Chapter 4

four

Noah – Three Weeks Later

I chuckle, watching Cameron tackle Barnett to the ground before looking around the school’s sports field, trying to find my redhead among all the people laughing and talking everywhere.

Today is our graduation, a ceremony I didn’t want to take part in, but a certain redhead who fucking owns me begged, and I can’t seem to say no to her.

“Dude, seriously, I didn’t take your fucking sandwich,” Barnett claims, making me look his way to see Cameron has him in a head lock. I grin, knowing he’s full of shit, the mayo still around his fucking mouth.

I shake my head at the idiots and look around the field again.

Where the fuck is she?

I frown, eyeing everyone around but not seeing my girl.

In the past three weeks since we gave ourselves to each other, we’ve become closer, if that’s even possible; the thought of not having her near me gives me fucking hives.

The morning after prom, I woke with her body over mine, my cock hard and still inside her, and without even thinking, I removed my cock from her tight heat, took off the wet, blood-coated condom, and re-sheathed myself before slowly entering her again. I spent five minutes keeping my hips still while kissing her lips over and over, until she woke and gently rode me slowly until we both came.

Afterward, we spent nearly two hours in the tub, and since I’d spent as much time inside her as I could, my body and my cock were not able to get enough.

Whether it’s in the music room at school or my beat-up car, I always have her at least once a day, needing her tight heat, needing her fucking connected to me.

The boys chuckle behind me, still fucking around, and I sigh, needing my woman.

I have not seen her today, and I don’t like it.

Knowing she gave me her virginity, that I gave her mine, has made me so fucking happy but I don’t like to be away from her for long.

Yeah, I get it, I have the bad boy look going, but honestly, none of the fucking girls interested me before Rose came into my life, and now, I’m glad they didn’t, because she got all of me.

“How are you feeling, son? Are you happy to finally be done with school?” Nick asks from my left. I turn and grin at him, my smile falling a little when I see my mother, shock overriding me.

She smiles gently, looking fucking sober and normal as she croaks, “I’m proud of you, Noah….”

I nod, too many emotions filling me that she’s actually here, and Nick pats my back. “We’re both proud of you, Noah, so fucking proud.”

I smile. “Thanks, Dad….”

He grins, then looks around. “Now, where is my soon-to-be daughter-in-law?”

I hum, looking around, and reply, “That’s what I’d like to know. She said she’d be here, but I can’t fucking find her.”

“All students to their seats; all students to their seats,” a voice echoes, and I grit my teeth.

“We’ll keep an eye out, Noah; maybe she’s just running late,” Mom tries to soothe, and I nod, looking around again.

“Seriously, some girlfriend she is, not being here for your graduation,” Gina scoffs from behind Mom, and I glare her way before noticing Piper standing next to her, her eyes eating me up.

For fuck’s sake.

Piper grins when she notices she has my attention, and I sneer as the speaker repeats that everyone should take a seat.

I go to snap at my sister and tell Piper to leave before my girl sees her when my mother snaps instead, “Gina, pack that shit in and take a seat, Piper, you shouldn’t even be here!”

I look at her in shock again, but she doesn’t look my way, instead she storms off and goes to take her seat.

Nick pats my back, widening his eyes my way before following her.

“Noah,” Piper tries, and I look her way and raise a brow, “I-I uh, look you and I?—”

I huff, fed up with her bullshit and cut her off, lifting my hand, showing her my ring finger. Her eyes widen as I snap, “Rose is my girl, not you, so give it a fucking rest, Piper. There is no you and I, there never has been, and the fact you’re clinging to my little sister to get to me is fucking pathetic.”

Her mouth drops open, shocked I called her on her bullshit, but I ignore her and sneer at my little sister for the bullshit she’s trying to cause by bringing Piper, and walk away to my seat, my eyes scanning the crowd, my little redhead nowhere to be seen.

Sighing, I take my seat, feeling fucking angry and hurt that she’s not here, which doesn’t help my agitation.

Fuck’s sake where is she? I’m only here for her….

I sit for over a fucking hour, my fingers itching for a smoke while person after fucking person speaks, then have to sit even longer and watch everyone in my class accept their diplomas. I had to fucking watch my mother and Nick scream and shout with pride, along with my friends, including Rose’s fucking father, who showed up half an hour into the ceremony with Vanessa as I accepted my diploma, all while my girl was a no-show, a fucking no-show.

