Noah's POV
I scarfed down the food they brought me. Coke wasn't the ideal beverage, but it was definitely refreshing.
"Thanks, Chris. I'll pay you back every penny, promise," I said with my mouth full of burger.
"No problem. And no, it's fine. All that matters is that you're ok and not dead."
"Yeah, but if y'all had shown up even a second later, I'd be in the hospital right now. So, thanks for saving me."
It was awkward for a second in the silence.
"What time is it?" I asked before taking another bite of my burger.
Teddy looked at his empty wrist then back up at me with the stupidest look on his face. I couldn't help but laugh. Once I did, Teddy smiled at me.
Chris pulled his watch from his back pocket and stared at it for a couple seconds.
"Ten past three," he responded. I looked up and said, "Jesus, either I slept in late or was on my trip far longer than I thought." Teddy almost lit up upon hearing my reference to his joke.
Five minutes went by and I was done eating. Gordie arrived first, then Vern.
At this point, I was laying down, my head resting on Teddy's lap, as he stroked my hair. It relaxed me when people played with my hair. I also didn't care what the others thought about me and Teddy being so close. Chris told Gordie and Vern what happened to me.
I began to worry that Tara didn't know we came to the tree house every afternoon after school or that she didn't know the way from school or at all.
"Did anyone see Tara after school? I don't know if she remembers the way to the tree house..."
Gordie finished stuffing a chocolate bar in his mouth before saying, "I talked to her in Lit. She said she had to do her homework at home first, then she can come. She also said she knows the way."
I furrowed my eyebrows, but not in confusion, in impressment.
"Ok," I said softly.
We all sat in silence for a while. No one said anything about what had happened to me, but everyone was thinking about it.
"Wanna play Thirty-One?" Chris said. I looked around at the boys and they all slowly nodded. Teddy looked down at me and I said, "go ahead. I'll be fine," with a smile.
Teddy moved from under my head and sat at his spot. I watched from my corner as the boys got mad at each other, insulted each other, and laughed at each other.
After about five or six rounds of Thirty-One, I saw Tara walking to the tree house thtough the window to my left.
I waved at her and she waved back with a smile spread across her face.
"Is Tara here?" Chris asked. I turned around and nodded. he looked almost nervous.
"What's got you in a jitter?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
"I think I'm gonna tell Tara I like her."
Everyone in the tree house widened their eyes and dropped their jaws.
"Shh, she's coming," Chris whisper-yelled.
"Not yet," Teddy said with a smirk. We all laughed as Tara knocked on the trap door.
"That's not the secret knock!" Gordie said witha smile.
"Oh, shut it, Gordo. We all know it's Tara." They moved the table and Tara crawled in, sitting by me.
"Jesus, Noah! What the hell happened to you?!" she yelled as she put her fingers on the huge bruise on my cheek.
I was too tired to say it all, so Teddy told her. Chris would've, but he was side tracked by her face. He probably thought his staring wasn't noticable, but Tara for sure noticed. I saw her look over and start blushing.
After Tara knew the whole story, I pulled her ear close to my mouth and whispered to her, "do you like Chris?!"
She pulled away looked at me in thought, thinknig whether or not she should tell me.
"Yes," she said softly, but no one else heard it over the boys' laughs and insults.
"Oh my God!" I yelled, getting the boys' attention.
"Noah! Shut up," Tara said as she lighting slapped the back of her hand on my upper arm.
"Chris, remember that thing you were talking about earlier?" I asked. Tara looked between us two in confusion and interest.
"W-what?" Chris stuttered as he looked between me and Tara.
"Do it. Now."
"U-um, ok. Tara, I-I think, no. I know I like you. Will you go out w-with me?"
He couldn't hold eye contact, possibly afraid of rejection, but I wasn't. I knew Tara wouldn't reject him. Not today, at least.
"Yes." Chris looked up with wide eyes, staring straight at her. Their eyes met and Tara looked away as her cheeks flushed bright pink.
"Holy shit, really?!" Chris yelled excitedly.
"Oh my gosh!" I squealed as I pulled Tara in for a hug. She put her hands on my arms as her and Chris smiled at each other.
"Well, since we're getting this out of the way, Noah, will you-"
"Yes," I said as I pulled Teddy in by the shirt and kissed him, leaving the others mostly disgusted, but also happy.
After that week, school ended. We all met at the tree house at 9 every morning for a month and a half.
We would normally go to Patsy's for lunch, but would every once in a while try a new place.
I hadn't seen Ace since he nearly killed me. But I made sure that when I was home, someone else was with me and when I went to Patsy's or another Cobra hot-spot, I was with at least two more people from my gang. I also always carry a blade on me.
Mom and I started having dinner together once a week, then twice a week. Then it was every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday. She also accepted the fact that I wasn't leaving my friend group for a while. She lets me stay at Teddy's every once in a while.
My bruises left after about three weeks, but they never left internally.
Life was ok. Then, when we were all at the tree house, Chris said, "so, next year most of us will be split up. Gordie, Noah and Tara will be taking college classes and the rest of us will be making birdhouses and ashtrays with the other retards."
