The Middle | ✔️

Chapter 2 (Noah)

Noah

"Why the hell are you taking bio?!" Will asks, looking horrified.

"Because, I might wanna get into medicine. And biology is a big part of that, Will." Zach says, sounding a little annoyed.

John laughs and goes to open more beers for the four of us. Were hanging out at Zach and John's dorm, discussing our first day of classes. It was good. Besides being late to English Literature in the morning, making a fool of myself in front of the entire class and practically being accused of sleeping with some random girl last night.

"Have any of you guys ever read Pride and Prejudice?" I ask.

"Nope, seen the movie though" Zach says.

"I have, it's not an easy read but it is good." John says.

"I read it in High School because I had to." Will says, sighing dramatically. "It sucks."

"I have to read it for Literature." I tell them. "Then do a critical analysis on it or some shit."

"Oh yeah." Will looks like he just remembered something. "That's a paired assignment, right? Professor Griffin sets the same assignment every year I think."

"Yeah it is. He paired me up with some girl -"

"A girl?" Zach cuts me off before I can say anything else. He's looking at me suspiciously. Like I'm incapable of working alongside a girl without getting into her underwear.

"Is she hot?" Will asks expectantly, suddenly looking far too interested in this.

I consider his question. Is she hot? The answer is fuck yes. There's absolutely no question. I'd go as far as saying she's probably the most attractive girl I've ever seen in my life. She's a brunette (my preference) with dark green eyes, a flawless body, and a pretty unique style I guess. She was wearing ripped skinny jeans, black vans, and a Fleetwood Mac t-shirt. She was wearing glasses, and her hair was thrown up on top of her head in a messy bun. She looked like she put zero effort in, and she was running late so my guess is she didn't have much time to get ready this morning. And even so, she looked amazing. Which sucks. I don't wanna be attracted to this girl I'm gonna be working with, but I am. Not a great start.

"Yeah, she was pretty," I say. The look of glee on Zach's face confirms that I should have lied and said she was disgusting.

"Awesome!" Will is ecstatic. "Noah and Lit Girl. You're gonna be seeing her a lot, working late at nights on your assignment together, just the two of you..."

John laughs and Zach smirks at me. Will continues.

"Maybe someone's hand touches someone's knee under the table by mistake. Maybe one thing leads to another. Maybe you guys end up hooking up for the next four months. Who knows!" Will is far too excited about this.

"Do you wanna fuck her?" Zach asks, dead serious, with a wicked grin on his face. I know that look. He's thinking of turning this into some kind of game. I need to shut that down.

"No, I don't." I growl at Zach, glaring at him. He just laughs and shakes his head before sitting back and scrolling through his phone lazily.

"What's she like? Is she nice?" John asks. A refreshing male perspective on such a subject.

Was she nice? Honestly, I'm not really sure. She wasn't not nice. That's a terrible double negative. But she was a little, weird? I don't know the right word for it exactly. She seemed pissed at me when we ran into each other outside the lecture hall, then she just laughed it off when Professor Griffin thought we'd spent the night together. She told me she hates Pride and Prejudice, and most girls love that romantic kinda shit. Then she called me Hot Asshole. She literally called me hot, and an asshole, right to my face. What is that about? I don't really know what to think about her right now, but I do know I'm far too interested in her. Which is not good. I do not wanna end up sleeping with this girl. But to be honest, even though she called me hot, I feel like she wouldn't sleep with me if I tried. She seems so unpredictable. I can't get a read on her at all right now.