Loving Noel (Wildcat Graduates Book 1) Read online

  “Oh. Mah. Gah! I can’t believe you finally asked him to the dance! I thought I was going to end up asking him for you! What made you change your mind about it? You were so convinced it wasn’t worth trying.” Stacy can’t contain her excitement and disbelief. She’s practically bouncing up and down as if she’s riding on a pogo stick. Heaven help me.

  I finish getting my French horn and music out before I tell her, “Ugh! Don’t remind me, Stace. He ended up walking with me to fifth hour, which he never does, and I kept getting the feeling he was waiting for something. We were about to split up for our classes when I just blurted it out. I have no clue what I was thinking! So, I basically asked and ditched, because after he said ‘yes’, I hauled it out of there like I was on fire, and never looked back!”

  “Well, at least you did it, finally, and now we can go dress shopping,” Stacy squeals as we head to our seats to start our warm ups. Dress shopping? What have I done?

  After-school band practice is over before I know it. We have one last marching contest before the season is over and Mr. Scott wanted to change up a few things in the arrangement, so he called for an extra practice. They weren’t that difficult to learn so we didn’t have to stay too long. As always, everyone always hangs out around the band hall for a little bit after practice, and today is no exception.

  Stacy and I are standing around in the parking lot with the gang before we head home. Jason is once again trying to play a joke on Erika, but she’s not buying what he’s selling. Noel and I just lean against his car, watching and laughing at how Erika brushes him off. Stacy and Cade are caught up in some sort of conversation over by his car, but I can’t hear what they’re saying, and, if I’m quite honest, I’m not sure I want to know.

  Noel looks over toward Stacy and Cade and laughs to himself. “I never know about those two. Once I have them figured out, they do something to make me change my mind.” I can’t help but laugh at his assessment.

  “I know exactly what you mean! One minute they act like a couple, and the next thing I know, they’re acting like they’re related and fighting to the death. They make my head hurt.” Noel nods his head in agreement and laughs harder.

  We stand by his car a little while longer and watch our friends in amused silence. Most of the band members have already left school, but a few others are still goofing around like we are. The longer we stand there, the more tense it feels between us. There’s this weird electrical feeling building up between us, almost like if he were to touch me, I’d get the shock of a lifetime. His stance has gotten more rigid, as if he feels it, too. Finally, Noel looks my way. “Is Stacy giving you a ride home, or are you waiting for your parents to come?”

  “Well, she’s supposed to be my ride, but I’m not sure when she’ll be ready to leave.” I look over at Stacy and Cade again and shake my head.

  “Come on, I’ll take you home. Who knows when those two will finish whatever it is they’re doing.” Noel turns toward me, ushering me to the passenger side of his black Mustang. If only it were blue, my favorite color, it would be perfect. I turn around and look up at him.

  “Thanks, Noel, but you don’t have to take me home. I know it’s not exactly on your way. I can wait for Stacy. Surely she’ll be ready to go soon.” Noel looks down at me and grins. Man, I love it when he smiles like that. I feel like I’m the only girl he sees.

  “It’s no problem, Sweetness. We’re both ready to leave, and there’s no sense in you being at their mercy.” Noel picks up my backpack off the ground and opens the passenger door for me. Did he just call me Sweetness?

  “I suppose you have a point. I really appreciate the ride.” I sigh as I sit in the front seat and begin to buckle my seatbelt. I can see Noel shaking his head as he walks around the front of the car to the driver’s side.

  The whole ride home we make idle chit chat, the tension increasing as we drive. Noel and I talk like we normally do, but this just seems different. I catch him looking at me a few times with the most confusing look on his face. I’ve never seen that face before. It’s like he wants to say something and he’s mad all at the same time. If only I didn’t live on the complete opposite side of town. This is going to be the longest ride home, ever.

  Cade and I meet at the batting cages after I dropped Xana off at home. We try to get in as much practice as we can in the off season, so we come here a few times a week by ourselves and sometimes with a few of the other team members. We’re getting everything set up before we begin when Cade stops warming up.

  “So, Sweetness finally asked you to the dance, huh? Told you she would.” Cade crosses his arms and leans against the fence.

  “How the hell do you know I call her that?” I stop what I’m doing and stare at Cade.

  “Come on, man,” he laughs. “I’ve heard you say that in your sleep numerous times on ball trips. Lucky for you it was me sitting beside you and not one of the other guys. They’d never let you live that down.” Cade laughs a little harder and starts to swing his bat back and forth, stretching out his arms.

  “What makes you think I was calling her that and not someone else,” I ask him, slightly irritated with his amusement of the whole situation.

  “Oh, please. The only other word you said while you were asleep was her name. I’m not sure what you were dreaming, but you seemed to dream about it a lot.” Cade walks over to the control box and turns to me.

  “Don’t worry. If I haven’t told anyone yet, I’m not going to start now. Now, are you ready to hit or not?”

