Just Friends: A Noah Beck Story

67- New Kid

After school, you are waiting by Noah's car when you spot Dixie and Nick talking outside the main doors. It made sense for them to be walking together because the class they had together was the last period of the day. When Noah walks up he notices you are watching them and asks you:
"Who's the kid with Dixie?"

You: "The new kid, Nick I think?"

He grabs a bag out of his trunk and tells you he has something Griff wanted him to give to Dixie.

You: *rushing behind him*
"I don't think we should be getting involved in their mess, Noah."

He didn't listen and walks up and hands Dixie a note:
"Hey, Griff wanted me to give this to you."

She opens it and starts to tear up seeing all of the stuff she'd left at his house over the last 5 years reduced to a bag of stuff she wasn't prepared to ever get back.

Nick: "Hey, Y/N"

Dixie: "I can't believe he couldn't just give this to me himself... much less give it to me at school! Really mature!"

Noah completely ignores Dixie and is focused on what he'd heard just before that. The new kid knew your name...

Noah: "How do you know my girlfriend?"

Nick: "You must be Noah, I've heard a lot about you."

Noah: *acting a passive aggressive*
"I haven't heard anything about you, which is weird because you obviously know each other."

Nick: "Yeah, I moved into the house next door to her. I think we met at my parent's housewarming BBQ."

While Dixie and Noah both still wear a look of shock, Griffin walks up.

Griffin: "Hey Dixie, can we talk?"

Dixie: "Where was that concept when you were having your buddy here hand deliver me 5 years worth of memories?"

Griffin: "I'm sorry. Just can we talk please? I have a few more things in my trunk actually. Hey Noah, will you do me a favor and move them to her car for me so I can talk to Dixie?"

Noah looks at you, then looks at Nick, then back to you before kissing you and telling you he'll be right back. He said it more like a warning than anything. He takes the keys and sighs before jogging off towards the parking lot. Alone with Nick, you take the opportunity to ask him why he lied for you:
"Why did you tell him you only hung out with me at your parents BBQ?"

Nick: "I never said only. I said that's where we met... and that's the truth."

You: "We hung out almost every single day all summer long while my friends were all busy at the beach this summer."

Nick: "At lunch the other day, it seemed like you were trying to avoid that getting out, so I took the hint and assumed it was because of that soccer star boyfriend of yours."

You: "His name is Noah."

Nick: "Look, our secret is safe with me, but Indiana at least knows we've met more than just once or twice so you might want to tell him."

You know he's right, but the truth is this summer things with Noah were so hard. All you could think of was that Griff was acting single all summer and Noah was wherever Griff was all summer. You were scared how he would take it if he found you'd filled your loneliness with the ridiculously hot new kid. Noah wasn't joking when he said he'd hurry back. Within 5 minutes he was already rushing back over to where he'd left you. Nick looks awkward in the way someone usually does when they are interrupted by the person they were just talking about.

Noah: "Am I interrupting something here?"

You: "Not at all."

Nick: "Nope, nothing."

Noah: *trying to push any other girl onto the guy he feels is competition*
"So are you and Dixie a thing?"

Nick: "Nah we are just friends. I have been making lots of friends here."

Noah's face flushes in anger and Nick smiles and turns to you:
"See you in history class tomorrow."

He runs off as Noah looks at you confused by the fact that you mentioned he had a class with Dixie, but hadn't mentioned having a class with him yourself. As you and Noah pass by Dixie's car you can see her and Griffin talking and overhear some of the conversation.

Dixie: "I don't understand why you had to give me my stuff back like this if it is just a temporary break."

Griffin: "It seems like you are moving on and I don't say that to be petty, I'm happy for you."

Dixie: "Don't you dare blame this on me having friends. You're the one who wanted this break so you could hook up with other girls all summer."

Griffin: "That's not fair."

Dixie: "And neither is punishing me because I made new friends when you spent months making new friends that caused you to end our relationship."

Griffin: "I'm just saying if you wanted this to be just a break you would be worried about talking to me and not some random dude you just met."

Dixie: "You're joking right? I didn't want any of this! YOU DID! You just said a break so I would be waiting for you when you were done with your fun. I can't do this anymore, Griffin. I think we need to just be done."

Griffin doesn't even respond and gets out of her car, slamming the door. You look at Noah and tell him you should go check on Dixie and you'll call him later.