Distastefully In Love

Chapter 20: It's You

"Where is Noel?" he groans, glancing at the clock on his phone.

"Chill out man," Caleb scolds him. "We've only been waiting for fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, at a train station. A very small train station that really doesn't have that many places to go. It has, like, a bathroom—that's it. Can you call him again?"

"He's probably in the bathroom, just wait. Stop getting your panties in a twist," Caleb shakes his head, pulling out his phone to text his friend.

After sending the text, he slides the phone back in his pocket, giving his friend a look, "what's wrong with you? You've been bitching since we got in the car. First it was the traffic. Now it's Noel. What's with the mood?"

"Nothing," he growls. "Maybe I'm just a little frustrated that I'm going to be babysitting you tonight.

"Woah, what the hell?" he holds up his hands, turning to him. "What are you talking about?" his question is stern.

Toby breathes hard.

"Hey boys," a voice delivers, making the two turn around. A smile crosses Caleb's face, and Toby struggles not to grimace. Noel was good for weed, but that's just about it. Everything else about him was just trouble foreboding.

He had his sunglasses hanging on the tip of his nose, and a smirk positioned on his lips.

"You can't go five minutes without being a jack ass, can you?" Caleb shook his head in amusement, walking towards the man. The two shared a hug before Noel came over to pat Toby on the back.

"You look good. You've been taking anything?"

"What?" Toby questions.

Caleb laughs, shaking his head.

"I'm just kidding, Cavanaugh," he pats his back again.

"Sorry I'm late, I ran into this chick. She was top notch. I helped her with her bags, got her number," he smirks, winking at the men, "you know how that goes."

Caleb laughs, "I see you haven't changed at all."

Noel cackles, "and never will." He winks again.

"Can we go?" Toby cuts in.

"Sorry, something is up his ass today," Caleb nods towards Toby.

"Well, don't worry. I have something that can fix that," he pats the man's back, winking.

Noel winks a lot more than he remembers. It makes him insanely uncomfortable.

"All right, man," Caleb bobs his head up and down. "This is going to be a great night," his smile widens.

They go back in the car, and Caleb insists that Toby sits in the back seat. ("I don't want any of that negativity that is spurring off of you," he said.)

He doesn't mind. At least he doesn't have to sit by Noel Kahn.

Usually Noel is tolerable. He is annoying, but tolerable. He can deal with him, but today he is just not in the mood. He was already feeling lousy before encountering the man.

It was that phone call from Spencer.

It sent him into a frenzy. He knew they never defined what they were doing, but he felt like it was more than just sex. It at least had the potential to be. But he was always fearful of her rejecting him. Hanna was kind of right in calling him emotionally damaged. He hated that she was right, but she was. He didn't want to get hurt again, but here he was, hurting. And they didn't even date. It was sex. But it wasn't just sex... it was something else, too.