Noah's POV
The sun beat down on me as I walked to practice. I carried my shoulder pads in my hand as I walked towards the football field with Shawn. His backpack hung from his arm as he stuffed a book into the opening.
"You don't have to watch me practice," I said with a grin as he zipped up his backpack and threw it over his shoulder.
"I don't have to be your friend either but I'm doing it anyway," he smirked and I rolled my eyes. "Besides, I've got nothing better to do."
I laughed and walked onto the field. Practice hadn't officially started yet but that didn't stop my teammates from passing the ball around.
Shawn put his hands on his hips and groaned. "There's too many young, tan, healthy people here. I don't like it."
"You're just upset that you're pasty," I chuckled.
"We live in Miami! I should not be this pale right now!"
I laughed and slipped my shoulder pads over my head. I clasped the strap and clipped it to the front, then pulled it tight.
I looked across the field where the cheerleaders were and smiled. Camila was standing next to her friends. She laughed at something Normani said then looked my way. My heart burst like a firework when she smiled at me.
A cocky laugh interrupted my view and I turned my head. Jack and Brad were walking onto the field together. My hand instinctively clenched into a fist and I watched Brad put on his gear. After hearing what he did to Lauren I was beginning to get eager for an argument with him, just something to give me a reason to hit him.
"I hate that guy," Shawn mumbled.
My eyes widened when I realized Shawn was reacting the same way I was. His hands were in fists and he had a mean expression on his face, his eyes trained on Brad.
That's when it hit me. I had my suspicions Shawn had a thing for Lauren, but seeing him get upset by merely seeing Brad was enough proof to solidify them. Even when Jack and Brad threw a football at him he wasn't as upset as he looked now.
"Brad?" I asked.
He growled. "He's such a jerk."
I nodded. "Both of them."
The whistle blew and Tanner walked onto the field. Shawn went up to the bleachers to watch and we began running warm-ups to prepare us for practice. I knew today was going to be a long one. Tomorrow was the first game of the season which meant this was our last practice before we had to play.
And Tanner pushed us hard. By the time practice was over, every muscle in my body was aching. Especially since he made us run suicides which, I soon figured out, were named properly.
Shawn met me by my bag when we were finally allowed to go home. He handed me my water and I chugged the bottle like I hadn't had a drop in my life.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and glanced over where the cheerleaders were. They had finished practice as well and, like he always does, Jack had gone over to hug and kiss Camila. But this time things seemed different.
Camila's arms were crossed and she wouldn't let Jack touch her, no matter how much he tried. Jack, in return, was getting more and more frustrated.
"I wonder what that's about," Shawn said as he watched them.
"Yeah," I said. I took my shoulder pads off and began to walk back to the school, which meant I had to pass the cheerleaders.
"How do you think that makes me feel?" Camila yelled.
Jack shrugged. "I didn't think you'd care."
"Really? You didn't think I'd care to find out that my boyfriend slept with another girl in my math class?"
He shook his head. "God, you're so high maintenance. You know, maybe I wouldn't be wandering off if you gave me more attention."
"How dare you try to turn this on me!" Camila yelled.
He rolled his eyes. "But it's true! Ever since that douchebag Dempsey moved in you've been acting more bitchy than usual."
"Stop-" She warned but he kept going.
"Oh please. I know you're hooking up with him."
Before I knew it, I was stepping in. "Woah, Jack, calm down. We're not hooking up."
"Jesus Christ, that's perfect. Of course you're here right now," Camila huffed with angry tears in her eyes. I shook my head to ignore the pang in my heart. She hissed, "I don't need your help, okay! Can you back off?"
"Fuck this." I grunted and pushed passed Jack. "I wouldn't want to hook up with her anyway."
I walked off the field and heard Shawn's feet hit the grass as he scrambled to catch up to me. "Noah, wait-"
"Not today, Shawn," I said with a bitterness in my voice. All I could think about was the way she was looking at me just now. She had the same heartless expression she wore when she first met me. Like I was a burden she was stuck with.
