n y c t o p h i☽ i a

| s i x t e e n |

"Did I not make myself
clear the last time you were
in here Mr. Dun?" Mrs. Parrish
raised her eyebrows at me.

"Yes ma'am, perfectly clear.
However I did not come back
for your daughter.
I came back to be the best man
at my best friend's wedding in
which your daughter also
attended." I squirmed around,
still in the grasp of the two men
who had actually handcuffed me.

"So why did I just catch you
in Noah's room?" she asked
unamused with her legs crossed.

"Because... I just-"

"Exactly.
Listen, we warned you that
their would be consequences.
We are going to-"

"You're not going to do
anything to him!" Noah
stormed in and cut her
mother off.

"Noah, go back to your
room, now." Mrs. Parrish
stood up and gave a her
a cold glare.
Noah approached her mother's
desk and slammed down
a piece of paper with a signature
all the way at the bottom.

"Touch him and I run this
company to the ground."
Noah gave the same cold
stare and flared her nostrils.
Mrs. Parrish stood there
with wide eyes, taking flickers
at the paper and then back
at her daughter.

"You're bluffing."

"I own the family company
now and you know I can
take it down just like that.
I will ruin you." Noah threatened.
Mrs. Parrish clenched her
jaw and let out a sigh of defeat.

"Fine." she said, annoyed.

"You're going to take the
handcuffs off and let him
leave here in peace.
He'll go back to wherever
you sent him to in the first
place and you will never, ever
threaten him again." Noah's
voice cracked when she
mentioned me having to go
back home, far away from her.

"Release him." Mrs. Parrish
ordered the two scary men.

"But remember Mr. Dun,
don't you dare come back.
My daughter won't always
be here to save you."

"I said don't fucking
threaten him." Noah spat.

"Come on." she interlaced
her fingers in mine and led
us out of the office.
I looked at her as she continued
to walk us down the halls.
Tears were now streaming
down her face but she was
silent about it.

"Noah-

"You have to go home Josh.
I can only stop her from doing
so much and if I really let the
business down, who knows
what she'll do." she was
sobbing now to the point of
hyperventilation.

"Noah, calm down." I held
her up when she tried to drop
to her knees just to breathe.
She held her chest in pain.

"Noah, please baby breathe."

"I-I don't want to l-lose you
again Josh." she pulled on
my jacket and cried into my
now tear stained chest.
This brought back memories
of the party where she clung
onto me for the first time.

"No matter what Noah, I
love you ok?
I am in love with you and
I have never known the
feeling until I met you.
Things are going to work
out, whether that leaves me
in the picture or not, you're
going to be ok?" I cupped
her face and wiped her tears.

"I did so bad when you weren't
here Josh, so bad.
When you came back, I
straightened myself up so you
wouldn't be disappointed
and because I myself was
ashamed of who I had become.
It's just not fair!" she cried.

"I know.
Just come here." I picked
her up bridal styled and
took her to her room.
I kicked off my shoes and
just laid in bed with her,
running my hands through
her hair and holding her as
close to me as I could.

"You should go." she sighed.

"What?"

"I told my mom to let you
leave in peace and I don't
want to cross the line.
I promise I'll go see you
later or tomorrow but I
can't risk having you here
as much as I want to."

"Yeah you're right.
I'll text you."

"Ok." she rolled off the bed
the opposite way as I did and
stood next to me as I pulled
my shoes on.
Once I got up, she tippy toed
to drape her arms over my
shoulders and kissed me.

"I'll see you." she gave me a
sad side smile.

"Yeah." I whispered.
I kissed her forehead and
walked around her, out her
bedroom door, and all the
way to the front where I
came in from.

I decided I wouldn't bother
Tyler and just walk it home.
On the way there, I saw couples
holding hands and kissing on
benches which only made me
feel worse than I already did.
I finally got home and just
three myself on the couch.

"Hey man, how'd it go?"
Tyler walked in with a can
of Red Bull in his hand.

"Terrible."

"What happened?

"Her mom caught me, and
some two guys handcuffed me.
Noah convinced her mom to
let me go, but now, we're
kind of completely screwed."

"What is up with that lady?"

"I don't know, but now I have
to leave." I sighed.

"I'm so sorry Josh.
I know how much you
tried, but maybe it
really is for the best."

Tyler was lying though.
He could tell that the love
Josh and Noah had for each
other was like something
you'd see in a book or a movie.
A messed up, crazy one, but
still wonderfully consuming.
He knew Josh, and he knew
this would leave him with
an aching heart for a long time.
And that's what hurt Tyler
the most, above all.
Not the fact that he was losing
Josh too because he knew
what Josh was losing was much
greater than the both of them.

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