The Stranger I Bumped Into

✦ chapter 28 ✦

☞ Noah's POV ☜

I stare at the floor, soaking in everything Lauren just said. She told us everything about the promise. Half of me is ecstatic that she isn't actually with some one and the other half wants me to punch Daniel for making her lie. I know how she gets with her promises. She doesn't break them, ever. I could tell that she didn't want to keep this from us. I was beyond happy that there still might be a chance for me to be with her.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts, by no other than Lauren. "So, are you guys mad at me?" She asks hesitantly. I finally lift my head and connect my eyes with hers. She was staring right at me with a worried look and I was staring back. I give her a reassuring smile and say, "we aren't mad at you." I say it on behalf of the guys because I know that they aren't mad. They aren't like that.

Ryan just confirms it. "Why would we be mad? It's not your fault."

Lauren gives us a small smile. "Thanks guys. It means a lot." She says in a small voice, looking down.

Jennifer groans and says, "Okay, this is getting too sappy and sad for me. We need to do something that isn't so-" she pauses to think of the correct word and motions with her hand towards everyone once she figures out what she wants to say. "-like this."

Natalie rolls her eyes and claps her hands sarcastically. "Great job, Jennifer. Totally makes sense."

Jennifer shoots her a glare and says, "your face makes sense."

Natalie gives her a blank look. "Because that totally makes even more sense." She says sarcastically. I refrain myself from chuckling. Their little arguments are always entertaining to say the least.

Before it can go any further though, Jacob interrupts. "Alright ladies. You are both stupid. We get it." He says, holding both his hands up. Simultaneously, Natalie and Jennifer shoot him a glare. "What did you say?" Jennifer says with her eyes narrowed into slits. "Did you call us stupid?" Natalie asks incredulously. The both of them start stalking towards him until they are right in front of him. His eyes widen and I start laughing once I see the slight fear in his eyes.

He's scared?

I hear the rest start laughing too. I watch through tear filled eyes as I clutch my stomach. The two girls go right up to his face. "Do you want to take that back?" Jennifer asks him. Jacob furiously nods and they step back, grinning in triumph. Natalie gives Jennifer a high five. "Never underestimate girls, Jacob. It's not advice, it's a life lesson. Learnt it." Natalie says, crossing her arms.

I finally sober up and take a deep breath, calming down my ragged breath from laughing so hard. "Now that it something you all should listen to." Lauren says, motioning towards all the guys, including me, and stepping besides the two girls. Now it's Abigail's turn to get up and stand next to the three, completing the four. "What they said." She says, motioning to the other three girls, smiling sheepishly.

"Alright, alright. We can see the girl love here. Moving on." Harry says. I nod, agreeing with him. We fall into somewhat of an awkward silence and I scratch the back of my neck.

"Anyway, we need to find something to do." Ryan says, pulling Abigail down to sit next to him. He puts an arm around her shoulders and she smiles up at him. They were such a good couple and that's saying something, considering I don't usually say stuff like that.

I wish I could have that with Lauren.

As if to answer Ryan's question, my phone dings, indicating I have a message. I take my phone out of my pocket, aware of all their eyes on me, and I check it to see who it was. It was Bernard. He was one of my friends who I would occasionally talk to.