Spin The Bottle

10: Pretending

The rest of the day was just awkward. Noah came down and ate dinner with us. To my dismay he sat right across from me. I couldn't help but notice him staring at me. I just kept looking down at my food. Well, trying anyways.

We were so quiet my mom actually pulled me aside and asked me if everything was okay between us. I assured her it was fine, but I could tell she didn't buy it. Plus, every time I looked at him, his face got all red.

I just shrugged and labeled it as Noah being... Noah. Either way, I definitely wasn't gonna tell Hazel about it. That night I lied in my bed thinking about him constantly. I stared at the picture of us in my hand. His arms were wrapped abound me, and I was smiling brightly at the camera while he kissed me on the cheek with his eyes closed. I smiled and sat it back on my dresser.

I'm not gonna think about today, or yesterday. Maybe, if I'm lucky that'll help me get some sleep.

~•~

The next day, I walked into the cafeteria and saw Hazel, Noah, and Ashlyn sitting at my table. I have no idea who thought this up, but couldn't really do much about it. I took a deep breath, then strode over to them.

"Hey." I say, more so to Noah and Hazel, Ashlyn is just sadly enough there. Noah looks up, smiles, stands and pulls out the chair next to him for me. I slide into the chair and smile at him, brushing my fingers through my hair to behind my ear.

He puts his arm around my waist and kisses my cheek. I smile, blushing slightly. This is normal for us, like Hazel said, a really friendly gesture. Then of course Ashlyn had to open her big, stupid, irritating mouth.

"You know, I've never seen you really kiss her before." Ashlyn smiles sickly sweet at me and I glared at her from across the table.

"What are you talking about?" Noah asks looking at her as if she had the word 'stupid' on her face. It could've been arranged courtesy of me. I blinked a few times. I didn't understand where this side of me had come from but I liked it. "I just did." He stated.

"On her cheek. I've never seen you really kiss her like mouth contact, Noah. Are you two really a together?" Ashlyn smiles, and I wanted to stab her with my fork. All thoughts of meever  feeling sorry for her vanished. You know, maybe if she wasn't so annoying he would actually like her.

"Why does that concern you?" Noah asks her, raising a brow. I just sat there, saying nothing watching this whole thing unravel beneath my feet. Ashlyn slumped in her seat looking guilty as sin, and Noah looked at her expecting an answer.

"It doesn't, but still..." She trailed off, and Noah sighed heavily.

"If I say she's my girlfriend then she's my girlfriend." He said, obviously annoyed with her.

"Then kiss her, Noah. Really kiss her." Her words came out awfully challenging and I wanted to say something, but another part of me, a part which I find SO ignorant, actually wanted to see if he'd do it.

The entire cafeteria was watching now. When he turned towards me, his eyes changed just like they had last night. He leaned in and pressed his mouth to mine oh so softly. His lips melted against mine like ice in the sun.

His tongue locked my bottom lip as if to ask for entrance. My lips parted without command letting his tongue enter my mouth, massaging my own. I couldn't believe this was happening. Then his lips left mine. The look in his eyes said he hadn't wanted to stop. Maybe he was still pretending. He looked at Ashlyn.

"Satisfied? Now can you leave us alone?" She huffed and left. For some reason, Noah's jaw clenched and he stood up.

"I gotta go." With that, he was gone. I was sitting there all confused, and looked at Hazel.