Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

T W E N T Y F O U R

"You're just saying that, Noah. You didn't choose me, you flew across the country to try to win her back. I'm not going to be some consolation prize," I pull away from his grasp.

"That's not- Delaney, that's not true," he retorts, stalking closer to me, but I hold my hands up.

"I'm going inside," I say turning away from him, "I don't love you, Noah."

My heart breaks into a million tiny pieces, so many tiny pieces that I will never be able to put all of the pieces back together. Yesterday was a mistake, coming here for Christmas was a mistake. I spent the last five years carefully avoiding him, because I knew this was going to happen. I may have said the words, the ones that would push Noah away hard enough that he would never come back, but it just wasn't the right time. Everything was too messy. I had just slept with his best friend and he had a girlfriend 24 hours ago.

I don't turn back to look at him, I can't. I don't want to see what my words did to him, because if I look at him I will take them back. I open and close the door softly, and everyone turns their attention to me. I can tell by the looks on everyone's faces that they heard us arguing.

"I think I'm going to get an Uber," I should just strike out being friends with these people. I had colossally fucked up without even meaning to.

"You don't have to go," Sage says, turning to the door opening again, "Noah should go for being such a dick."

"This is my house too, I'm allowed to be here," he argues. Everyone in the room is volleying back and forth from Sage to Noah to me. "I'll just make myself scarce since I'm such an asshole." He stomps up the stairs, everyone watching him go.

"Don't go," Nick says, breaking the silence. I nod and take my place at the table again.

The game resumes as if nothing happened. The guys and Sage are back to joking and being loud. While I beat everyone at every round, because I have no chill.

"How have you won every round?"

"If you're not first, Davis, you're last," I reply, finishing the last of my beer and leaning back in my chair.

"Did you just quote Talladega Nights to me?"

"Yes, yes I did," I laugh.

It's getting late, some of the guys have left and some have gotten comfortable on the couches. Sage and Jolly announce they're going to bed. The couches are taken and I'm not sure where I'm going to stay. I try to fight back a yawn, but I can't stop it.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Nick asks lowly, and my stomach flip flops.

"Yes," I tell him, yawning again. He grins and leads me down the hall to his room. "Do you think I could borrow something to sleep in?" I ask as soon as the door shuts behind us.

Nick rummages through a drawer and hands me a t-shirt. He kisses me, and I kiss him back. It feels good to get lost in my feelings for Nick, I want to push the altercation with Noah as far down as I can. Nick's fingers start sliding under my clothes and I pull back.

"What's wrong?"

"The other night when we slept together I was wholly into it, and tonight I'm-"

"Conflicted?" He guesses.

"Conflicted isn't the right word, the fight with Noah just has my head elsewhere," I say truthfully.

"I'm really good at cuddling," Nick grins as he let's me take his shirt. He turns his back to me and begins stripping down to his boxers. He doesn't turn around while I peel off my own clothes and he only looks at me once I climb in his bed.