Chapter 19: The Dates; Part 1
***Scar's P.O.V.***
The bell above my head rang musically as I stepped into the Starbucks. I turned around and waved at Betsi, who had just dropped me off. She waved back and sped away. I took a last glance at the sky, it was dark and stormy. I prayed it wouldn't come down when I had to leave.
I glanced at the time on my phone, 3:06, I was six minutes late. I looked around the Starbucks for Noah... there! He was reading a book with a title I couldn't see. I hurried over to him. "Hey! Sorry I'm late," I said, dropping into the seat across from him.
"It's fine," he told me quietly, putting his book down.
"And thanks again for meeting me here, I know we were supposed to work on our project later tonight but I have to go out with Cole," I would have loved to spend tonight working on our project instead of on a date with Cole, no such luck.
"You excited?" Noah asked me, just making polite conversation, I guess. I smiled.
"Dreading, is more like it, nobody wants to go on a date with their ex, myself included." I ran a hand through my hair. Noah started to get his notebook out. "Um, I'm gonna get a coffee, you want anything?" I asked him. He shook his head, causing hair to fall in his eyes.
I got my coffee and started walking back to Noah who now had his notebook, pencil and eraser out and was waiting for me. His hair was still in his eyes and I couldn't help but smile, it was too cute.
We worked for an hour and I managed to finish only half of my coffee in that time, maybe I should've gotten a smaller size. Noah bent his head and scribbled something into his notebook.
I forgot about the project for a second. My mind flipped to my date tonight. How was I supposed to spend two hours with Cole?I wasn't sure I could spend two minutes with him anymore. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.
I wish it was a date with Noah, it might be quiet but I could totally spend two hours with him, I'd done it before. For a second, I pictured the date with Cole but instead it was with Noah. I shook my head to clear the thought, no, Noah wouldn't go on a date with me. He considered me just a friend, I was sure of it. "Scar? Scaaaaaar, earth to Scarlet!" Noah said and I snapped back into reality.
"Sorry," I said, blushing, well, scarlet. I was so glad humans couldn't read minds. Imagine if Noah knew what I'd been thinking about.
"When I said that a rabid bunny rabbit went insane and killed everyone in the store except for us, you just nodded and said 'That's nice,'" Noah told me.
"Actually?" I asked him, blushing a little.
"Oh yeah, and when I asked you what color your hair was, you sighed," Noah went on, laughing. I blushed even deeper red.
"I'm so sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts," I said.
"Apparently, what were you thinking about?" he asked me and I paused, what do I say?!
"Um, my date with Cole," I said, it wasn't a complete lie, it had been the first thing I'd thought of, I was just choosing not to go into detail about what else I'd been thinking about.
"Ok then," Noah said, I could tell he didn't really believe me but wasn't going to question it. "Can I see what you've written so far?" he asked me, turning back to the project.
"Sure," I passed him the notebook and he passed me his, I skimmed through it but didn't really take any of it in. Instead I started playing with my cup, not drinking the coffee. I left it sitting on the edge of the table as Noah passed me my notebook again.
When he passed me it, his hand brushed my half-full cup and, because I'd left it so precariously perched, it toppled over onto my lap, splashing my shirt in the process.
I put my notebook down on the coffee-free table. "Oh my gosh, Scar I am so sorry," Noah said and rushed off to get napkins. When he came back, I tried to dab at my clothing and get rid of the coffee but no luck.
I remembered I had a tank top underneath and took off my shirt, still dabbing at it. Quickly, I pulled the sweater I had hanging on the back of my chair back on and dropped to my knees to get rid of all the coffee on the floor. Noah just kept apologizing. "Noah, Noah! It's ok, no harm done, the coffee wasn't even hot anymore," I said, putting my hand over his and making eye contact with him.
In those few seconds, I don't actually know what happened. All I know is that a few seconds later we were kissing.
I don't even know if I kissed him or he kissed me first.
I do know, that now he was kissing me and I was kissing him back.
I wasn't aware of my jeans that were now soaked through with coffee or the fact that most of the people in the Starbucks were looking at us because of the amount of noise we had made in the process of spilling the coffee everywhere.
I didn't pull away until I couldn't breathe anymore and then my brain decided it would be a good idea to start working again.
I just kissed Noah.
And he just kissed me.
That was an unexpected twist.
"Scar-," Noah started but I got up and ran out of the Starbucks. Now it was pouring out and I was drenched within seconds, standing in the middle of the parking lot without a ride because Betsi was going to pick me up at five and it was 4:15 at the latest.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit," I said, shivering. I turned around as the bell on the door went off. Noah rushed outside, getting soaked within seconds as well.
"Scar!" he called, seeing me and running forward. There was no point in running away anymore, where could I possibly run to? "Am I really that bad a kisser?" he teased, I don't think he's ever teased me before. Ever. In any way.
"No," I said immediately and wished I hadn't. He hadn't been expecting me to actually give him an answer. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! This leaving us in an awkward silence that I didn't know what to do with. "You know, Nate's gonna be looking for me soon, I should head home," I lied, half wanting to go, half wanting to kiss him again. Ok, maybe it was more like I really wanted to kiss him again.