  “Yeah, let’s do this,” I tell him and take position for my turn at bat.

  After a few rounds a piece of batting, Cade and I take a quick break and get something to drink at the concessions window. There aren’t a lot of people here at this time of year so we don’t have to wait in line.

  Sitting on the bench outside our batting cage, Cade and I talk about our Christmas vacation and the dance. Cade tells me about how surprised he was that Stacy asked him to the dance. Apparently they got into a huge fight the other day, and she was really mad at him. He doesn’t really explain what they were fighting about, and I’m not about to ask. That’s a whole lot of headache I don’t really need.

  “I’m glad Xana finally asked you to the dance. It would have really sucked if you ended up having to go with Mercedes again. Homecoming was bad enough with her there, but I think this dance would have pushed Stacy over the edge. Probably me, too. She just gets on my last nerve sometimes.” Cade finishes the last of his Gatorade and throws the bottle in the trash can next to our bench.

  “You and me both. I know my parents are good friends with hers, but there’s only so much of her I can take at one time. I would have much rather gone with anyone else if I had had a choice about it. I was afraid she would ask me before Xana and I’d have no way out of it.” I finish my bottle of water and stand up to throw it in the trash can.

  “I know you’ve liked Xana since you met her. No, it’s not that obvious, but I know you better than most people do. From what little Stacy’s told me about her, she doesn’t easily trust people, and really hasn’t dated anyone since junior high. I’m not sure what happened, but the vibes I get from Stacy tells me it wasn’t pleasant.”

  “What do you mean by that? What did Stacy say,” I ask him.

  “Nothing specific, but trust me. Be careful with her. I have a feeling it took a hell of a lot for her to ask you to formal.” Cade nods at me as he grabs his glove out of his duffle bag.

  I think about what Cade has told me for a few minutes before I walk over to the control box and start the machine for Cade. It doesn’t take me long to forget about Xana and the dance as I become focused on my catching. After a few rounds, we decide to call it a day and head home.

  Noel never said anything about the dance when he took me home a few days ago. The marching contest has come and gone and formal is next week. We’ve continued to hang out like we always have, but something is just different. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but thin
gs between us have changed somehow. I can feel it. I think he can, too.

  We haven’t talked about the details for formal, other than what color he needed for the tux and when he would pick me up. I think Stacy and Cade have had more conversations about it than we have. Heck, even Erika and Jason talk about it at least once a day and they’re only going as friends. I wonder if that’s how Noel sees us, friends. That’s a very important bit of knowledge to have.

  “HELLOOOOOO,” Stacy yells at me through the phone. I’m quickly reminded that I’m actually sitting in my room talking to Stacy. How long have I been thinking about Noel and the stupid dance? I guess it’s been long enough for her to notice my lack of participation.

  “Sorry Stace, my mom was yelling at me. What did you say?”

  “Oh, don’t you give me that crap! Your mom wasn’t calling for you. I would have heard her over the telephone. She’s loud enough to be heard from outside. You were thinking about formal, weren’t you?” I can hear the laughter she’s trying to hide as she waits for me to answer.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was listening to Mom. UGH. You’re being ridiculous.” I have to stop myself from chewing on my finger nails. No matter where that girl is, she can hear me doing that and knows it’s because I’m nervous and lying. Stacy doesn’t say anything else as she waits me out.

  “Okay, fine. I was thinking about formal. At least you and Cade are somewhat dating and you know formal is a date, not just a friend thing. You’ve seen me and Noel since I asked him to go with me. It’s like we’re stuck in limbo or something. To Friend Zone, or not to Friend Zone, that seems to be our million dollar question these days.” Frustrated, I throw my history notebook back onto my desk and sink into my desk chair.

  “Damn, Xan. Don’t get all upset over nothing. The dance is this weekend and it’ll be over with. Besides, you two are kinda double-dating with me and Cade, remember? Don’t sweat it, alright?”

  “I know you’re right, Stace, I just can’t help but worry about it. What if things just get all screwed up and awkward after it’s all over with? I really like him, but then there’s all this…this intensity around us. It confuses the hell out of me.”

  Stacy simply sighs and says, “Look, Xana. I know you’re a worrier, but just this once, let it go. Go to the dance with Noel, with us, and have a good time.”

  “You’re right. I’ll try not to think about it. I’ll just have fun if it kills me.” I can’t help but laugh at myself. Stacy always knows what to say to get me out of me own head. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I’ve got to finish this project for Reed’s class so I can get started on the exam review sheets by next week.”

  I hang up with Stacy and begin work on the research part of that blasted project. I’m immersed in research on King Tutankhamun when my mother comes in to remind me about my dress fitting tomorrow after school. My dress is a little different than what I’d normally choose. It’s black and one-shouldered, and not ideal for my skin tone or hair color. Being red-haired, even my shade of strawberry blonde, and ivory complected doesn’t exactly pair all that well with black, but when I tried it on, I knew it was the right dress. It’s a one-shouldered bodice, that has a fitted, asymmetrical, knee-length skirt with alternating panels in black and turquoise, with black polka dots that come to a point at the bottom. A teal and black polka dot rose sits on top of the one shoulder. The solid black bodice makes my skin look extremely pale against it, but I look damn hot.

