Why Not Me?

| 5 | STEPHANIE |

| STEPHANIE |

It was late, about three in the morning, when I heard the door to the apartment open. I walked out of my room and looked out to see Jenn run into her room locking the door behind her.

"Jenn? Are you okay?" I asked but no response. "I thought you were staying at Drew's tonight?"

"I-I uh, was but he had to go- out." She said rapidly.

"Oh, okay then, well I'll get back to work," I said but again she didn't say anything back and I just sighed and went back to doing my work.

Apparently, I fell asleep on my desk because I woke up to poking. I creased my eyebrows and mumbled a stop but the person just kept at it. I frowned and turned towards the other direction so they would stop but sadly they didn't and I was getting annoyed.

"Leave me alone," I whine only to hear a husky chuckle.

"Stephy. Babe time to wake up." I hear but I stayed down. "But I don't want to," I whined.

That's when I felt fingers against my stomach and I felt to the floor laughing. "No stop!" I laughed as Noah tickled me. He just kept at it and I was literally dying here.

"NOAH!" I screamed as I tried to give my lungs the amount of oxygen they truly need. He laughed and finally stopped. I laid on the floor my back against the cool hardwood floor, arms spread out trying to catch my breath.

I mumbled. "I hate you." He grinned and hovered above me. "We both know that's not the case."

"Jerk." I pouted as he kissed my cheek. I was going to get up but he kissed my other cheek, then my forehead, then my nose. "Noah," I giggled, "I'm trying to get up." He kissed my lips and I automatically fell at his mercy.

After we broke apart he smiled. "Good morning princess."

"Good morning." I smiled.

"How'd you get in?" I asked as he waited for me in the living room. I finished taking a shower and brushing my hair.

"Well I was going to knock but Jenn was leaving in a hurry saying she forgot to give in some report last night and just ran out letting me in." He explained while eating my cereal.

I placed my hands on my hips. "You and Drew have a serious cereal problem." He just chuckles and I smile at him giving his cheek a pink lipstick-stained kiss and grabbed some cereal myself.

"So, I see you were writing last night." He says as he places his bowl in the sink.

"Really what gave you that idea?" I teased. "Oh, the fact I found you drooling on top of your paperwork not to mention you fell asleep at your desk...again."

"Hey! I do not drool and blah!" I said childishly as he chuckled and walked over to me. "You're so easy to tease." He said hugging me and I frowned at him.

"Okay well, come on. We're both free so let's go out."

"Out where?"

"Well firstly how about I take you for some real breakfast and then we can go shopping if you'd like? I have to pick up Emma later but-"

"You're picking up Emma? Can I come!" I ask excitedly.

Noah has a very big family. Emma is his youngest and last sibling, she's the most adorable thing ever. She's currently eight and reminds me of Ana like Ana from Frozen but instead of orange hair, she has light chocolate locks and the cutest dimples. When Noah brought me once to his apartment we were surprised to find his mom coming to visit him and well I guess that's when he introduced me. She then dragged me and Noah to her house and there I was properly introduced to both of Noah's parents and his siblings; Ashton, Tyler, Gavin, Logan, Abigail, Dylan and Emma as Noah's girlfriend.

Ashton is the oldest, currently happily married to a nice girl named Joyce with two kids. They live upstate. Tyler is the second born. He's a very nice guy, strange but nice and defiantly the first person you would want to invite to a party. He's happily married to his wife Kelsey and they have three kids. Abigail is the third born. She's not married yet because her job requires her to travel a lot and she says she wants to settle down then and once she does then she'll start looking but I don't blame her she's a Geologist and I admire her a lot, she's also gorgeous so I don't have to worry about her finding a guy.

Next is Logan, fourth born and two years older than Noah. He's a newlywed and I was even given the honor of attending his wedding. Raven's the name of his new wife and there now living in a nice house in White Hall, Pennsylvania so there only an hour away. Noah, as you figured, Is the fifth born and next comes Dylan. He's currently a second-year university student. Gavin is in his junior year of High School and little Emma is now in middle school.

I know Noah's parents are hard workers but there really good people and they take great care of their kids, and to top it off they don't even look that old! Of course, I wouldn't ask because that would be rude but I did ask how they meet. They were high school sweethearts. Saige, Noah's mom, was in the newspaper club and Ian, Noah's Dad, was the student body president. To make things short they were utterly in love and had Ashton there last year in high school, so they were young parents.

