It was the day after Adrien and I had made up. I was... happy again. Noah and I still haven't talked to each other, but honestly I didn't care right now. What he did was so selfish, he didn't think about my feelings or what I would even say as a response to what he did.
The gesture of coming to the store to surprise me with chocolates and flowers was cute in theory, but just because he got jealous and claimed me as his own is what gave me the ick.
Adrien and I had been texting since yesterday all the way till today.
The kind of text messages where the conversations never end. My favorite kind.
Talking to Adrien was so effortless, and the fact that we had history and so much in common was just a plus.
Adrien: Sooooooo
Adrien: About that date...?
A smile formed on my lips, a pink hue scattered on my cheeks.
I'm going to act clueless.
Me: What about it?
Adrien: Come onnnnn
Adrien: Don't do this to me
Adrien: Carmina.
Me: What?
Adrien: I don't want to ask.
Me: Ask about what?
I really, really, really, really want him to ask because I would LOVE to just have the proof that he asked me out on a date. I would take a screen shot and frame it.
Adrien: You're really gonna make me ask?
Me: I don't know what you're talking about Adrien
The text bubble appeared and disappeared a couple of times before he finally sent his message.
Adrien: Will you go on a date with me Carmina? And not a "in the future" kind of date. I want a "soon" kind of date.
Imagining him saying these things out loud made me melt. Thinking of him demanding a date was so fucking hot. Well, he technically wasn't demanding, but we can just pretend.
Me: I would love to go on a date with you Adrien. And not a "in the future" kind of date. A "soon" kind of date.
I blushed so hard. The feelings that I was feeling for this man was sickening.
I haven't flirted like this for years, our messages were kind of embarrassing. But I honestly kind of loved it. It reminded me of a high school type of flirts.
Adrien: Okay, when?
Me: When do you want to go?
Adrien: Honestly...
Adrien: The sooner the better :)
I wanted to throw my phone across the room.
Me: I'm free this Wednesday...
Adrien: Okay
Adrien: we have a date
Adrien: This Wednesday.
Me: Ok ok this Wednesday
Adrien: Carmina. You better not forget.
Me: I WONT
Adrien: JUST MAKIGN SURE
Adrien: Making^
Me: OFC
Adrien: okay I'm excited
I giggled, he's just too cute.
It was Monday. Two more days until our date. I don't think I could wait that long.
All of a sudden I hear a knock on my door.
It was slow and steady and had weird pauses in between each knock.
It was about 6 PM and I wasn't expecting anybody, Melanie was at work and I don't think Adrien would just show up at my door like that.
I got up from the couch and opened the door to reveal a hot mess.
No, no... not a hot mess. A hot mess.
Standing at my door was Noah, his hair was damp from what looked like sweat, his eyes were red and puffy. He was holding a paper bag with a bottle in it. He'd been drinking.
He looked absolutely beat up. The hand that he was using to hold the bottle had bruises and cuts all over them. Some old, some very fresh.
"Carmina..." he said smiling weakly.
"Oh my god, Noah, are you okay?" I ask, concern rising in my voice.
"Carmina, I'm so sorry..." he pleads.
He takes a step forward and almost trips, he slumps over me.
He was so heavy, I was struggling to keep him up.
I lugged him over to the couch and sat him down.
"Carmina, I'm..."
"Shhh..." I cut him off.
"Don't say anything, just because I'm helping you, doesn't mean you're off the hook." I said taking the bottle out of his hands.
He quickly quieted down like a child that was told if they wouldn't be quiet they wouldn't get any candy.
I got up from the couch and went over to my kitchen to grab a rag and a bowl filled with water, I then grabbed some rubbing alcohol.
I brought the stuff over to the couch and placed it onto the coffee table.
Noah looked so sad and hurt. I felt bad for him.
Whatever happens, I'll still forgive him... just not yet, I want him to learn that he can't just "own" me like that.
I sat down next to him and gently took a hold off his hands.
I dampened the rag with the warm water and started dabbing at his cuts.
His hands were large and calloused, but they were comforting.
I was focused on cleaning his cuts, but he seemed to be focused on me. I could feel his eyes roam every inch of my face.
"Noah... These cuts, what are you doing?" I ask, still cleaning everything.
He took a minute before he responded.
"I've been training without any gloves." he responds, his voice low.
Now that I could see his hands up close, they looked really bad.
"Why?" I asked.
He just shrugged and looked at his hand that was in mine.
I gently placed his hand down onto my lap and reached for the rubbing alcohol.
I looked him into the eyes and said, "This will sting just a bit."
He didn't say anything, he just nodded.
I poured a little bit of the rubbing alcohol onto the rag, the strong stench reaching my nose rather quickly.
I gave him a quick glance before dabbing the rag to his cuts, he had a couple of cuts that were clustered in the same spot.
He groaned in pain, sending unholy thoughts into my head.
I continued to dab around the cuts, trying to get all of them so the pain would just be over.
The movement of going so quickly was quite shocking to him.
He pressed his lips together and shut his eyes and threw his head back.
"You would think that little cuts wouldn't hurt so fucking much..." He groaned.
His chest was rising up and down quickly.
I know he was in pain, but he looked so hot.
"I know, I'm sorry, just a little more. We still have to do your other hand."
He sighed, he sat back up and watched me tend to his cuts, sucking air through his teeth every time the alcohol made contact with his cuts.
After what felt like forever, I finally finished both of his hands.
"Thank you. You really didn't have to do this..." He said
It seemed like he was able to sober up while I was helping him.
"You're welcome, I'm pissed at you, but... I still care about you. Please stop hurting yourself like this. It hurts me too." I reasoned, avoiding eye contact with him.
Just then, his large hand gently grabbed a hold on my chin and turned my face up to look at him. I looked at him directly in the eyes and he let go of my face.
"I'm sorry, Carmina. Please forgive me. I realize how much of a dick I was for doing that. I fucking embarrased you in front of people. I'm so fucking sorry. Just the thought of you being angry at me has been sending me into a spiral. I can't train, I can't fight, hell, I can't even fucking look at myself. I haven't known you for very long, but when I'm around you... I feel complete, you mean the world to me. Please, forgive me?"
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I never do well in situations like these. I had no idea I had such an effect on him and that the decisions that I made had so much power over him. I'm overly sensitive, and seeing such a fighter like him confess his feelings like that was pushing me over the edge.
Without saying a word to him, I quickly embraced him.
He tensed up, and didn't hug me back, but a couple seconds later, I felt his strong arms wrap around me. He let a long breath out.
"I forgive you. I'm sorry too." I said, into the crook of his neck.
"You know I'll always forgive you, Wiley." He responded, in a low voice, almost a whisper, into my hair.
Fuck, do I have feelings for Noah too?