Present Perfect(39)

Noah looked as lost and alone as I felt. I was speechless. I had dreamed about this day since the night of the talk. I hated being separated from him. I wanted my best friend back, too. I didn’t want to be lonely anymore.

He placed his hands on either side of me on the edge of the table, bringing his forehead to rest on mine, “So Tweet, will you be my best friend again? I promise I will stay in the F-zone.”

You couldn’t see it from the outside, but inside I was jumping up and down, clapping, and doing cartwheels.

Sighing I said, “I never stopped being your best friend.” The hottest smile I had ever seen formed across that beautiful face that I had ached to see for so long.

He tilted his head slightly to one side and brushed his lips gently across my cheek. When he pulled back, he was smirking at me and said, “Hi bestie. Glad you’re back where you belong.” I beamed with joy. I was glad to be back, too.

Noah sat next to me on the table. I could feel the electricity between us when our shoulders and arms brushed against each other. He picked up my hand and laced our fingers together. Bringing it to his lips, he placed a soft kiss on the back of it. My face started to hurt, I was grinning so big. I’m not positive, but I think I actually giggled like an idiot. I felt his thumb begin to gentle stroke my wrist. That was permitted in the friend zone. Friends occasionally held hands and stroked one another…right?

Releasing a long deep sigh, he said, “Tweet, there’s something else I need to talk to you about.”

“Shoot.”

He turned slightly toward me. His expression was serious and determined. “Is it true that Brad Johnson asked you to Jeremy’s party?”

“How did you find out so fast? It’s only been a few hours since he asked me.” It will never cease to amaze me, the speed at which high school gossip travels. I don’t even remember seeing anyone at school while Brad and I were together. Although, I was a bit flustered at the time. As a result, my sense of observation was slightly impaired.

“It doesn’t matter how I found out. What matters is that I found out just in time. You’re not going on a date with him, Tweet.”

I glared at him in disbelief as I jerked my hand from his. “Hold on now. Is this why you suddenly wanted me back in your life, so you could dictate who I could and could not go on a date with?”

“No!”

“Because, for your information, I haven’t been on one single date unless you count Vincent Chamberlain in tenth grade, which I do not since he dumped me in the middle of the damn date for Sarah Grice.”

“He’s a Smurff*cker and you’re not going out with him Saturday or any other time,” he said loudly.

My expression tightened as I continued to glare at him. My body began to heat up with anger. I jumped off the table and step away from it. I turned on my heels to face him. My hands firmly planted on my hips.

“Who the hell do you think you are? For four months, I was close to being completely ignored by you. You know what I had to watch while I kept my mouth shut? Bitchanni sniffing around you first thing in the morning at your locker. Then there’s Amy, and Paige, and Tiffany. Anyone else? Oh yes, let’s not forget what started the four month sabbatical, the day you planned on f*cking Beth,” I yelled. I thought for a second I might hyperventilate, I was breathing so fast.

“That’s different.” He was standing directly in front of me now. The veins in his neck strained as he spoke through clenched teeth.

“How so?”

“It just is. Look, it’s my job to take care of you and look out for you.”

“Noah, it’s just one date. The party is only a few days away. I’ve already accepted his invitation. I’d feel bad if I canceled on him now. It would be rude.”

Noah scrunched up his eyebrows. “Accepted his invitation? What the hell do you think you’re going to, some debutante cotillion bullshit?” Sarcasm was dripping from his voice.

“I know exactly where I’m going. Jeremy’s party! Saturday night! With Brad!” I shouted, as I brushed passed him.

“I can’t figure out why he even asked you.” His words stopped me in my tracks. I turned back to let him see how hurtful what he said was to me.

“Thanks a lot.” I’m not sure what came over me. I stepped toward Noah and shoved hard against his chest. “That was a shitty thing for you to say to me.” I turned and started walking away.

He ran up to me, grabbed my elbow, and spun me around to face him. “Tweet. I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right. You know what I meant.”

I shrugged out of his grasp, taking a few steps back from him. I felt tears building, but I was determined to hold them back. “It came out just fine. I know exactly what you meant. No one like Brad could ever want to go out with anyone like me, unless he had an ulterior motive.”

“Dammit, woman! That * is nowhere near good enough to even be talking to you.” He started walking towards me. I held my hand up, letting him know not to come any closer.

“It’s fine. I’ve had the exact same question playing repeatedly in my head since he asked me out. It just hurts like hell when your best friend wonders the same thing.”

“I told you I didn’t mean it that way.” His jaw was clenched so tight, I swear I could hear his teeth grinding together.