Noel’s POV
The weather was getting worst everyday. But I love Winter so is that a good thing or bad thing? Anyway in school today all the cafeteria windows are locked and you could practically here the wind outside. It wasn’t snowing yet but I know it would soon.
“Gosh I hate winter,” Nadine mumbled rubbing her hands together. Today she wore a beanie!.
Peyton and I gasped, “how can you say that?” Peyton asked smacking Nadine.
“Ok ok maybe not winter, just this wind. I’m getting wrinkles in my fingers, wrinkles!” She shouted showing the table her fingers.
We all chuckled as but my eyes kept darting to the door, “I can’t believe they allow students to be outside in this weather. Its not healthy.” I complained sipping off my coffee.
Nadine nudged me wiggling her brows, “Are you worried about Aaron Lee?”
“No, Jesse’s out there too.” I say, Jesse and his father had another fight today, it was not pretty. He was dragging the furniture out of the house while Jesse was dragging it back in. If not that Jesse’s practically family now, I would have found the whole situation funny. Mum forbids me to go meet them when they are up against each other’s throat.
“Tch I don’t know what you see in Aaron Lee, he’s just going to hurt you.” Raymond says.
“No he won’t,” Liv and I said. Today she returned back to the table, for long she’s been absent, her and Luke ofcourse but now they’re back.
“You don’t know that Liv, boys in the football team are jerks. Aaron Lee and Jesse, especially them are the worst of all.” Raymond says.
“You don’t know that.” I said holding unto my apple so tightly my knuckles are turning white.
“I do! You’re the one that don’t know. We’ve been with them for practically all our lives.” Raymond said squinting his eyes at me.
“And that’s why I know he won’t hurt her. I mean we’ve been with them all our lives and this is the first time Aaron’s like this towards someone.” Liv defended also looking angry. I just love her.
“Bullshit.” Raymond replied frowning so hard, his teeth ought to pop out at anytime.
“Ray just be happy for Noel, she’s happy and that’s that,” Peyton says.
“He’s just Jealous,” Liv said like Raymond isn’t at the table anymore.
“Me? Jealous? Of what?” Raymond asked glaring at Liv.
Everybody except me starts waving at Liv to shut up, Peyton’s trying to send a message by opening her eye so wide. Even Luke is saying something, I think he’s squeezing her hand under the table. Liv looks at them and it’s as if she’s going to keep quiet but then she looks at Raymond and I can practically see her lid go off. Nadine sighed and Peyton looked down dejectedly. “Oh come on quit the Bs. You know you’re jelly and that’s why you’re trying to put holes in a potential epic relationship!” Liv says.
I smile, epic relationship, that sounds about right.
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Raymond says looking away.
“Oh yea, so instead of telling Noel of all the good things AL and Jesse have done, like saving a drowning girl in seventh grade, getting sport medals all through middle school you instead remind her of all the bad things. You’re just jealous that AL got to Noel before you did.” Liv spat out.
“That’s absurd. Put a leach on your girl Luke,” Raymond said standing up.
Liv scoffed, “a Leach? Why don’t you come on me, coward!” Raymond walks out and I’m just left confused.
Some people are looking at our seat as Raymond leaves the cafeteria. I try to hide my face behind my apple but it isn’t big enough.
“Awk-ward…” Nadine mumbles still looking at her fingers.
“Not cool Liv,” Luke says and his voice sounds so strange I’ve to do a double take to make sure he’s the one that really spoke.
“Gah… you all know he was being annoying,” Liv replies unremorseful.
“Did they have a beef going on?” I whisper to Nadine.
“Nope Liv talks like that to everybody. Although it might have been a bit over the top, she’s still right.” Nadine whispers back.
“So Raymond likes me?” I still can’t believe it.
“Duh..”
