Richelle
"Hello?" i call from the front door as i push it open. After a long day at the studio all i want to do is lay on my bed with a cup of coffee and watch a new episode of Riverdale.
No reply. But what did i expect? Did i really think anybody would be excited to see me home?
Was i hoping my mother to be in the kitchen making dinner, my father on the couch watching the Football, Abbey singing along to another song.
That's what i was hoping it be like. That's what it used to be like. But not anymore, it can't be like that ever again no matter how much i want it to.
I sigh and dump my bag on the ground to check on my mum. I walk towards the sliding doors of the living room and gently slide them open.
My mother lays on the couch with a white fluffy blanket covering her torso. I smile to myself as she sleeps soundly, her head resting on one of the small circle cushions until i see the bottle.
A whole bottle of wine lays sideways on the floor just next to the couch. Her right arm hanging off the couch as if she's dropped the bottle once finished and passed out.
I shake my head in disappointment and try to hold back the tears. I really thought my mother said she was trying to get better. For my sake, for her families sake. But she can't help herself, alcohol has a spell over her that she can't snap out of. I sigh, shaking away the lingering thoughts of my Mom.
As i walk into the kitchen to turn on the kettle i spot Noah's car roll into his driveway across the road. Once parked, Jacquie hops out of the passengers seat and walks around the car to reach Noah. He looks down at her and smiles, interlocking their hands.
My insides squirm slightly at the sight of it.
I squeeze my eyes shut, a picture flashing in my mind of mine and Noah's hand interlocking. The look of horror on my face as he reaches his sticky hand covered in nutella out to me, my Mum forcing me to hold hands with him for "memories sake." I open my eyes again to feel a hot tear tumbling down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away angrily, annoyed that i let Noah and our past have that effect on me.
A part of me still can't let go of him. No matter how much i hate his guts, i still can't seem to forget the brunette haired boy. Or at least the boy he used to be.
The one who used to give me wet willys when we were in J-troupe rehearsal. The boy who used to be comfortable eating his sandwich in front of me,despite his awful eating habits. The boy who used to be happy when we were doing a duet together. The boy who used to knock on my door every morning to walk to school together. The boy who would defend me in pre-school when i was getting teased.
Now i don't even know who he is. It's like he cut out me from his life. He used to say girls would pass but i would always be his number one girl. He seems to have thrown that saying away. He can't even hold eye contact with me anymore. He used to look at me like i was a fairy princess that was untouchable. Now i feel like i'm not even worth looking at.
But i still care about him. I don't fucking know why i just do. Believe me, i want to cut him out of my life just like he did to me but something inside of me just won't budge.
Now he's just somebody that i used to know.
A distant memory, still clear and vivid in my mind but oh so long ago and far away.
The kettle makes a clicking noise indicating it's boiled. I grab a Coffee cup and pour the hot water in. I stir my spoon lazily around the brown liquid hoping it will tell me what to do.
I feel like a big part of me has been lost deep under the ocean these past few years. Noah stopped talking to me because of our family feud. My Mum won't talk to the Erlicks either instead turning to alcohol as something to lean on. My Father is never around these days either, he only ever visits me briefly for Christmas and Easter because of his "work trips" but I know he has another family. The person that i leant on the most was Abbey, now she's gone forever. Why did she have to get in that car that night? Why didn't I try harder to stop her?
Dance is my only saviour, i'm able to let out all my anger and hate for the world. Despite being told i'm emotionally stiff i have my reasons. I deal with enough at home, i don't won't people at the studio thinking i'm weak too.
I walk over to the window just as Jacquie and Noah step outside the front door of his house. I take a sip of the hot liquid as i observe the couple. They both walk beside each other, hand in hand, towards Noah's car. Laughing and smiling more than I have in the past year. Then the flashback comes, I've been having them for months. Every time I see them together it triggers something inside of me, making me remember all of the things we used to do together.
☀︎︎
"Richelle get here right now!" scolds Richelles mother, Tamara Nolet. Richelle rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips with a 'make me' look on her face. Even back then she had sass for days.
"Richelle I swear to god if you don't get here right now!" Richelles eyes widen and she quickly shuffled towards Noah, obviously knowing the consequences if she doesn't move.
Tamara sighs in satisfaction at her success and grabs her phone out of her pocket. "Ok kiddos now could you hold hands please?" Franci asks sweetly. Both Richelle and Noah look at each other in disgust, shaking their heads. Both moms sigh in frustration at their children's reluctance to take one simple photo.
"He has honey on his hands! As if I'd hold hands with a DISGUSTING BOY!" Richelle screeches, her voice going up at least another 20 decibels at the end. Noah's jaw drops and his eyes narrow. It wasn't his fault Tyson had played a prank on him involving the honey jar.
"Well as if I'd want to even get cooties from a gross GIRL!" Noah retorts. Richelle gasps at his insult and after one moment of shock bursts into tears, sprinting from the Erlicks driveway across the road. A black car comes roaring down the road just in the corner of Noah's eye. His hearts leaps out of his chest and he knows is he doesn't do something Richelle could be in real danger.
He sprints from his position on the driveway, pumping his legs as fast as they can go.
