FIVE
2354 Words
Ava
I play with the last piece of fruit on my plate as I stare down at my phone screen. As soon as it dings I pick it up and read the DM.
So what are you having for dinner?
I smile like an i***t, he hasn’t stopped with all the random questions. I write back
Just a sandwich and some fruit. You?
Heart emoji, or no?? No..that’s too much.
“Hello!!! Earth to Ava!”
I raise my head and I see both Jada and Emi smiling
“What? I lock my phone and put it in my pocket.
“We were saying last night was fun.” Emi says and takes a big gulp of water
“You had a lot of fun didn’t you babe?” Jada makes kissing faces and Emi giggles
“Stop it guys! There was none of that. We just talked”
“Aaaand still talking huh!? You’ve been glued to your phone all day” Jada makes a heart-shape with her hands and I roll my eyes
“It’s not a big deal!” Or is it?
“Of course it is. He is f*****g hot and f*****g rich. Every girl there wanted a second of his attention. And he spent all night chatting you up, and all-day now. Wake-up babe!”
“Yeah Ava, I think J is right, he really likes you” Emi spoke up, nodding. Well, I believe Emi, she only speaks when she really feels like she should.
“Fine, but I am worried that Noah--”
“Quit Ava. Noah is not the boss of you or any of us. He is not your boyfriend either.” Jada’s words stung. Even though we avoid the subject, she knows how I feel about Noah. She looks at me and sighs loudly.
“Babe, I don’t mean it in a bad way. I mean it's not fair for him to expect you to be chaste and pure while he rolls around with whomever. Besides he will be 18 soon.” Jada looked at me with an expression that could only be defined as ‘I feel sorry for you’.
“Thanks for the reminder J, I had suddenly forgotten all about mates and such” sarcasm is my friend.
“You’ll thank me later babe. When you and Cleis” she made kissing faces again and I couldn’t help but laugh this time.
“Looks like you guys are enjoying dinner” I jump at the proximity of Noah’s words and pop my eyes out at Jada. She saw him coming and did it on purpose.
“Yea dinner is really tasty, actually amazing, isn’t it Ava?” Jada asks
“I never thought the home-sweet-hellhole cafeteria food was tasty much less amazing” Noah picks up on the unspoken cue and continues “did you sleep well chickadee? Since you were so tired” he accentuates the ‘so’ and I look at him. Before I can speak, Jada does
“Well Noah, you would know about the food here if you actually spent any time here. Where were you all day by the way? Or maybe I should ask who you were with?” Jada crosses his arms and doesn’t blink as she stares him down. He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, it seems they are having a full-blown conversation only with their eyes. Hmmm weird.
“Yea Noah where were you all day?” I ask and he looks at me, clearly surprised that I join Jada’s line of questioning.
“I was with a friend. Are you going to answer my question? How was your night?” This time I see anger flaring in his eyes when he speaks. I know that he knows we were gone last night.
“I did have a good night, thanks.” I turn to Jada in search of help and I see her tapping her fingers on a furious beat. She might even dent the table.
“Noah leave her alone. We went to Cleis’ bar and came in late. Were you sitting around waiting for us or were you with someone else? Like a girl?”
“That’s none of your business Jada! Isn’t it enough for you to get into trouble, do you have to add Ava and Emi to it too?” he bows his shoulders predatorily towards Jada, shielding me with his body.
“We both know what this is about and you better drop that Noah! I am warning you one last time” Jada’s last words are a growl and she matches Noah’s predatory stance. Her eyes flame with anger. This is getting out of control. I look at Emi, who tries to hide the nervous tic in her leg.
“Hey guys, you are scaring us, calm down.” More like scaring Emi. Jada gets the point and sits back down, using one arm to side-hug Emi.
“He’s stubborn as hell isn’t he?” Jada speaks to Emi soothingly and I see Noah try to relax too, though he doesn’t have the same self-control.
“Okay well I am going to bed” I declare to no one in particular and stand up
“Good-night babe”
“Night Ava”
“Wait up I will walk you to your room” Noah stands with me and I see Jada gives him one last look. A mean look.
“Sure”
We make our way through the cafeteria and I see some girls waving at Noah, he waves back. Typical. I put the blue tray on top of a dirty pile and walk out. Noah follows me uncharacteristically quiet. We walk across the common area and I enter the girls' side through the sliding door, the hallway is full of girls coming in and out of each other’s rooms and the shared showers. Some giggle when they see Noah, he’s technically not supposed to be here. Other girls wave, almost seductively. Ugh can’t I get a break?
“You better go before Ms. Davidson sees you” I break the silence as I unlock my door.
“First I want to know why you lied to me” His words hold a note of resentment I hate to hear
“Sorry. I was actually going to tell you but--” if I say Jada took my phone he’ll just blame her like always.
