Forever & Always

Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Noah

"Okay so we're going to that dance studio right after school correct?" Rosie twists her beautiful red hair around her finger.

"Correct. How about we take my car, I'll drive us there." She raises an eyebrow, "you're kidding right? I'm not leaving my baby here." I laugh at her, "ok then. You can take your 'baby' home and I'll pick you up at 5:00pm."

Rosie shifts in her seat and bites her lip. I got the sudden urge to kiss her. "Okay. I'll text you my address. But do me a favor and don't come out of that car." That's a weird favor to ask for, "alright. See you at 5." Rosie has another thing coming if she thinks I'm not going to try anything tonight.

Rosie

I got home and sent Noah my address. This is some messed up shit. I scroll through all of my music, already picking songs to dance to. The sooner my time with Noah ends, the better. "Hey Rosie. You wanna play wit me?" I smile at Lewis as he meets me on the living room couch. "I wish I could Lewis. But I'm heading out."

"Where are you going?" I jump. My mom's voice scares the hell out of me. "Sorry baby, I forget how easily you get scared." I stare hard at her, the nest of lies. "I'm going to do homework, with a friend." My mom's eyes widen in surprise, "who's the friend?" I hear Noah's truck as it sputters and stops outside my house. "A friend I got paired up with." I grab my stuff. "Bye mom. Be back later." I basically ran out of the house. If mom knew my 'friend' was Noah, she would make us pack up and move. Or maybe she would just kill him.

I hop into Noah's truck as he starts to drive. "So where is this place?" I check my phone, "umm about twenty minutes from the school." And twenty five minutes after passing the school, there it was. In big letters it read, Studio A Dance.

"Well, here it is." Noah leads me in. "I called earlier so our ballroom shall await us." We go up to the receptionist. "I'm Noah Casanova, I called earlier." She smiles at Noah, then at me. "Of course. Your ballroom is down the hall. You have until 8:00pm."

"Thank you." Noah smiles then takes me down the hall. He opens the door to let me in. The ballroom is big, more than enough space for us. Mirrors are all over the place so we can see ourselves dancing. "Did you think of any songs yet Noah?" He smiles, "nope."

"Okay well I've got a few. Let's start with what artist we want, that's pop. I have Demi Lovato, Frank Ocean, Justin Timberlake, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and One Republic." He raises an eyebrow, "you listen to Frank Ocean? I would never take you as a type of girl that's into that type of music." I stare at the floor, "there's a lot of things you don't know about me."

"What?" I shake my head, "nothing. Pick an artist." Noah takes my phone out of my hand, "I choose either Frank Ocean or Justin Timberlake." I smile, "well I choose Justin Timberlake."

"Alright then. What songs you got from him?" I take my phone back, "I was thinking we could do an older song from him. Either from his Justified album or his Future Sex/Love Sounds album." Noah gives me a wicked grin. "What songs do you have from his Future Sex/Love Sounds album?" I scroll through my songs. "I have Lovestone and What Goes Around Comes Around."

"I choose the second song." I smile, "okay. We should listen to the song so we can learn the beat." So we sat on the floor and listened to that song tons of times. We stood up and tried to figure out a couple moves, but only got the first twenty seconds of the song. I check my phone, 7:00PM. "Come on. I think we had enough practice for a day. Do you wanna go somewhere? I know a place that's like five minutes from here."

If it means avoiding my mom for a while more then I'd go anywhere. "Sure." Noah was right, we got there so fast. I look up, trying to find the name of the place. Family Amusement Corporation. Noah takes me in and heads toward the back, an arcade. "My mom used to always take me to an arcade back home, then we had to move. So now whenever I don't feel at home, I come here. I know how much you used to like arcades so I thought I should bring you here."

I look at all the lights, the machines, in amazement. "Are you kidding? I love arcades! How did you know I love them?"

"It's one of the many things I remember you loving back when we were little." That's right. Cassy took Noah to the arcade every weekend and Noah would invite me. "I'm sorry I don't remember." For once it actually hurts lying to his face. Noah exchanged money for tokens and handed the tokens to me. We went around and played tons of games. I went car racing, shooting baskets, did a trivia, and lastly, played air hockey. I just finished up skee ball when I checked my phone, 9:05 and a text from mom. Mom: Lewis wants you to tuck him in.

"You ready?" Noah joins my side, holding the tickets we both win. I nod. "What do you want?" Noah's seriously asking me? "Anything" so he got me anything. He settled for a big, stupid banana that costed lots of tickets. I couldn't help but laugh. "What?" Noah's smiling, it's a real, nice smile. "Out of everything you pick a banana?"

"Oh so you don't like it?" We head out towards his truck. "No I love it. Thank you." I leaned back against the passenger side door of the truck.

Noah

It's now or never. I just have to bite the bullet.

Rosie

"I had a great time tonight." Noah places his hands on the passenger door, caging me with his body. "Me too." I barely heard him whisper. He leans in. Was Noah trying to kiss me? In one swift movement, his lips meet mine. His lips tasted good, making me want more. This can't happen. I place my hands on his chest and pull back. "Noah wait. We can't do this." He looks at me, frustration at the back of his eyes. "ok." He gets in the driver's seat, hands me the banana and we drive back to my house in silence.

Noah

I can't just let her leave. Right when she reaches for the door handle, I stop her. "Rosie wait." She turns to look at me, so beautiful. "Tell me this doesn't feel right." She doesn't respond. Instead, she turns away. "That's what I thought."

"We can't do this Noah. I can't do this. Not now." But later. "Goodnight Noah. I'll see you tomorrow." And she walked in her house as I drove away. I won't loose her again. I will get her back.

Rosie

I stealthily walked into the house with the banana in my arms. I climbed up the stairs and into Lewis's race car themed room. "Hey buddy. I got you something." I hand him the banana plushie. Keeping it in my room will only make my mom suspicious. "Tank you Rosie! I love it. It's funny banana." I smile as I tuck Lewis in for bed. "Goodnight Lewis." I plant a kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight Rosie."

I lay in my own bed thinking about what happened tonight. Noah kissed me and I let him. It was the most perfect kiss. I can't fall for him again. But I can't help it if I do.