"Um, ok, is he picking you up?" Noah saw right through my lie but he was going along with it.
"Uh, no, I was going to, uh, walk," I muttered.
"Can I drive you?"
"Uh, um, well, uh..." I stuttered, trying to think of a solid reason.
"You must be freezing, you're soaking, please," Noah said and I gave in, I really didn't want to walk home, a fifteen minute walk in freezing rain.
We went inside and gathered our stuff. Noah had had the good sense to bring an umbrella and he put it up as we walked to his car. Without paying attention, I slid into the passenger's seat.
Noah got in the other side and looked at me quickly before driving. He probably thought I was a slut. Who kisses a guy when she has a date that night? Then again, it wasn't my choice to go on the date... I didn't want him to think badly of me and now I was worried that our friendship was ruined. And just when he started opening up to me and talking above a whisper.
"Thanks for driving me," I said to Noah and jumped out of the car and ran to my front door. I disappeared inside, but not before I caught a glance of him standing there.
"Scar? Why are you wet?" Nate asked me as I ran through the kitchen.
"It's raining out!" I yelled as I ran up the stairs and offered no other explanation. Seconds later he opened my door.
"Who was the guy who dropped you off?"
"My AP Chem partner," I answered, giving as little information as possible.
"Named?"
"Noah, can you quit interrogating me? I have to get ready for tonight," I snapped, Nate raised his eyebrows.
"You're actually dressing up for that douche?"
"I used to date that douche, now would you please leave?"
"Yeah, fine," Nate left, closing my door behind him. I called Betsi and told her Noah gave me a ride home, deciding not to tell her about the kiss.
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After a really long, hot shower,it was still WAY too early to start prepping for tonight. Noah had dropped me off at no later then four thirty and despite taking a thirty minute shower it was still only five.
What to do? What to do?
I unsuccessfully watched TV for an hour. My mind just kept going back to Noah. Even watching cartoons where Wiley Coyote got blown up didn't help. You'd think that cartoon explosions would distract you if nothing else will.
Finally it was six o'clock and I figured I only needed half an hour to get ready. I spent an inordinate amount of time brushing and drying my hair. I then brushed my teeth, it'd be embarrassing to have something in them.Shortly after that I applied make-up on, eye-liner, blush and lip gloss.
I slipped on my dress. I really liked this dress, it was new and Betsi had persuaded me to buy it two or three weeks ago. It was pale pink and came in just below my rib cage and then the skirt came down to mid thigh. Underneath the top skirt was ruffley fabric that came out about an inch past the hem. The top half of the dress was plain fabric except for a rectangle in the top half that had the same ruffley pink fabric that was under the skirt.
I curled my hair and pulled on heels. I wasn't sure how high they were but they were definitely high. Cupping my heel was plain pale pink shoe but covering the top of my foot was all pink tinted lace. They had white laces and my toes could be seen poking out. Lastly, I put on a faux-pearl necklace that was also tinted pink and grabbed my clutch.
I glanced at the time on my phone, 6:27. Butterflies went wild in my stomach, and I didn't even think I could manage to eat anything.
I desperately hoped that we were ignored by the other students who would be there. The school decided to send nine girls on their dates tonight and ten tomorrow night.
6:28
I sighed and went downstairs. I didn't want to know when Cole pulled up, so I went into the living room. I picked up the newspaper and put it down. I resigned myself to sitting on the couch. I started to fiddle with the hem of my dress when Nate burst into the room. "Sorry Scar,I was about to watch a movie," Nate said.
"Ok, I was just waiting to be picked up,"
"I still don't know why you couldn't drive there yourself,"
"Trying to save the planet?" I suggested.
"Believe what you want, when he gets to the door I will talk to him,"
"I have no doubt that you will," I muttered, and then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.
"Stay!" he commanded me, and ran off to answer the door.
"Not a dog!" I yelled after him. "Good god, if Nate had his way every guy who looked at me would be dead," I muttered. I walked out of the living room and to the door.
"-even think about it, I will personally kill you. Painfully." I heard Nate say, very threateningly too. Personally, I thought Nate was being a little over-dramatic. To my surprise, Cole didn't back down, he stood resolute.
Then he caught sight of me.
"Hey Scar," he said. I studied my clutch with amazing focus, refusing to make eye contact.
"Hi," I muttered, I looked at my brother for help. If I cut off his balls, would that help? He mouthed and I laughed. "I'm more than capable to do it myself," Cole looked back and forth, trying to figure out what had been said. I kept a straight face and turned to him. "let's get this over with," I said.
"Back by 10!" Nate shouted from the doorway as I got into Cole's car. I couldn't help but smile, you'd think Nate was my dad.
The whole ride to the restaurant was silent. Well, maybe not completely silent. Cole tried to start a conversation and ask me questions but I gave him short useless answers until he gave up. It pained me to remember riding in this car before. To restaurants, to movies, sometimes to school, all so familiar to me, yet I wouldn't let myself enjoy it because I'm not supposed to like it or like Cole anymore.
