Fact no.16: Punching a guy might lead to hooking up with the named guy

APRIL

We spend the next day in Barcelona.

Although Kai and I have been there thousands of times so far, it is Dia's first time in the city. Noah has been here when he was younger once, so he also doesn't remember much about the place. Cami offers to give us an insider tour, given the fact she has lived here all her life.

We start with the usual places: Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Park Güell and Casa Milà. For lunch we stop at La Boqueria where we have some fresh fried fish. We continue our tour of the city and Cami insists we go up on a hill to Tibidabo, a fun park with a view of Barcelona. Trusting our tour guide, we decide to go there.

After a bus ride that takes ages, we arrive at the fun park and I immediately know this has been the right decision. The place is amazing. It really is. I can't help but squeal and force everyone to hurry up. We go to the roller coaster first. The ride goes exactly at the top of the mountain and you have the feeling you're flying. I sit together with Dia, Cami with Kai, and Noah sits behind us all, sharing the sit with an eight-year-old who wouldn't stop screaming. We have photos as proof of Noah's "excitement".

Our next stop are the bumper cars, with the same seating arrangement as before. Noah gets a new seat mate this time, a woman who hates when he bumps their car into others. Given Noah's personality, one can already guess what happened. Noah bumps their car into every single other car on the arena, making the woman scream every time. As the ride ends, she looks at him and curses him a few times in Spanish. Noah can't stop grinning.

We also go inside the haunted house, Dia closing her eyes the entire ride. She opened them once and that's exactly when the figure of a creepy clown popped in front of us, making my bestie scream so loud she almost slapped the figure in his face. I couldn't help but laugh, which made her turn pink in her cheeks. I only stopped laughing as a loud bang toned throughout the room followed by a bat appearing out of nowhere. I screamed my guts out earning myself a smirk from Dia, who was now laughing in return. I couldn't stay mad at her for more than one minute and joined her in laughing seconds later.

As we exit the haunted house, someone screams at us and throws themselves in front of us. I obviously did the first thing I can to protect my bestie and me. I punch the person. Hard. In their nose. It appears the person was Noah Coin, who decided to make himself less useful than he already was.

"Are you kidding me?!", he asks, putting his hand on his nose to reveal blood rolling down from there. Oh boy. I just got him a nosebleed. "Are you planning on killing me, precious?", he continues, blood staining the white T-Shirt he's wearing. From behind, we can hear someone gasp and someone laughing out loud. Cami looks at us shocked, just coming out of the haunted house, holding hands with Kai, who can't stop laughing.

"She kicked your ass", my brother lets out, the words fumbled between his laughter. Cami's mouth also twitches involuntarily.

"Asshole, you were supposed to be on my side", Noah growls at him. It only makes Kai laugh louder.

I can't help but smirk at my brother, who gives me a proud look.

"I'll help you get cleaned up", I tell Noah.

"What?", Noah lets out at the same time Kai says: "Why?".

Oh boy.

"I just punched a man. It's not good for my karma", I answer to Kai, not wanting to let him know about what happened between Noah and me at the paintball yesterday.

Noah grins now, giving me a That's my girl look.

We might be on speaking terms now, but I still hope he rots in hell.

"Come on", I say. I then look at Dia, who makes me a sign she'll wait with Cami and Kai. I haven't told her what happened yesterday, but she somehow got a hang of it. I guess that's what happens when she's your bestie.

Noah follows me and I lead him to the closest toilet. I make him wait outside on a bench while I take some towels and soak them in water. I then walk back outside, take a sit next to him on the bench and move his face with my fingers so that I can work on his nose.

Which bleeds. A lot.

"Does it hurt?", I ask him, while pressing my fingers on his nose.

He clenches his teeth and says: "A bit".

"A bit? Noah, you're in pain. Don't lie to me."

He looks at me, our eyes meeting. "It's not that bad", he whispers after a while. "I've had far worse hits at football."

"I know", it's all I reply. I remember one time when we were dating, when he came all soaked in blood. He had bruises all over his body and couldn't even stand up. It had been the final of some championship and he gave all he could. The captain of the other team beat him after the game, hating that Noah's team won. Noah did his best to stop him, but he couldn't avoid the hits he got.

I remember being so scared for him. I brought him to the hospital and held his hand while the doctors tend his wounds.

From the look on his face now, he remembers it too.

"Thank you", he whispers.

I only nod, a tear rolling down my face. He wipes it away.

I press the towels on his nose a few times, trying to stop the bleeding. As soon as there is no more blood rolling, I wipe the red from his face. I also try to get it off his T-Shirt, but it doesn't get away.

"I'm sorry", I whisper, still trying to remove the stain. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Don't worry", he answers, kissing my hand. I can't help but shiver. I haven't felt his lips on my skin in a long time.

That's because you hate him.

Hate him.

Hated him.

I don't honestly fucking know anymore.

I keep rubbing that spot, hoping to run away from my thoughts and to get the red off. I keep rubbing faster and stronger, until I can feel tears roll down my face.

