This is probably the last update for a while :( I tested positive for COVID this week and I'm currently in isolation where the network is... not so great. I don't think I've ever struggled uploading a chapter as much as this one, so I might just hold off updates till I am able to finally not-stress about whether an update works or not. 

As for COVID, I'm sick as hell and trying not to die lol so we'll see how that goes :))

We love it when people FORGET THEIR DAMN MASKS LIKE JUST STFU AND PUT A FUCKING MASK ON I WILL HAUNT YOU IF I DIE OF A FUCKING FLU YOU BITCH

Sorry that's all I have to say, enjoy the update! 

Chapter 31

I met Noah on the field, right after the match had ended. The crowd was roaring around us, but I seemed to have tunneled only towards my Sterling boy. Worn out from the field, his hair was now settling over his forehead, soaked with sweat. Of course, running for an hour and a half with high stakes involved was going to do it for him. Still when he saw me, his face lit up, the flush of his cheeks making him look all the more adorable.

"That was awesome!" I lauded him, reaching up to give him a kiss. Our height difference couldn't be more stark as he all but picked me up, kissing me with so much intensity, I was taken aback for a minute. The adrenaline from the game hadn't still worn off, and I needed him to calm down so I could keep up with his pace. I kicked my feet around, so he would put me down, scrunching my nose, "You stink!"

And it was true. Despite the underlying scent that was so peculiarly Noah's, there was a strong stench around him, mixed with the earthy scents of the mud caked on his elbows. He rolled his eyes, kissing me once more, "I'm going to take a shower," another kiss, "Wait for me here?" Another kiss, "I hope you're ready to party all fucking night."

I reached for his lips, only to meet the underside of his jaw, "I'll be here."

I hugged Daniel fiercely too, catching him just before he went into the hallways towards the locker, "You were amazing!"

"Hero of the match!" Finn beamed, making him blush.

"You just missed Sophie and El- nevermind. I'll see you at the party?" Daniel kissed my cheek before running off for a shower.

"The girls weren't lying about the stink," Finn commented, making me laugh, although my mind was stuck on El and Sophie who were here just seconds ago. Did they miss me just as bad as I missed them? Did they wish I was with them, having fun cheering for our best friend? I mean, I did tell Sophie to stick around with Eleanor, but...

"Hey, did you know that frowning reduces your life expectancy by ten years?" He pinched my nose, making me smile. Finn was gentle to wrap his arms around me, "She'll come around eventually."

"Do you think I did the right thing?" I looked up, still not letting go of him, comforted by his support.

"Does he make you happy?" I nodded.

"Then you shouldn't feel guilty about it. We all do some less than nice things for love."

The word hung heavy in the air, as I processed it slowly in my head.

"Hey you, get in we're taking a picture!"Julie dragged us to the center of the field, pushing me to the middle of the image. By the time the girls were satisfied by the pictures, I was sure my cheeks had frozen in the big grin I had been sporting. We separated when the boys emerged from the locker room, freshly showered, and looking more human than apes.

"Have you done something to your face?" Noah noticed only when we were walking to his car, parked in the far end of the lot. In the night, the area was creeping me out, but Noah's hand in mine was comforting.

"Natasha did my make up," I shrugged, "We were hanging out at Emily's place and she thought I looked a little plain."

Noah scoffed, "Plain? You looked just fine to me when I dropped you home this morning."

"It was something about your girlfriend cannot look plain stuff," I stopped short in my tracks, noticing the car Noah had brought with him.

"How many fucking cars do you own?" I ran my fingers across the hood of the red convertible, "That's insane."

"Do you want a number?" he threw his bag into the back, and I chucked mine in too, opening the door and settling in the plush seats.

Did I really want to know? "No, I think I'll lose my sanity." Noah only laughed.

"We're driving to yours first, right?" He confirmed as he backed out of the parking area. I voiced my confirmation, although I was still in awe of the beautiful car.

"What's the thing about being my girlfriend and the makeup though?" The traffic was all directed towards the north side, where the after party was, so Noah and I made a quick exit towards the other side, roads free from the flurry of vehicles.

I hesitated for a minute, unsure if I should answer it the way I perceived it to be, "Well they didn't say anything, but it was pretty nicely implied that they preferred me to be prettier. Like Jennifer."

Noah's frame tensed. He put both his hands on the steering, knuckles whitening as his grip tightened. His loose smile had vanished under the hardened expression and I regretted opening my mouth. I could have just kept my insecurities to myself instead of talking out loud.

