Woo woo!! I feel so proud of myself!! Early uploads make me feel so good! I don't upload every two weeks on purpose, I promise. :) I wish I could always upload this quickly! But school and other things get in the way. :(
IF YOU WANT ME TO READ YOUR STORY, THEN MESSAGE ME!! DONT COMMENT ON A CHAPPIE AND ASK ME TO READ YOUR STORY CAUSE I WON'T READ IT!!
Anyway, the cover to the side is also by IronFeather! Thank you again! :)
And to the chapter....
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One and Only
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Hear Me Out
Steve cleared his throat awkwardly, for the fifth time now. There was barely any talking going on at the dinner table since it was usually filled with Noah and my pointless fights. And since none of that has been going on...we were all relying on Charlie...
I took a look at her, sitting across from me, and she tilted her head up to look at me, too, and smiled widely. That was until she went back to playing with her food and stuffing it into her small mouth, smearing it all across her cheeks before giggling to herself.
Adorable, but not helping the situation at all.
I absentmindedly looked at the handsome being sitting right next to her. The handsome being that was currently stabbing his sharp fork tirelessly into the tasty chicken forcefully, as if letting his anger out on the poor dead animal.
His sapphire eyes turned up to meet my gaze and I flinched from the cold within. His eyes were usually a toasty, soothing ocean blue that made you melt. It was unlike how now his eyes were a cold, icy blue that made your insides freeze from the lack of any warmth. The opposition in the two were immense and I felt a surge of guilt pass through me as I realized it was my fault. I shouldn't have told him such a treacherous fallacy that caused all the heat in his eyes to fade away. But he didn't understand, he didn't know...and he made it seem like I was the only one in the wrong! He couldn't tell me I was incorrect if he didn't even know why I did what I did! These thoughts brought a new wave of indignation to splash around in my veins.
I scowled at the surplus of food on my originally lavender plate. The fingers grasping my fork were rigid and my knuckles were white. I struggled to bring the infuriation under control.
I sighed, sagging my tense shoulders. I was in the wrong. I should've told him about my father and his cruelty against my mother for him to fully fathom why I won't let him in. To comprehend why I've caged my heart from the calamitous ways of love. He deserves to know why I lied to him. Maybe an explanation would lessen the frustration and affliction of the wound I had inflicted upon him.
I've made up my mind. I must talk to him, soon, before he got any more livid and decided against even glancing in my direction.
Yet another throat was cleared, interrupting my plans of confrontation. This time, though, the throat belonged to Jane. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I need you guys to go grocery shopping tomorrow because no one else will be home." she put her hand up to silence a protesting Noah, "I don't want any of you to be alone in case another robber comes around."
I smiled widely mentally, not wanting Noah to know just how much I rejoiced internally at Jane's errand for us.
"Why do we need more food?" Noah grumbled.
"Because I said so." Jane quipped with the typical parent answer.
Noah groaned and turned back to his shreds of...food, if that's what you could call it.
Once again, a throat cleared. Steve's. I am going to go insane if I hear another person clear their throat!
"Also, we're throwing a big Christmas party. Just thought I'd let you guys know." Steve spoke from the end of the table.
"Is Carrie going to come?" Noah enthusiastically inquired. His eyes lit up, and I felt a twinge of jealousy that just the name of this girl made him so delighted.
"Of course, honey! What kind of parents would we be if we didn't even invite her?" Jane asked quizzically.
"Is she going to stay here for a few days?" Noah kept the avalanche of questions coming.
"Unfortunately, no." Steve answered.
"But why not?"
"Because her parents won't allow her to. You know Mr. and Mrs. King."
Noah sighed, looking dejected before quickly cheering up again, "Well, at least she's coming!"
"Um, who's Carrie?" I asked uncomfortably.
Noah looked at me, as if remembering I was in the room and his smile turned into a glower in the rapid blink of an eye.
I bit my lip and looked down. I had, after all, brought his irascibility upon myself.
"Carrie is Noah's childhood best friend! They were like two peas in a pod before she moved away to Washington." Jane informed me.
I nodded, mouthing 'oh.' He never told me about her. Hopefully meeting her will be interesting...
[*]
"I'll slide in front of you and sit down. You're going to take my hands and twirl me up, 'kay?" I asked an incredibly reserved Noah.
He gave me a curt nod, pointedly not meeting my green eyes. In fact, I haven't been able to catch even the most minuscule glimpse of his sky eyes. Desire to see them kept running through my mind and an empty feeling pooled in my pensive heart. I yearned for nothing more at the moment than for things to go back to how they used to be. This wish of mine could only come true if I told him about my father. I have to tell him soon. He's been avoiding me as much as he possibly can. I had somehow convinced him that we should rehearse more since the competition is in only a week away, before we went to the grocery store.
We practiced the step I told him a few more times, in a stressful atmosphere. The tension in the air was nearly tangible.
"Okay, we should practice the whole song now. So we can get it down to perfection." I told him, watching his every move, hoping he'd look up even once so I could get a peak of his beautiful eyes.
I felt as if a heavy weight was on my shoulders as he nodded stiffly again. It was as if I couldn't breathe freely. Guilt. That's what coursed through me as I realized that we were at this point because of me. If only I could move on from the past and like, maybe even love him, without any restraints on my heart. But for some reason, I couldn't get past what had happened with my father and mother. He told her he would always love her and never leave her or hurt her and yet in the end, that was exactly what he did. He pained her so much that it took her twelve, lengthy years to finally move on and find someone else. But I know that she still holds a special place in her too condoning heart for him. I didn't want to spend my life like that. Aching for someone who's only memory I had left was of them tearing my heart mercilessly apart.
