NOT EDITED
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I was probably more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room filled with rocking chairs.
Noah and I found ourselves staring at the Priestley household – a two story, average sized, white building with flowers adorning the window sills. The carport was empty, besides a bike that was said to belong to Brian.
Although my hand was slick with sweat, I grabbed Noah’s own and squeezed tightly. Noah returned the gesture and looked down at me with an uneasy frown.
Apparently, Nick’s homosexuality was a complete shock to Noah. Noah wasn’t angry. He was just sad – sad because his brother didn’t feel comfortable enough sharing that type of valuable information with him.
It took a lot of courage to come to Brian Priestley’s house. After all, he was the one true love of Nick Callaway and a guy who remained a mystery to many of Nick’s family and friends. For Noah, it was harder. It was harder because he felt that it was his duty to investigate his brother’s death and coming to a person who was equally, if not more, hurt than he was about the death of Nick was setting him up for an emotional day.
After twenty minutes of staring up at the lonely house, Noah finally pulled me along. He knocked on the dark varnished door. Noah’s hand squeezed mine in a vice grip as we waited anxiously for someone to answer the door.
A male around my age with blonde hair and blazing green eyes opened the door. He was incredibly handsome. However, his handsome was different from the masculine handsome. His hair was neatly gelled back, eyebrows were clean, shirt was neatly pressed, and his skin impeccably clear.
His eyes were shocked as he stared at Noah, mouth agape.
I forced a smile onto my face. “Hi, um, I’m Emma and this is Noah. We were wondering if someone by the name of Brian Priestley stayed here.”
“Yes? I mean, I’m B-Brian Priestley,” he replied, pulling his eyes away from Noah to look at me. Once again, they landed on Noah. “Noah Callaway.”
Noah looked down and cleared his throat. “We know about you and my brother’s … um, relationship and we just wanted to ask you a few questions.”
Brian looked wary, a frown permanently etched on his face. He looked like he was about to send us away, inching the door closed.
“Please! It will only take a second,” I pleaded. “I promise that we’re not here to inflict any pain on you. I know this is hard for you, but this also hard for Noah. We’re trying to find closure on Nick’s death. I’m sure you want that too.”
Usually, I wasn’t so pushy. I wasn’t even confident when it came to asking strangers questions on personal information. However, having Noah next to me with his hands slightly trembling in mine and the awareness that he needed answers for comfort was enough to push me beyond the boundary.
Brian looked stuck, glancing behind him and at us. Finally, after careful consideration, he let his guard down. “Okay. Come in.”
We cautiously enter his house. He seemed to be home alone, besides a fat cat drinking out of a silver bowl in the corner. It was a dainty, cute house with many magnets on the refrigerator, cozy blankets on the sofa, and fake flowers throughout the house. I stared at the baseball trophies, bats, and balls showcased in a hallway we passed through. A police coat was slung across the back of a leather rocking chair, confirming that his father was Deputy Priestley.
Noah exhaled softly and motioned his hands towards the showcase. “Wow, man, impressive.”
“Thanks,” Brain replied, smiling stiffly. He grabbed two soda cans from the small fridge in this small conference room and motioned for us to take a seat. “I met Nick during a baseball camp in the summer.”
Noah stiffened beside me at Brian’s sudden information. “You two met five years ago?”
“We never really told anyone. It was hard coming out of the closet, you know? When I came out, I was mentally and physically beaten. I told Nick that was something he didn’t have to do. Just … as long as he loved me.”
The more Brian talked about Nick, the more he seemed to relax. And the more he seemed to get extra emotional. His voice trembled, his hands shook as he placed them over his crossed legs, and his eyes watered when he simply stared at us. We didn’t even have to ask him questions. It was if he was dying to express himself – which in turn, made me feel sorry for the lack of understanding people in his life. Noah looked away when tears streamed down Brian’s face. I simply couldn’t find the right words to say.
“I miss him,” Brian sobbed. “A lot. He was the first boy I fell in love with. He was my everything. I can’t believe he’s – “
My heart lurched in my chest when Brian choked on his sobs and finally crumbled. My eyes widened as he broke down in front of us. Noah, himself, cried silently beside me. I couldn’t sit any longer. I rushed to Brian’s side and gathered him in my arms, rubbing his back soothingly.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized genuinely, eyeing Noah who stared down at his shoes.
Brian chuckled softly and wiped his face with the tissue I handed him. “Oh, man. I’m sorry for breaking apart in front of you. Nick would be laughing at me. I’m usually composed and when I break down, he laughs at me.”
A small smile made its way onto my face as I sat next to him. “Wow, you must’ve loved each other a lot.”
“Oh, plenty. He – he was my soul mate. I swear by my heart he was. If I could have even ten more seconds with him, I would grasp it.”
