Not Your Typical Love Story

Chapter 14: The Airplane Boy

What? What does this have to do with chemistry?

We all looked at him as if he was crazy. He chuckled darkly at our reaction. "And since you teens always make horrible choices, I decided that I'd save your hormonal butts and assign partners!" The whole class started to laugh, then they all groaned when they caught on to the second part. Mr. Whitmoore stood up and grabbed a piece of paper and commenced reading from it.

"Jackson, you're with Sally."

They both started to protest but was silenced by Mr. Whitmoore with a deadly stare.

"Donna, you're with Brooke."

They both groaned and glared at each other, then at Mr. Whitmoore. I was scared to find out who I was paired with, since Mr. Whitmoore made the worse partners ever. Jackson and Sally had one of the nastiest break ups ever, Donna and Brooke used to be best friends but it ended when Donna found out Brooke had slept with all of her boyfriends, especially when they were still dating. What if my partner hates me? I was so glad that Diane and Ariana wasn't in this class with me. I waited anxiously for Mr. Whitmoore to announce my partner.

"Scarlett, you are with Noah." What? Who was Noah? I looked around the class for the person who was going to be my partner for the next 4 weeks. I skimmed from one side of the class to the other, until my eyes connected with two radiating blue eyes for a brisk second. Airplane boy was in this class? He collected all of his things and started walking towards me, so he was my partner. 

He waited until Susan collected her things and went to sit with her partner and sat beside me and fumbled with his loose papers awkwardly. To avoid conversation, I assume. 

"Well, Noah, it's good to properly meet you. I thought I was going to have to call you Airplane Boy." I joked, trying to break the awkwardness.

The corners of his mouth formed a small smile, showing me his dimples. "I'm Noah." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Noah," I replied, letting the smile lift my eyes, "So, Noah, what would you die for?" 

He thought for a moment and replied, "My sister." His blue eyes looked sad for a second, and I wanted to see his dimples again. 

"Okay, but it has to be an object. So?" I tried to elude the subject of his sister.

He thought about it again and answered, "Her guitar." Mission failed. "What about you?" 

I thought about everything I owned, my laptop, my iPod, my clothes and came up with nothing that I would risk my life for. 

"Is it sad that I have nothing to die for?" I turned to look at him, and just as I looked at him, he looked away. 

"What about love?" He said it so quietly that if I wasn't so close to him I wouldn't have heard it. Would I die for love? 

We both entered in a weird stage of complete silence.

That is until we heard a rough voice coming from behind us. "Jones, Pierce, everything good here?" Mr. Whitmoore strolled by us like a police watching his prisoners. 

I was the one to reply since Noah stayed mute. "Yes, everything's swell." Oh look, there's that word again.

He looked like he wasn't going to believe us but he just shrugged and walked away chuckling in that dark manner that he always does. I don't think the school should be allowed to hire psychopaths.

We sat around for another minute in silence and I was about ready to scream when he turned to me and said, "What would you die for?" 

"Does nutella count?" I replied, answering with the first thing that popped into my mind.

"Only if you're willing to run through a burning house for it."

"Okay, so that goes off my list." I raked my brains for another object. "My iPod?"

He shook his head.

"My phone?"

"No."

"My computer?"

"No."

"My copy of Us Weekly?"

"That's a new low." 

I sighed, "I give up." I turned my attention back to my notebook and started doodling. I didn't even notice him turning towards me for the first time until he cleared his throat in an uncomfortable way.

"Maybe um, you should think about something that um, has a sentimental meaning to you." 

I tried to look at him in the eyes, and once again, he redirected his gaze to his sneakers. 

"Okay." I agreed reluctantly. 

Sentimental meaning.....hm.... I thought back to when my parents were still happy. Everything was so serene and perfect. I remember once when I was 7, it was Christmas morning and I ran downstairs, only to find Nate poking and shaking all of my gifts. We were all in bliss back then, and we all sat around the fireplace as my mom made us cookies and my dad told us the story of how he met my mom for the 100th time. Nate and I still listened, and it got better and better every time. But it always had the same plot: He was crushing on her for 2 years, she never noticed him, and they met at a party, when they were both locked in the bathroom.

They started to talk and get to know each other and when the owner of the house came to unlock the door the next day, they were both found asleep, with my dad's arm protectively over my mom. It was such a beautiful moment that owner took a picture of them asleep like that and then gave it to them for their wedding gift. And to this day, my mom still has that picture, on top of the fireplace. I smiled at the memory.

"I got something." I announced.

He still hasn't looked up yet. "What is it?"

"A photo." I smiled at him and he looked up from his sneakers. He saw me smiling and couldn't help but smile back at me. A real smile. With actual eye contact. And all we did was smile at each other for about 10 seconds. Then we saw a flash. We both turned towards where the flash came from: Savannah, who was standing in front of us, with her camera that she always carries around. Noah started to look uncomfortable again and looked down at his sneakers again. And I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. 

"Sorry, it was such a beautiful moment, I just had to take a picture! I'll send it to you guys later!" She gushed and went back to her seat.

I looked at Noah with an amused smile. He slowly looked up from the floor and made eye contact again. 

"Wow, you made eye contact with me, twice in one day! I must be breaking some kind of record." I teased him and he actually laughed. It was a laugh that made me all warm and tingly because I was the one to cause it. And in that moment, I knew this was just the beginning  of Noah and me.

---

AN:

Picture of Noah above!

Okay, don't kill me! I know you're all saying, "BUT WHAT ABOUT CARSON AND COLE?" and "YOU'RE JUST ADDING A NEW CHARACTER BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH CARSON AND COLE." But that is not true. This character's here for a reason, and it wasn't just a "spontaneous idea" that we came up with last minute. But anyways, I'm personally on Team Noah because he's just so cute. And shy. Love him.

Thanks for reading and PLEAAAASEEE comment or vote!

~ Jess