Noel’s POV
I’ve learned something, so many things actually since I came to New York. I learned how to make friends, I learned how to tolerate my mum better than I did before, I learned how to let go of certain things, I also learned how to love a really good looking, egoistic, narcissistic funny jerk. I guess I’ve always known how to stand up for myself, I don’t like being looked down upon by anyone especially my age mate, I don’t like bullying and I never let myself get bullied by anyone. I’ve always been that girl that would fight back knowing that I wouldn’t lose much in any fight. But I learnt something new, something really important, something I know would help me in the remaining dash days, months, years of my life; not every fight is worth it. Not every fight is won and sometimes its better easier and safer to live in the background.
Seeing Aaron down, lying on the bed unconscious, no laughing, no smirking, no flirting, no anything. Seeing him like this was really not worth anything. I’d rather move to California and live on the streets or as a maid than for his life to be threatened in this way. I don’t think Tyler knows what he did, he could have become a murderer. He let his anger get the best of him and did something he’d surely regret once his senses return. Quinn probably didn’t plan for this to happen either, she just wanted to prove that she was the Queen, high and mighty. She wanted me out of the way, she wanted Tyler to hurt me so I’d run but who ended up hurt? Aaron, Aaron Lee that she’s fighting for is now fighting for his life because of her. And me, I guess I’d take fault in this too. I let it reach this point, I put the love of my life out there and now, now he’s injured.
I wiped the tears on my cheek away only for them to be replaced by another one as I watch the middle aged man work on Aaron’s unconscious body. The man looked around his late forties or early fifties. I don’t know really I sucked at age guessing. He had tattoos peaking out from under his shirt on his saggy bicep, and on his hair were really intimidating dreadlocks— that I secretly envied. I was really suspicious of him but Jesse trusted him enough to let him treat Aaron plus inside his briefcase were loads of doctor stuff. Stethoscope, IVs, drugs and others he also looked like he knew what he was doing.
I clamped my legs together to stop them from bouncing and my fingers automatically moved to my teeth. Noel biting your nails is so unladylike! I removed my fingers immediately heading my mental mum’s instruction. I bit my lip and winced loudly at the pain I got. The tattooed doctor turned to look at me, pausing from whatever he was doing on Aaron’s tummy.
“Sorry, carry on please.” I said waving my hand at him, he quietly turned back to his work ignoring me. I can’t help the way I am, I’m so nervous, what if something goes wrong. What if Aaron… “Aish Noel! Stop thinking nonsense. He’ll be fine.” I yelled hitting my head. My eyes widened as I turned to the tattooed doctor, he shook his head at me but ignored me. “Sorry.” I squeaked out.
This is all Jesse’s fault maybe if we went to a real hospital I wouldn’t be this nervous or scared but he insisted on not going to the hospital saying that things would escalate really quickly if Aaron’s parents got wind of this. So instead he brought us to his house, carried Aaron up to his room and called the tattooed doctor— who I’m sure is not legal at all.
Jesse entered back into the room just as the doctor was packing up his things. He gave me a cup of warm chocolate, I gladly collected it with a nod of thanks.
“He’s going to be fine, the knife didn’t go far in and also didn’t hit any important organ. When he regains consciousness he should rest and make sure the wound doesn’t open up. Anything else and you know where to find me.” The tattooed doctor said to Jesse and I listened in attentively. When he wakes up, not if he wakes up. That’s good. That’s really good.
“Thanks a lot Colin, this means a lot.” Jesse said as they slapped hands together then did a bro hug and fist bump.
“Anytime J try to stay out of trouble and tell AL to be careful.” The tattooed doctor adviced pointing at Aaron.
“Sure man,” Jesse replied as they made for the door.
“Thanks uh… Sir.” I said at last minute getting up from the position I seemed to be glued at.
He chuckled, “Call me Colin cute girl, stay out of trouble too. I don’t want to come and treat you too.”
I smiled, “I’ll do just that. Bye… Colin.” Jesse led him out and I moved to Aaron on the bed tucking him in deeper. He didn’t have a fever anymore but his temperature was still hotter than normal. Hot is better then cold right? Or…
“Are you still crying?” Jesse asked re entering his room again.
I sighed sitting up and taking Aaron’s hand in mine. “I’m trying not to.”
“Crying is not your best colour,” Jesse said sitting on the bed too and looking at Aaron.
“How is that a colour?” I asked confused but he didn’t answer me, he just shrugged. I sighed again relaxing on the head board. “Everything is just so scary. I can’t stop thinking of the ‘what ifs’ both the good and bad. I can’t believe what Tyler did and I just can’t help but think that its all my fault.”
“You’re doing it again, ” Jesse pointed out, I gave him a questioning look and he pointed at my face. “Crying.”
I wiped at my cheeks for the hundredth time today. “I can’t help it, my mind keeps picturing things that I don’t want to imagine. Seeing Aaron here— you know what? Maybe I just need a slap. A hard slap to get me back to normal.”
