Things Are Different

Chapter 42: Like A Version Part 5

"Are you just gonna not say anything?" Trevante asked, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over him and his boyfriend.

"I'm not the one that needs to be doing the talking," Noel quipped. "No need to be a smart ass Noel." He sighed. "Okay." Noel kept his uninterested tone as he leaned back in his bed.

"You know what?" Noel said rolling his eyes. "I have two bullet wounds in my chest. One bullet they couldn't even remove. But guess what you were doing while all of this was going down?" Noel said. Trevante stood, his hands above his head as he started to pace.

"It wasn't rhetorical at all. Answer the question! Say it out loud!" Noel demanded. "I was high." Trevante answered softly. "What? I couldn't hear you! You were the one doing it so say it with your chest Trevante!"  Noel said as Trevante nodded along.

"I was getting high. I was high and I'm sorry." He apologized. "Sorry is just a word." Noel said. "Go finish your movie, go do the other one but while you do that get help Trevante. I'm serious! I will not have another drug addict boyfriend." Noel said as Trevante seemed to be getting emotional.

"This sounds a lot like a break up." He sniffled. "Because it is." Noel nodded. "You don't need any distractions and that's exactly what I am." He told him.

"Noel, you literally smoked a joint with me before!" He burst with tears as Noel confirmed his fear. "Weed is different and you know it. You're addicted to cocaine!" Noel raised his voice.

"I'm not addicted!" Trevante yelled making Noel jump. "Get out." Noel said steely. "I'm s-" "Don't." Noel looked at him pointedly. "Just leave." Noel looked away from him.

Shaking his head Trevante left quietly. Noel sighed as he held his head in his hands.

"Scoot over." His Aunt Kourtney tapped his shoulder. Noel sluggishly moved over letting her in bed. "I didn't want you guys to witness that." He whispered. "We've seen worse Noel." She giggled trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah." He scoffed.

"When do I get to leave?" He asked her. "Another day. They want to see everything's okay through the night before you're allowed to leave." She reassured him. "Okay good." He breathed through his nose.

"Where's everyone else?" He asked leaning his head on her shoulder. "They went to eat. Justine is with them too, she's flying and staying with you for a little if that's okay with you." She said. "Yeah, that's fine." He nodded.

"I should have stayed with Papa and Carter." Noel said quietly. Tears streaming from his eyes as he sniffled harshly. "I don't want to keep doing this KeKe." He said softly.

Kourtney listened to her nephew as he continued to cry into her chest. Her hand stroking his back as he cried. She placed soft kisses along his hairline ever so often to let him know she was still there.

Soon he tired himself out into a slumber. She looked over him as he slept. Not moving a muscle even when her arm fell asleep. Careful not to wake him in his first dead sleep since the incident.

Even quieting her family as they entered the room. Deflecting their questioning looks as they saw dry tear tracks on Noel's face.

:/

"
The last three moths have been a blur for me honestly after that whole thing.

My mom tries to help but it's only so much she can do for me. I was shot while also seeing her being robbed and bound in our hotel room. That shit is traumatizing, excuse my language.

But my friends are super supportive, Justine has been staying with me since it happened. Something I'm thankful for everyday, my house gets kinda lonely sometimes.

Um, my ep got pushed back too. Again.
Some artistic differences I guess is what you'd call it. But I'm working on the last song as we speak. But after this I don't know where my music is gonna take me honestly. Shit just becomes draining after it starts to feel like an obligation more than a passion.

Anyway, enough of the sad and boring stuff. I have one last cover to premiere. And this cover is very dear to my heart because it is one of my favorite songs.

So if you would click to to the next video, I'll meet you over there.

"

//

"So um," I chuckled as I cleared my throat. "This is one of my favorite songs. And I love Ariana Grande so this is very special to me."

"So last but not least. This is Honeymoon Avenue." I smiled as I cued in the band behind me.

//