Tyler came along while they were in college and by the time Abigail came they were graduating college and he proposed. I find it really sweet how their love never failed.

Noah laughs. "Sure, of course, you can come. Emma's been wanting to see you again for a while." I squeal and hug him.

"Shall we go?" he asks as I place my plate in the sink.

"Yea let me just get my jacket," I said running into my room. Running back I find Noah waiting patiently leaning against the door. I smile. How could I have gotten so lucky? I walk up to him and he looks at me and smiles as I grab onto his arm and we walk out of my apartment.

"Are we walking or taking the car?" He asked me. "Uhm, how about we walk to breakfast and then to pick up Emma and shopping we use the car," I suggested. He nods and entwines our hands.

Noah is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Although I've had a couple of boyfriends in the past none have ever been and will ever be as great as Noah. He's caring and loves to help me with whatever he can help me with. He's overprotective and would stay up all night with me when I had to pull all-nighters. Although he always teases me in every way, he always manages to make me smile. He's chill and treats me like his equal and respects what I want to do and he always seems to know what to say at the right times, and sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.

"What are you smiling about?" He asks tapping my nose. I giggle. "Nothing, come on," I said pulling him into this cute little diner around the corner from my place.

We walk in and sit at a booth and look at the menu. Noah sits in front of me and grabs a menu as well and starts to copy me. I giggle as he covers his face and only leaves his eyes for me to see. He wiggles his eyes brows and I laugh out loud. "Oh stop it you, clown." I smile placing my menu down.

I felt something hit my foot and look up at him to see him whistling acting as if he doesn't know what's going on. I raise my eyebrows and soon were playing footsies under the table.

"Still playing footsies I see hmm?" I looked up and see one of the waitresses. " Hi, Maria." I smile.

"Hi Stephanie baby." she smiles. Maria is a lady who's been working here since Cleo, Jen and I moved to New York. She's been a real help and she's like our distant aunt. "Maria you know Noah, my little troublemaker," I said glaring at him playfully causing him to chuckle. "Hi Maria long time to see," he said.

"Of course your little lover boy." she teased causing my cheeks to heat up. "You better be treating my girl well," he warned and he nods. "Of course I am. Who would keep her out of trouble" he teased and I pouted.

"Alrighty, what would you like to order?"

"I'd like the French toast with eggs and bacon, please. With orange juice." I say fixing my glasses handing her the menu. "I'll have the same. With extra bacon." Noah said as Maria wrote down our order and walked away.

I giggled raising my eyebrow. " Someone's a copycat today," I said him winking.

•••••••••••••••

"Are you sure we have time?" I asked Noah.

"Of course. We still have about two hours before we have to go pick her up." Noah said kissing my forehead. "Two tickets please."

After breakfast Noah and went shopping. We stopped by a couple of stores and we spent most of the morning shopping. I bought a couple of things for my work and Noah bought some lens for his camera. He even got pulled over by the security guard for playing around the fountain dancing like an Indian, why I don't know but it's was funny.

We took all our bags to the car afterward and noticed we had time to spear before picking up Emma so Noah decided to drag me along to the movies.

"What movie are we watching?" I asked as I carried the popcorn and the sodas. "Thor: The Dark World," he said motioning for me to go in the row towards the back. "Yas! With Chris Hemsworth!" I squealed as we sat down.

"Humph there nothing great about him," he mumbled. "Yea besides the facts he's amazingly gorgeous with awesome hair and the accent!" I smiled.

"Hey hey calm down no need for a meltdown your mine, not his." he pouted in the dark as the tailors start and I couldn't help but smile and lean in to kiss his cheek. I couldn't even watch the movie because Noah would put his hand on my thigh or blow in my ear. No wonder he picked the back to sit in. "Noah," I whined.

"I'm not doing anything." He said. I pouted as I turned to him only for him to capture my lips with his. I gasped out of shock but complied with the kiss and kissed him back.

I felt him grin as I started kissing him too. Let's just say we didn't even get to touch our food.

