Hey I just wanted to thank you all for 1k! It blows my mind that I started this book in the very first few days of May and I'm already at 1k. So yeah, that's really all I have to say here. Hope you enjoy!
TW: Mentions of manipulation, abuse (not too explicit but it's a warning for a reason) and violence
~Your POV~
Wow. What an awful idea this was. I look around at the room in front of me, the disco lights obscuring my vision and blinding me at times. I can't believe I let him talk me into coming here at 3 in the morning.
"Y/n! Come on, don't sit at the bar like you always do!" Jeremy calls from the dance floor, but I shake my head and turn back to the bar. I put a hand up and the bartender--who has known me for a month or so now and knows I won't talk--hands me another drink. She knows my usual order, thanks to Jeremy. With a talkative best friend, it's very easy to hide away and let him do the talking. After all, I really just communicate with the notes on my phone.
Jeremy knows me like a book, anyway. He orders for me constantly, he calls out people's names when he sees I want to talk to them. He's my voice. Especially since he talks enough for two people.
Suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder. When I turn, I see a man I never thought I'd see again. "Hey," he smiles, and I send a weak smile back before looking down at my drink. I can't deal with him again. He orders a drink and sits next to me. "So how have you been?" I know he's trying to start small talk, but I'm not one for reconnecting with manipulative assholes.
When I don't respond, a quick glance at him shows his confusion. It'll be anger soon enough. Where the hell is Jeremy when I need him? "What?" he chuckles in question, "You don't talk now?" I look him dead in the eyes. You're the reason I don't, I wanted to tell him, but I just shake my head and take a sip of the alcohol before me. "You're kidding, right? You talked constantly when we were together!" I roll my eyes and purse my lips, nodding. I grab my phone and write in my notes, Not one for talking anymore. I see you haven't changed. I can't inflict tone into my words but I sure as hell can stand up for myself now. He gets angry at the remark and grabs my phone from my hand. "This is how you're communicating with people? Are you fucking kidding me?! This is absurd, Y/n! You were perfectly fine. What's wrong with you?" I stand up to get my phone from him but he keeps it away from me, holding it behind him. I glare at him.
"Not so fun, is it? To not have your quote-unquote 'only form of communication'. Come on, talk. You're not deaf and you still have vocal chords and a tongue. You're perfectly capable of doing it, so do it!" I hit the counter with my hand and clench my jaw, pointing at him with the other.
"I'll take that," a man's voice from behind Eric says before grabbing my phone.
~Noah's POV~
"Dude just go talk to her instead of staring at the side of her face," Ted puts a hand on my shoulder, making me jump. I shrug him off.
"I can't just go up to her. She's probably waiting for someone. Someone as pretty as her can't be here with some drunk friend as a chaperone," I tell him, taking a sip of my beer before turning back to look at the girl sitting alone at the bar. A man walks in and looks around the place. I thought he was looking for the bar, and turns his head and looks at me, before looking at where I was looking. When he sees her, his brow furrows, as if thinking. Then he walks toward the bar girl. "See?" I get Ted's attention, and he sees the guy tap her on the shoulder. "Told you."
"It's alright, dude. Maybe they're just friends, too. Just wait. He'll probably leave and you'll get your shot," he smiles sympathetically, before putting an arm around Madi. I sigh and face the two at the bar again. I can't hear their conversation, but I can see the guy talking, and she isn't responding. Now that I think about it, she hasn't talked at all since she's been here. But she can definitely hear. Is she mute? She pulls out her phone and types something, before showing the guy. He stands up and grabs her phone from her hand, and I sit up straighter. I can't make out what he's saying, but he's yelling. And she's not happy. She stands up and reaches for the phone, a look of pure anger on her face, but he holds it behind his back.
"Noah! Go help her! Be her Prince Charming!" Schlatt gestures, his eyes wide, and I clench my jaw with a nod as I walk towards them. I watch her slam her hand on the table and point an accusing finger at the man, as if saying he's the reason for something. Since he wasn't looking, I went behind him.