“I’ll slap you,” Jesse offered. I nodded and turned my cheek to him, “one, two, three…”
I closed my eyes shut ready for impact but instead Jesse’s hand goes to my neck pulling me into a really warm and comforting hug. I sighed in relief hugging him back. “He’s fine. Stop picturing things. Nothing really bad happened and would have happened. All that matters now is that he’s fine. You should stop crying and worrying so when he wakes up he’ll see you looking beautiful.”
I smiled at Jesse when we broke our hug and he smiled back before producing a small first aid box from under his bed. He started attending to my lip cut with so much concentration. “Colin, he seems to know you and Aaron really well.”
“Yep, we’re buddies.” He says pressing some cool liquid to my lips.
“How come?”
“How come what?”
“How come you guys are buddies with him?” I asked not knowing a way to frame my question.
Jesse paused from his first aid administration and quirked a brow at me. “I don’t understand you.”
“I mean you guys are you guys while him, he’s rough, tattooed and… Looks dangerous.” I slowly admitted.
Jesse chuckled, “what makes him dangerous? His dreadlocks or tattoo?”
“Both?”
“I have tattoos. Do I look dangerous?” Jesse asked shutting the tube.
“Yours, yours is different. Doesn’t look wild or anything.” I admitted referring to Jesse’s tattoos that I’ve never paid attention to. He had two, one on bicep it looked like an anchor tied down with a rose and a small tribe tattoo on his neck barely noticeable. I do like tattoos but I prefer perfect flawless tanned skin to a tattooed one any day.
“Colin is a good man. We’ve known him for years.”
“How? Gang stuff?” I asked raising a brow.
Jesse laughed, “nope, just some teenage boys adrenaline stuff.”
“For example?”
“Wow you are inquisitive today.” Jesse pointed out before answering my question. “Well for example he helped me get this tattoo. Sometimes when AL and I are looking for some kind of release, not girls though,” I roll my eyes at that. “We may or may not street fight, street race and other street stuff.”
My mouth hanged open I turned to Aaron, “I can’t believe Aaron…”
“Its mostly me, Aaron just accompanies to keep me safe.” Jesse explains.
“So this is not the first time Colin’s treating Aaron?” I ask.
“Nope, a second time actually. First time was a street fight gone bad. We were both beaten to pumps. God you should have seen us, blood was…” Jesse stopped as he noticed my glare. “Look I’m just saying you shouldn’t be worried, your boyfriend is used to being the hero and this little stuff is nothing, the knife wasn’t even as big as my….” He trailed off clamping his mouth shut.
“As big as your?” I ask my curiosity piqued. Jesse pointed down but I still didn’t get him.
“Ok repeat after me. D.”
“D.”
“I.” I repeated wondering what he wanted to spell and couldn’t pronounce.
“C.”
Wait What? DIC…?
“Jesse!” I shouted throwing a pillow at him as he jumped off the bed laughing like a Chimpanzee.
“You were so into it.” He wheezed out still laughing.
“Get out before I castrate you!” I yelled at him as he walked to the door.
“Bye Christmas. I’m being chased out of my own room, tsk what a world.” He mumbled closing the door.
I chuckled turning to Aaron, I moved his hand up and after I lay comfortably beside him, my head on his shoulder. I put his hand on me. We lay there together and I listened to his heart beat, music to my soul.
“Aaron I think you should know something. I’m sure of it now hell I’ve been sure for a long time but the perfect time hasn’t occurred yet. I don’t think it would ever. I don’t think there’s a perfect planned time to say this so I’m just going to say it now. I love you.” I told him and I felt kinda relived. Smiling I’ll cuddled deeper with his sleeping sweet smelling self, “I love you and I’ve loved you a long time. I was so scared when Tyler hurt you and I realized that I’ll rather be beaten to an unconscious state than for this to ever happen again. I’m waiting for you to wake up. Get well fast.”
.
.
I don’t know how or when I even slept off, one minute I’m confessing my love to Aaron the next minute I’m being awoken by my ringtone and surprisingly sun rays are penetrating into the room.
“Hello?” I asked in my sleepy voice before yawning.
“Morning sunshine,” the voice came from my phone and beside me.
I wiped my head around so fast I slapped Aaron with my hair. “Um morning to you too.” He mumbled running his hand around his face.
“You’re awake,” I breathed out a big smile on my face.
“I’ve been awake for a while, I just didn’t want to wake you up, you’re so beautiful when you sleep you know right?” He asked smiling down at me.
I sat up, “so how are you? Do you feel pain anywhere? Should we call Colin again? Your temperature, I’m supposed to…”
Aaron reached for my hand holding it in his, his really warm hands that made me feel at ease immediately. “Ssshh, I’m fine. I’m too great to be taken down by just that, you should trust me. All this muscles are not for show.”
I sighed in relief a smile on my face as I gave myself the opportunity to appreciate the fact that he’s awake, his beautiful eyes staring at me, his perfect set of white teeth and the incredible sexy morning voice. My hand reached up and rested on his cheek. He sighed closing his eyes holding my hand in place and rubbing on me like a puppy. I giggled at how adorably handsome he is.
“So, I dreamt.” He said all of a suddenly resting his chin on his plastered up fist, he slanted his head to a side watching me and I knew he was trying not to smile.
