The Obsessive Stalker

Chapter 20

A/N: Blame the stupid internet company that has me uploading this with an Internet stick. I thought those things were extinct but apparently...they aren't. Also, blame my horrific jet lag. I came home and slept for almost twenty four hours straight! And on top of that school has started so I've been busy...ish. Anyway, how are you guys faring? :D

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Chapter 20

It was a quarter to seven and since there was nothing more for Noah to do, he decided to get ready and pick Michael up. This was going to be a long night, one Noah was definitely not looking forward to. He would rather babysit his younger brother for a change...something Aaron (A/N: His older brother if you don't remember) was doing that night which was surprising considering it was Friday and Aaron was Aaron.

Noah stood in front of his open wardrobe and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He took out a pair of board shorts and a band tee. It was almost spring and the heat at Jay's house was going to be unbearable. He took a quick shower, running fingers through his hair and letting them dry naturally, changed and slipped on his Converse. He felt unnaturally tired and just plain frustrated.

It was the fact that he couldn’t get Susie, a girl crazy for him since fifth grade out of his mind. He was not supposed to feel that way at all. She had made his life hell and instead of hating her like his mind told him to do, he ended up following his heart. Love is blind, whoever said that knew what they were talking about. Noah's eyes widened at his previous string of thoughts.

"Love?" he said out loud. It was official, he had lost it. 

Sighing, he left the house, making sure he had his learner's permit with him. Now to face Mike, his best friend and also Susan's personal lovesick puppy. Mike would be beyond furious if Noah shared his newfound feelings for Susie. Noah shivered inwardly; he was turning into a girl. 

Without any other thought crossing his frazzled mind, he drove away to where Mike lived, hoping to seek some solace with a few mind-numbing shots of tequila or something.

Noah turned up the volume of his stereo and honked twice once he was outside Mike's suburban home. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel and waited impatiently. A few minutes later, Mike appeared, his sandy blonde hair falling in his face and hiding his eyes. He looked tired, almost like Noah.

"Hey man." greeted Noah as Mike neared Aaron's salon. Michael just nodded and entered the car. Noah shrugged inwardly at Mike's cold attitude and drove on to the rich part of the city. Silence enveloped the car like a well-fitting glove and Noah increased to volume of the stereo a bit more. 

"I like this song." Mike mumbled after the closing chords of 'Levitate' by Hollywood Undead filtered through the speakers. Noah smiled. "I know. That's why I increased the volume." 

Michael smiled and for the first time in weeks since the break up, he looked young and not so dead. "Dude, I know you probably don't want to talk about this but it's time. It's time you moved on."

The smile on Mike's face faltered. "Moved on? From what?" he said after a while, his expression blank and his eyes on the road ahead. "From…you know...her."

"So you can claim her without supposedly hurting me?"

Noah's eyes widened at his best friend's outburst and the vacancy on his face when he had said it. "It's nothing like that!"

"You actually thought you could hide something...from me? I've been your best friend since kindergarten. I think I know you well enough to see that gleam in your eye when you look at her."

"Gleam? A gleam in my eye? Bro, do you hear yourself?"

"Goddamnit Noah stop being so dense!"  yelled Michael, banging his hand on the dashboard. Noah stopped the car on the side of the road and massaged his temples. "So what did you want me to do? Fucking tell you?"

"You're a retard, Noah. A retard and an asshole. You never really hated her, did you? I bet all the attention she showered on your pathetic little face made that big head of yours swell more, huh?"

"Michael. You're the one being an ass here. Would you like a girl as creepy as Susie to follow you around? Paste pictures of you on her bedroom walls? Tell the girls you've dated that you might be gay? Do you?"

"Stop lying to me, Noah. And stop lying to yourself. I'm out of here." Michael said deadpanned and got out of the car.

"Miche-"

"Save it. You're a fucktard of a friend."

And with that Mike walked to the bus station. 

Noah banged his head against the steering wheel and contemplated the possibility of going to where Michael stood and bringing him back. It was hopeless, he decided at last and waited in his car till the bus pulled up for a while and sped off, taking Michael with it. 

Had he really been that transparent about his crazy feelings for Susie? He sighed and slumped down his driver's seat. It was getting dark and the sky had violet, pink, blue and orange hues that somehow relaxed Noah's tense jaw. Sunsets were actually really pretty. 

He pulled out his cell phone and almost punched in Jay's number. He didn't feel like going anymore but...

He sat up straighter and drove off as fast as he possibly could within the speed limit.

- - - - - - 

"Hey man! You're early." said Jay sarcastically as soon as he greeted Noah at the door of his huge house. Noah rolled his eyes, "It's called being fashionably late. You should try it sometimes."

Jay grinned and moved out of the door to let Noah in. "You will not believe how many hot girls showed up! I didn't even invite most of them!" he said enthusiatically. Jay was drunk alright, thought Noah and gave him a small smile. 

The loud beats of some song blasted through his ear drums and Noah wastaken aback by the serious change in sound levels. He walked through the huge hallway, gingerly moving away from the dry humping couples and too-drunk-to-function people standing/lying down in it. 

"I'm glad you came..."   blared the stereos furthur up ahead. Noah entered the room that was the cause of all this noise and rolled his eyes at the sight. A typical Jay party. Girls in hooker clothes, guys eye fucking them and...Michael. 

He couldn't really see Michael, he was in some alcove at the back but he was in the same clothes Noah had left him at the bus station at, denim jeans and a checkered shirt. There was no doubt about it, that was Michael. 

And with him was a girl that looked exactly like Susie Rayner.

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A/N: I apologize for the late chapter but i really have no excuses to dish out, do I? :)