Thank you so much EvelynAmiwero for this lovely cover.
Mr Warren walks into the lab just as we predicted. Noah and I lower our heads as we pretend to engage in experiments. We have goggles on and also lab coats. If I was the only who just came out of nowhere asking for lab coats I'm sure I would have gotten kicked out but the aura Noah had made the girls give in to the idea of giving us extra coats. The boys in the class didn't really seem happy about it though but they went with it either way.
We all act natural as Mr Warren looked around the class. Noah and I were surrounded with people because when we came everyone were in groups so we snuggled into one. Noah's the tallest in the group, in the whole room in fact so he did alot of bending so Mr Warren wouldn't see him. I on the other hand just sat down.. I mean, I'm not that tall.
When Mr Warren seems satisfied with the survey he's taking he leaves the class and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. Noah sighs sitting properly on his chair now. He turns to me and a smile breaks out so we end up laughing.
He looks at me intently, "You look cute", he says and I'm too shocked by the compliment I almost don't notice the whole class looking at us.
"Uh.. I..I think we should go", I say and he turns to look at the class.
"She's right", The boy who I think might be the leader of this.. well this uh science association I think points out.
"Yeah we should", he says then takes of his goggles. I take mine off as well and we start taking off our lab coats. "We would have liked to join but-
"You wouldn't", the supposed leader says cutting him off and Noah nods picking my bag up.
"Yeah you're right, we wouldn't", he admits and we make it to the door, "..thanks", and with that we walk out of the class.
Noah strolls freely in the empty hallway while I look behind me fearfully from time to time just in case a certain teacher with expensive looking shoes would jump out of a locker.. okay maybe not a locker. I mean, what is this? Halloween?.
"Don't you think we should take a look first before...you know, walking?", I ask.
"Why?", He asks. Why? He's asking why?.
"Well I don't know maybe because we once had a teacher chasing after us", I say.
"Well you're right there",
I raise a brow at his statement, "What?", I ask a bit confused.
"We once had but not anymore", he smiles and I sigh but let out a small smile either way.
We reach the parking lot safely and I couldn't be more glad. Noah opens the door for me and I help myself get in. He gives me a look.
"What?",
"Have you been secretly practicing?", He asks teasingly and I roll my eyes chuckling a bit.
"Yeah that's why you're car is always parked wrongly on your driveway", I say jokingly but his eyes widen.
"Wait for real?", He asks, "Because it's always like that".
"Because you never park well Noah", I say as a matter of fact.
"You know a lot of things about me don't you", he says with a smirk and I look away.
"Um not that much", I say but it's a lie. I know a lot about Noah mostly because he's been my friend for a long time now and I secretly admire him.
"Whatever you say princess", he says then closes the door. He walks to the other side of the car and gets in putting my backpack behind. He puts his seatbelt on and I'm too busy watching how he's arm muscles ripple every time he holds something to put mine on.
He looks at me, "Aren't you gonna put your seatbelt on?", He asks looking concerned at my lost expression.
"Oh.. oh yeah of course", I stupidly say quickly putting on my seatbelt. Stupid thoughts.
Noah starts driving and we stay silent till we get home. It's not an awkward silence it's just a normal there's nothing to say silence.
The car stops and I take my seat belt off. "Don't forget your bag", he says picking it up from the backseat.
"Thanks", I say as he hands me my bag.
"No problem", he says with a single nod.
I move to open the door but stop then turn to Noah again, "Thanks", I say and he has an amused face on.
"And I said no problem", he says.
"No really thanks. If it weren't for you then I would probably be walking to the principal's office with Mr Warren right now", I say.
"And if it weren't for me you wouldn't have gotten detention in the first place", he says then softly adds, "Sorry about that".
"It's okay.. I'm glad I actually got detention", I admit and he looks surprised.
If I didn't go to detention then I wouldn't have known what it really was or how it really was. I would have never gotten to experience that but I did and maybe someday I can brag to my kids that on my first detention I escaped and didn't get caught.. okay no that would be a bad example. I mean, what type of mother would I be?. But anyways it was nice to experience such an adventure.
"Really?", Noah asks still a bit stunned that I'm actually glad I got detention.
"Yeah it was fun", I say with a smile and he smiles too.
"Yeah it was kinda fun. I mean, did you see Mr Warren's face when he didn't spot us in the lab", Noah says.
"I bet he was gonna let out curse words outside", I say and we both burst into laughter.
Our laughter dies down and both have bright smiles on our faces.
"So thanks Noah for getting me into and out of the detention", I say.
"Well thanks too, for being there with me", he says then adds, "It would have been a bit boring without you".
"A bit?", I tease.
"Nah I'm just kidding. It would have been really boring without you", he says and we both chuckle.
Noah and I just sit there staring at each other with soft smiles on our lips. My eyes roam his face and I take in every detail of it. From his brown eyes that always seem to make me get lost every time I look at it to his lips.. oh God his lips. They seem fuller now and more pink. He licks them and I blink. Oh crap he knows I was looking.