Fuck, even Piper stood on her chair and screamed for me. Fucking Piper .

And even now, I can’t just get up and storm away because of the several fucking students on either side of me. Instead, I now have to endure another boring speech from the Valedictorian, whose identity the dean has kept a secret for some reason.

Ms. Dipper smiles as she comes to the podium. "What a day,” she effuses, and I sigh, slouching down. “Seeing so many students graduating with high grades, ready for their next stage of life, it warms my heart." She grins like a proud mother, her brown eyes lighting up. “But today isn’t just the seniors’ day. Today, there is one student who has fought their way throughout their time at Kings Prep, determined to graduate early.”

I tilt my head in confusion as the student body murmurs, just as confused as I am. I look around at the people surrounding us only to catch Rafael’s eyes. He has his phone recording the dean while my cousin looks almost giddy next to him.

He grins wide at me, full of pride, and my pulse races as realization hits.

My eyes widen as he nods, confirming my suspicion, and I sit up straight, looking back toward the stage.

She promised to be here….

Fuck me….

I watch as Ms. Dipper smiles wide and says, “Today, I have the great honor of announcing not only that a Junior is graduating a year early, with honors at that, but I get to announce this amazing, hardworking girl as Valedictorian." She looks around the crowd, her eyes meeting mine, and she grins wider. “Students, parents, and family members, I’d like to introduce you to our Valedictorian, Rose Lopez.”

A hand clamps down on my shoulder from behind, keeping me in my seat when I try to stand in shock, and I instantly know its Barnett. I don’t take my eyes off the stage as my girl, the love of my fucking life, enters through the curtain wearing the same blue gown as us but with a yellow sash.

Fuck….

The crowd roars, and her father, Cameron, and Nick are the loudest as she takes the podium.

She looks around until our eyes connect, and she grins wide. I shake my head in disbelief and a wide smile forms.

She’s graduating….

She smiles shyly. “Parents, family members, older classmates.” Everyone chuckles, and I grin. “When Ms. Dipper asked me to give a speech, I wasn’t exactly keen; I mean, I’m a year younger and graduating now, and honestly I didn’t want to take the seniors’ limelight.” I scoff because she just has to walk into a room and grabs everyone’s attention. She shakes her head. “But there’s one person in the crowd who I know without a doubt would have wanted me to give a speech, and I couldn’t exactly speak to him about it because, well, he didn’t know I was graduating today; I wanted it to be a surprise.”

I grin wide as most people look my way, chuckling, Barnett squeezing my shoulder tightly.

Rose smiles gently at me, not breaking eye contact, as she says, “This person is the reason why I’m here right now, why I graduated a year early. He built me up from my first day, gave me the strength when, before meeting him, I was begging my father to home school me.” Everyone chuckles again, while my heart fucking soars as she admits, “Now, today, I was supposed to be sitting with all you, screaming with pride as I watch my friends, people I’ve come to think of as family,” I hear Barnett clear his throat, “and the man I’ve come to love with everything in me walk across the stage, but instead I had to watch from behind the curtain with silent pride that they’ve all graduated today.”

Rose looks down, taking a deep breath before looking at everyone.

“Today, not only do we get to say bye to high school, but we also get to say bye to our pasts; we get to rewrite our future, starting on a blank page.” She looks my way. “I’m just lucky I get to start mine not only a year earlier but with the man I plan to follow anywhere he goes.”

I grin wide and shout, “Fuck yeah, you are!” making everyone laugh, my friend leaning over my shoulder, his arm hanging over my right side.

“Today, we get to start our lives, and I, for one, cannot wait….” She looks around again, moving her tassel on her cap. “So, if everyone would like to celebrate with me because—quoting my man, ‘ Fuck yeah ’ we did it, we survived high school!”

With that said, Rose throws her cap in the air, and everyone, including me, follows suit, everyone cheering.

I don’t wait to catch my cap. I move quickly, everyone stepping out of my way and patting my back as I rush to the stage. Rose meets me, jumping in my arms, and I catch her, swinging her around.