"Never," Tara said. "Chris, you should do the college classes with us." Tara and Chris had gotten really close. If they had one arguement and couldn't figure it out, Chara was over. They were always together, always sat by each other, always fed each other, the list goes on.
"Yeah, and I'm not doing college courses. I'm not as smart as everyone gives me credit for," I said.
"Bullshit," Teddy said. Teddy and I had also gotten close, but we communicate more. We take breaks from each other so that we appreciate the time we had both sperated and together. We hadn't necessarily done it, not that you needed to know or care, but Chris and Tara had. But, I was mostly good about not comparing my relationship with other people's relationships, especially Chris and Tara.
"You're taking those classes, Noah," Teddy said, looking down at me as I looked away, avoiding eye contact.
"No, Teddy."
"Yes," Chris said. I looked over at him wiht surprise.
"I'm not as smart as you all think I am. The only good grades I had at the end of the year was science and that was a C."
"What about math? You helped me with my homework," Tara said.
"Well, plus, you missed the last week of school without calling in. If they don't have a reason to excuse your assignments, they mark them absent and you get a zero," Gordie said.
"No, before I didn't show up. I had three D's and two F's. And one C, of course. That was just core classes. I didn't show up to any of my electives," I said, looking down at my figners as they danced with the end of my shirt.
No one said anything after that, and I didn't mind. I jsut hope they all knew I wasn't wasting my time of those classes.
That night, I went to Teddy's to spend the night. On our walk to his house, it was silent. Neither of us wanted to talk. And Teddy knew better than to egg me on about the college courses.
We got to his house and I changed into one of his shirts and wore my comfy pants.
I already brushed my teeth, so I was getting in bed as Teddy was brushing his.
"So, tell me again why you think grades matter for those college classes?" Teddy said, poking his head out of the bathroom.
"Teddy," I said, annoyed.
"No, just tell me!"
"Because! My grades reflect what I know!"
"No. Tests refelct what you know. Grades just tell you what you actively participate in at school, such as homework and activities. Take the entry test, then tell us you can't do it," he said, his whole body now completely out of the bathroom and in his room.
"How about you finish brushing your teeth and come get in bed first," I said with a smile as he rolled his eyes and walked back into the bathroom.
I got comfortable and about a minute later Teddy walked in and closed the door. He turned the light off before getting in bed.
Once he was comfortable, I put my lef tarm over his body and rested my hea don his chest, positioning my ear just right so I could hear his heart beat.
It was silent for a second. Then I said, "I'll take the test, but if I do bad, I'm forgetting about it. Plus, I don't want to split up from you."
"We would never split up," he said softly.
"No, not breakup. But if I do college classes, the classes will take all of my attentiona nd time, leaving hardly any for a boyfriend. I'm thinking smarter not harder," I said as I shut my eyes. Tonight I was especially tired.
"So you admit it, you are smart," Teddy said after moment of silence.
I rolled my eyes and said, "whatever."
We laid there for a minute or so before Teddy put his hand on my chin and lifted my face up so our eyes met.
"Hey, I know you don't think you're amazing, but you are. Trust me. And just because you think you may not be smart enough for those stupid college classes doesn't mean you don't have any other good quality." I took his words into consideration.
I leaned up and kissed him, the kiss being longer than usual. He moved his hands down and left them on my ass. I pulled away slowly and propped myself up on my elbows over him.
"Hey, I want to, I really do. But I'm just really tired tonight. Maybe tomorrow?"
He looked almost insulted.
"What's wro-"
"If you don't want to do it, you don't have to. You've used a lame excuse every night for the past week," he said as he got out of bed and put a pair of pants on before turning to look at me.
"Teddy, that's not true or fair."
"No, it's not fair. But I'll tell you what is. Having great communication like Chris and Tara."
"You mean horrible? They hardly have regular meaningful conversations like us!"
"Well, they make it work."
I was livid. "Teddy, I'm going to say this once, so you better listen. Never compare your relationship to others', especially in front of your significant other. If you're cranky because you aren't getting laid, then go have sex with another girl. Then tell me how that messed our relationship up. It's a big thing for some girls then not so much for others. I'm sorry you didn't get lucky with one who has trauma."
Teddy was standing by the door, straight face. It was silent as we were both thinking.
"Maybe we should take a break," I said, getting out of bed and getting my stuff together on the bed.
"We just had out monthly break last week," he said confused.
"No, Teddy. A real break. Like a month." I put all my clothes in my bag then put my shoes on. I opened his window and started leaving.
"Noah, please..."
"Maybe you should have thought more about what you said if you're so mad or sad or whatever," I said as I left the house completely. I threw my backpack on before treading away from the house that I wish I'd never leave.
Teddy didn't follow me, which was ok. I needed to be alone. Where could I be alone? At home. Mom worked the night shift tonight.
But in that moment, I was so mad I forgot my most important rule; don't go anywhere alone.
(2132 words)
A/N: sorry this one's extra long, couldn't find a good spot to end it besides where it is.