english - c.hood 01 | au

fourteen

n o e l l e

luke took me home, no questions asked.

he went back to his house to pack up his bag that he'd brought.

i messaged luke and told him to wait at my mom's place for a bit while i went for a walk.

i walked for a really long time, so long that i wound up wherever it was that i wound up when i walked in the rain.

i sat down on the bench and took in the surroundings this time.

there were tall trees off in the distance, some field before that, and a road leading into the neighbourhood next to mine.

"you know, we really have to stop meeting like this." a voice said. "i'd rather you be in my classroom or somewhere on campus."

"i'm heading back over today, sir, doesn't really make a difference." i said, looking up at the same pair of brown eyes that i see almost every morning.

"how are you doing?" he asks, sitting down next to me. "i know today must have been... difficult."

"loss isn't something that just stops." i explain. "it's never really over until you're the one who becomes the love one that was taken from others. it's never really over, the pain is always going to be there, but i'm coping. sure, i'm at my breaking point again, but someday i'll be stable once more. it only took me a good year and a half the last time."

"i want to show you something." calum says. "unless you need to get back—"

"no, i have time." i smiled.

i got into the car that first brought
me home in the pouring rain and was taken back to an apartment complex.

up the elevator we went and into an apartment we were, which most certainly, to my belief, belonged to my professor.

"noelle?" calum spoke, making me turn around only to have a small ball of fur run to my feet. "this is duke. duke, heal!"

"no, it's okay." i mumbled as i ruffled the dog's fur. "oh my god, he's so cute!"

"yeah, won my heart first." calum chuckled. "he usually makes me feel better when i'm pissed off with the world, figured he might do the same with you."

"thank you." i smiled. "and now he's asleep?"

"he's really lazy." calum chuckled. "come on doggo, back into my room. go lay on your bed."

and away the dog went.

he reminded me of michael and ashton in the mornings, tired and lazy with surges of energy.

"you can get off the floor, you know."

"o-oh, s-sorry." i stammered. "i—"

"breathe, noelle." he spoke softly, walking towards me and placing his hands in mine.

at his point, he was practically pressed against my chest, his eyes dark and flickering between my eyes and lips.

"my sweet, sweet, little girl." he whispered, thumb rubbing over my cheek, just under the cusp of my eye. "you're so beautiful, has anyone ever told you that?"

"n-no s-sir." i stammered in the form of a whisper.

"tell me, noelle, what would you do if i kissed you right now?" he asks, making my knees weak. "is that what you want, little girl?"

"y-yeah." i barely whispered.

all bets were off the moment calum presses his lips against mine.

no one ever said anyone had to find out...