"Uh.. I.. I should go", I stutter then carefully get down from the car. I turn to close the car door but pause when I see Noah's face light up.
"You know, I'm actually starting to think you've been secretly doing this behind my back", he says and I chuckle nervously.
"Oh stop", I say and we laugh. It soon dies down and we're having more of a bit solemn looks.
"Goodbye Abby",
"Goodbye Noah", I say then shut the door close. I walk to my house. When I get to the door I slowly turn back and I smile when I see him watching. It makes me think he actually cares.
I get into the house to meet my mum getting busy in the kitchen. I walk to her.
"Hey mum", I call out and she turns a bit looking at me.
"Oh hey Abby, how was school today?", She asks and memories of detention flashes before my eyes with me almost flying of a window and running away from a teacher.
"Uh.. fine", I answer and she nods with a smile. She increases the fire of the burner then covers the lid of the pot that was on it. Afterwards she uses a napkin to wipe her hands that were a bit wet.
"I see you've made things up with Noah huh?", She asks and I'm stunned for a while by her question but I nod either way.
"Uh yeah".
"Well that's nice. His mum was actually worried that you both wouldn't patch up early. She'd be happy", she says and I slowly nod letting out a smile.
**
I pick up my jacket then head downstairs. It's another school day and I'm running late. I stayed up late doing my assignments even if they're not due today. It's not crazy it's just me. I like getting them done before hand.
"I know you're not gonna eat much at breakfast because you're running late so I packed lunch for you", my mum says as I walk into the kitchen.
She hands me a brown bag which contains my lunch, "Thanks mum", I say putting it into my bag.
I quickly make a cereal and eat half of it before rushing out the door, "Bye mum".
"Bye Abby and don't run too much or you'll throw up", my mum yells after me and so I yell back an okay.
I start the journey with walking but then it clicks in my mind that I'm actually getting late. I might even miss first period. I increase my pace and I find myself speed walking. Gradually I start running and gradually I start to sweat.. profusely.
I stop, not because I'm tired but well I am though but it's not really because of that it's something else. I put a hand on my chest then my mouth and there's this sudden rush in my system. I watch myself and I sure hope I'm the only one actually seeing this, the contents of the cereal come out of my mouth and I stay bent for a while just throwing up until I stop. I wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my jacket.
"Abby?", Someone calls out and I turn to see a black Wrangler parked on the road with the owner looking out the window with a scrunched up face. I look disgusting don't I.
Noah gets down from his car and walks up to me. "What-
"Please don't look at it", I plead. I'm feeling embarrassed already.
"I wasn't going to", Noah says then walks back to his car. For a moment I thought he would actually get in and drive off without saying a word but he doesn't do that instead he comes back with a bottle of water and a box of tissue.
"Here", he says handing the items to me. I accept them. I step away from the vomit first then take out some tissue from the box and then wipe my shirt afterwards my shoes. A little puck may have gotten there. I wash my face with the bottled water then my mouth. I turn to Noah who's resting on his car. His hair looks a bit ruffled and the grey hoodie he wore fit him so perfectly that I felt like taking a picture.
"Thanks", I say offering him his items. He takes them then puts them pack into the car.
"Are you okay?", He asks after closing the car door and I nod.
"Yeah I just ran too much", I say. I should have listened to mum.
"Oh, why didn't you text me? I could have picked you up", He says and I sigh. He sighs too, "You don't think I would have seen it, do you?".
I keep quiet instead of answering. " Let's go", he says pulling the door open for me. I get in and he closes it walking to his side to get in.
When he does get in we drive to school. Noah drives into the school parking lot and moves directly to his special spot. Only popular people park in this section.
My eyes widen when I see the people parked there. A lot of preps laugh together standing by their cars and I have my heart in my throat.
"Can you please park somewhere else?", I ask and he looks at me for a quick second.
"Why?", he asks slowing the car down.
"Um it's..", I trail not having an excuse as I look forward at the preps. Noah looks at where my eyes were settled on then back at me.
"You don't want people to see us together?", he asks looking hurt and I fall speechless. I don't know what to say. I don't know how to explain to him that I'm not ashamed of being with him whenever people are around and that I was actually just scared for him and what he's friends would say about it.
"No it's-
And that was enough for Noah to step on the breaks and reverse the car away from there. He parks the car in another spot far from the preps.
"Pretty sure they can't see us from here so you can get down now", Noah says and I feel my heart tightening by the coldness in his voice.
"I'm-
"Get down Abby.. or you're gonna be late", he says with a straight face and so I nod.
"Okay.. okay fine", I say slowly then get down with my bag in hand. I shut the door close and walk into school wearing a sad look on my face. I can't believe I hurt Noah like that and the fact that he's really upset about it breaks my heart.