Chapter 25

"How are you planning on getting home?" Sophie squeezed me tight, probably not her best idea when I was stuffed up to the brim with cheese.

"I'm headed that way so I'll drop her," Noah answered before I could. The wind outside was picking up again, throwing Noah's hair for a frenzy. He pushed it back with one hand, without a care, the simple action looking impossibly attractive. Shaking my hair off my face, I turned to Sophie with a sour expression, "I'll text you when I reach home."

"You better," she pulled my cheek, before giving Noah a stinky look, "Keep her safe."

Noah drew a cross over his chest, "I will."

Eleanor had thankfully left with Jeff earlier, and I could only hope that it would solve at least half of my problems. I didn't want to entertain possibilities that were too far out of my reach, but in the unlikely event that Noah and I would be in a relationship, I wanted Eleanor to be happy too. Noah spent some time saying his goodbyes to his friends, and then walked me to his car. He reached out for my fingers once but I shied away from the contact, crossing my arms over my chest. My knees were stiff and freezing, and I couldn't be more thankful for his car's heating system.

"You get cold too quickly," Noah observed, taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

"Sorry," I mumbled, rubbing my palms and pressing them to my knees for help.

"No, don't be," I noticed Noah only ever put both hands on the wheel when he was taking a sharp turn, but he preferred driving with one hand, "It's one of the things that makes you so... you."

We were heading towards his house instead of mine, but I didn't complain. We should be done in an hour, at most, and at the end of this, even if Noah didn't want to drop me home, I could take the bus. It would be rather late at night, but I could take that alternative.

The silence stretched on till the elevators, when Noah and I kept helplessly staring at the numbers going up and up, praying the metal contraption somehow wishing we'd get there sooner. I let out a shaky breath when we finally came off, standing behind awkwardly till Noah unlocked the door.

"Your parents never seem around?" I asked, the question arising as I walked into the empty home.

"I don't live with my dad," He explained, "He's got a new family to take care of and apparently I'm not good enough for it."

"That's impossible," I didn't believe it, "how are you not?"

Noah shrugged, "Studying zoology and studying law isn't the same thing," he brought out a beer from the kitchen, "You want something?"

"I'm good," I answered, looking out of the window. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I looked three months pregnant at this moment. The grey dress was resting flat on my stomach earlier, but with all the fries and the pizza I'd eaten, I was sure the bump was only going to get more awkward.

"I'd take you out to the balcony but you'd probably freeze. The view is nice at this hour," he laughed, settling on the couch instead. I sat down too, tucking my feet under me.

"So..."

I waited for Noah to say something beyond that, but he seemed lost for words.

"Well, are we going to talk about your friend?" I prompted him.

"Parker is not my friend," Noah's eyes were fiery, "He's just someone I have the misfortune of knowing."

"Even worse then, why would you share details of your sex life with an acquaintance?" I had to roll my eyes at that. 

Noah seemed cornered, "Look, Parker and I go way back... he just is not the kind of person you want around you." Noah sipped his beer, "I just don't like the idea of it."

"The thing is," I pointed out, "I don't need you to protect me from anyone. I can handle myself."

Noah's eyes lightened, and he reached forward to push my hair behind my cheek, "I know you can. I still want to do it. Besides, it's not like you've not been lying to Eleanor about us."

"That's different," I defended, even though it was a losing fight, "You know how Eleanor is."

"And I know how Parker is." Noah ran his fingers through his hair, tousling them, "Look, if you want I can tell any of my closest friends about you. The ones that actually matter. Daniel already knows, and I can call Alex right now if that's what you're after."

I shook my head. If Alex knew, it wouldn't be long before he told Sophie and then Eleanor.

"You know, I think this whole mess isn't even about Parker. It's about Eleanor, right?"

That wasn't true. Was it?

"Look, you and I both know I can get literally any girl on this campus for the night. It's not a secret and there's no point denying it. It comes with being a Sterling," he shrugged casually, as if he was telling me casual facts. Like the earth was round. 

"You are so much more important to me than just a one night stand, Bri. How do you not see that?"

I had nothing to say, so I played with the hem of my dress, not even meeting his gaze. 

