The Art of Starting Over

Bro Code

(???)S POV

We all went out after the wedding and Noah and my Sevyn are all over each other. I’m pissed I already know he’s got a ring. I sigh and lean back against the chair in the lounge, thinking about the night Noah and I both saw her. She was dancing around with a two piece diamond set on showing off her beautiful curves. Brown hair worn down her back behind her, a beautiful skinny waist and flat stomach could be seen from between the 2 piece. I was going to ask her to dance when she disappeared. I had to find her, I checked around the whole place until I saw her at the bar then he came up beside her to get a drink, stupid asshole. I saw her look him up and down and bite her lip. She told him he was cute and I saw the look in his eyes when he looked at her. Fucker. I listened from the corner as they talked for hours and decided to get too f****d up for my own good.

“I think I met the love of my life.” He said as we left the bar and I faked laughter with the other boys. “Guys I’m serious I’m not even that drunk, I saw her sitting on a barstool and my heart was doing things in my chest that didn’t even happen when I was with Juliet.” He was going on and on, I wanted to hit him. That was supposed to be me. I looked out the window of the cab the rest of my way back to my place. Then he actually brought her to show off his shitty art but I finally got to meet her. I was throwing out my best jokes trying to get her to see, that I was an option to. Ugh and when we left to go find Noah and he had his arms around her waist lips stuck on hers. I wanted to throw a punch there. Watching her in that tight dress was so hard to do without drooling, I wanted to rip it off right there.

That night when Noah beat up that piece of s**t ex of hers I actually respected him but my heart was heavy when she was thanking him, I should’ve stepped up, I should’ve done something. But the next day at breakfast I got to hug her, I was hoping maybe she would see, feel my love. But She didn’t. But tonight I’m going to make my move. I don’t care, I don’t even like Noah, it’s always been about the other boy’s. They were my friends. Yeah Noah’s cool supporting me and s**t but I don’t care. I want her. “You okay?” She says coming up to me causing my heart to flutter, I look at her and smile. “Better now.” She nods and watches Noah at the bar trying to get drinks he looks at her and grins she waves and gives him a wink. I have to do it now while she’s distracted. “Sevyn could I talk to you outside really quickly, it’s important.” I feel my heart thudding really fast. “Sure Paulie, lets go.” She tells Nadia something then follows me outside. “Whats up?” She asks and I look at her deeply in the eyes hoping my love will be seen, acknowledged. I grab her face then kiss her on her big beautiful soft lips moaning against her mouth, but she doesn’t kiss me back. She’s actually trying to get me off of her, push me away. Why my love. I force her lips apart and stick my tongue in her mouth and she’s hitting her hands on my chest trying to get me off of her. I place a hand on her mouth and drag her down the alley. I continue kissing her holding her head in place and I feel her tears against my face. Don’t worry my love you will feel it soon too. She’s still trying to push me off of her when I pick her up and put her against the wall, shoving two fingers inside of her, she’s not wet but I’ll get her there. She’s screaming against my lips and slapping my face with her hands. Why don’t you feel this?

“Paulie what the f**k are you doing?!” Charlie screams running up to me and yanking me off of her. She’s sobbing against the wall and shaking in fear she gets behind Charlie and he looks at me disgusted. “That’s my brothers girl, bro and you’re out here assaulting her, whats wrong with you?!” He spits out taking my Sevyn in his arm and rubbing her arm asking if she’s okay. Jared and Noah reach the alley looking confused why Charlie and I are looking like we’re about to square up and why Sevyn’s crying in Charlies arm. “Noah.” She sobs running into his arms, I hear her tell him and Jared what happened and from her point of view it sounded terrible, I forced myself on her? I just wanted her to feel my love. It was all innocent. “Paulie.” Noah says in a voice I know means he’s about to lose his temper. He’s walking over to me slowly. “I swear to God if I ever See you around Sevyn again, if I feel like you’re even thinking about her ever again, God help the things I will do.” He reaches my face and he looks hurt. “I thought we were friends dude, for 15 years we’ve been friends and then you do this s**t to the girl I love, what’s gotten into you man?” I look him in his shitty eyes and narrow mine. “I saw her first dammit, I was going to make my f*****g move and then here you go, not even giving me a chance. I was supposed to be with her and you stole that for me. I don’t even like you that much I never have, it’s always been about Jared and Charlie for me.” I let all my feelings come out at him and he turns around. “Everything happens for a reason.” He says before taking Sevyn and walking away, she doesn’t even look back at me just nuzzles into him.

“Paulie.” Jared says shaking his head. “We can’t move on from this kid, lose my number.” He walks away too then its just me and Charlie. I look up at him and he avoids eye contact. “Totally against bro code or any code, you don’t force yourself onto women, for real don’t hit any of us up anymore.” He lights a cigarette and pushes past me. “I can’t believe you Paulie.” He says before he finally disappears from the alley and I’m all alone, something I knew could happen but I didn’t think it would hurt this much.