Cole parked in the parking lot and turned off the car. I was just reaching for the door handle when he locked all the doors. I turned to him, "Why'd you do that?"
"Scar, you have to talk to me at some point, you can't just sit there and act like I don't exist," Cole said, and I looked into his eyes for the first time that night. That sparkle of emerald green wasn't there anymore. They were dark and reminded me of a well, full, but not of water, Cole wouldn't be caught dead crying, they were filled with sadness.
"Scarlet," I said, more harshly then I'd intended. "I'm sorry, but call me Scarlet," I said, a little more softly. Cole nodded and unlocked the car, breaking a moment I didn't know we'd been having and breaking eye contact.
The dinner went on pretty well. In a way, I hated him for the dinner. I'm not supposed to like him but Cole was making me laugh and happy and feel good in general, it was making me a little crazy but that was a thought that was in the back of my mind.
After dinner we went outside. "C'mon Scarlet, I wanna show you something," Cole said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. I was so shocked that I let him pull me through the trees behind the restaurant.
"Cole! Cole?! Where are we going?"
"You'll see!" Cole called. Suddenly we emerged from the trees and we stopped. "Look up," Cole said, the moon was bright enought that I could see him smile. Looking up, my breath caught in my throat.
"Oh, Cole," I breathed. The sky shone above us, the stars glittering like a thousand little lights. The moon was a shining crescent. I had never seen the stars this bright, through the trees you couldn't hear the sounds of cars and the city, it was like our own little world. "I didn't know you were interested in astrology," I murmured.
"I haven't been interested since I found this place, even I can't say it isn't beautiful, it's even prettier from down the hill," Cole said and wrapped his arm around my waist as he pulled me forward.
In the dark, I couldn't see the tree root in front of me and I stumbled forward, into Cole. I was lucky I didn't get hurt. No, Cole caught me but we were right on the edge of the hill and my momentum sent us both tumbling down the steep incline. I landed on top of him and we were both laughing. "You alright?" Cole asked me at last.
"I'm fine, I'm so sorry," I said, but considering how hard I was laughing, it didn't exactly seem sincere. Eventually my laughter subsided and I realized what an awkward position we were in. I was lying on top of him, pressed up against him, and my face was inches above his. I could feel his arm, still wrapped around my waist, now holding me against him.
Something had happened because I could see that the emerald spark was back in his eyes. He sat up and I had to swing my legs forward otherwise I would've hurt myself. But, in doing so, I ended up straddling his lap. "Cole-" I said, I knew this wasn't right and that I should get up and walk away but some little part of me had been yearning for this, for him.
"Scar," he said, grinning mischievously. This time, I didn't tell him to call me Scarlet.
"Uh..." I muttered.
"You know you want this just as much as I do," Cole whispered and then he closed the gap between our faces and kissed me. The kiss knocked all hope of thought out of me head. In that moment, we were the couple we used to be. Still in love.
Lots of girl's dream is to have the most popular guy at school make-out with them and chase after them. But it's not mine. I'm not in love with Cole anymore. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not!
Except I might be.
"Cole, it's just... I'm-I'm not..." I muttered to him as he pulled away, grinning.
"Scar, don't tell me you didn't like it," Cole said and he pushed loose strands of hair out of my eyes.
"My brother is gonna kill you," I told him.
"Because I kissed you?"
"Because it's almost 10," I answered. "you've gotta take me home,"
"It's cute that you're worried about me,"
"Cole!" I said, I didn't know how to feel about the kiss, about Cole, about anything. And then Noah popped into my mind. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!
We fairly ran back to the car and I was SO lucky that my dress wasn't either dirty or ripped and neither was my clutch or my shoes. Cole sped back to my house. Hm... Maybe he was scared of Nate. He stopped the car in my driveway but neither of us got out. "Look Cole," I said at last, "about tonight, it shouldn't have happened,"
"Damn it Scar!" Cole yelled and slammed the palm of his hand against the wheel. "I love you and you won't even give me a second chance!!"
"Cole," I said, not knowing what else to say.
"Scar," he mimicked. I opened and closed my mouth again.
"I have to go Cole," I said and ran inside my house.
Shit, shit, SHIT!!
Ok, so maybe I still like him. So maybe I liked that kiss. So maybe I wanted it to happen again.
Ok, so maybe I kinda like Noah too. So maybe I kinda liked that kiss. So maybe I want that to happen again too.
And I have a date with Carson tomorrow night.
Am I a slut?
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Anyone liked Scar and Cole's date?
Anyone liked the Scar and Noah scene?
Next time: Date with Carson and Betsi's date with Devin!! Excitement all around.
Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUHHHH!!!!!!!!
Picture of what Scar and Betsi's going to wear to the dates ----->)
Until next time, Jess, Emz and I would REALLY love it if you could vote and comment and share your thoughts. Thanks for reading, keep on reading!!!!
-Jodi