Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

T W E N T Y S E V E N

"I'll let you get back to your meal, it was good seeing you," he directs the sentiment at both of us.  I watch him walk back to his table where Leslie and Dustin are sitting, they both wave and I return the gesture.

Noah looks at me quizzically, "Nashville is really small, we run into each other too much for me to still be mad at him."

"Was that Caleb?" Finn asks as he sits across from us.

"Yeah," I say pointing to their table.

"Tell us everything," Ashley demands after they put in their drink order.

I do. I got into great detail, telling him all about my first day alone, and my new friend and how she invited me out. I tell her about the flight and meeting Nick and meeting Sage, I tell her about going back to their house and seeing Noah and his girlfriend.  I tell them everything, about the food and hiking and the train ride.  Noah talks about Camille and the break up and how he forced me to spend time with him.  I tell them how much I loved spending time with Noah and his friends.

"Sounds like you had a good trip, but how did you end up bringing him home with you?" Finn raises an eyebrow at Noah.

"Well, that's really why I wanted to see you tonight." I take a deep breath, suddenly moving to Los Angeles with Noah is unbelievably scary. I need Finn, how would I survive without him? "I'm moving to Los Angeles, with Noah," my words come out in a rush and Noah squeezes the knee he's been holding onto reassuringly.

"That's so far away," Ashley says quietly.

"What the fuck?" Finn says at the same time, louder. Finn seems to shake his head and reassess the situation. "Lanes, I'm really excited for you," he says, but I can tell he doesn't exactly mean it.

"Sounds like it," Noah says, I can see his jaw tick with tension. My god, he is beautiful.

"Lanes, of course I'm happy for you, but it's so far away. I'm going to miss you, and this all seems so fast," he finally says, staring at us both head on.

"I know," I reach across the table and grab his hand, "I'm really scared, too. But it's just a plane ride away." 

"Maybe we can even talk the pair of you to move out someday," Noah adds.

We finish our meals and order more drinks, Noah drapes his arm over my shoulder and pulls me into his side and Finn watches the exchange silently.

"You two are serious aren't you?"

Noah kisses my head before nodding at him.

"Have you told your mom yet?"

"Fuck, no," I sigh, she was going to freak.  She loved Noah's band.  Finn and I never mentioned our Noah was the same Noah.

"Lanes' mom is totally in love with you," Finn laughs.

"This is like the only time she's in town, I'll go see her tomorrow and tell her."

"Just you?" Noah asks, one eyebrow quirked up in question.

I shrug and nod at him.

"Don't you think I should meet them?"

Finn and I look at each other, I didn't think Noah would want to meet my parents already.  I know he was supposed to five years ago, but we were starting over now.

"If you want to, you can come. No pressure though."

Noah rolls his eyes dramatically, "I want to meet them, I don't feel pressured. Besides, I want your mom to like me."

Noah smiles cheekily at me then kisses my cheek sloppily. Finn and Ashley share a secret look as I smile back at him, happier than I've ever been. We talk and drink for a while longer, but it's been a long day and I call it an early night.