Hate him.

"April"

Hated him.

"April"

Hate. Hated.

"APRIL", he calls out, his voice pulling me away from my mind and back to reality.

Fuck.

I made a mess. The stain only grew bigger.

My lip is trembling and I can see how my hand shivers. He takes the towels out of my hand and places them on the bench. He then puts his hands on my shoulder, offering me something steady. Secure. Just what I need.

"Are you alright?", he asks me, meeting my eyes.

Hate. Hated.

"I don't know anymore", I let out.

We loved. And we hated. And we loved. And we hated.

"Hey", he says, trying to catch my gaze again. "Hey, look at me. Look at me", he says, barely a whisper. I do as he asks and look at him. He shows me to take some deep breaths and we spend some time just breathing there. Breathing together.

"It's fine", he adds. "It's alright. We'll get through it. Together."

"What?!", I ask, my voice trembling.

"I love you, April", he whispers. If I was shivering before, I am full-time shaking now. My knees are wobbly and I don't know if I can stand up and run. I try. I can't. I'm forced here. "I have never stopped loving you a single day", he continues.

"But you hated me...", I counter.

"I never did. Precious, I love you. I love you so much. You are the only one I want. The only one my heart beats for."

"And the others?", I ask him, reminding him of all the other girls he's made out with. Got laid.

"What about the others?"

"I've been trying to find you in someone else this whole time. Get my mind off you. But I can't. I'm obsessed with you, April. You're in my blood. My soul. My head. I love you."

"I hate you-", I let out. I don't even know if that's true anymore.

I can see the hurt in his eyes. That flicker of pain.

"I know. And I deserve it. But I'll do my best to win you back."

I nod, wanting to let him try.

"Promise?", I ask him whispering.

"Promise."

I wipe away some new tears and he holds my hand tight. It's then I get a better look of him. His dark hair and eyes are beautiful as always, his skin even more tanned now. He looks perfect. Everything about him. Apart from that T-Shirt. That blood stained T-Shirt.

"You need to change", I say, pointing at his clothes.

He nods and reaches me his hand, helping me up. I follow him and although I'm scared as shit that Kai might spot us holding hands, I don't let go of him. And I curl our fingers. I swear I could see a smile on his face at that.

We arrive at a souvenir shop and Noah spots the only T-Shirt they have on sale. A pink T-Shirt with the logo of the fun park and the word Tibidabo written in a darker shade of pink.

"Absolutely not", I let out.

He smirks and replies: "I could make it work."

"I already know a real-life Barbie and that's not you", I counter. It's true. Soph looks like a Barbie. Even has the princess title to go with it. She's the most adorable princess-Barbie I know though.

"If you're talking about Sofia, she's probably somewhere with Killer Ken right now", Noah adds. I can't help but chuckle at his nickname for Alec. The guy does have Killer Ken vibes. "I can borrow her title for a while", he continues, taking the T-Shirt and going to the cashier.

"You'll regret it", I let out.

"I bet I will."

He pays and doesn't mind walking into a more private space where I can't see him before he takes off his shirt. I saw him shirtless before, but stuff happened since then. Stuff in the number of six. A six pack. That looks even more than a six. Maybe eight. Ten. Who's counting though? I want to kiss every single one of that packs. Feel their warmth. Their scent.

"Can I put the T-Shirt on or do you need some more time?", Noah asks, making it clear he noticed I have been staring.

My cheeks turn pink and I answer: "T-Shirt. On."

He chuckles. "I have no problem walking around like this. Wanna taste?"

"As if I would like to taste your abs", I reply, trying to sound as convinced as possible. For I am not convinced. I do wanna taste.

"If you say so", he adds, opening the T-Shirt from its package and putting it on. I look disappointed for a second. He noticed it and smirks. My cheeks turn even pinker.

Before he can say anything, I take out my phone and snap a picture of him. Noah Coin in a pink T-Shirt. That's a sight for sore eyes.

"You'd better not-", he wants to say but it's already done. That photo was sent in the group chat with my besties.

"You do realize that two of your little girl squad are dating my friends, right?", he adds.

"I'm actually proud you started calling the Fab Five your friends", I counter, thinking back at the beginning of my freshman year when the guys have been part of their weird hot-ass club for already a year and they weren't talking to each other. Look at the magic five girls can work.

"As I said, it was hard not to with your matchmaking attempts", he replies.

"Matchmaking? I didn't know you're in a relationship now. How's your bromance going?", I tease him.

"Caden and I are in a hard time", he begins, going along with my teasing. I understand his "hardships" with Caden. Caden is captain of the hockey team, the football's team biggest rival. Noah and him have had their issues so far. It's progress they can go through a meal without wanting to rip off each other's hair. "Alec and I got divorced. Jacob tries to make us all go to a Taylor Swift concert and Adam is like the big brother making sure the rest of us don't start a war."