No matter what, I owed him an explanation of some sort for my actions. Something that would make me feel even a sliver bit better for saying such a horrible false statement.
"Noah," I breathed out softly, putting my hand on his as he was about to press the replay button.
"What?" his voice was harsh and I instantly removed my hand from his.
"Hear me out," I stated more than asked.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Please? Just listen to why I pushed you away." I pleaded, desperately, wanting him to just hear what I had to say.
His eyes that were devoid of any feeling, met mine, fulfilling my wish, yet destroying me further. I couldn't look into his foreign-looking eyes any longer and turned my head away.
"Look, the only reason-" I was instantaneously cut off by him.
"I don't want to hear it," he said sternly.
"Just listen to me!" I cried, past the point of desperation.
"I don't care anymore! I'm tired of your hot and cold behavior!" he suddenly exploded.
"Just hear me out! Then you'll understand!" I exclaimed, quickly becoming outraged at his stubbornness.
"Jade," he pulled my chin to make me meet his eyes, and spoke in a calm yet cold tone, "You don't like me, and I don't like you, so it doesn't matter if you tell me the reason for the way you behaved or not."
His every word cut through my heart like a razor-sharp dagger, piercing my heart. I was still infuriated, but only one thought stuck in my head, making my heart crack a tiny bit...you don't like me and I don't like you...
[*]
I pushed the cart roughly forward, still angry and upset over what had happened earlier in the day. I was done trying to tell him why I did what I did. If he didn't care anymore, then so be it. But why was I still despondent? Why did it matter that he didn't like me? I had told him that, too...but I hadn't meant it.
"Is pasta on the list Jane gave?" Noah asked from beside me, not even looking at me.
"I don't know," I replied just as moodily.
"Then check," he said, sounding agitated.
"I could only do that if I had the list." I pointed out.
His cheeks tinged the palest pink as he took the yellow notepad paper out of his back pocket. A thrill of delight shot up my spine at this, but I quickly smothered the feeling.
"Is it on there?" I asked, considering that the pasta was on my side.
"Yeah." he replied curtly.
I reached up to get the pasta, but it was too high and I couldn't reach it because of my lack of inches. Yet, I refused to give up. I reached my hand further up, stretching onto my tiptoes. Who puts pasta so high up that normal people can't reach it, anyway?
I felt myself be pushed gently to the side and a tanned arm easily grab the pasta box I was having such difficult time even touching. He dropped the box in the cart loudly and proceeded to push the cart, completely ignoring me. Fine. Be like that.
I walked alongside him, but a kept a big gap between us. I didn't want to talk to him if he didn't utter a single word to me either.
As I was inspecting the different kinds of bread they had, I heart the clattering of two shopping carts. I turned around to see Noah had crashed into Rose's cart.
She immediately went from reprimanding Noah to tackling me into a bear hug in the time span of two seconds.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in such a long time!" she squealed excitedly.
I smiled, "I know! It feels like forever!" I had honestly missed her bubbly presence and I longed to tell her what had happened, but I haven't gotten the chance.
"What are you doing here?" she asked me.
"Grocery shopping, duh." Noah answered.
Rose rolled her eyes, "I know, I meant why."
"Because Jane made us." I supplied the answer this time.
"Made you?" Rose raised her eyebrow, "You guys are usually eager to do anything together."
My cheeks turned bright crimson at her words because of how true they were. I looked away from her analyzing gaze as she put the pieces together.
"Do you mind if I steal Jade for the rest of the day and night? I'll drop her off tomorrow at your house." Rose asked.
"I don't mind at all." he declared and I felt a little hurt at his words but let it go.
"Thanks!" Rose exclaimed, pretending as if she didn't hear the relief in his voice.
[*]
"Tell me everything." Rose demanded, "Every single little detail that happened."
I nodded and told her everything. The amazing kiss, my response to it, his seduction, and our fight.
"He was a douche not to listen to your explanation and say he doesn't like you." Rose came out with.
"But what if he really doesn't like me?"
"I've known Noah since fourth grade, I know he genuinely likes you."
"Really?" I asked, feeling a shimmer of hope.
"Yeah. But I don't see why you care."
"Of course I care! I like him, too!"
"Well, then act on it! Let the past finally go!" she urged me loudly, "History doesn't have to repeat itself! Life is all about taking risks!"
I groaned and shoved my face into her silky, gray pillows. "I know, but I just can't let go of it for some reason. I want to, I honestly do...but I just can't."
She sighed from beside me, and tilted my head up to make me look into her big, pale blue eyes. "You have to let go," she said softly, "because remembering will only destroy you further."
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Finally!! Finished with writing it!! It was honestly very hard to because I was borderline on making them just make out! Tell me what you think of the chapter!!
Please read sammywappy's A Conscripted Marriage!! It is honestly really, really, really good! (and it's not about an arranged marriage if that's what you're thinking) But please give it a try! :D
350 votes and 160 comments!! :D
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for commenting and voting so much on the last chapter!! I really loved it!!!
Quote of the Upload:
"Sometimes you need to run away just to see who will come after you." ~I don't know (I have a bunch of wallpapers with awesome quotes so I don't know who they're from)
Song of the Upload:
Heartbeat by Enrique Iglesias ft. Nicole Scherzinger
(this song perfectly fits this story!!)