I WANT TO GO HOME
1217 Words
For a few long seconds, Olivia simply stared at the hand stretched out in front of her.
The laughter around the pool seemed to fade into the background as she looked up at the boy standing above her.
Noah.
The last person she had expected to see.
He didn't look amused.
He wasn't whispering to his friends or pulling out his phone like everyone else. Instead, his eyebrows were drawn together with concern as he watched her struggle to keep herself above the water.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm despite the surrounding chaos.
Olivia couldn't answer.
She wasn't okay.
Her eyes burned with tears. She refused to let fall. She was cold, embarrassed, and desperate to disappear.
She glanced around one last time.
A group of girls stood a few feet away, giggling behind their hands.
One of the boys nudged his friend and pointed toward the pool.
Another teenager laughed loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear.
"She totally wiped out!"
More laughter followed.
Olivia lowered her eyes.
She wanted the ground to open beneath her feet.
Noah noticed.
He looked over his shoulder at the crowd.
"Seriously?" he said firmly. "Grow up."
His words weren't shouted, but they carried enough authority that a few people looked away, suddenly uncomfortable.
The surrounding laughter quietened, although a few whispers still floated through the air.
Noah turned back to Olivia.
His expression softened again.
"I promise," he said with a small smile, "I won't bite."
Despite everything, the corner of Olivia's mouth twitched ever so slightly.
"Take my hand."
She hesitated.
Not because she didn't trust him.
Because everyone was watching.
She could already imagine what people would say at school.
First she falls into the pool...
Now Noah has to rescue her.
The thought made her stomach twist.
Noah seemed to understand what was going through her mind.
"It's okay," he said quietly. "You don't have to do this by yourself."
His voice was gentle.
There was no pressure.
No teasing.
Just kindness.
Olivia slowly lifted her trembling hand.
The moment their hands met, Noah wrapped his fingers securely around hers.
His grip was firm and reassuring.
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded.
"One... two... three."
With one smooth pull, Noah helped lift her out of the pool.
Olivia stumbled slightly as her shoes hit the wet concrete.
For a second she lost her balance.
Before she could fall again, Noah steadied her by lightly holding her arm.
"You've got it," he said.
She quickly regained her balance.
"Sorry," she whispered, taking a small step back.
"You don't have anything to apologize for."
She looked down at herself.
Water dripped from every strand of her long black hair.
Her white trainers squelched with every tiny movement.
Her jeans clung heavily to her legs, and her oversized sweater was completely soaked.
She had never felt so embarrassed.
"I must look terrible."
Noah gave a small shake of his head.
"I don't think so."
Olivia looked up, surprised.
He wasn't smiling because he found her funny.
He looked completely sincere.
Her cheeks immediately turned pink.
"Th-thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome."
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
The music continued playing.
People returned to their conversations.
The party slowly carried on as though nothing had happened.
Only Olivia felt as if her whole world had stopped.
Noah broke the silence.
"I'm Noah."
Olivia couldn't help letting out a tiny nervous laugh.
"I know."
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Right... I guess everyone knows my name."
She nodded.
There was another awkward silence.
"My name is Olivia," she said softly.
"It's nice to finally meet you properly, Olivia."
Finally.
The word echoed in her mind.
Had he noticed her before?
Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Again... thank you."
She turned, hoping to escape before she embarrassed herself any further.
"Olivia."
She stopped walking.
Noah's voice wasn't loud.
It was simply enough to make her pause.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
She swallowed hard.
"Home."
The single word barely escaped her lips.
"I've had enough for one night."
Before Noah could reply, another familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Olivia!"
She turned just in time to see Tina rushing toward her.
The moment Tina reached her, her eyes widened in shock.
"Oh my gosh!"
Without hesitation, Tina wrapped her arms around Olivia in a careful hug.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Olivia nodded, although the tears she had been holding back finally escaped.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
Tina gently pushed the wet hair away from Olivia's face.
"You are freezing."
She quickly slipped off the light cardigan she had been wearing and wrapped it around Olivia's shoulders.
"There."
Olivia managed a tiny smile.
"Thanks, T."
Tina studied her best friend's face.
"You want to go home, don't you?"
Olivia nodded immediately.
"Please."
There was no hesitation in her voice.
No pretending she was okay.
She just wanted to leave.
Tina glanced toward George, who was standing several meters away talking with his friends.
Then she looked back at Olivia.
"I'll take you home."
"It's okay," Olivia replied quickly.
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
Before either of them could say anything else, Noah stepped forward.
"If it's alright with both of you..."
Both girls looked at him.
"I can drive Olivia home."
He spoke politely, directing the offer to Tina as much as Olivia.
"That way you can stay here with George if you want."
Tina looked from Noah to Olivia.
Then back again.
"What do you think, Liv?" she asked gently. "We can both leave right now, or, if you'd rather, I can stay, and you can let Noah take you home. Whatever makes you feel most comfortable."
Olivia froze.
She hadn't expected to have a choice.
Her heart and her head immediately began arguing with each other.
Her heart whispered, Say yes.
Her head reminded her, You barely know him.
She looked at Tina.
She knew how excited her friend had been for tonight.
George had been planning this date for weeks.
Olivia didn't want to ruin it.
"No," she said quietly.
"You should stay."
"Are you sure?"
Olivia nodded.
"I'll be okay."
Her voice trembled despite her best efforts.
"What more can happen to me tonight?"
The sadness in those words hung heavily between them.
Even Noah's expression changed.
Without saying a word, he slipped off his football jacket.
It was still warm from where he had been wearing it.
He stepped closer.
"Here."
Very gently, he draped it over Olivia's shoulders, making sure not to startle her.
The oversized jacket almost swallowed her whole.
It smelled faintly of fresh laundry and cedarwood, mixed with the cool night air.
For the first time since falling into the pool, she felt warm.
She looked down at the jacket, pulling it a little tighter around herself.
Noah smiled.
"Is that a little better?"
Olivia looked up at him.
A genuine smile—small but real—appeared on her face.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Thank you."
For the first time that evening, despite everything that had gone wrong, Olivia felt like maybe the night wasn't going to end with everyone laughing at her.
Maybe one act of kindness could be louder than a hundred cruel voices.
- Writer