"Sounds quite like a family you've got yourselves there", I reply.

He shows me the middle finger exactly as his phone announces a text. One glimpse at his face as he sees who it is makes me laugh hard.

"The family sending greetings?", I tease him.

"You could say that", he answers, more like a hiss.

Oh what I wouldn't give to read that chat right now.

Noah closes his phone shoving it back in his pocket saying "I'll deal with them later."

I can't stop a grin before starting to walk around the park again.

Noah follows me. We walk for a while, searching for our friends, before all of sudden Noah stops and gasps.

"What's wrong?", I ask him. He only points at a stand somewhere, with one of those fun fair games that can win you plushie.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?", he asks.

"If that means you spending all your money trying to get one of those plushies but always failing, then I hope not."

He glares at me. "Hahaha, so very funny."

Noah takes my hand and leads me to the stand. It's a toss-them-out, the one you get three balls and have to knock down some cubes.

"Luckily for them, I do this all the time at home with Kai's beer cans", he lets out. I hit him with my elbow in his ribcage.

"Ouch, precious. Should I remind you I was heavily injured by you only a few minutes earlier?", he throws back at me with a smirk.

"You deserved it", I reply. "That's what you get when you scare me and my bestie."

"Noted", he adds before handing some money to the woman at the stand. She gives Noah three balls and wishes him good luck. I can see her gaze sliding to his arms for a bit, assessing the beauty of a man in front of her. I give her a death glare and she looks away.

Gosh, when did I start getting possessive of him?

"Are you ready, precious?", he asks.

I glare again at him. "If you mean if I am ready to see your downfall, then hell yeah."

He flips me off and I chuckle. He then takes the first ball and manages to knock down all the cans only with one throw. The woman's jaw drops. My jaw drops. Noah smirks.

"Gosh, how many beer cans does my brother have exactly?", I ask, assessing the what has been a perfect hit.

"Maybe I have counted mine too, making a larger pile."

I roll my eyes at him, yet he's still smirking. I can't help but let my mouth twitch.

"Congratulations", the woman says. "You have definitely set a new record. You are the best."

Noah grins at me mouthing Have you heard that, precious? The. Best.

I roll my eyes and flip him off.

"You get to choose one of the big prizes", the woman continues, pointing at some oversized plushies hanging from one of the walls.

I look at Noah, waiting for him to pick, but he makes a sign with his hand saying: "It's all yours."

If the woman had a crush on him before, she was for sure planning their wedding now. I give her another death stare and go pick out a prize.

I look at the collection of giga mermaids, donuts and Angry Birds plushies. My gaze stops on a huge Teddy Bear. His fur is some light brown, reminding me of chocolate. His belly is shaped like a heart and his eyes are huge black dots. Something about it tells me that's the one.

"I want that one", I tell the woman. She even dares look at Noah behind me, waiting for his approval. Noah nods and the woman gives me the plushie. I basically snatch it away from her hands.

We wish the woman a nice day, well, Noah does, and we continue walking through the park.

"That teddy bear should be a reminder of my love for you", he tells me, wrapping one arm around my shoulders, since I am keeping the plushie with both my hands.

"That's kinda creepy", I let out.

"You should name it", he continues, smirk on.

"Your love for me has a name?", I ask him, teasing back.

"Of course not. It's my name I want you screaming", he adds. My cheeks get pink at that remark. Which was very dirty. "Think of this teddy as our baby", he continues.

"It gets even creepier", I let out. He still smirks.

"So, how should we name our baby?", he asks.

I glare at him and he chuckles again.

It sounds nice.

"Jerry", I let out after examining the teddy.

"Jerry? Are you sure? I am not sure I could make another baby for you", he says.

I can't help it but hit him with my elbow in his ribcage. He laughs now.

"Jerry", I let out convinced.

"As you wish", he says. "Well, Jerry loves you", he continues. "So do I."

And before I know it, I stop him and crash my lips on his. Noah's. Not Jerry's. He seems surprised for a second, not knowing how to react. However, as he snaps out of his shock, he wraps his arms around my waist, pulls me closer and deepens the kiss. I open my mouth enough for his tongue to slip in. As our tongues curl, I bite his bottom lip a bit, enough to leave a mark. It tastes familiar. It tastes like cherries. Cherries. I love that taste. His taste. Noah has this way of always tasting like cherries.

He moans in my mouth and I can feel him harden. His length meets my stomach. I gasp and he catches the sound, kissing me harder.

"I'm never letting you go, precious", he whispers, his lips not sliding an inch from where they are.

I nod and want to feel more of him. More of us.

As if he gets, he traces the inside of my mouth with his tongue. I think I am dreaming. This is better than any nightstand I've had lately. And we don't even do anything rather that kiss.

The way Noah kiss is electrifying. He kisses like he would worship my mouth. Every part of it he doesn't left untouched.

I can only feel the pleasure.

"I love you", he whispers on my lips.

I smile.

I guess I don't hate him as much after all.