Noah sat stiffly on the couch, staring at the soda can placed in front of him. By his squared shoulders, I was certain he was trying his best to keep it together the more he listened to Brian. My purpose in coming with Noah was merely for support. I was supposed to stay out of it knowing it wasn’t my business, but I knew Noah couldn’t handle asking the questions himself.
“I don’t mean to push it, but we’re really desperate for answers,” I said with a touch of embarrassment. “But, Noah really loved his brother too and if it’s not too much, we would be honored if you could help us a little with this.”
Brian’s bloodshot eyes widened. “What exactly are you two up to?”
I looked at Noah whose eyes met mine. He gave me a single nod, signaling that I could tell Brian everything. “We’re trying to find who killed Nick.”
“You two are crazy, you know that?” Brian suddenly said and got up from his seat on the couch. He paced back and forth in frenzy. “What if you don’t find that person? What if you’re in danger because of your precarious plan? This is risky. Nick wouldn’t want you to do this.”
Noah got up to, but by the slight way his eyebrows drew together, I knew he was getting impatient too. “Man, he was my brother. I know him too, okay? I know he would’ve wanted me to let it go. But how do you let it go when – “
“When you’re blamed for it? When you were next to him but can’t remember a single thing? When all that’s on your mind is revenge?” Brian crossed his arms over his torso, a slight frown on his face. “I know I live a town away from you, but I’m not completely clueless about what happens in Beaufort.”
Noah looked dumbfounded, but continued anyways. “Can you blame me for feeling that way? Aren’t you angry too?”
“Of course I’m angry! I’ve been angry!” Brian’s voice trembled. “But here’s the horrible truth: Nick’s dead and there’s nothing you or I could do about it and all we could do is be angry for the rest of our lives.”
Noah shook his head. “There’s one thing I’ve been trying to do and I will not stop until I accomplish it. I’m going to find the fucker who killed my brother and let him pay for the shit he’s done! That’s the least I could do for Nick – for my family – for everyone who loved him.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want any part of this. You may not understand, but I know that finding whoever did it will not do me justice. All that person is going to do is sit in jail. In my eyes, that’s paradise compared to the hell he deserves.”
“And living free and giving the bitch a chance to kill others is better than putting him jail?”
“Have you ever heard of Medgar Evers? He once said to his wife, ‘when you hate, the only person who suffers is you because the people you hate don’t know it and the rest don’t care.’ I’m just saying don’t let yourself suffer for people who don’t even deserve your time.”
“I’m not doing it for them. I’m doing it for Nick. If you don’t want to help, that’s fine. But I’m carrying out my plan,” Noah replied curtly, keeping his composure. He looked at me. “Let’s go, Emmy. Thank you for having us Brian.”
I looked back and forth between the two with a frown. I was stuck between leaving with Noah and pleading for more answers from Brian. I sighed; knowing that staying here will get me nowhere. I stood up to leave.
“Wait!” Brian said, stopping Noah and I in our tracks. He sighed before continuing. “That night, he texted me. You two went to this new club in our town. I was supposed to meet up with you two, but I never got a reply from Nick what club you two were at. All I knew is that some Bellevue High kids hung out with you. Kyle, my best friend, was there with his two buddies. Ever since Nick died, I haven’t heard from Kyle. That’s all I know.”
“Kyle Montgomery?” Noah muttered in question.
My eyes widened. Although I didn’t know who the hell Kyle Montgomery was, I was surprised that Brian was actually implying that this person may have been the killer.
“Yes, I think he has some answers. My dad interrogated him, but my dad wouldn’t share the details. It was confidential.”
Noah stayed quiet. I was scared to turn around, hearing the distress in his voice.
“You know what I learned from this? When you love someone, don’t waste the time you have with them,” Brian said as we walked out of his house.
▼▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼
Noah and I sat in his room, watching some comedic movie on his television. However, none of us laughed at The Millers. We were too busy drowning in our thoughts, still reeling from our visit to Brian Priestley.
I was sure that Noah was cooking up another plan in his head. He has been eerily quiet.
I didn’t really know how to act with him. We shared a kiss last night, made out for the past two weeks, held hands every so often, and cuddled like we were doing now. I wasn’t sure what we were, but we’ve gotten a hell of a lot closer. Sometimes, I was scared to make the first move because I feared scaring him off.
I was enjoying this too much. I loved the feeling of his lips on mine, his hands burning against my skin, his quick heartbeat and toned arms underneath my fingers, his addictive smell, and the way his smile seemed different with me than with other people. It was my own personal smile.
He made me feel like I was on Cloud 9 – like the whole time I spent with him was just a dream that I never wanted to wake up from.
This thought made me sink into Noah more. I cuddled against his side, resting my head on his broad shoulder. He sighed, rubbing my side with his hand.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said in his deep voice. “About what Brian said.”
