I was wrapped in the warmth of Noah's embrace before I knew what was coming. He was hugging me, and that made it much harder for me not to burst into a fountain of salty tears.
He pulled away and took my hand in his; leading me into his wonderfully warm house and shutting closed the front door.
"You don't suck and you're always welcome in my house, Ellenore", Noah said softly, his hazel eyes searching my teary blue ones. I hadn't told him what was wrong but he could see I was on the precipice of breaking down and he didn't push it any further.
"Thank you, Noah" I sniffed at him.
"Your hands are trembling", he informed me like I didn't already know "I should get you something to drink. Is coffee okay?"
"Coffee is great, but I think I could use some of the hard stuff right now", I looked straight at him when saying this, my words loud and clear so he knew I was dead serious.
He only raised a brow at me. "You want liquor?"
"Yes", I tried to be brave "That's what it's for right? Drown your sorrows? Make you forget?"
"Ellie..."
"Noah, please" I begged him. I had to look up into his eyes because if I looked any lower, I wouldn't be able to stop looking at his perfect torso. I was suffering from a swirling black hole of emotions and Noah could definitely pick out the desperation because he just nodded, "Okay", he said
I felt a touch of triumph for the first time that night even if it meant turning to Noah who I had sworn off of and getting him to enable me. But I couldn't even think of that right now, I had bigger problems. Mountain sized problems.
Still holding my hand in his, he led me into his living room. So far from what I had seen of his apartment, it was spectacular, the insides even more beautiful than outside. He had great taste and when money wasn't a big deal, it could get you living in lavish apartments like this one.
Noah all but laid me back on his pale blue couch with an almost clinical touch.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back", he told me and subsequently disappeared.
I took a deep breath, running my hands over my face and I settled back into his couch. My mind was a jumbled up mess, I didn't know what to think anymore. So I decided not thinking would be the best.
Noah returned a second later. He had put on a black t shirt over his pyjama bottoms, which made me pout a little and was carrying a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses.
I raised my brow at him as he sat down beside me and handed me a glass.
"Is this your idea of booze, Noah?"
"Well", he uncorked the bottle and poured some into my glass "It was either this or beer and honestly, you don't look like you can handle beer"
"What?" I scoffed and took a sip. It felt so good. "I can so handle beer. That's all they serve at frat parties"
"You're telling me you've been to frat parties", Noah leaned back and smirked at me
"No. I'm telling you I can handle beer", I took a bigger sip and Noah was quiet for a while. I looked over my glass at him and he was watching me intently.
"What?" I asked him
"Why did you show up at my door crying, Ellie?" he finally asked
I took a deep breath, the painful memories trickling back in and I tried closing my eyes to shut it off but it was no use. "I umm... I ahh..." I let out a frustrated groan "I'm sorry, I really don't want to talk about it"
"That's fine", Noah said. He gave me a reassuring look "I'm here, if you ever want to talk, just so you know"
I looked down at the rim of my glass that was now in my lap and nodded.
"So I'm guessing you showing up at my door means we're friends again?" he raised both eyebrows at me and his hazel eyes were so hopeful, I had to crack a smile.
All that drama seemed inconsequential compared to the one I was going through right now.
I nodded at him. "I guess"
"Great", he gave me such a huge, joyful grin I had no other choice than to grin right back at him.
I picked up my now empty glass and filled it up with more wine. "You have an obnoxiously large flat screen", I said to Noah gesturing at the large 70 inch HD flat screen at the opposite side of the room.
"Yes I do", he jokingly gloated at me and picked up a Tab lying around on his ornately carved coffee table which I guessed served as the remote "Would you like to watch something?"
"Sure", I was beginning to feel the effects of the wine now. I felt pleasantly warm inside.
He turned on the TV and the show 'Dance Moms' began blaring in the entire room.
My eyes widened and I spewed out some of my wine in laughter.
"What? Were you watching Dance Moms?" I asked him incredulously.
Noah fumbled with his Tab for a moment. "Umm... uh... I don't know how that got on there. I swear I was watching a basketball game just before you got here"
"Noah, stop. I can see you recorded a bunch of episodes"
Noah's ears actually turned a shade of red. OMG, he was actually embarrassed. I couldn't believe it; Noah Stinson was blushing because I had found out his guilty pleasure for a reality show about dancing pre teens and their constantly arguing mothers.
It was so freaking cute. I shook my head. Okay, that was the wine talking.
I reached over and pried the Tab away from his hands. "It's okay. I like Dance Moms too", I said while leaning halfway over him. I smiled up at him and he had the warmest look in those hazel orbs as he looked back at me.
We both leaned back into the couch and began to watch in a bit of a companionable silence. After a while I realized my glass of wine was empty again so I reached forward to grab the bottle. I glanced over at Noah out of the corner of my eye.
"Why am I the only one drinking?"
"Well, someone" he pointed at himself "has to stay sober to eventually pick up the other's pieces"
"I'm not going to fall apart"
He spread his arms out on the couch and raised a brow at me. "You're halfway there"
I scrunched up my nose at him. "The mean thing doesn't look good on you"
"Hey, just trying to channel my inner Miss Abby Lee", he gestured at the TV where the infamous dance teacher was screaming her head off at a couple of kids.
"Sheesh these ladies are insane", I giggled and took another sip from my glass. I was a bit tipsy I could tell, but it was all worth it seeing as I could hardly remember why I had shown up here sad in the first place.
"Come on, don't be such a hard ass. Drink with me"
"I'm good, Ellie", he said stubbornly. His tone sounded a bit too cautious in my opinion.
I picked up the bottle and went over to him on the couch.