••••••••••••

"Emma!" I smiled as she came out of the school's main doors. Noah and I were leaning up against his car as she saw us. A wide smile made it to her face. "Stephyy! Noah!" She yelled running to us. She jumped on me and I carried her. "Look at you. You're so big!" I smiled kissing her forehead.

"Hey, Em," Noah said giving her a kiss as she hugs him.

"What are you doing here? It's a surprise you're picking me up. You never do!" She said happily.

"Mom couldn't today and asked me to pick you up. Come on, I have to take you home," he told his baby sister as he helped her into the back seat.

Driving to his parent's house I Emma would start singing a song and I would sing along until we got Noah singing too. She told us how her day went. By the time we reach her house she was trying to doze off. I chuckled to myself. "I never remembered fourth grade being that tiring," I said stepping out the car as Noah takes Emma in his arms.

She wraps her arms around his neck nuzzling in as we walk towards the front door. At the ring, Ian opens. "Ah Noah," he says smiling looking at Emma, "she fell asleep."

"Yup looks like she had fun today." Noah smiled handing Emma over. "Ah if it isn't Stephanie how are you dear?" He smiled at me.

"Hi, Ian." I smiled.

"Well thanks, dad but we have to get going."

"Tell everyone I said hi," I said.

"Of course thank you again for picking her up."

"No problem. Bye."

We drove away and spent the rest of the day at my apartment actually watching movies since we didn't really have a chance to earlier cough, cough.

I was snuggled into the Noah us both laying on the couch. The lights off and the window opens as the purple and or ages sun rays seeped in through the shades. Noah had one arm around my waist the other interlocked with mine as my head laid on his shoulder. We were watching Ride Along with Ice Cube and Kevin Heart laughing at a scene when someone rang the doorbell.

I looked up over at Noah as they kept ringing and knocking impatiently. The noise was starting to irritate me. I got up and walked over. "Alright alright!" I said opening the door.

"Drew?" I said confused as he walked in. He looked confused and worried.

"Where is she?" He said walking into the living room. Noah stood up as he saw Drew. "Hey, Drew what's up?" But Drew didn't answer instead he just kept looking around the apartment. He even went into our rooms. "Where is she? Where's Jen?" he asked again.

"Uh, I don't know I haven't seen her all day. Actually, I haven't seen her since Cleo's last night then she went with you and soon after I heard her coming in at three in the morning." I said to him as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Why what happened?" I asked.

"I-she... she ran out last night without warning and hasn't been answering any of my calls or texts all day today and then suddenly I get a call from her about 20 minutes ago." He says.

"And?" Noah asks.

"And--she broke up with me," He says hurt. What?

"What? Jennifer broke up with you?" Noah asked shocked.

"That's not possible that's girls head over heels for you," I said confused.

"Exactly, it doesn't make any sense. She just breaks up with me through the phone after running away last night so I came to talk to her." He said desperately.

"Yea, no I haven't seen her all day. Let me trying." I said taking out my phone and dialing Jen. Her caller I.D. JenJen popped up with her background picture of her smiling cheekily. I put it to my ear.

"The number you are calling is not in service please---" I hang up. "Her phones off she's not picking up."

"What about Cleo has she seen her?" Drew asked and I shrugged. "I don't know. Let me see."

I dialed Cleo number and she picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Steph what's up?"

"Hey, um have you seen Jen?"

"No, not since yesterday, why?"

"Well, we don't know. Cleo, she broke up with Drew."

"What?! Why? How?"

"Uhm we don't know he says she suddenly called him and broke up with him over the phone. We've been trying to contact her back but she turned off her phone. We called to see if you knew where she was."

"Jen broke up with Drew? Threw the phone? That's impossible."

"That's what I said."

"But no I haven't seen her?" she said, "maybe she had something going on and is out for a walk or something clearing up her head?." Cleo suggested.

We talked for a while longer. We didn't know where Jen was so we decided to leave it like that. She was probably out clearing her head getting fresh air thinking or something. We sent Drew home so he can relax and calm down. He was a mess. Jen breaking up with him out of nowhere really affected him hard, but there must be a reason. There's always a reason for everything.

Noah stayed with me a bit longer before leaving as well. I prepared myself for bed in hopes for talking and figuring out what was Jen thinking in the morning.

I wonder what was going through her mind when she called Drew?