My eyebrows hitched upwards. I looked into his blazing blue eyes. “So you’re going to drop all of this? I thought you wanted to find closure.”
“Not that. About wasting time with people who are important.” Noah’s eyes looked away, his cheeks turning slightly pink.
“Are you blushing?” I teased with a smirk.
His eyebrows drew together. “No, I’m not!”
“Yes, you are.”
“At least I don’t blush like a freaking tomato,” Noah defended, turning the tables on me.
I knew my face turned aggravatingly red at his true statement. Noah laughed. “Stop! I blush because you embarrass me!”
Noah flipped us over so he was hovering above me. My breath hitched in my throat when his hands rested on either side of me. My heart was in overdrive when his face inched towards mine. He was teasing me, I could tell. He skillfully kept his body a mere inch away from my own. Our breaths mixed together.
Noah smirked. “I could think of other ways to make you blush.”
I pinched his arm, ignoring his snide comments. “Your man whorish ways don’t work on me.”
“Really? Can I try?”
“No.”
I gulped when his face inched closer. His eyes flickered to my lips. I resisted the urge to reach up and smash my lips with his. I would’ve contradicted the point I was trying to prove to him right now.
“Why?” Noah whispered, staring into my eyes with challenge. “Scared?”
“No,” I gulped. I shrugged. “Why would I be scared?”
The corners of Noah’s lips twitched upwards. “You’re scared of me.”
I snorted although a riot of butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I lied, “I’m not scared of you. Sure, if you were hot, I’d be a nervous wreck.”
The funny thing is: I was inwardly freaking out.
“Ouch, that hurt.” Noah’s eyebrows drew together, but I knew he wasn’t hurt about my statement. A fire licked in my belly and my whole body reacted heatedly to his fingers as it lightly trailed down my outer thigh. He looked straight into my eyes. “Well, I think you’re beautiful and even if it doesn’t seem like it, I’m a pussy when it comes to you.”
I couldn’t process anything he was saying. I was focusing too much on the craving I suddenly had for Noah Callaway. My brain seemed to have stopped working. And aggravatingly, my mouth seemed to be as incompetent as my brain too.
“Uh –“
My eyes widened and my heart thudded against my rib cage when his lips kissed my rosy cheek. I gripped his bed sheets when his enticing lips trailed hot kisses down my jaw line and neck. I was trying my best to keep control, but it all went out the window when those damn lips kissed a sweet spot. My hands flew up, my fingernails dug into his arms, and an embarrassing moan escaped my lips.
I was really turned on right now.
Even if his point that he could turn me on was already proven, he didn’t stop. His lips still worked against my flushed skin. When another moan escaped my lips, he pushed himself off me and turned his back to me. I frowned, trying to calm my racing heart as he kept his back turned to me.
“Noah?” I asked, getting up from the bed and placing my hand on his shoulder.
“Please don’t touch me,” He said in between deep breaths, causing me to draw my arm back quickly.
My eyes widened at his sudden withdrawal. I couldn’t help but feel hurt at the abrupt distance he put between us.
I looked at him in the mirror across the room where his reflection was clearly seen. His eyes were shut closed and his cheeks were pink. However, what I saw next caused me to blow up in a fit of laughter.
“Oh my gosh,” I snorted, clutching my stomach in laughter.
Noah turned around with his eyebrows drawn together, a frown on his face. “It’s not funny!”
“Yes it is! You ran away from me because of that?” I couldn’t stop my laughter even if he fidgeted in front of me in embarrassment. I was feeling pretty arrogant about myself right now.
“I had to control myself somehow! You could help me with this if you want to,” Noah retorted, motioning to his … upright little friend. “But I know you didn’t want to move that fast. If I went any further, I knew I wouldn’t stop. Fuck, your smell, your soft skin, your cloudy hazel eyes, the way your fingernails bit into my skin, your moans – I fucking lost it.”
Shyly, I looked down at what he just admitted. However, I smiled at the consideration he had for my feelings. He wasn’t being selfish. He thought about me before his … wants.
“Well, thank you for thinking of me. I’m sorry I laughed. I shouldn’t have. I just couldn’t believe you ran away from me. I guess I didn’t think you’d get turned on by me especially because I wasn’t doing anything and – “
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Noah blurted. His outburst was so shocking that even he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
My mouth shut closed in shock. All I heard was my heart pounding in my ears. My heart went on overdrive once again. My hands trembled at my sides.
“Did you just ask that because you wanted to change the subject?”
“No, of course not!” Noah said, grabbing my hand. “Before you interrogated me on a blush that never happened, I thought about what Brian said. I don’t mean to be sappy and disgusting, but I don’t want to waste any time with you. So, Emma Atwood, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”
I didn’t even waste time thinking about it. I knew the answer right when he asked me.
“Yes,” I said softly and felt his lips smile against mine when I kissed him.