Chapter 15 - Rainstorms & Almost Confessions
781 Words
The rain refused to slow down.
Cold drops hammered against the wooden dock while thunder rolled softly somewhere far across the lake.
Lily stood breathless beneath the storm, soaked completely through and staring at Noah like she’d never seen him properly before.
Because maybe she hadn’t.
Not really.
She’d seen teasing Noah.
Confident Noah.
Annoyingly attractive Noah.
But this—
This version laughing openly in the rain with wet hair falling into his eyes and genuine happiness written all over his face—
felt entirely different.
Dangerously different.
Noah finally noticed her staring.
His laughter faded into a softer smile.
“What?”
Lily blinked quickly.
“Nothing.”
“You’re doing the overthinking thing again.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“That’s annoying.”
“That’s my favorite hobby.”
Lily rolled her eyes automatically, but the warmth in her chest only got worse.
Rainwater dripped from Noah’s hoodie as he stepped slightly closer across the dock.
Close enough that Lily’s heartbeat immediately lost stability again.
“This is your fault, by the way,” she informed him.
“My fault?”
“Yes. I came to this party expecting emotional damage and possible mild humiliation.”
“And?”
“And somehow it got worse.”
Noah laughed quietly.
“I can’t tell if that’s an insult.”
“It probably is.”
“Fair.”
Lightning flashed faintly across the sky, briefly illuminating the lake around them.
For a second, everything looked silver.
Still.
Quiet.
The party noise sounded distant now beneath the storm.
Like the world had narrowed down to just the two of them standing alone on the dock.
Lily swallowed carefully.
Dangerous.
This whole thing felt dangerous.
Noah leaned lightly against the railing beside her.
“You know,” he said softly, “you smile more now.”
Lily looked over immediately.
“What?”
“Since you moved here,” he explained quietly. “At first you looked like you wanted to escape every room you walked into.”
Honestly?
Accurate.
“And now?” she asked before thinking too hard about it.
Noah looked at her for a long moment.
“Now you laugh at Jason’s terrible jokes.”
“Nobody laughs at Jason’s jokes on purpose.”
“And you argue with me constantly.”
“That’s because you’re annoying.”
His mouth curved slightly.
“But you stay.”
The words hit harder this time.
Maybe because they sounded less teasing now.
More honest.
Rain continued falling around them while Lily’s pulse stumbled dangerously.
Noah’s expression softened slightly as he looked at her.
And suddenly—
Very suddenly—
The space between them felt painfully small.
Lily became hyperaware of everything.
The sound of rain against wood.
The warmth of his hand resting beside hers on the railing.
The way his eyes flickered toward her lips again.
Oh no.
Oh absolutely not.
Her brain immediately panicked.
Because this—
This looked terrifyingly close to a moment.
Then Noah spoke quietly.
“Can I tell you something?”
Lily’s heart nearly stopped.
“Okay…”
He hesitated.
Actually hesitated.
Which scared her more than anything else tonight.
Noah Carter never hesitated.
But now he looked nervous again.
Careful.
Like whatever he was about to say mattered.
A lot.
“I think—”
Suddenly—
“THERE YOU ARE!”
Both of them jumped violently.
Jason appeared sprinting through the rain toward the dock while Ryan followed behind him looking exhausted already.
Emily ran after them holding somebody’s abandoned umbrella.
“We’ve been looking everywhere!” she announced dramatically.
Noah closed his eyes briefly toward the sky.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
Jason stopped abruptly after noticing the tension.
Then slowly pointed between them.
“Oh no.”
Ryan looked horrified.
“Did we interrupt a moment?”
Lily immediately stepped backward so fast she nearly slipped.
“Nope.”
“Absolutely not,” Noah added way too quickly.
Jason gasped loudly.
“YOU WERE HAVING A MOMENT.”
“We weren’t,” both of them said simultaneously.
Emily narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“That was suspiciously synchronized.”
Ryan looked genuinely disappointed.
“I can’t believe we cockblocked emotional development.”
Lily covered her burning face with both hands.
This school was a nightmare.
Jason suddenly looked emotional again.
“Guys,” he whispered dramatically, rain pouring down his face, “this is the best romance movie I’ve ever lived through.”
Noah grabbed the nearest napkin packet from the dock bench and threw it directly at him.
Unfortunately—
Jason caught it proudly.
“Physical violence only strengthens my support.”
- Writer
