The One Who Left | In Progress

{ Ch. 12 }

It's been a few days since Noah found me on his porch, shivering and cold. He literally held my hand and comforted me for that whole night. I had never seen him so... not stoic.
It was refreshing. I definitely liked it. "You ready?" Those two seemingly meaningless words stir a well of butterflies inside me. Ever since the beach couldn't help but think my feelings were more than just one sided. He gave you a freaking forehead kiss, your feelings are definitely not one sided.

Everything Noah says seems to always have a double meaning. Are you ready for school? Are ready to face the hordes of people? Are you ready to see Maddison?
Noah and I have come to an agreement. I'll stay at his house until I recovered from that whole Father mishap. But I'm still going to Rey's sleepover tomorrow.

I don't know why Noah's humoring me, letting me do my own thing, maybe because of the beach conversation or because he wants something else from me. I honestly have no clue, but whatever it was I'm grateful. Not that I'd say any of it aloud though. I said thank you and sorry to him more times than I could count this weekend - I might be homeless for now but I haven't fallen so far as to thank someone for being a decent person... again. I scoff, as if I remember how to be one.

I'm selfish and hopefully I'll stay selfish. Selfish is good - it means I don't get hurt. But the people around you do. I've tried for so long to stay away from getting emotionally attached and I'll be damned to let it ever happen again. Like what happened to your mother Delilah. Ignorance was not bliss. I would really have wanted to know about what Wyatt knew.  Then at least I could've done something. But whayever it was, Wolfe was somehow in the middle of it. I have years of blackmail on Wolfe - but not enough to keep him out of our lives. He'd just make bail again and I need something permanent.
"I'm ready." I say semi-confident.
He unlocks the car doors and I graciously slide into the seat. Noah doesn't talk much. I've debated the fact that he might be shy or mute but neither theory works so aloof will have to work for now.

Rihanna blares over the speakers. "Thanks for letting me stay at yours for the weekend." I say and he shrugs. "There's more than enough space in the house." "Will you stop, I'm trying to be nice." I roll my eyes for the hundredth time and the beginnings of a smile hints in his face and momentarily blasts me away.

He never wears true emotion besides smug satisfaction, impassivity and more anger. This was a good development. "Stay until you find yourself a place Della." He smirks.
"How many times do I have to tell you, don't call me Della!" I say contempt in my voice as he languidly drives us to school. "It's either Della or sweetheart so choose." He says mild amusement filtering through his rough timbre of a voice.

I say nothing, staring out of the window and that stupid sexual tension befalls us. Trust me when I say it's always been there, but since the stupid evening on the beach my whole 'eye contact and no touching' tactic hasn't been working. I mean can you really even avoid someone you're constantly around?

We pull up in front of the school late. The school is deserted and I know in that moment I'll probably get detention today. "We can leave anytime now sweetheart." Noah's voice rings out snapping me out of my thoughts. "Um - Yeah, sure. Let's go." I get out of the car knowing we were completely late but neither of us caring about it.

I reach my class in a daze, the morning utterly hazy and vague at best. I move in the flow, go to class, do work and repeat. I sigh as the bell rings for lunch. The one thing I've been avoiding all day. I take a seat at an empty table, still avoiding Morgan. I accidentally left my phone on speaker when Lloyd was over and he heard their whole debate about whether or not Morgan should make a move about Lloyd. He responded and now Morgan was giving me the cold shoulder.

"Miss me Dellie?" I whip my head in the direction of the voice and Kael grins at me and I beam at him. "Of course El." I hug him and he engulfs me with that smell of his. Apple and cinnamon. Like the crumble Mom used to make.