"Drinking alone is no fun, Noah", I whined in a sing song voice. I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him back into the couch "And I won't let you go till you say yes"
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sort of half smile. The singular action was enough to cause dragons to erupt in my stomach. Pfft butterflies.
"Fine. Okay", he raised his hands in mock surrender.
I gave him a triumphant look, then proceeded to fill his glass with wine, albeit sloppily and shoved it at him.
He took it from my fingers and drank most of it at a go.
"Happy?" he asked me as he put the glass away
"Ecstatic", I gave him a tipsy grin
"Anything for you, Ellie", he said and his eyes were sincere. I knew he meant it and with the kind of night I was having, that was just what I needed to hear.
God, I needed to kiss this man.
I leaned forward into Noah, closing my eyes as I prepared for the feel of his lips against mine. But no, Noah gripped me by my forearms and pushed me away gently.
"Woah Ellie, no..." Noah's hazel eyes searched mine probably wary of how I would react.
Once again, I had made a complete fool of myself.
I could blame the alcohol, but that was unnecessary pressure on a bottle of wine for my own self destructive behaviour. My eyes burned with humiliation but I couldn't let him see that.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come here", I mumbled hastily as I slid off the couch and rushed out of the room.
"Ellie, where are you going? Hey... Ellie!"
I could hear him calling after me but I couldn't bear to face him after my epic display of stupidity. I got to the front door and tugged at the handle but it didn't budge.
Noah got to me in a second.
"What the fuck Ellie?"
I turned to face him and he actually looked pissed as he walked up to me.
"This was a mistake, I need to leave. I'm sorry"
"Ellie, you don't always have to run away from everything that gets a little uncomfortable", Noah was flush up against me and I couldn't hide away from his burning gaze.
I looked down, ashamed. He was right. But, I couldn't help myself. I was a runner. I ran away from any and all emotionally charged problems I encountered. It was embarrassing to be that weak when I prided myself on being able to conquer all other sorts of challenges.
"Just let me go, Noah. I'm a mess"
"And that's precisely why I won't let you run from me this time". Before I knew what was happening, Noah had crouched down, his hands curled around my knees and next thing he was hauling me over his shoulder like he was a cave man and I was game.
"What the..." I was so shocked at my new position dangling over Noah's shoulder as he traipsed around to somewhere in his massive house, I could hardly formulate words to express myself.
"Hush woman, you're my prisoner now", Noah had the nerve to sound amused.
"You can't keep me against my will!" I hit his well toned back and tried to struggle but it was absolutely no use. It was kind of funny actually as I wondered how he could support my body weight on one shoulder.
"I can do whatever the hell I want", Noah said and to prove his point, he smacked my ass hard. I gasped loudly and then burst out laughing. Noah was laughing too, as his shoulders shook uncomfortably against my stomach.
By the time I finished laughing; Noah had climbed up the stairs and had pushed open the door to a bedroom down the hall.
"Welcome to the guest bedroom", Noah announced and promptly set me down on my feet. I stumbled a bit as I tried to regain my balance and I punched his arm.
"Now, Ellie is that how you repay my hospitality?" he tsk-ed not bothering to pretend that the punch had hurt.
"Thank you, Noah", I said softly. He was always so kind to me even when I didn't deserve any of it.
He came forward, cupped the back of my neck and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Get some sleep, Ellie. It'll all be better in the morning"
"Okay", I nodded "I should shower first"
"Alright, let me go get you something to change into", Noah said and disappeared out the door.
Once Noah left, I stripped out of my clothes and went into the bathroom. The bathroom was just as stunning as the rest of the house. What I would give to carry the glorious tub back home with me.
Home. The word sent a painful pang through my chest and I proceeded to try to scrub out the pain and the weariness of the past day under the hot spray of water from the shower for the next five minutes.
I got out and stepped back into the room with a towel wrapped about me. There on the bed, I found a black V-necked tee and cotton shorts neatly folded. On top of them was a note that said 'let me know if you need anything', I sort of smiled when I saw it. I changed into the night clothes and got under the covers of the very comfortable bed.
I was so ready for this day from hell to be over. I forced my eyes closed and tried to sleep but then I guess my hot shower had wiped away whatever effect the alcohol had on me. The pain was back in full swing as I remembered; I didn't know my father because my mother, the one person I trusted most in this world, had kept him away from me.
After a few minutes of this continuous debacle, my eyes flipped back open and I flung the covers off me. I left my room and paced around in the hallway of Noah's massive apartment. How could someone live in such a huge place alone? It boggled my mind.
I walked around some more until I got to a door I presumed led into Noah's bedroom. Well, since I was already here. I knocked once. "Noah?" I called out
His voice sounded a bit fuzzy from inside the room. "Ellie? Come in, the door's open"
I turned the knob and pushed open the door to his room. Noah was sitting upright, eyes groggy, hair messy and looking like I had just interrupted his sleep time. He was also shirtless again (gulp).
"Umm, sorry to bother you. I just couldn't sleep", I stepped into his room and shut the door quietly behind me
"I would think we're past all that. It's no bother, Ellie", he tossed me a cute sleepy grin "Do you need something?"
"Yeah, I do", I gulped again and stepped towards him "I... I need to talk"
A/N: Hi hi to all my awesome readers. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I wish I could say I was busy but I wasn't. Just a good ole case of writer's block. Starting this chapter was so hard for me, I knew what I wanted to write but I would just stare at my computer screen and have no clue how to go about it. Anyways, once I managed to force myself to write a page, I got back into the Ellie-Noah groove. Sorry if this chapter sucks. Subsequent ones will be better! Xoxoxo.