The Middle - Volume Three ✔️

Chapter 25 (Noah)

Noah

I sling my bags into Zach's trunk, alongside his and Kim's stuff, then slam the trunk closed before walking around to get in the passenger seat. Kim's sitting in the back, she wants to nap on the drive back to North Bridge so she's gonna lay across the back seat with a blanket. 

"Have you heard from Jamie today?" Kim asks from the back as I get in.   

"No, but it's Thursday. I'll see her at the Grill." I say. 

"You're gonna talk to her at the Grill?" Zach asks dubiously as he starts up his car.   

"I'm not gonna ignore her at the Grill." I answer sarcastically. "We'll probably go back to her house or something after The Middle play. Or my dorm, Will's still in France."   

"And how do you see this talk going?" Zach asks me. I feel like I'm being scolded by my fucking dad. I know what he thinks, and he can fuck off. It's none of his business. 

"I don't know exactly. I'm hoping it'll go well." I answer blandly.   

"Hmm." Zach says, pulling into the road and beginning our journey back to North Bridge.   

"I think honesty is very important in any relationship, Noah." Kim offers helpfully from the back seat. I know what she's doing. I know what they're both doing. 

"Jamie and I aren't in a relationship." I state flatly. 

"Maybe not officially, but come on, shes not exactly your friend either." Kim says.   

"Is that your excuse for kissing Sam?" Zach asks me, cutting the crap at last. 

"Yes, Zach, it is. I knew you knew about that, why has it taken you so long to say anything?" I ask him, not attempting to hide the irritation from my tone.   

"I was waiting to see if you would say anything. Obviously you weren't going to." Zach sighs. "You need to tell Jamie about it, dude. It's not fair on her." 

I glare out of the window. I know that already, I don't need this shit from him.   

"I know, I'm gonna tell her everything tonight." I say quietly.   

"That's big of you Noah. It's the right thing to do." Kim says kindly. "But...what about you and Jamie? You can't expect her to stick around much longer if things go on this way between the two of you?" 

Shes right. And I know this already, I've been thinking about it a lot since Jamie and I argued over the phone on New Year's Eve. She's special, she's unlike any girl I've ever known, including Sam and Sarah. Just because we're young and dumb, I can't lose her. I don't think I'll ever meet another girl like her. I know I won't. So I need to step up. I need to make the commitment to her. I already decided.

If she'll even have me after I tell her about Sam. 

"I'm gonna ask her to be my girlfriend." I say quietly, still staring out the window. 

"You are!?" Zach asks in disbelief. 

"Finally!" Kim exclaims.

"Yeah, don't say anything to her or Aubrey though. It should come from me. No one else." I turn my head around to say this to Kim.   

"Well, good luck." Zach says doubtfully. "She's put up with a lot of shit from you already, I don't know how she'll feel when you tell her about Sam."  

"I know." I say quietly, looking out the window again at the passing New York City traffic. "I'm gonna fight for her though. I don't wanna lose her."

It's true. I don't. 

I unlock my phone and frown as I read another new message from Sarah. I'm heading back to North Bridge, and she's almost back in the City with her roommate Erin. She wanted to talk to me today, to give me more shit about not coming clean with Jamie a couple days ago like I told her I would. I've already told Sarah to relax about it, and I made her swear not to tell anyone what I'm planning on doing today. You know, asking Jamie out officially. I just thought that without feeling nauseous. I know I'm doing the right thing. 

Only a few hours until I see her again. I'm confident I can do this. It's all gonna work out. I lay my head back against the headrest and close my eyes, letting Zach and Kim know that I'm done talking. And I'm not replying to any of Sarah's messages either. The next person I discuss any of this with is Jamie, in North Bridge. And I'll be back there real soon.