Hmm, that’s strange but not really because let’s face it. I am hot. Oh no spending to much time with someone vain is making me vain too. I turn and I see Quinn smiling weirdly at me. I smile at her too before turning away. Throughout all this two team stuff Quinn’s being strangely calm and quite. I’m always on alert when it comes to her, like I just know she’s planning something horrible. Liv and Luke are still arguing but in hushed tones. I’m afraid they are going to break up because of me and while walking to my next class I voice my complaint to Nadine and Peyton.
“Break up? I don’t think so. Liv and Luke are like, made for each other I don’t think anything can break them up at this stage. They’ve officially been together since freshman year.” Nadine says and Peyton nods to that.
“What do you mean ‘officially'” I asked.
“Mm they’ve been together since eight grade but they officially became a ‘couple’ freshman year,” Peyton explained putting invisible quotations on the word couple.
“They don’t put invisible quotations like that Pey, you only put it when whatever you’re referring to is not really so.” Nadine explains shaking her head.
“Oh,” Peyton mutters clearly confused. I would have laughed at her If not that my mind was occupied. Since eight grade?
“Wow that’s really long,” I say to myself but they both hear me and I’m not even surprised.
“Yup, they’re going to get married and go live in a cabin with six children,” Nadine says then she laughs, “can you imagine that?”
“That’s not guaranteed. I mean they might break up during college they still have a long life ahead of them.” Peyton says.
“Ha always the pessimist.”
“I’m not being pessimistic its just a fact. Not all school sweethearts end up together, get married and have children. Things change. Luke may change someday and so would Liv.”
Nadine grunts, “the only thing separating those two is death. I’ve seen it and don’t you dare contradict– pessimist!”
Peyton says something else but I don’t really get her. My mind is really occupied now. Things change? Tsk I don’t deal well with change. Not all high school sweethearts end up together? Where does that leave me and Aaron? College, I haven’t even thought of college. I didn’t think I would go to college but Aaron sure would. A fancy rich one at that. Are Aaron and I meant for each other? We’ve only been together for a week yet I can’t begin to imagine my life without him.
We’ve only gone on one date but we’ve spent most of everyday with each other. Our date, I can’t ever forget that date not my first date but its a date I’d be sure to tell my grand children about, that’s to show how awesome it was. I had the time of my life. Aaron took me to some fancy– really fancy– Posh Italian restaurant. We had a seat reserved for us and the waiter kept referring to me as a Miss. I felt so classy, a bit under dressed but classy none the less.
We ate a fancy dinner with really long complicated names, wine and sweet heavenly dessert. Even the salad was special. I ate to my feel and for a long time I’ve never felt as special as I did on that moment. That’s Aaron for you, he makes you feel really good about yourself. Any doubt, any self-conscious feelings fly out the window when you’re with him. Its like you’re the only person left in the world. The person the whole planet revolve around, Aaron’s planet.
That’s how I feel when I’m with him. I haven’t really thought about the future, about college, about where we stand but I know something for sure. I love him and I’m not ready to lose him now or ever.
.
.
“How do guys shower in the locker room? Us girls don’t.” I say loving the feel of the soft brown curls— although now they look dark— against my fingers.
“I could show you. You just need to go into the locker room after a game. Since you’re my girl, they other guys would let you tour around even inside the showers.” Aaron replies opening his eyes to look at me. He loves it when I run my fingers through his hair. Other times he’d moan or nearly purr like a cat but since we’re in the library he’s keeping his cool.
“Your girl?” I ask with a smile raising my brow at him.
“Yes my girl, like it?”
“Mm I don’t know. Does that mean we’re a couple now?” I ask looking down at him resting his head on my thighs.
He cocks his head to a side looking at me, “We’ve been a couple for a week.”
“What? Really? Well how was I supposed to know.” I asked feeling my cheek heat up, I mutter quietly, “it’s not as if you asked me to be your girlfriend or anything.”
He looks at me as if I’m a quiz test then he sits up and brings out a pen from his bag, stretching his hand out to me he ask, “paper?”
I give him a confused look but I still search through my bag and produce a paper handing it to him. He hides away from me as he scribbles on the note, then brings it to my face. I squint my eyes as I read the paper.
