Chapter 10
1349 Words
Noah:
By the time we got to the car, I was pissed enough that I could feel my ears heating up.
The noise of the party filtered outside but it couldn’t drown the loud beat of my own heart. I was furious and it wasn’t just because of Ryan.
I was mad at her too.
My grip tightened on the wheel and it took a couple puffs of air before I finally broke the silence.
When I did, my voice came out sharper than I intended.
“Why did you agree to see him?”
She didn’t respond, didn’t even look at me. It was as if she hadn’t heard me but I knew for a fact that she had.
“You know damn well I’m talking to you,” I bit out, feeling the frustration I had only barely just staved off beginning to crawl up my spine.
“You knew what kind of place that was and with the kind of situation we’re both stuck in, agreeing to meet with him was a foolish choice.”
All of my words came out in a single breath and while I knew they weren’t exactly the best choice of words, I needed to get them off my chest.
She finally turned to me, eyes narrowed as though she would flare up any instant but against my expectation, she spoke rather calmly.
“What would you rather have me do? Ignore him?”
Sighing, she turned her face forward, leaving me to gaze upon her side profile.
“I needed to end things properly.”
“End things properly?” I asked, unable to keep a scowl from emerging on my face.
“Yes.” She said simply.
That irritated me more than it should have.
“And you thought that was the right pace to do that? In a place full of cameras and drunk idiots who love to gossip?”
She exhaled slowly, like the conversation was exhausting for her to continue then turned briefly to glance at me.
“If this….this thing between us is going to work, then I need to end things properly.”
“And you thought having a quiet little moment with your ex who clearly doesn’t understand boundaries was the way to do that?” I asked, scoffing.
“I had it handled,” she muttered with an edge of stubbornness.
“No, you didn't." I snapped. “He had his hands on you.”
Maybe for a moment, I should have paused to consider why I was so pressed about that, but I didn’t. I was too focused on my anger to.
Her eyes flickered, and then her lips pursed before she answered.
“For the record, I didn’t ask you to interfere.”
Something in me snapped at that.
“Well, for the record,” I shot back, my voice louder now, “I was doing what any boyfriend would do.”
The word hung between us, and then her eyes widened.
It took a second for me to realise my mistake and when I did, I went on like I hadn’t said anything. “I’m just following our contract.”
That worsened the atmosphere between us.
She stared penetratingly at me for a while then nudged her head towards my face.
“You should take care of that.”
My brows pulled together, but then I realised what she was talking about when I stuck out my tongue.
My lips were bleeding. I had been too engrossed in our conversation to even notice that they were.
“I’m fine.” I muttered quickly.
Contrary to what I thought, she nodded simply then leaned back in her seat.
The rest of the drive was quiet and by the time I pulled into my apartment complex, I was done with the night.
I killed the engine and stepped out without saying anything.
She followed me immediately, jamming the door a little too hard. “Why am I here?”
I didn’t even look at her as I spoke.
“I can’t take you back to your dorm.”
Her hands shot out to grab me immediately. “Why?”
“It’s late,” I said flatly, glancing down at where her hands were gripping mine. She let go immediately.
I cleared my throat then continued.
“I had a drink earlier, that’s why.”
“That doesn’t…”
“I’m not driving across the city again tonight,” I cut into her words with a note of finality.
She stared at me for a second like she wanted to argue but then she didn’t. She clamped her lips together instead.
“Fine.”
The elevator ride up to my apartment was as silent as the car was. I didn't wait for her, didn’t even look back to see if she was following behind me.
When I got to my door, I unlocked it and stepped inside, tossing my keys onto the counter.
She walked in slower, her eyes briefly scanning the place.
I ignored it.
“You should clean that,” she said, pointing at my lip after a moment.
I didn’t bother turning around.
“I said I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” she replied in a firmer tone. “Sit down.”
I turned around and raised a brow.
She did the same, making it evident that she wouldn’t back down.
Eventually, I exhaled and walked over to the counter and sat.
“First aid kit’s in the cabinet,” I muttered as soon as I did.
She didn’t respond because she was already moving and I watched as she opened the cabinet with a kind of familiarity that could suggest to anyone else that she had been here before.
She pulled out the kit then grabbed an ice pack from the freezer before walking back to me.
“You don’t have to do all this,” I said when she reached me, watching as she flipped the first aid kit open.
She lifted her head slowly, stared at me, then parted her lips. “You don’t have to make everything difficult.”
I almost smirked at that but I caught myself just in time before I did.
She stepped closer, then began to unwrap the ice pack. When that was done, she wrapped it in a cloth then brought it over to my face. “Hold still.”
I fought the urge to talk and just held myself still as she brought the ice pack closer. Unexpectedly, She lifted her other hand and grabbed my chin, tilting it to the side.
The contact was brief but I felt it anyway and I stiffened.
I wasn’t sure she noticed because all she did was lower her head even more to press the ice lightly against my lip.
The kitchen went quiet again, filled with only the faint hum of the fridge and the sound of both of our breaths. She was so close that I could easily make out the curve of her lashes, fluttering in concentration as she held the ice in place.
I shouldn’t have been paying attention.
But I was. My eyes roved from her lashes to her brows, to the way they were knotted tightly in focus then dropped to her lips.
She looked up at the same time.
And just like that, we froze. For a long minute, neither of us moved or spoke. The air between us changed and it suddenly hit me that she was too close.
She was the first to look away, pulling her hands and her body backwards as though I’d burnt her.
“That should help with the swelling,” she said, clearing her throat.
I reached out and took the ice pack from her, stepping back as well.
“You can use any of the rooms upstairs.”
I turned away immediately, without waiting for her response and began to walk away.
“My room’s the first to the right, don’t disturb me.” I added as I walked away, moving briskly out of the kitchen.
- Writer