“But?” He pushes the door of my room open and walks in. I follow but leave the door open. He brushes past me and slams the door shut.
“Noah people saw us come in and we can get in trouble” I try to sound reasonable
“Stop avoiding the question. But what? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Jada took my phone!” His nose flares angrily and I continue “but I am glad she did Noah. We had fun and I don’t regret it.” He doesn’t speak. Instead, he walks up closer, cornering me.
“This is the first time you lie to me. Why?” he is all up in my space. It feels like a demand and I don’t like that, the space around me feels small.
“Noah, you are suffocating me. Move over” I push him away and walk to my window. I open it and the cool breeze hits my face in comfort. I am so glad it's almost summer.
“Sorry chickadee I didn’t mean to” I look at him and feel bad for lying again.
“I’m sorry I lied. But nothing major happened” I am not sure why I try to assure him. As Jada said, he is not my boyfriend. Besides he never said what he was doing, I take a risk and continue “where were you all day?”
He hesitates and rubs the back of his neck with one hand. His shirt rides up and I get a glance of his abs. My eyes linger there for a moment.
“I was with a friend. I told you.”
“Were you with Trevon?” his only friend. He better say he was with his only male friend.
“No..” He continues to rub the back of his neck and I just can’t stand the thought of someone else near him. Someone else touching him.
“I see. Well, it's bedtime for me Noah. I am sure you have other ‘friends’ to visit” I emphasize the word friends and walk towards the door. I open it and motion with my hand for him to move forward.
“Are you upset?” He asks, walking to the door and standing there facing me. Handsome and sweet and not-mine.
“No, why would I be? Goodnight Noah.” I practically push him out the door and slam it shut. I hear him say
“Goodnight chickadee”.
…
Jada
“Shoot me a DM if you need me love” I give Emi a goodnight hug and walk towards Ava’s room. I need to make sure Noah left it alone as I told him. I spot him right away. He has one of the girls pressed against a bedroom door. Shocker. I grab the collar of his shirt and peel him from the girl.
“Yo what the f**k?” Noah protests and the girl gives me a mean look. I give her an even meaner one with a soft growl. She enters her room quickly.
“Noah you have no shame!” I push him, more for effect than force and he straightens his shirt.
“J why are you so aggressive? And mind your own business” He starts to walk away hurriedly and I keep up. We make it through the door and into the common room.
“I will mind my business as soon as you turn 18 and leave Ava alone” He stops abruptly
“She is my--”
“NO! Stop it Noah. Isn’t it enough for you to have any girl here.” I spread my hands and look from side to side.
“Get off my back with that Jada, I can’t control the urge I feel to--”
“Cut the crap Noah. You can control it, you just don’t f*****g want to.” Random people eye us and he decides to walk outside. I follow. We walk around towards the patio, far enough from prying ears. He turns to face me
“I don’t like her around that guy Cleis I don’t trust him. You should be careful too”
“You don’t trust your own shadow Noah. I can make my own choices and let Ava have some fun, you have fun all day every day. Leave her alone Noah. I am tired of telling you this!” It looks like the vein on his forehead is going to pop, he definitely doesn’t want to hear about Ava having ‘fun’ with someone else.
“Jada I am ninety-nine percent sure she is my mate. I was always suspicious. Now that my wolf is getting closer to the surface it's getting stronger. I need to tell her. I want to tell her” I hear the urgency in his voice and for a moment I almost believe him. Then I remember what I just found him doing.
“What about that other 1 percent Noah? What if you are wrong? Are you going to f**k around with her for three months until it's your birthday and then dump her when you find your mate? I don’t think so. She doesn’t deserve it, I won’t let you hurt her just because you ran out of girls to sleep with.” I poke him in the chest and his mouth becomes a thin line.
“Jada I would never hurt her. I love her, she is my best friend” I am taken aback by the ‘love’ bit. He can’t be serious.
“You love her? But you f**k everything that moves and you do it in her face. That’s very loving of you baby brother”
“I have needs, all wolves do and you very well know that. You are no saint”
“No, I am not! But I am not trying to convince my best friend that I am their mate because I am bored!! If she is your mate stop f*****g around and wait for three months. Then tell her. I dare you to not f**k around Noah. I dare you” I put my hand in my hip and he diverts my gaze. He can’t f*****g do it.
“If I could just tell her..”
“If you tell her and you are wrong and you break her heart I swear to the Goddess I will rip you to pieces.”
“I don’t want to break her heart” He looks at me again and it looks like he means it.
“Then wait three months”
“Fine. But if I’m right Jada and she is my mate you will regret this little charade.”
“If you are right I will let you say ‘I told you so’ once baby brother”
“Stop calling me that J” He rolls his eyes and walks off
“Never!!” I holler and he waves his hand in the air.
- Writer
