When a minute goes by and Noah doesn’t speak, I look over to find his eyes on me.
My lips turn up and I reach out, brushing his hair aside. It’s so soft, so unexpectedly soothing that I don’t stop.
He stares, unblinking, and when he speaks again, his tone is lower than a whisper. “Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Waiting.” Deep lines cover his forehead and his chest inflates with a full inhale. “Are you still waiting?”
My heartbeat jumps. Thumps. Does a fucking somersault.
But a small sting still follows when I move my eyes to the brown-haired boy in question, who isn’t asleep after all, but lies there in the dark, wide awake, staring right at me.
I swallow, slowly turning back to Noah. To my hand, still caressing his hair.
To his eyes, still locked on me.
“No,” I find myself murmuring, and something stirs along his face. “I’m not.”
“Whenever you’re ready to tell your best friend, you know, me, what the hell that was last night, I’m all ears.”
I drop onto the sofa next to Cam, propping my feet up on the coffee table beside hers. I grin to myself, tossing a piece of stale cereal in my mouth. “What are you talking about?”
“I will cut you.” She holds her eyebrow razor out, looking over quickly before focusing on the small hand mirror in her palm. “Give me the juice. Are you boning our mega hot quarterback and not telling me?”
“Get real!” I laugh, snagging the remote from her lap. “Like I wouldn’t tell you if I were.”
“But you want to.”
“Cameron.”
“Have you kissed him? Touched? Anything?”
“Oh my god, no.”
“Why not?” she gapes. “You like him.”
“He’s my friend.” My temples thud after I say it, and I rub my lips together. “I like hanging out with him.”
She scowls, gauging me. “You know he wants you, right?”
When I don’t respond, she shifts toward me.
“Ari.” Her eyes widen. “It’s so obvious.”
Pulse pounding, I shake my head.
After a moment, Cameron sighs and pushes to her feet. “You know, for a girl who spent so much time hoping for a guy to open his eyes… you might want to open yours this time.”
With that, she heads into the shower, and I don’t move from my place on the couch.
I know what she’s saying, and I think she’s right but…
What if she isn’t?
What if Noah cares for me like Chase does?
A lot, but not the same?
Not enough?
I’m not so sure I could handle another let down.
Something tells me I couldn’t.
Especially from Noah.
Chapter 20
Arianna
* * *
Finally home, I strip out of my clothes and head for the shower.
The second the warm water soaks into my scalp, Cameron’s voice reaches me from the hall.
“Hey!” She knocks twice and opens the door to slip inside. “How was the workout with Brady?”
“About as successful as you’d expect.”
“How many times have they told you to stick to jogging?”
“Too many to count.” I smile, massaging shampoo into my scalp. “How’d your test go?”
“Good until I got to the stupid essay question, but I don’t think it’ll hurt me too much. I basically made up a bunch of shit and worded it like a mastermind, so I’m hoping he just gets confused and gives me the points anyway.”
“Sounds like a solid plan.”
“I thought so,” she jokes. “Hey, so, I’m going to dinner with some of the girls from the first floor. I can wait for you to get ready if you want to come?”
“No, I’m going to stand here with my eyes closed for a solid ten minutes, and then it’s spanx game strong.”
“Sounds like a blast.” Cameron chuckles. “I’m going to change and head out. I’ll be in late; I think Trey’s picking me up from the restaurant after for a movie or something.”
“K. Love you.”
“Love you.”
Cam takes off and I soak in the shower until the water runs cool. Slipping into a pair of spandex shorts and an old varsity T-shirt Mason tried to toss out, I make my way to the kitchen.
My stash of meals isn’t exactly low, but I’m in the mood for something fresh, so I drop onto the couch, deciding to text Noah.
* * *
Me: my freezer sucks right now.
* * *