NOAHS POV

A lot of things are making sense right now. When I told Ember and the boy’s I bought a ring and Paulie was the only one who questioned it, I thought he was just looking out for my best interest but he wasn’t. Sevyn ran a hand up my thigh and looked at me softly with big green eyes. “I’m sorry Noah.” She said like it was her fault, my baby, too kind for her own good. I grabbed her hand and placed soft kisses on her fingers. “Baby don’t be sorry, it was so obvious I should’ve noticed it a long time ago. This isn’t your fault at all, I’m so sorry I brought him into your life, trusted him with you, I should’ve seen it, should’ve known better.” I sigh and shake my head. “I just want to protect you and make you feel safe, I never wanted you to be in a dangerous situation while I’m around. I brought someone dangerous right into your life and I don’t know if I can forgive myself.” My voice is cracking as my eyes started tearing up tonight had been a lot, I lost a friend and he hurt and assaulted Sevyn in an awful way, God I had wanted to kill him but I kept my cool. She wipes my tears away as I start breaking down. It’s embarrassing but I can’t help it. “Noah, it’s okay I’ve been through worse and you’ve saved me more than once, you knew him for 15 years. You had no idea, no one did. Forgive yourself, you are so sweet and so thoughtful and I appreciate everything about you.” She wraps a small arm around me and rubs my back softly. She pulls me into her softly on my couch and I cry in her arms, just letting my emotions come out of me.

She runs her hands through my curls and kisses me on the top of my head while I’m a sniffling mess. She’s so strong emotionally she hasn’t cried since I saw her in that alley. She’s truly my rock right now. “I love you Noah.” She says softly. “I love you too.” I say wiping my eyes as she gets up and grabs me some tissues, she softly grasps my face and cleans it, she kisses me on the lips and looks me right in the eyes. “I love you and I cannot wait to be your wife one day.” I grin at her and my heart flutters at her words. “You look very cute when you’re crying.” She giggles and kisses me on my nose. “That’s it, now you’ve done it.” I pick her up and give her a million kisses, I refuse to sleep with her tonight after her trauma, I tried to get her to press charges, go to the hospital, something. But she refused. I understand her viewpoint after talking about it. But it was our first small argument. She’s really stubborn and it can be frustrating but I love her for it. “I also appreciate you being understanding about everything, Ritchie’s problem was always that he wanted a weak woman who just does what she’s told but that’s not me and it’s never going to be me. I’m always going to have my own opinion.” I nod at her and smile. “And I love you even more for it.” She gives me a small smile and jumps onto me pushing me back into the couch. “Ohhh Noah you sure you won’t have s*x with me tonight.” She asks placing my hands onto her ass, I give it a small squeeze. “We came to a compromise remember?” I ask her teasingly playing with the strap of her tank top. Just then my phone started ringing, it was Jared.

“Hey bud.” I said putting him on speaker, Nadia’s voice rang over. “Are you with Sevyn, I have called her 28 times and she’s not picked up, I demand to speak with her.” She sounds pissed. “Oh shit.” Sevyn says then takes me phone quickly. “Nad I’m so sorry.” She crawls off of my lap laying back on the couch. “Sevy Jared told me what happened are you okay? I’m soo sorry. Do you need anything? Added another person onto my s**t list. One of these days I’m going to get all those assholes in a room take my dads rifle and just start shootin.” Sevyn laughs from beside me. “I’m okay, Noah’s taking care of me we got into a small fight because I wouldn’t go to the hospital but you know how I am with stuff like that.” She gives me a small smile. “Well at least he’s got sense, you should go to the hospital, but I know how you are.” Sevyn rolls her eyes. “I will be fine.” Nadia goes mmhmmm from the other line. “Well I love you Jared wants to talk to Noah, Jared so pissed like he can’t believe Paulie he wants to go rip his head off.” Sevyn sighs and tells Nadia she loves her too then hands my phone off to me. “15 years bro, and he turned out to be an absolute piece of s**t I’m so pissed.” I nod. “I know and what was that s**t like he never liked me. So he was just acting like a fuckwad for 15 years for no reason? He could’ve told me a while ago and I would’ve been fine by it.” I mutter into the phone playing with Sevyn’s hair. “I know thats what gets me like what was the point of acting like a snake for so long, Charlies so pissed too.” I nod and let Jared keep going calling him every name in the book. “Also like he couldn’t have pulled you aside quietly, like hey bro kinda feeling your girl bro instead of f*****g accosting her in a f*****g alley.” I can hear his anger laced all through his voice. “Exactly what I was saying.” I heard Nadia pitch in from somewhere in the room. “Yeah some people have no morals, but Sevyn doesn’t want to press charges or anything and well we talked about it I understand.” I say sighing. “I don’t.” Nadia chimes in and I chuckle. “Well Nadia and I are gonna finish this bottle and tuck in for the night, you two be safe love you guys.” Sevyn and I say our goodbyes and hang up.

“Sheesh, Jared’s so mad I’ve never heard someone call anyone that many dirty names before.” Sevyn says biting her lip. “Yeah I think we all feel a little betrayed.” I pull her lip from her mouth and give her a kiss. “Take me to bed.” She says softly and waits for me to pick her up and carry her to my bedroom. Oh my sweet beautiful girlfriend. I lay her on my bed gently and lay down next to her. She tries to run her hand up my thigh but I grab it gently. “Uh huh.” I say laughing. “You made a deal and I’m sticking to it you temptress.” She giggles and I give her a soft kiss on the nose. “Well the morning doesn’t count, you said tonight.” I sigh and chuckle. “We’ll see how you feel when you wake up.” I mumble yawning, she nuzzles in closer to me and giggles. “Okay i’m going to fall asleep right away then so I can wake up faster.” I wrap my arm around her and laugh, she’s too much sometimes. With a smile on my face only Sevyn could give me I drift off to sleep.