Beautiful Noel do you want to be my girlfriend? There’s a box for yes and a box for no. I roll my eyes at fighting a smile. “How mature.” He covers his eyes and looks away. I pick up the pen and tick the yes box then show it to him.
He grins widely, “now you’re my girlfriend.” He quickly places a kiss on my lips.
“Aaron!” I scold looking to make sure no one saw that especially the cranky librarian.
“Relax worst have been done here,” he says resting his head back on my thigh.
“You know you’re getting my jeans damp right?” He doesn’t reply me and instead lifts my hand places it on his hair. “And eww why would I want to have a tour inside the boys locker room filled with naked boys?”
“Because I’ll be among?”
“Haha I’m not a Prevert like you.” I say looking around as I hear the library door shut close.
“What you looking around for? The cranky librarian wouldn’t mind us studying at the far end of the library.”
“Studying?” I wouldn’t call this studying, we’ve studied a little but then Aaron’s tired from football practice and we decided to rest a bit. “And I’m not looking out for the librarian. I’m looking out for Quinn or her minions I think they’re going to do something soon.”
“Something like what?” Aaron asked getting all alert.
“I don’t know but she’s been quite lately and that’s unlike her.”
“Don’t bother, Quinn’s all talk she can’t hurt you.”
“Not what Nadine and Peyton say.”
“Ok I’ll protect you and I’ll kill her if she does something to you.” Aaron says reassuringly squeezing my hand. I smile at him but I know Quinn still have something up her sleeves.
And I was right. She did have something up her sleeves, not literally though. After gym class as I was coming out of the class I got a bucket of red paint poured all over me. From head to toe covered in red. I was so angry, I went around looking for Quinn but I didn’t see her and the paint was drying on me. So I postponed looking for her and washed myself up changing into Aaron’s gym wear. Jesse and Aaron however found her and she swore heaven and earth that she was innocent.
But I know she’s guilty, Noelites know it too.
I end up going to that horrid dance class with clothes three times my size. I really hate that school but now I really want to know how to dance because I can’t imagine Aaron dancing at his grandma’s ball with anyone but me.
“Jesse!” I shout as I cross over to his window with the use of my mop stick. I come in and I see him holding up a bra with his pinky finger. “Um…”
He looks at me surprised before tossing the bra away. “Sorry I’m cleaning up.”
I shake my head and look around picking up a shirt and throwing it to him to cover the upper part of his body. “Done with your Tarzan holiday?”
He chuckled pulling the shirt over his head, “that’s only for Lora.”
“Anyway watch this,” I shove my iPad into his hands and we sit on his bed watching the screen together.
“Uh, what I’m I watching?” He ask after a while.
“Its Waltz dance.” I say standing up.
“Why I’m I being tortured this way?” He ask looking up at me.
“I need to get better at the dance to surprise Aaron, you’re to help me with that.”
“Help you dance?” He ask slowly.
“Yep, like tutor me in it.” I don’t know why I’m doing this but something about Jesse feels comfortable, really really comfortable.
“Can I opt out?”
I think about it for a minute. “Nope, you’re not busy so no.”
He turns to his pillow and screams into it. When he’s done, he runs a comb through his disheveled hair. “Ok let’s do this.”
I start dancing just like I’ve practiced several times but even with that I still fall flat on my butt and it’s like my 12 year old experience happening all over again. I look at Jesse and he had this look on his face like he’s choking. I sigh, “just laugh already ”
And laugh he did. He burst out laughing like a chimpanzee but I notice something about Jesse’s laugh. Its not mocking at all. It’s like he’s laughing for me not at me. It’s so strange and contagious and soon I’m laughing too.
“I’m an idiot.” I say getting off the ground.
“You’re an idiot.”
“I’m pathetic.”
“You’re pathetic.”
“But I’m gonna learn this.”
“Ofcourse you are. Now get to it. We don’t have all day Christmas. Bring out those dancing feet.” He commands.
“Asshat,” I mutter with a smile getting ready to humiliate myself again.
“One two three. Action!”