If I'm There | Noah Sebastian x (ofc)

Chapter 4 Raelynn

We were now a few hours into the drive and decided to stop at a gas station to pick up some caffeine and snacks. Nadia was curled up in the backseat sleeping on Nicks lap as he mindlessly played with her hair twirling the dark strands between his fingers while he quietly hummed along to whatever song he was playing in his airbuds. I pulled in next to pump number 9 and Noah and I both hopped out and headed inside. I instantly beelined it to the bathroom almost knocking noah over during my mad dash to the nearest toilet I had forgotten to pee before we had left and I felt like my bladder was going to explode. When I left the bathroom I saw noah standing near the register there were a couple of pretty girls a few years younger than us kinda huddled around Noah being as cutesy and flirty as physically possible and he was just cheesing it up loving the attention. I groaned and rolled my eyes making sure to shoot him a dirty look as I walked past to grab myself a drink and some snacks.

I am already getting the vibe that he is a massive man whore. Don't get me wrong bro is beautiful, straight up gorgeous even, but his cockiness is something else.

I got myself a lemonade tea monster energy drink a slim Jim, a bag of hot Cheetos and a king size reeces peanut butter cup to share with Nadia, I also grabbed her her favorite fruit punch monster and her dill pickle chips before heading to the checkout. I get back to the car and Noah is already standing outside leaned up against the side of the car scrolling his phone while waiting for it to fill with gas.

"So Romeo did you end up scoring a couple numbers?" He looks up at me confused

"Those poor girls you were drooling all over in there... ya getting lucky or what?" I say reminding him of his gas station conquests with a slight tinge of venom to my tone

"What are you jealous Lynnie?" An amused smile spreads across his face and he playfully shoves me. Cheeky bastard knows he caught me, he's standing over there with a shit eating grin on his face. Fucking asshole.

"Not in the slightest. I was just curious as to what they could possibly see in you." I say blowing  him a kiss as he dramatically clutches his chest acting as though I mortally wounded him. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him before we both climbed back into the car. Once in the car Noah handed Nick an assortment of snacks and paused for a second staring at me almost seeming unsure of what he wanted to say.

"You know I wasn't hitting on those girls right?" He looked at me eyes almost pleading " they couldn't have been old enough to drink I'd never do something like that"

"Noah you are fine I could care less what you do in your personal time I was just fucking with you..." I start but am quickly cut off as he continues

"They were fans. They recognized me and wanted a picture." I felt my jaw drop a little. When Nadia said they were in a band I assumed she meant like a garage band. Not anything near big enough to get recognized several states away from home.

"Oh.." was all I could manage to muster I felt like such an idiot. I had no clue what to say or how to react it took me a little while of silence before finally adding "well what kind of music do you play?" and that was all it took to break down his wall of hesitance.

Next thing I know Noah is excitedly talking my ear off explaining all the different sub genres of metal and how his band is mostly considered metalcore. I dabble in heavier music but have no where near the expansive knowledge these guys do. Nick jumps in and the two of them talk for what seems like forever about their favorite music inspirations and what not when finally Noah asks "Do you want me to play you something we've been working on?" His eyes are beaming with pride yet also looking slightly nervous as he awaits my answer

"Gladly I'm down for anything. Gotta see what I'll be getting myself into hanging out with you goons"

He smiles as he plugs his phone back into the aux

Only in madness do you find beautiful death
And only in sadness do you feel happy instead
Be careful what you wish for because
you don't know the guilt I carried this far all on my own
It's nothing you want to feel...

He stared at me looking for any sort of reaction on my face but I had none. I sat there in silence taking in every word he wrote. It was a beautiful song. My heart shattered imagining the kind of pain and heartbreak he felt writing something like this but at the same time I related to the pain he expressed in the song.

If you need a place to hang your head a shoulder's better than a knot
You'd be a better memory if no one else forgot

I felt that familiar lump in my throat start to rise and choked back the tear starting to brim. I couldn't bring myself to look at him I knew if I made eye contact it would all be over I'd start crying like a baby.

The song ended and I still couldn't bring myself to look at him. The silence in the air felt heavy I could feel his eyes on me desperately searching for some sort of validation. I cleared my throat and mustered up the courage to look his direction.

"That was... heavy" I carefully tread searching for the right word "You are insanely talented...but fuck" my watering eyes betraying me as tear rolls down my cheek I quickly turn my gaze back to the road and Noah chuckles a bit.

" Well thank you. You don't need to elaborate anymore than that" he says looking down shyly  "We are calling that one careful what you wish for. It's going to be a single for our next album."

" Well if the rest of the album is even half as good as that song I can't wait to hear it." I smile quickly glancing his way. "But since you made me cry and we still have a couple hours left until we get to the hotel I am revoking your DJ privileges."

Noah laughs as I quickly steal the Aux cord and plug in my phone. I go back to my classic ADHD energy playlist and hit shuffle. Everywhere I go by Hollywood undead starts and Noah and I look at each other and instantly start cracking up. Noah reaches over and turns it up and we both start yelling the lyrics at top of our lungs startling Nick and waking up Nadia both of which quickly join in on the chaos.