"Or maybe, she just likes doing makeup," I tried to rationalize it, "Or you know, I did show up with just a concealer on while everyone was all dressed up and fancy. I really should put more efforts into your games now."

Noah remained silent.

"You know actually, Julie was telling me that the other team is like, super violent, and like, is it allowed? Because I'm uneducated as hell about football so I have no idea, but like, half their team should have been disqualified honestly. And you know the guy who knocked you down when you were on that corner? Yeah he definitely gave me some creepy vibes. What do you think? Also-" My blabbering was incessant, only stopping when Noah exhaled sharply.

"Brianna, can you shut up for a minute?" Noah's tone was commanding, and I sunk back in my seat, staring at the sky above. We drove in silence the rest of the way, uncomfortably so. I rushed upstairs as soon as he parked the car in front of the apartment, checking in on Nathan. He'd contracted some strange viral infection and had been experiencing high fevers since a week. River had to go to Davenport for the remaining week, there was a client meeting she had to attend or something. I knocked at his door, hearing only muffled groaning from the other side. Slowly, I slid in , finding the poor boy drenched in his sweat.

"Hey," I whispered, brushing his hair away from his face, "I'm gonna get you some cold water and a towel, okay?"

Nathan nodded, "Fan...here.." he croaked so I shushed him, turning the small table fan so it was angled towards him more conveniently. I emptied a tray of ice from the fridge, and set a mug full of water in the microwave for some tea. He wasn't able to keep a lot of solids down, so giving him some tea sounded like a good idea.

I wiped off his sweat with some wet wipes, noticing how he tensed up at the coolness. I soaked the towel, wringing it before bringing it to his forehead.

"Did your boyfriend win?" he asked after a minute.

I nodded.

"And you didn't think of inviting him upstairs?" I blinked. How could I do that? Nathan had been less than accepting when I had told him everything. "I mean, if you like him, sure. Go ahead. But you shouldn't have done it behind her back."

"Go ring him up, I want to meet this guy. See if he's hot enough for you to cause this mess," he winked, a shadow of a smile coming over his face. I gave him the tea with some ginger in it, hoping the sickness would pass soon. Noah was still in a foul mood when I called him to come upstairs. This wasn't how I envisioned him seeing my home for the first time. We headed straight to Nathan's room, where he had propped himself on his pillows slightly.

"Okay, I see why now," Nathan joked as soon as he laid eyes on Noah. I blushed, shaking my head and changing the towel over his head again.

"Just out of curiosity," God, no. Please don't let Nathan ask him, "Would you guys ever consider a threesome?" Fuck. I knew it. Nathan could not keep his jokes up his arse even if he tried.

"Nathan!" I threw a waste wipe at him, face flushed.

"What? He's gorgeous!"

I looked back at Noah, who was leaning against the wall, amusement running across his eyes, "I'm up for it, if Brianna can loosen up a bit."

My jaw dropped. I knew he was kidding, but the whole exchange was leaving me quite tongue tied and I wanted nothing more than to escape this place.

"Well that's not happening any time soon," Nathan pouted, "Unless," A devious grin came over his face, "unless you fuck her brains out."

"Okay, I'm done," I said over Noah's surprised laughter, getting off the bed, "You can take care of yourself, I'm leaving."

I dragged Noah out, still laughing.

An awkward moment of silence passed, before I said, "I'm gonna change my tee shirt and come back."

"I could help," Noah suggested, hands even reaching out to grasp the hem of my shirt, the playful look back on his face.

"No thank you," I swatted them away, moving out of his reach. Noah was quick to catch hold of my waist, pinning me to his chest. He only let go of me when I gave him a long and thorough kiss and then I rushed away to my room. It took a whole minute for me to calm the redness of my face, chugging water and breathing deeply.

From the black tee shirt I had worn in Noah's honor, I switched to a cute looking off shoulder crop top and white jeans. It was long enough to conceal my scar, and I liked how this jeans made my butt look. I even changed out of my shoes to the black heels, liking the overall outcome.

Noah was still in the hallway when I came back out, looking impressed by how I looked. I did a little twirl, giggling as I watched his eyes darken, taking in my appearance.

"You're taking your flatmate's suggestion seriously?"

I laughed, happy that he was no longer brooding and silent and cold, "Let's go celebrate your win!"

"Yes princess." 

***

I like Nathan a lot okay? Don't @ me. 

Stay safe, wear a mask and I'll see you on the other side :)