Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

F O U R T E E N

"Finn!" I scold and shove him through the door, he moves without much effort. He quickly turns, still blocking the door while I look at him bewildered.

"I forgot something, come with me," Finn says in a voice that is much too panicky, still trying to keep me hostage in my apartment.

"No, we aren't five," I scoff and move passed him.

When I finally make it outside and look up, I lock eyes with Leslie. The air in my lungs whoosh out and I turn to Noah waiting on the porch for her. Time stills as I watch her make her way to the steps leading up to his house.

"No," I whisper, my ears ring and I lose all feeling in my body. Is this what a stroke feels like? I feel like I can't get air into my lungs, I don't know why this is so much worse than when I thought he took her home last week. I didn't have to see it, but now I was. I hear glass shatter somewhere in the distance as I lock eyes with Noah.

His jaw is tight as he watches me, I can't be here, while he looks at me like that. I take a step back, fully intending to disappear back in the hole I crawled out of.

"Delaney! No!" Noah cries as sharp pain penetrates my foot, the sensation traveling up my leg. I guess I wasn't that numb after all. I hiss and pull my foot up. Noah had made his way over to me, lifting me and my bare feet off of the ground.

"Put me down!" I seethe, hitting his chest with my balled fists. I couldn't hold back the tears I hid from him earlier.

"You are hurt, psycho, quit hitting me," he says, sitting me down on a step to examine my foot.

"Good, you deserve to know how it feels!"

Noah's eyebrows scrunch in consternation as he pulls a large shard of glass from my foot. Seeing the blood leaking out of me made me feel woozy, and I have to fight passing out. Once he discarded the glass beside me on the step he looks up at me, I sniffle, "How what feels?" I shake my head, embarrassed that I had said anything at all.

"I think I need to take her to the emergency room," Noah says looking to Finn who has been very quiet this whole time.

"Uhm, what about me?" Leslie asks, speaking for the first time since Finn and I came outside.

"What's wrong, Leslie? Need to get that infection checked out? I'm sure Noah will let you ride with us," I look at Noah in his eyes, "I bet it's contagious."

I hear Finn let out a choked chuckle as Leslie squeals and lunges for me. Noah catches her around the waist before she can get close to me. I see red at the sight of his hands on her, I stand up, ignoring the sting in my foot, reaching for her.

However, Noah's reach is long enough to hold her back and keep me at arms length with a hand on my chest, he's careful not to touch me inappropriately.

"Leslie, I think you should go," Noah says calmly, his eyes on me. I smile triumphantly at her, even though I know it's childish.

"You're sending me home?" Leslie scoffs and folds her arms over her chest.

"I think she needs stitches, and they're both too drunk to drive," He says, "I'm sorry." His tone is too kind and I hate that he's being nice to her. Even though, I know I wouldn't want him to be mean to her.

Leslie sets her jaw, but doesn't say anything as she turns away and stalks to her car. She slams the door behind her and speeds off.

"I'm gonna go sleep this off," Finn announces and turns to slink back into my apartment.

"No! You can't leave me alone with him. You promised!" I pout.

"I didn't pinky promise that," he grins mischievously and shuts the door behind him.