Noah sighed, before sliding off the couch and settling on his knees in front of me, "I like you, Brianna. I really do. And I would be an idiot if I let this go because of some fuckface like Parker. You have no idea how much you mean to me. This can sound all flowery and out of the world, but I want you. Only you. Ever since you called me an asshole, you're the only person I want to be with. So if you'll forgive me for this, I promise you I'll do everything to be the right person for you."

My heartbeat was loud enough, surely the city outside this apartment could hear it. Noah appeared earnest as he looked up at me, taking my hands in his, "I know you're worried about Eleanor, but I swear it'll be fine either way."

"I don't want to have to choose between you two," I sniffled, throat tight with his confession and my dilemma. My shoulders slumped, coming back to the same problem haunting me since last week.

"She's a grown woman, I'm sure she'll understand," Noah sat back up again, eyes hesitant as he kissed my knuckles. Warmed at his gesture,I scooted closer to him, wrapping my arms around him and leaning into his comfort.

"I promise you won't have to choose," he kissed my forehead, running his hand over my hair. I knew being insanely optimistic wasn't the solution, but the idea of losing Eleanor was far more painful, and in the small bubble Noah had wrapped me in, I wanted to stay there forever.

When I looked up, I was close enough to Noah that I could see his eyelashes clearly. Not for long though, since he captured me in a kiss, and my eyes squeezed shut of their own accord. The tears that had been welling up streamed down my face, and Noah was quick to wipe them away with his thumbs. Cupping my face in both his hands, Noah kissed my cheeks, and then my eyelids, forehead and then nose, finally dropping a kiss on my lips again. I giggled at his feathery light kisses dotting my face; the sensation making my heart clench.

"As soon as you can tell Eleanor, I'll scream from the rooftop about us, okay?" he reassured me, "Trust me when I say this, I want to be with you."

"So that means we're.."

"A couple? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Whatever you want to call it, we're it," he kissed my forehead again. I buried myself deeper into his chest, tucking my knees under me.

Noah Sterling was my boyfriend.

Whoa.

That revelation was making my head spin, and I was still just trying to process it all. In my head as I went over the conversation, I realised that Noah conveniently distracted me away from something I wanted to know about.

"Noah?" he was playing with the ripped threads of his jeans, humming in response. I raised myself to sit straighter, "Did you ever consider taking the LSATs?"

He sighed, "Are you staying the night? We can take this conversation up some other day."

I looked at the time on his smart watch. The decision wasn't hard to make at all, I wanted to know more and more about Noah. Everything that made him the person he was.

"I can stay, I don't have clothes though."

"That can be solved quickly," Noah's grin widened, and he offered his hand for me to take. Entangling our fingers together, we headed to his room, where he pulled out the same jersey and shorts from last time. He was about to chuck them at me, before thinking of something and pushing the jersey back in the wardrobe. From another rack, he handed me one of his grey tee shirts, "This suits you better."

He kissed me before I went inside the bathroom and he kissed me the moment I came out. He kissed me as I climbed into bed with him, and he kissed me when I was trying to pay attention to my phone.

Sophie: Did you forget

Brianna: food coma dude, sorry!

Brianna: back home now :)

Eleanor: guys Jeff's a disappointment

I almost laughed out loud before controlling myself.

Sophie: You seriously need to stop sleeping w every single hot guy or there won't be any left for me

Eleanor: You can sleep w Jeff if you want

Eleanor: Everyone is fair game tbh

Eleanor: It's not like I'm married to them

Sophie: Except Noah, I think?

Eleanor: Probably. I feel like he ruined me for everyone else though

Sophie: Noah's moved on to someone new, last I heard.

Eleanor: No one knows who this mystery chick is

Eleanor: he hasn't hooked up with anyone in the last 7-8 parties

Sophie: now I'm really curious

Sophie: Another Jennifer?

Eleanor: probs.

Eleanor: I think Jeff's about to start snoring send help

I set my phone away, feeling something eating me inside. I didn't want to be a hollow replacement for someone. If Noah wanted this relationship, he should want it with me, not with the memory of someone else. But again, how many cans of worms was I going to open in one night?

"I'm gonna come back in a minute," Noah kissed my hand before leaving the room.

Feeling the paranoia creep on me, I opened up my Instagram and searched for Jennifer Paxton.

**
Did you know Chrome browsers actually prompt you when you have too many tabs open?

Learnt it the hard way today while trying to submit 4 assignments :))) it's 3 am, and I am truly, dead.

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