"I'll take that," I say, grabbing the phone from his hand, grateful that he didn't have a strong grip on it. He turns and faces me, fire in his eyes. He takes one look at me before facing her again.
"You bitch!" He raises his arm and before anyone knew what had happened, the girl was holding her face and a handprint was visible on her cheek. "Don't you remember what I told you would happen if you moved on while I was gone?" Her ex. An abusive asshole, from the sound of it.
"Hey buddy," he turns to me, without any time to react, and my fist collides with his nose with a crack. He stumbles backwards and I turn towards the bartender. "Call security, tell them there's a man harassing and abusing women," I tell her, and she nods. "You know, you shouldn't hit women," I cross my arms and he pulls his hand away from his nose, which was dripping blood. My hand stung, but I wasn't going to show him it'd hurt.
"You motherfucker-" he goes to charge me but two large security guards come up and grab him by the arms. "Y/n don't just stand there and let this happen!" He yells, but she just smiles and waves goodbye as he was dragged off. I chuckle and she looks at me with a large smile.
"M'lady," I say, handing her the phone which thankfully wasn't damaged. She giggles and starts typing something on her phone. She then shows it to me. You didn't have to do that, you know. How's your hand? "I most definitely did have to do that. You were a damsel in distress! What kind of Prince Charming would I be if I stood by and let the villain have his way? And my hand is fine, don't worry. How's your face?" She touches her cheek and winces, before typing again. My Prince Charming, hm? Has a nice ring to it ;). As for my face, I'll be alright. He liked to hit me there quite a bit when we were together. I used to talk back then. He's not a good person. He diminished me to nothing and I used to love singing. Now? I won't talk. In defiance, in fear. I frown and sit down at the bar, her doing the same. When I look at the bartender, she smiles at me.
"This one's on the house, for the knight in shining armor," she hands me a beer and I smile.
"Thank you. could we also get an icepack or two? It'll help with the inflammation of her cheek," I am hit lightly on the arm and she points at my hand. "And my hand." She nods and I laugh. With icepacks and small drinks, we begin to talk. Well, I talk, and she types. This went on for about two hours.
And then my friends came over.
"Hey! Looks like Noah was a big strong man today!" Cooper grips my shoulder and shakes it, his drunken way of insulting me playfully. I chuckle nervously but Y/n, as I learned her name was, just smiles and waves.
"Guys, this is Y/n. She doesn't talk, but she can type, so please no embarrassing me," I turn and say through gritted teeth, before turning back to her. "Y/n, these are my friends. They're kind of drunk right now so I don't think it'd be smart to introduce them to you now, but I'd love for you to meet them when they're sober," I tell her, and she types something.
"Noah, we gotta get them home," Carson says with a laugh, and I nod. I hold up a finger to say 'once sec' and he nods. So you're saying I'll see you again, huh? I smile and think for a moment.
"May I?" I gesture to her phone, and she hands me it. I type a message and smile to myself before handing the phone back to her. "I have to go. It was lovely to meet you," I take her hand and kiss it, making her giggle. "Be sure to take that message very seriously," I say, and she nods, waving as we walk out. Wow. What a night. What a girl.
~Your POV~
"Be sure to take that message very seriously," he tells me, pointing at the phone with a serious look, and I nod to tell him I will. I wave as he leaves and he is smiling to himself, which makes me chuckle. I look at the message he left me. Don't forget your Prince Charming ;) Text me: xxx-xxx-xxxx. Be back here in two days at 11 pm. Your chariot will await you. I smile like an idiot and text the number saying hi and that it was me, before saving the contact as 'My Prince Charming'. I feel my cheeks flush when I realize he is probably going to take me on a date.
"Hey, I think it's time we head home," Jeremy says, slurring his speech. I nod and chuckle, walking out of the bar. The bartender sends me a thumbs up and I shake my head with a big smile. Wow. What a night. What a boy.
GOURGHEDUWHFGROH HI SORRY SORRY I KNOW I DIDN'T UPLOAD FOR TWO DAYS my Discord server be wildin' and well- it kept me preoccupied. Aaaanyway I hope you enjoyed cheesy Noah! Love you all!
~Abbey