Trying to Fix You

Chapter 34 {Noah's Place In This World}

It was a week after Dena's performance and everyone knew about her big break. She had been meeting up with the guy from the diner everyday since. They were trying to get everything in order so she could start making her own decisions without consent from an adult. Once she was emancipated, they could start on some real music. She had been ecstatic the past few days. She had hardly been at Noah's the past week but when she was, he could see how happy she was. She was finally getting the opportunity she had waited her whole life for. He was happy for her, he honestly was but graduation was just around the corner and he couldn't help but feel like he was going to loose everyone. 

Dena would be going off to record music at a big company somewhere far away, Jeremy and Madyson had already gotten their acceptance letters from UNYC and Shayla was attending the local university.

He was the only one that didn't have a plan. 

If all else failed he always had the family business to fall back on but that wasn't what he wanted, that was what his parents wanted. 

He wanted to get out of this town and start over but one thing he didn't want to leave was his friends. Even after everything that happened this year, he still loved Dena, Shayla, Madyson and Jeremy. They were his best friends and the only people he had spent time with for over six years now but things weren't going to stay the same and he knew that. Everyone was moving on....everyone but him. He was stuck and completely unconvinced that his life had a purpose.

He was contemplating how completely hopeless his life seemed when Dena came busting through the front door with a smile on her face.

She runs over to Noah who is sitting on the couch in his PJ's watching reruns of the Simpson's. "I'm going to L.A!!!"

"What?"

"I got emancipated and they want to start a record deal with me as soon as I graduate. Their main company is stationed in Los Angeles and they want me out there the day after graduation! Isn't that great?!" She's sitting on her knees on the couch looking straight at Noah with the sweetest, most naive expression.

He loved that she was so happy and he couldn't help but smile at her child-like expression but inside he was dying. "That's great."

She notices his unenthusiastic reaction and lowers herself, so she is now sitting on the couch. "What's with the glumness? Come on, Noah, be happy for me. You're the one person I thought would actually make me feel good and accomplished. Why aren't you happy for me?"

"I am, Dena, I really am. I'm sorry...I just...I've been feeling a little down lately. I really am happy for you."

She puts her hands on his arm and looks at him in concern. "What's wrong?"

He shrugs. "Graduation is in a few weeks and I just....I have no clue what I'm doing. I don't have any plans, goal...nothing. I'm going to be a bum."

She chuckles and shakes her head. "The last thing you will ever be, Noah Williams...is a bum."

He smirks at her and throws his head back as she lays down in the crook of his arm just like always. They sit in silence for a minute before a large smile takes over Dena's face and she speaks softly. "Come with me."

He looks down at her, wondering if her heard her correctly as she slowly begins to sit up and turns to him with a smile. For a moment he thought maybe she was joking but the look on her face is anything but joking. In fact...it looks...hopeful. He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Seriously! Noah, you have been a great friend the past few months. You took me in when I needed a place to stay and you have become a better friend than I could ever hope for. Come with me to L.A. I need you with me." She takes his hand in hers and smiles back at him with pleading eyes. "Please."

"I don't know, Dena...."

She lifts up her hands and interlocks her fingers, putting them beneath her chin and giving him an irresistible puppy dog face. "Pllllleeeeeaaseeee, Noah. Come on, you know we are awesome roomies. We could chip in on a small L.A apartment, watch old comedies on Friday nights, buy tons of junk food....you know you wanna." She smiles deviously at him.

He slants his eyes, pretending to be unaffected by her words but his facade is replaced with a huge smile. "Oh, alright. If you insist."

She smiles and excitedly throws her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Yes!! This is going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah...it is."