Present Perfect(60)

I had been home for a couple of hours, hanging out on the sofa, channel surfing. Nothing held my attention except the thoughts of Noah and Brooke together. I couldn’t even get him alone long enough to give him his gift.

After getting my fill of the Saved By The Bell marathon, I turned the TV off and headed to my room. As I got closer, I heard my phone chime indicating I had a text. I grabbed it and looked to see who it was. I couldn’t help but smile at the picture. It was of me and Noah in one of those photo booths with our faces scrunched up, making a fish face.

Noah: Our spot. Now. Come alone.

I want u all 2 myself. ;)

I loved and hated when he sent flirty texts to me. They brought into focus what I couldn’t have with him. I typed out a quick reply.

Me: You’re not the boss of me.

I’ll come when I’m good & ready.

C u in a sec. ;)

Smiling as I hit send, I felt a rush of excitement. I couldn’t wait to be alone with Noah and give him his gift.





I sprinted to the park, slowing down as I got closer. I didn’t want to appear like the desperate loser I was, sitting home watching hours of old TV shows. I walked up to our spot. Noah was facing the pond. I stood there a second thinking about the time when I came here to help him practice kissing. Remembering how he had set up dinner for two as a surprise made me smile. I was such a sentimental fool tonight.

Without turning around, Noah said, “Are you going to come and sit down or look at my back the entire night?” I wouldn’t mind looking at his back the entire night. He had a really nice back.

“Quit your bitchin,” I said as I walked around the table and sat beside him.

I placed his gift down next to me, so he wouldn’t see it just yet. Noah took my hand and laced our fingers together. I snuggled close to his side and laid my head on his shoulder.

“Where’d you run off to earlier?” he asked.

“I didn’t run off. The party was winding down, I was tired, so I went home.

“You left without saying anything to me. I thought you were mad at me,” he said.

“Why would I be mad at you?” I was curious of his answer.

“I don’t know. I was just disappointed when I realized you’d left.” He squeezed my hand slightly.

“Well, you seemed to have had your hands full.” I didn’t have to look to know he was smirking. “By the way, you guys were a bit much, don’t you think? I mean, jeez, get a room.”

“We did.” I couldn’t believe he just said that to me. I lifted my head off his shoulder, jerked my hand back, and leaned away from him.

“Don’t joke about something like that with me.” I bit down on my bottom lip and stared at him.

“Are you jealous?” he asked, as if he were challenging me.

I had already had my serious gut spilling talk for the day with Emily. I wasn’t having this one with Noah.

“Brooke’s nickname for you is stupid,” I sneered at him.

A smirk slowly took over his face. “I know. And, you are so damn cute when you’re jealous.”

“It’s lame. In fact, after I got through being embarrassed for you, I felt sorry for you, and then I threw up.” I kept unwavering eye contact with him.

He placed his hand over his heart and said, “Oh baby, you’ve just gone from damn cute to smokin’ hot.”

“Bastard.”

“I love when you talk dirty to me. Say something else.”

“Asshole.”

He started moaning, “Oooh yeah. That’s the ticket.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I said.

“And you are beautiful.” Shaking my head I glanced away with a smirk on my face.

“Now that all that’s out of the way, it’s gift time.” He clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together. “Me first.”

He held in front of me a heart shaped dark blue velvet gift box with a white ribbon tied around it. I looked at him, stunned. I thought it was beautiful and it was just the box. I thought he must have made a mistake and picked up Brooke’s gift. It looked like a girlfriend’s gift.

“Um, I think you brought me Brooke’s gift by mistake.”

“I brought the right gift to the right girl. Take it.” I did and looked back up at him. “Open it, Tweet. It won’t bite you.” He gave me a sweet shy smile.

I untied the ribbon and slowly lifted the top of the hinged box. As I looked down and saw what was inside, tears started to gather behind my eyes. It was the most beautiful gold feather charm necklace. It was so delicate. I looked up at him with tears just starting to roll down my face. I was speechless.

Noah looked deep into my eyes. “I can take it back if you don’t like it,” he said with a smirk.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You’re not going to touch it except to put it on me.” I turned away from him slightly and moved my hair to one side.

As Noah clasped my necklace he whispered in my ear, “You’ll always be my number one girl. Congratulations Tweet.”

I closed my eyes. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I took a few seconds before turning back around. I finally was able to squeak out, “Thank you, Noah. I’m never going to take it off.”