Bad Things

|Chapter Three|

I don't have to work today, but I do have errands to run. I shower and get dressed, I can't help myself but to glance at Noah's door to see if I will catch him out here in this hallway. It's a long walk, but I stop and grab a coffee from Frothy Monkey and head to the farmers market. I always come to get fresh flowers to put around the house.

I can't stand the chemical smell and toxins in candles and air fresheners, so I like to have flowers around to freshen up my apartment. When they die, I like to press them and hang them up.

My phone rings, it's Jackson and I answer it.

"Hey boyfriend," I say cheerfully. There's nothing like a long walk on a nice day with an iced coffee.

"I'm going to be here late, I don't think I can see you today. Raincheck?"

"Yeah, that's okay. I have some things I need to do anyway." There's an old Canon that I have my eyes on, and I think it's time for a vintage camera. I also have around a million pictures to edit from last night.

I wonder briefly if Noah has plans today.

"See you later, baby," he says.

"See you."

I slip my phone back into my pocket and continue to the market. I grab breakfast tacos and sit on a bench to eat them and people watch. When I finish with my tacos, I stop by my favorite booth and grab a new bracelet from the jewelry maker there. My last stop is for a small bouquet, it has red sunflowers in it and it's beautiful.

I take my time getting back to my apartment, I'm just unlocking my door when Noah steps into the hallway.

"Those from the boyfriend?" he asks, shoving his hands in his pockets. He's wearing black jeans today, his long hair hangs around his face, and his eyes are sleepy.

"No, I buy them for myself every week," I say, holding them out for him to smell. He breathes them in, and I notice how perfectly symmetrical his nose is.

"A girl like you shouldn't have to buy her own flowers," he says, before turning to walk off.

"Wait!" I call after him, I have no idea what I'm doing.

"Yes, Olivia?"

"Are you busy right now?" I note that he's leaving his apartment. "What am I saying? Of course you are busy, you are leaving."

He smiles secretively at me, "nothing too pressing, I can do it later."

"Come in, just let me get these in water," Noah follows me in my apartment. I completely forgot about my underwear on the table and I snatch them up quickly before tossing them into my bedroom.

Noah's eyebrows raise as he definitely caught what I was doing and watches me grab a vase from under the sink. It's black marble and my favorite. I fill it with tap water and pull the parchment paper from the bundle of flowers before sticking them in the vase.

"Okay, ready to go."

"Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"Nope," I grin over at him, and he smiles at me while pushing his hair behind his ear. Butterflies dance in my stomach as our hands accidentally brush in the elevator.

"I love surprises, Olivia," my stomach flutters when he says my name.

I lead him to my car, I had my music on full blast last night and August Burns Red assaults us when I start my car. I turn it down some, but not all the way.

"This is a good album," Noah comments, buckling his seatbelt.

"It's arguably one of the best albums," I tell him, pulling onto the road.