Summer

Chapter 18

Dammit, Noah.

"Actually, make that two please," he says, placing his elbows on the bar and leaning his body forward.

"Actually, I'm good," I lift my palm in the air and assure the bartender, who's got to be fed up with me by now. How am I going to drink something else when I've barely touched my tequila? Also, I'm really not in the mood for Noah's obnoxiousness. I was having fun tonight. I don't need his distasteful attitude ruining it.

"C'mon," Noah nudges his shoulder with mine. "First you tell me you don't drink, then I catch you sipping tequila. Which one is it?"

"First you try and kiss me, then you tell me to stay away. Which one is it?" I fire back.

"Touché," he smirks, and I mean...those damn dimples.

"And why were you watching me? Shouldn't you be entertaining your girlfriend over there?" The question slips from my mouth before I can stop it, and I hate that I sound jealous.

"Cecilia?" he chuckles. "She's not my girlfriend. She wishes she was. We just came here together." He pauses before inching closer to me. "Can you keep a secret? We slept together back in the day, but Justin's been trying to tap that this summer. I wouldn't do that to him."

"Wouldn't be the first time," I say, rolling my eyes and looking away.

"Jealous?"

His question gets me to look back at him. "Of?"

"Cecilia."

I can't help but scoff. "Why would I be jealous of Cecilia?"

"Because she slept with me," he says, and there's that annoyingly cute smirk of his again.

"You're disgusting," I say as I try to walk past him.

"Wait, I'm sorry," he says, grabbing my hand to keep me from moving.

"Seriously, Noah? Why are you even talking to me? Do you not remember yesterday's conversation? You know, the one where you told me to stop acting like your girlfriend. Which, for your information, I wasn't trying to."

"Yeah, I remember," he says, still holding my hand. "Look, I was out of line. I was so riled up from getting knocked out that I overreacted and took it out on you. I apologize."

"Hold up. Am I hearing correctly? Did Noah Collins just apologize?"

"Doesn't happen very often and don't get used to it." His expression is stern at first, but shortly becomes playful. "So, are you having fun?"

"I am. Are you?"

"I am. Now."

"There you are!" Cassie interrupts, and her timing couldn't be more perfect. She notices Noah standing next to me and gives him a crude look.

"Hey, Cass," he skeptically says. I'm pretty sure Noah's aware of Cassie's dislike towards him. I mean, she couldn't make it more obvious if she tried.

"Noah...," she coldly says.

My point exactly.

"How about we take a ride on the Ferris wheel?" he asks, and I wait for Cassie to answer. I guess I'll go if she wants to. But all she does is nudge my arm.

"Yeah?" I look at her and ask.

She cocks her head at Noah. "I think he's talking to you."

I look at him, and his eyes are 0n me.

"Cass, what do you say we hit the bumper cars?" I purposely ignore Noah's question and ask her. It's time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"But what about...," she fills in the blank by tilting her head at Noah.

"Noah can ask Cecilia." I look at him and smirk. "I mean, you did come here with her, didn't you?"