Truth or Dare

Chapter 13

It’s been a few days since I’ve seen Noah. He isn’t at school and he hasn’t been over either…and it’s bothering me. I don’t know what’s bothering me more, the fact that I haven’t seen him, or the fact that I’m bothered by it. A few weeks ago and I wouldn’t have even noticed that he’s been missing. Now, I’m the stupid girl that looks up when someone walks into class late hoping I’m going to see him, going out of my way to insignificantly bring up his name at lunch to see if the other guys have any news, and even asking the receptionist in the office if she’d heard from him. What’s even worse than all of that is that I’m not the only one doing it. There has got to be a few handfuls of girls making it obvious that they’re waiting for him to start showing up again.

            This was freaking ridiculous. I am making a resolution starting now to stop caring! And I know the only reason that I care is because of that weird conversation that I overheard the other day while he was on the phone. I am so nosy that I just want to know what that was about. I bet that if I figure that out, I’ll go back to not caring. I’m making a resolution now to figure out what that call was about. Then I can finally go back to not caring about Noah Pierce, just like he doesn’t care about me.

I had to wait three more days before I even had the chance to ask him about the call. He showed up on my door step Saturday afternoon smiling like nothing was wrong.

“Long time, no see Noah,” I said when I opened the door.

“See, I told everyone you’d notice that I was gone, but no one believed me. Looks like I was right Gabrielle. I’m touched,” and just like that, with a wink and a smile, I was back to hating him just like before.

“Oh Noah, you mistake my noticing for caring, shame on you,” and I turned on my heel heading to the kitchen for a snack.

“Ouch Gabrielle!” Noah clutched his heart looking at me as I opened the door to the fridge.

“Cut to the chase Noah. Why are you here?”

“As much as you want to believe that it’s for you, I came to see your brothers.”

“No such luck Mr. Pierce. They went out of town for the long weekend. They mentioned you going with them, but no one could get ahold of you apparently,” I shrugged. I might as well do some detective work while I had him here. No sense in wasting the opportunity. I grabbed some eggs, milk, cheese, and sausage out of the fridge.

“Well, it looks like this is a wasted trip out here for me then,” he said while eying me put the sausage into a frying pan. “Unless, of course, you offered to feed me. Then, I might not feel like I wasted my time coming all the way out here.” He hinted at me as I pulled out a glass baking pan.

“Not as smooth as usual Noah. You’re losing your touch.” I said turning to the stove to fry up the sausage and make sure it crumbled just right. Then, I felt strong arms wrap around my waist, hugging me from the back.

“This touch Gabrielle?” I heard him whisper in my ear. I was starting to feel really warm, so I turned the stove down a little hoping that would help.

“Get off of me Noah, or you really won’t be able to stay for lunch” I said pushing his arms away from me. I turned around to scold him some more when I noticed he had stepped away holding his arms. “You okay?” I asked seeing a look of pain cross his face.

“I’m fine Gabrielle, just starving over here. Could it take you any longer to make me lunch?” he asked with his cocky smirk back in place, but it just didn’t quite look the same this time.

“Listen here Noah,” I said waving my spatula in his face. “If you want some of this you better behave!”

“Oh, I do want some of that Gabrielle, and I promise I’m trying to be a good boy,” he said full smirk back in place. Leave it to him, to turn anything and everything into an opportunity to get into my pants. I swear if I didn’t vow to figure out that call, he would already be out the door!