Don't Try the Noodles

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Caleb

There's an alleyway next to the entrance of our studio. It's dark, deserted, and smells like a downgraded version of the city. It is the perfect kind of place for people to get chased down by serial killers at night. Or conversely, for lovers to hide out in after a climactic moment.

It's always raining heavily in romance movie scenes like those for some reason. And the two people are usually in the middle of a passionate kiss. Surprisingly, one of those two previous statements holds true for me.

It's very sunny today, by the way. Not a single storm cloud to be seen.

Out of all the band members, I feel the guiltiest thinking about Aiden. He had driven me to the restaurant and helped me gain the courage to see her again. He had given me hope.

I still have nothing for him when it comes to explaining my actions on Monday. That's why I've been coming to practice the latest out of everyone for the rest of the week in order to avoid any chances of being alone with Aiden and having to talk about it. A childish act of avoiding the inevitable, I know. I can simply tell him that I've moved on. But that'll end up being another awful lie added to the list. Carrying one is heavy as it is.

I've screwed up. I deserve whatever comes at me. Every single damn thing.

Even Mallory making out with me in this sketchy alleyway.

"We should go now," I say. "I'm already late as it is."

Mallory tugs me by the back of my t-shirt. "I'm not."

"Well, you're not exactly a part of the band."

"Hey! Let's go together, Caleb!"

I quicken my pace away from her. I have no right to be acting so coldly towards her after what we've just done. It's that I'm so frustrated, and this frustration is building up by the day. I needed an outlet for it.

For some stupid reason, I thought letting Mallory kiss me would make things a little better. It didn't, of course. If anything, I'm only further tangled on this line between feeling nothing and feeling everything.

"About time you came," Aiden says with an annoyed sigh.

Roy whistles. "Look at you two, arriving late together!"

"We just met at the entrance," Mallory explains, although her satisfied smile is too obvious.

I ignore her and immediately start setting up my guitar. "I'm really sorry, guys."

"Save it," Aiden says through the microphone. "Seriously, you've been apologizing more than Noah this week."

Roy laughs. I look at Noah who can't seem to look at me. Mallory's looking at me though. It's unsettling. Thankfully, I have practice to keep me distracted from her for the next few hours.

Whether we're all ready or not, Roy's done waiting. He has his drumsticks up to count in our first song for the day. "1! 2! 3! 4!"

***

"Alright, let's take a short break," Aiden says.

I can sense Mallory getting up from the couch to approach me. But before she can call out to me, I call out to the one person she never seems to talk to in the studio.

"Noah, hey!"

"Oh, um, hi." He appears paler than usual, almost like he'll faint any second. "W...What's up?"

I pull him more towards his safe corner of the room. It's sad that even though he's my bandmate, I really only have one reason to casually start a conversation with him. "So, I was wondering if you need my help with anything yet. Have you made any progress?"

Noah looks noticeably uncomfortable, which is saying something because he almost always looks uncomfortable. "About that..."

I wait in the midst of his long pause. I try to follow his line of sight, but it's just vaguely at the opposite side of the room where everyone else is.

"Caleb, um, I've decided to give up."

"What? Why?"

He shakes his head. "It'll never work out anyway."

"But you haven't even tried."

"I know it won't...But thanks for offering to help—" He gulps. "I'm going to go to the restroom before we start again."

Noah hurries off, and I take a moment to sit alone on his spot on the floor. The things he has said echoes in my thoughts. Our entire conversation does. But his voice soon fades into the background, leaving only the voice in my head.

It'll never work out anyway...

...But you haven't even tried.

I stare at Mallory, focusing on the parts of her that remind me of Bailey. It's strange how two people's lips can appear so similar but give off completely different vibes. Unfortunately, I already know too well what Mallory's lips feel like.

If only she could ever want to kiss me too.