"NOAHH NOO!" Screeches Franci behind him. Tamaras wails could be heard from miles away too. Noah ignores them and keeps running to a completely unaware Richelle who is slowly jogging across the road, her head down, wiping away her tears completely unaware of her surroundings.
The black vehicle rumbles and is even closer. Noah pushes even harder than before, his lungs bursting for air. His head is dizzy but all he can see is Richelle and all he can think about is saving her.
"AHHH" shrieks Franci and Tamara. The black vehicles tyres screech just before Noah lurches onto Richelle, putting his arms around her waist and heaving her with all his mite onto the side of the road. The cars engine starts again and speeds away further down the road without a second thought.
It's as if everything went still for 10 seconds. All that could be heard was the heavy breathing of Noah. His heart is beating faster than ever, he's worried he might need to go to the hospital.
Noah didn't know exactly why he decided to risk his own life to save a girl he doesn't even like. Their parents have been friends forever and forced a "friendship" between Noah and Richelle that they didn't want at all. In fact it drove more of a wedge between them than a connection at all.
"Richelle!" screams Tamara. Breaking the silence as she sprints across the road in her beige heels, quickly followed by Franci on her tail.
Both mothers practically fall onto their children, pulling them into a tight hug as if they will never let go of them.
"My god child what were you thinking?!" Tamara asks Richelle, tears still cascading down her cheeks and her whole body trembling in fear.
"I'm sorry Mum I was upset at Noah and I didn't mean to be so stupid but he saved my life and he didn't need to." She says and directs her vision to Noah. He smiles slightly, his boyish lopsided smile that Richelle will grow to get used to and love. "I couldn't just let you die, I mean I'm practically super man." He says jokingly and proceeds to flex his non existent 10 year old muscles. Franci slaps his arms down, giving him a stare that says 'not the right time' which Noah shrugs in response too.
"I'm just in shock truly. I think we all need to have dinner together, have a good end to a terrible day." Tamara says to which Franci nods in agreement. "Sounds like a great idea."
Both mothers walk inside the Nolets house, leaving just Noah and Richelle together. "I'm so sorry Noah, I shouldn't have put you in danger like that." Richelle says, a tear rolling down her cheek. Noah shrugs like it's no big deal and smiles softly. "It's no trouble."
The blonde sighs and shakes her head "But why did you save me if you hate me?" She asks confused. Noah looks at the ground as he feels his cheeks redden. "I don't know, maybe I don't really hate you as much as you think I do." He reply's. As he waits for a response he is met with the sudden movement of Richelles lips crashing onto his. It only last 1 second but it was 1 second of utter shock.
Richelle smiles nervously as he cheeks go a deep shade of scarlet red. As for Noah, he's frozen still on the cement. He can't beeline the girl who insulted him only 30 seconds ago just kissed him.
"I'll see you inside." Richelle says and sprints inside the house. Noah's eyes follow the petite blonde as she sprints up the front porches steps and swings the door open quickly to get inside. After he knows it's safe to move he sighs and licks his lips. The taste of Vanilla Maple fills his tastebuds. He assumes it must have been the lip balm she used and now it's his favourite.
☀︎︎
The sound of my mother groaning as she tries to sit up on the couch snaps me out of my daydream.
"Far outtt!" She yells in frustration as she rubs her temples. I sigh and place my coffee on the island bench, walking into the lounge room to help my mother.
"Here let me help you" I say, reaching over the lounge to help her up. But before I can even touch her she slaps my arm like I'm a naughty 5 year old who's done the wrong thing and says to me "I'm fine I can do it myself!" I take a couples steps back and nod acknowledging I shouldn't push her anymore because I know what will then happen.
I walk back into the kitchen, taking the last sip of my coffee then walking into the kitchen to place it in the dishwasher. I wander back to the island bench and prop myself on one of the stools. I stare across the road, Noah and Jacquie must have left already. Gone on some special date somewhere. I bet he took her somewhere nice, made her feel special, made her feel like the only girl in the world. He used to do that for me too. Well minus the date part, (but I did hope it would happen one day) but he always made me feel special.
I sigh and pull myself away from the window. I trudge up our stairs into my bedroom craving a good movie. I flip onto my bed and turn my laptop on. I scroll through all the movie I have bought. Mainly romance movies which probably sounds very strange to you but they're my guilty pleasure. I have seen practically every romance movie to exist. You name it, I've seen it. From Titanic to Romeo and Juliet, from The Fault in our Stars to The Notebook and from When Harry met Sally to Love, Rosie I've seen them all.
I scroll through all the movies until I can't settle on one. I sigh and decide to close my eyes and count to ten and see which one my finger lands on. Once I finish counting to ten I open my eyes to see my finger has landed on Titanic.
I click on the movie but before I play it I rush downstairs to grab some popcorn and a coke.
After a few minutes of waiting the microwave beeps indicating my food is ready. I grab it out of the microwave and grab a coke on the way as I head up to my bedroom. Just as I'm on the second step the doorbell rings. I place my food on the step and walk towards the door.
I unlock the door and swing it open unveiling the last person who I would thought would want to come here.
A/N
Hey! Sorry for the lack of updates on this book and just everything in general. I've lacked ideas and motivation the last couples months but I'm trying to get back into it again!
Sorry this chapter was pretty bad but hopefully my content will be better soon. x