“Fuck, Petal,” I choke, holding her close, my emotions taking over, not letting her down, her feet dangling. “You fucking beauty…I’m so proud of you, so fucking proud, baby….”

She lets out a watery chuckle as she pulls back, grinning wide. “I’m proud of you, Noah, and I’m just sorry I couldn’t scream for you when you walked across the stage….”

I grin, shaking my head, then press my lips to hers, kissing her fast and hard, loving the feel of her soft lips against mine before our families pull us apart. Her dad grabs her from my arms while Nick grabs me, patting my back hard.

When I pull back, I raise a brow at him, and he shrugs. “I was sworn to secrecy….”

I laugh and hug him again before my mom grabs hold of me and—fuck me—do I suddenly feel overwhelmed, grateful that she’s shown up, and sober at that.

When she pulls back, I smile at my mom as Rose comes to me. I lift my arm, wrapping it around her, instantly feeling at home.

Mom looks between us and smiles, her eyes teary as she grabs my girl’s hand and pulls her in for a hug, and I can’t help but smile. I can feel Gina and Piper scowling, but right now, I can’t care; right now, I’m on top of the fucking moon, and oh so happy….

A few hours later, after Rafael managed to drag his daughter away to celebrate and promised to have her back at their place by eight tonight, I’m packing my bags, feeling elated.

Everything is in place; everything is so fucking perfect.

After Rose left reluctantly with her dad, Cameron ran over, screeching, yes fucking screeching, that LA Soldiers Records want to sign us.

My family cheered and celebrated, and Barnett nearly fucking fainted.

We plan to meet at the bus station at midnight to leave. I just need to go and convince my girl to pack first because I won’t leave without her, and now that she’s graduated, she can come, too.

Well, I hope she will; otherwise, we’ll lose the offer.

Chuckling, I pick up the purple monkey she bought me on my fifteenth birthday and place it in my bag just as my door opens.

I turn but frown when I see my sister with tears in her eyes. I step forward but stop when she opens her mouth.

“R-Rose, she-she’s cheating on you,” she cries, and I snort at her last-ditch attempt.

Seriously, this is what she’s coming down to now. She knows I’m leaving, so why not make shit up about my girl as a last ditch to break us up, and why? Because she’s best friends with Piper, and most likely hoping I’d spend money I earn on her instead?

It doesn’t fucking make sense.

“I don’t believe you,” I snap, making her flinch, looking hurt toward me. I scoff, “Don’t give me that look, Gina. You and Piper have been trying to split us up for years, and now I’ve got a record label interested you’re what? Trying harder?”

She sniffles as Piper steps into my room, making me narrow my eyes. She flinches at my coldness before showing me her phone, and everything in me sinks.

I don’t want to believe it, I don’t want to, but a picture says a thousand words, right….

My girl, wearing the dark red wrap dress she was wearing today underneath her gown, is hugging some guy who looks at least ten years older than her.

His hands are wrapped around her waist tightly, her lips on his cheek, and I see red.

Pain, so much fucking pain shoots through me that I don’t even notice Piper sliding underneath my arm.

It can’t be true, it just….

Fuck, it can’t be.

I squeeze my eyes tight, the image burning my eyes proving it is.

With sharp pains squeezing my chest, I grab my bag, knocking Piper onto my bed, causing her to gasp, and storm past my sister. My mother and Nick are waiting for me in the living area, and both stand when I storm in looking concerned for me, but I ignore them.

I kiss Mom’s cheek and hug Nick before promising to let them know when we arrive safely.

Without another word, I rush out of the trailer without looking back. I get in my beat-up car, and spin out of the drive, heading to the bus stop.

When I get there, I message the boys we’re leaving earlier than discussed before hovering over Rose’s name in my contacts.

I know I should go and confront her, but facing the reality that the woman I let into my heart could cheat on me, could fucking hurt me this way…. Fuck, I feel like I’m drowning.

Anger and pain hit me hard, and I press on her contact before blocking her.

She used me, she fucking broke me, and why?

Why the fuck did she do this to me, to us?

Chucking my phone on the seat next to me, I grab a cigarette, place it between my lips, and light it up, inhaling instantly.

I don’t know why she’s done what she’s done, and I don’t fucking care because now, she’s dead to me.

I gave her my fucking heart, and she played me.

Fuck her, fuck everyone….