“About what?” I asked mimicking his position.
He stayed silent taunting me, licking his lips and even biting before he decided to speak. “Well its a bit hazy, I wasn’t really aware of my surrounding but I could hear the words clearly.”
I frowned, “What words?”
“Um,” he sat up and ran his hands through his hair smiling a little, “its just a bit overwhelming.”
“Aaron talk,” I urged him.
“Ok ok well there’s this girl and she’s like everything to me and last night she… She told me she loved me.” He said turning and fixing his eyes on me.
“Oh.” I said my face turning red, he heard that? How could he hear that? “Well, I’m sure she meant it.” The words escaped by lips like a whisper but Aaron heard it. His mouth opened and closed again, his Adams apple bobbing up and down. Our eyes where fixed on each other until…
“Who brought breakfast in bed? Jesse!” Jesse said entering into the room, he paused at the door. “Hope this room is PG13?”
Aaron and I didn’t say anything we still had our eyes locked on each other. “Ok, room service is here.” Jesse said entering the room with a tray and dropping it on the bed. “Yea eat.”
I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Aaron and opened the food, my eyes almost popped out at the disaster Jesse served as breakfast. “What is this?” I asked staring at the black black black on the plate.
“Toast, egg and sausage.” Jesse pointed quite proudly too.
I shook my head disappointedly, I can’t cook but compared to Jesse its safe to say that I have hope. “Dude people don’t eat that anymore.” Aaron told him.
“What? I spent hours on this here,” he picked up the toast and had a bite, it crumbled in his hand. “Ok, its horrible.”
“I’ll go try to prepare something edible.” I say hopping off the bed just as Jesse is trying to feed Aaron a glass of milk.
“I can do it myself.”
“No let me feed you. Ahhh.”
Wearing Jesse’s times five slippers I strolled to the kitchen and prayed for Gods help as I started breakfast. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him I loved him. I should’ve waited for him to tell me first. No, I don’t regret it. But would he say it back?
“Come learn from the master Jesse,” I say trying to fry the eggs as I hear Jesse coming downstairs.
“I’ll hardly call you a master.” Not Jesse said entering the kitchen.
The place turned three times hotter as I turned to Aaron, ok ten times hotter. He is shirtless and wearing only a sweatpant. I could see his defined tanned muscles and abs with the little white plaster resting on his abs tummy on the left side. “Aaron what are you doing out of bed.”
He smirked at me noticing how disoriented his body makes me. “I came out to assist you before you burn down the kitchen.”
“Go back in I can totally handle breakfast.” I say shooing him away.
“Is that why the eggs are burning?”
“Oh my eggs!” I turned and rescued the eggs before it was too late. I could hear Aaron laughing his head off. “You know this is all your fault, you came in here and distracted me.”
“Distracted you how?” He asked coyly.
“With You and your…. Just go put on a shirt please.”
“But I spent shirtless, that didn’t bother you then.”
“That was different.” I turned to him pointing a spatula to him. “How would you feel if I walked around shirtless?”
“I’d love it.” He said wiggling his brows.
“Ha ha, very funny.” I turned back to my cooking. “Ofcourse you would. Pervert. Well that’s not going to happen so if walking shirtless is your way of suggesting it just forget that and go…” The words got stuck in my throat as I felt Aaron warmth and smell behind me.
He switched off the Stove and spun me around until I was staring directly at his chest. A little nudge on my chin had me staring at his slightly darkened eyes in less than a minute. “Do you- did you really mean that?”
Even though my heart was beating so fast and my brain was mush I still understood him and I slowly nodded. He smiled one of the most genuine smile ever that I know I’d be dreaming about in the next weeks to come. “Even though I’m a douchebag?” I nodded. “An incompetent jerk?” I nodded again smiling and stood on my tip toes wrapping my arms around him.
“I love you Aaron Lee.” He wasted no time in kissing me, slowly, passionately, as if it was going to be our last kiss but if body language is anything to go by I can surely say this far from our last kiss really really really far.
“I love you too with everything. All of me loves You.” I smiled at that. He said it, he finally did. His eyes dropped to my cut lip and he frowned.
“Hey, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt.” I said touching my lip.
“I’m sorry Noel. I should’ve been there. Tyler, the things he said taunted me last night. I was restless, only your presence put me at ease.” He said, still looking at my lip.
… if She hadn’t run away I would have had a taste of whatever she gives you in bed.
Aaron didn’t need to tell me but I knew it was those words that were hunting him. “Aaron, ” I touched his face forcing him to look at me. “He didn’t touch me, he was just saying that to hunt you. And moreover, you’re not the only one who is strong. I am too.”
Those seem to put him at ease and soon we were kissing again, moaning and shuddering at each other’s touch.
“If this is how people Cook our population would have expanded so much, some people would have to seek refuge in another planet.”
Well let’s face it, it isn’t ever Aaron and Noel’s moment without Jesse to ruin it.
~
When I say I love you more, I don’t mean I love you more than you love me. I mean I love you more than the bad days ahead of us, I love you more than any fight we will ever have. I love you more than the distance between us, I love you more than any obstacle that could try and come between us. I love you the most.
~