When I got home I went straight to my room. I threw my shoulder pads in the corner and grabbed my headphones. I plugged them into my keyboard and sat down at my desk.
I couldn't think straight. I couldn't focus. All that I could think about was what Camila said to me—how she looked at me. I felt so stupid for trusting her. I knew she was horrible when I first met her but I ignored my instincts and got close to her anyway. And for what? To get my ass handed to me in front of the whole football team?
I threw my headphones off and laid on my bed. Not even the piano could make me feel better. I stripped off my clothes and got in the shower. When I got out I half-expected Camila to be sitting on my bed again, flashing me her playful smile. I hated that the thought brought me joy.
Shawn was right. Camila truly is the ice queen. Cold-blooded and heartless through and through.
A knock at my door disrupted my thoughts. Sinuhe's voice called from the other side. "Noah? Dinner's ready."
I trudged to the door and opened it a crack. "I'm, uh, actually not feeling very well right now. I think I'll just stay down here for the night."
"Are you sure?" Sinuhe asked. "Alejandro grilled hamburgers."
I nodded. "I'll be okay."
She gave me a soft smile that reminded me so much of Camila's then left the basement. I closed the door and opened my backpack. I kept a bag of pretzels in there in case I get hungry at school. I guess that will be my dinner tonight.
Hours passed and I stayed in my room. I could hear the Cabellos moving around upstairs, laughing and playing together. It only made me miss home more.
I finished my homework and looked at the clock. It was 10:15. They're probably all in bed. I went out to the lounge area and browsed through Netflix. I couldn't decide between a depressing movie or a dark movie. I gave up and chose The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That seemed to match my mood the most.
I started the movie and laid down on the couch. My arm dangled off the edge and I played with the TV remote in my hand.
I got to the part where Charlie tells Sam he's never been kissed when the door creaked open. Camila walked down the stairs with a cautious expression. I sat up when I saw her and shuffled to the far end of the couch. I wished she hadn't come down here. She's the last person I wanted to see right now.
Her eyes met mine and her face softened. She quietly sat down at the opposite end of the couch. "I, uh, didn't see you at dinner."
"I wasn't hungry," I mumbled and stared at the TV.
Camila messed with her fingers. "Is that the only reason?" I frowned at her. She knew damn well the reason I didn't come to dinner. She couldn't just yell at me in front of everyone and expect me to be happy to see her when she came home. She ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes. Her eyes watered and she looked at me. "I broke up with Jack."
My eyes softened. "Shit. Are . . . are you okay?"
She sniffled. "I am. It's been long overdue." She got quiet for a minute then looked at me. Her eyes were wet and red, with tear stains running down her cheeks. "I hurt you," she whispered. "I hurt you when you were trying to help me. Since I met you, you've been nothing but kind to me. Even when I've given you reason after reason not to be." She closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Noah. For everything."
I shut my eyes as I felt my heart break. I wanted to reach out and hold her, to make her feel safe in my arms. But I couldn't. I sat frozen on the couch. "You were right about me," I said with a crack in my voice. "I'm used to being alone, and I'm actually pretty good at it. When I came here, I thought that this wasn't going to be anything special. That the most important thing to me would be the music program and getting into a good college . . . and then I met you."
I didn't even notice she had scooted closer to me. Not until she touched my cheek. Her warm thumb brushed over a stupid scar Aiden gave me when we were younger and she smiled. She moved her hand to the nape of my neck, and suddenly her lips were resting on mine.
She gripped my hair and softly pressed into me. My hand went to her waist, her cheek. I kissed her ever so softly and she whimpered. I lovingly nipped at her bottom lip, making her laugh against my mouth. Her teeth bumped into mine when I smiled with her and I kissed her once more.
"I like you," she mumbled against my lips, pecking them one more time.
I grinned and caressed her cheek. "I like you, too."
She cuddled into my side and looked at the TV. "So what are we watching?"