His Words (bxb)

chapter eleven

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

✧elijah✧

I'm still at school a little earlier than usual (no, it's not because I was excited to see Noah again). My mood is also significantly lifted now, after I thought long and hard about the situation with my mother contacting CPS during my walk to school.

I make my way through the almost empty hallways to where I know Noah's locker is. I turn the last corner and enter the hallway with his locker, but freeze at what I see before taking a couple steps back and just observing with my head peeking around the corner.

Standing in the completely empty corridor is Leala with her back turned to me as she speaks to Noah, who looks extremely uncomfortable. I stand for a moment to hear what they're talking about.

"I'm your only friend and the only person who wants you alive in this world, Noah. Any you're going to throw me away for a faggot you met barely three weeks ago? I knew you were dumb, Noah, but I really didn't think so bad that you'd choose a quee-"

"Hey, Noah!" I interrupt her before she says anything even more damaging. I make sure to have an obnoxiously wide smile on my face as I walk over to Noah, waving at him. I see Noah's posture relax when he spots me, responding with a small smile of his own.

To my surprise, he pushes past Leala to walk towards me. Leala whips her head back towards us, her long hair whipping the lockers behind her. I feel her staring, but ignore her and turn my attention to Noah.

"Are you okay?" I ask him softly. He nods slightly before resting his head on my chest and his arms around my waist. I am taken back by the sudden act of affection, but wrap my arms around his body and rest my chin on his head anyways. I make direct, intense eye contact with Leala (who's staring at us with the most disgusted look on her face) as I bend my head down and plant a small kiss on the crown of Noah's head. She just scoffs and looks away.

"Those fucking queers..." she mutters under her breath. I feel Noah tense in my arms and try to pull away, but I only hold him tighter as I raise an eyebrow at Leala and ask, "Sorry, what was that?"

Leala turns back to face me before replying in the bitchiest tone ever. "Oh, I think you heard me. You fags think being homosexual is something to be proud of and you parade around in the streets and in a school rubbing your sin in everyone's face. If you're going to do something so shameful and disgusting, at least have the self-respect to do in privacy."

"Oh, I'm sorry, were we making you uncomfortable? It's okay, you don't have to be jealous. You might have lost hope because you think no one will love you with that horrible personality and that's totally understandable. But trust me, one day, someone equally as messed up as you is gonna find you and you guys are going to lead equally miserable lives together. Don't rush things like that, your time will come." I retort slyly, smirking the entire time. I feel Noah try to stifle a laugh.

Leala stands there with her mouth wide open, definitely not expecting me to defend Noah like that. She sees him as a burden who no one cares about or likes. I wonder what that's like - I've never seen Noah Cohen like that in my life.

Leala accepts defeat and scoffs again before turning around and walking away from us, her heels clicking obnoxiously on the ground as she struts away. I finally look down at Noah in my arms and find him looking up at me, too. He has a dazed look on his face as he whispers, "Thank you." His low voice gives me butterflies in my tummy that I try my best to ignore as I ruffle Noah's hair playfully.

"You shouldn't let her talk to you like that. In fact, you shouldn't let her talk to you at all." I see Noah glance at me, slightly amused. "It's my job to show you how important you are and she's kinda erasing all my work every time she talks to you. So don't ever talk to her or I swear to God I'll find her and I'll-"