Falling for the Bad Brother//A Noah Flynn Story

Chapter 3

Noah's POV

After Ashley left, I stood there frozen, staring at Sarah, my mind racing with regret and confusion.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I came to see you," she said softly, stepping closer. "Babe, I'm sorry we argued. I still love you."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Sarah, we're done. You were the one who broke up with me."

She waved her hand dismissively, her voice turning sweet and persuasive. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Let's not talk about that. I came over because I wanted to make it up to you."

Before I could respond, she sat on my bed, looking up at me with those eyes that used to pull me in. Reluctantly, I sat down next to her. My phone buzzed, but before I could reach for it, Sarah's lips crashed onto mine, desperate and sloppy. She moved onto my lap, her hands tugging at my hair.

"Ahhh, Sarahhh," I groaned, gently pushing her off.

Her breath hitched, and she pulled back, her eyes narrowing. "Noah?"

"Listen, I don't want this. Okay? You need to leave," I said firmly, running my hand through my hair.

She huffed, her voice sulky. "Noah, you don't really mean that."

"Yes, I do," I said, my voice rising. "Please, just leave."

Before she could say another word, Lee stormed in, his face flushed with anger.

"You have a girlfriend?" he yelled. "Are you out of your damn mind? Ashley is head over heels for you, and you do this?"

"Lee, it's not what it looks like," I tried to explain, but he wasn't having it.

"It looks exactly like what it seems, Noah!" His voice dropped into a steely quiet. "Sarah, get out of this house and never come back."

Sarah shot me a cold look, muttered something under her breath, and stormed out, her heels echoing down the hallway.

Lee turned to me, his voice filled with frustration but also something else—disappointment. "Listen, bro, Ashley really likes you. She's scared that if she lets you in, you'll hurt her. And now Elle just called me, saying Ashley's crying her eyes out on her bed."

I walked to the window, staring out at nothing, the weight of his words crushing me. "I never wanted to hurt her. Sarah came here trying to get me back, even though she dumped me. But I don't care about her anymore. I don't want Sarah. I want Ashley."

The words poured out of me like fire, burning through all the confusion and guilt. I finally knew what I wanted. I just didn't know how to fix it.

"I want to love her," I continued, turning back to face Lee. "I want to be the one she trusts, the one she turns to when she's upset. But how can she ever do that when I keep messing up? Every time I get the chance to be with her, I ruin it."

Lee crossed his arms, nodding slowly. "Okay, just calm down. I'll call her."

But I couldn't calm down. The guilt was too much, the regret too heavy. "God, I regret everything. Why do I always have to ruin things? I ruined things with Elle, and now I'm ruining everything with Ashley."

I couldn't take it anymore. The frustration and anger at myself boiled over, and I stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

I needed to make this right, but I had no idea where to start.

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Ashley's POV

When Noah walked in, I couldn't help but frown. His hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions, and his eyes were red, like he hadn't slept. The room looked like a hurricane had torn through it—chairs were knocked over, and things were scattered everywhere.

"Ashley?" he whispered, his voice strained.

"What happened here?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

"I-I..." Noah started, but before he could finish, Lee walked in.

"Thank God you're here," Lee said, relief clear in his voice. "Let him explain."

I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts, trying to keep calm. "Alright."

Lee gave me a quick smile, picked up the chairs, then slipped out of the room, leaving us alone.

"So..." Noah began, looking anywhere but at me.

"Who is she?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Sarah," he said, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "She's just a friend. Well, she was more, but she broke up with me months ago. She came over today, wanting to get back together. But I don't feel that way about her anymore. I swear."

I crossed my arms, not sure if I believed him. "Then explain the butt dial. I heard you, Noah. Moaning. How am I supposed to trust that this isn't just some sick joke?"

He sat down beside me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I know how it sounds. She kissed me, but I didn't kiss her back. I pushed her away, told her to leave. And then Lee barged in and tore into me."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. "Why did Lee yell at you?"

Noah rubbed the back of his neck, frustration etched on his face. "He yelled because he knows I've screwed up—too many times. He's right. I've made so many mistakes with you, Ashley. And now... now I need to ask you something."

I raised an eyebrow, bracing myself. "Go ahead."

Noah took a deep breath, his voice barely a whisper. "Do you... do you still like me?"

His question hit me like a wave. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to gather the courage to answer. "Yeah... I do."

He shot up from the couch, pacing. "Why? Why do you like someone like me? After everything I've done?"

I stood, grabbing his arm before he could walk away. "Noah, I like you because you know me better than anyone. You've seen me at my worst and my best. You understand my fears, and despite everything, you're still a good person underneath it all. I see that."

He turned to face me, his breath warm against my skin. "But that doesn't mean I'm good for you, Ash."

I held his gaze, unwavering. "You are good for me. I don't care about the past. I want you, Noah. I always have."

He cupped my waist, his touch hesitant. "But what if I hurt you?"

I shook my head, placing my hand on his cheek. "You won't. You could never hurt me."

Without another word, his lips crashed onto mine, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. It took me a second to catch up, but soon I was kissing him back, my hands sliding up to his neck. We lost ourselves in that moment until we pulled apart, both gasping for air.

"Are you sure you want this?" he asked, his voice breathless.

"I'm sure," I said, my heart pounding.

A small smile played at his lips as he reached for my hand. "Will you be my girlfriend, Ashley?"

I thought about everything that had led up to this—every fight, every misunderstanding—and despite it all, I smiled. "Of course I will."

Noah's grin was contagious as he pulled me into a hug, lifting me off the ground. I laughed, my arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

"So... what now?" I asked when he set me down.

He squeezed my hand. "Now, we tell our family."

"Alright," I said, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "Let's go."