And the words came barreling out. "Noah, when I thought you were going to die... when you were buried alive... I felt... I felt like the entire world was coming down around me. Like I couldn't... breathe." I whispered to him. Noah frowned. "Ari--"

"No, Noah, let me finish, because if I don't say this now, I don't think I ever will." I rushed out. Tears stung my eyes, making me wipe them away. Noah nodded. "And, Noah! I--I can't breathe. Ever since I lost you, I cannot breathe. It is like there is something pushing down on my lungs. Do... you remember when we were dating, you would..." I trailed off, and licked my lips. "You would come and get me last period, and we would go to the comic book store?" I watched as Noah nodded slightly. "I would watch the clock until class ended. Because I couldn't wait to be with you! I didn't know it then. But I know it now. You may think it's too late, but I'm going to say it anyways." I stepped closer to him. "I love you, Noah Foster." He was silent. "And I will wait for you. If you... if you're not ready for another relationship, I will wait." I concluded. He didn't say anything. He watched me, and it made me nervous. "Noah, say something--"

I was cut off when he pressed his lips against mine. I slowly closed my eyes and kissed him back. "I don't want you to wait, Arielle." He told me. He pulled away from me and we just sat there smiling at each other. "Hey, we brought her a scone. I'm not sure if she can actually eat it--" Katherine stopped talking, as she saw that I was awake. "AHH!" She screamed, rushing towards me, engulfing me in a hug. Noah moved out of the way. He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm gonna go check on Emma." He whispered. I nodded, hugging my sister back.

• • •

"Well, it's three months later, and Lakewood's survived another mass murderer. It turns out, Piper did have an accomplice. Go figure. I was right all along."

"HEY! So, was I!" I interrupted him, plopping down on his lap. "Yes, Arielle was right, too." Noah added, rolling his eyes playfully at me. He turned back to his microphone, smiling from ear to ear. "But none of us saw this killer coming, and believe me, it cuts deep. After a betrayal like that, can you ever really learn to trust again? Maybe the best way to move forward is to put it all behind us, if we can. Brandon James, Piper Shaw, Kieran Wilcox all wanted revenge, and maybe that's the end of the chain. Maybe this was the last dangling thread. Maybe there are no more to pull. Maybe things really are back to normal. Or maybe, Lakewood, you'll always be Murderville. Only time will tell." Noah concluded, trying to sound creepy. He ended the podcast, and turned to me. "You do that a lot." He told me. "What?" I whispered. "Interrupt my podcast." He laughed. "Oh, did you want me to stop?" I laughed, kissing his nose. "No, because if you didn't, then people wouldn't believe me when I tell them I'm actually dating you."

"Hmm, just tell them you wore me down, and I gave in." I giggled. "That would work." He hummed. "It's totally what happened, dummy."

"No, I believe you fell for my charm, and it went on from there." Noah suggested. "I believe you're delusional." I tapped his nose. "I believe you love me." He scoffed. "That, I do." I laughed, pressing my lips to his.

A/N, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ. I LOVE YOU ALL! To answer everyone's question. Yes, I will be doing the Halloween thingy. PROMISE. PCE!