  The rest of the week passes by without much excitement, and I’m able to get the history project finished and turned in early. It’s finally Friday and I am beyond nervous for the dance tonight. Thank goodness we don’t actually start reviewing for semester exams until next week, because Lord knows I can’t concentrate in class to save my life today. It seems everyone has dance fever. I’m not sure why the teachers are even trying to teach a new lesson. Playing a movie would be a better idea at this point.

  Stacy taps me on the shoulder and leans over her desk to whisper in my ear, “I can’t believe they expect us to listen to them through a whole class. I mean, really, no one is paying attention. They’re all writing notes, not taking them.”

  I stifle a giggle as I turn toward her slightly to whisper, “I know, right?! I have no clue what any teacher has said all day. The only class I did any work in was Architectural Drawing and that’s only because I can do the assignments on my own.” My drawing teacher, Mr. Jones, lets us work at our own pace. We just turn it in and get the next drawing. It’s easy to concentrate in that class. I’m the only girl in a room full of guys who definitely aren’t talking about a dance. It is a nice two hour break from the madness, and is the only class offered that is two hours long. I always get lost in the drawings and all of the “manly” conversations they have. Most of the time, they forget I’m in there, unless Mr. Jones shows them one of my drawings and tells them to draw like that. Yeah, they really appreciate me then.

  I’m pulled out of my daydreams when Stacy hits me on the back of the head. “Where are you and Noel going after the dance?” I wait until Mr. Cross goes back to his seat before I answer her.

  “I have no idea. You know my parents have given me a ridiculous curfew, not to mention the fact that I have no idea if this is a real date with Noel or just a friend thing. We haven’t exactly talked about it that much.”

  “Man, your parents really know how to kill the fun. Even my grandparents are more easygoing than that.”

  “Tell me about it. I just want to get this day over with.” I shake my head and go back to the chapter assignment in front of me. Only one more class to go; this has already been the longest day ever. Thank coconuts last hour is English and Mrs. Hill has us listening to the audio of The Iliad. It’s much easier to understand if you listen while you read it.

  Stacy and I part ways after sixth hour, and Noel and I head over to the English annex. His classes are right by mine so we always walk together and talk. Cade crosses our path, and almost always makes us late with his joking around. He’s such a goof ball. Noel shoves him toward his class and says, “Go away before you make us all late. You know how Mrs. Hill gets whenever Xana walks in after the bell rings.”

  “Oh, just go! If you keep me from getting to class in time, I’ll kill you, Cade.” I swat his arm and shove him away from me, along with Noel.

  “Okay, okay. I’m going. Don’t want to make Sweetness late! Later.”

  Noel laughs as Cade walks off toward his last class. Taking my arm, Noel turns us around heading to our classrooms. “Come on. We don’t want to make Mrs. Hill mad at you again. You’re always in a bad mood afterwards, and we can’t have that, now can we?”

  Walking to class I look up at him and frown, “I can’t help it. She never gets that bent out of shape when other people are late. What’s her problem with me? I never do anything wrong in class.” I can’t help but pout a little. It’s just not fair how she picks on me over the rest of the late students.

  Noel laughs at my pouting and puts his arm around my shoulders, pulling me toward him. “Well, here you are, right on time. I’ll meet you after class. Can I give you a ride home?”

  I step away from his hug, turning toward the classroom door and look up into those light green eyes of his. They always suck me in and make me forget what I’m about to say. Noel looks at me and smiles widely. “So, do you want a ride home?”

  Shakily I reply, “Yeah. That’d be great.” Oh. My. Coconuts. Did I just say the lamest thing ever?! Why can’t I ever respond normally for once?

  Noel cocks his head to the side, never looking away from my eyes, “Okay, great. I’ll see you after class.” Thankfully, I’m released from the apparent stupor his eyes put me in and I hurry into class right before Mrs. Hill closes the door. Damn. I just barely made it on time. Those boys are gonna be the death of my punctuality.

  Listening to The Iliad on audio made class a lot more entertaining with all of the sound effects it had. Class was over before anyone knew
it, and none of us wanted to stop listening and that never happens. I hurry and gather my books in my bag when the bell rings so I can meet Noel outside. His teacher, Mrs. Johnson, is a lot nicer than mine. She always lets them out five minutes early, and he’s always waiting outside my classroom.

  Noel and I walk to our lockers where we run into Cade, Stacy, and Erika. We all talk a little before heading out to the parking lot to leave. Erika waves to us as she heads toward her bus when Stacy stops me. “Aren’t you gonna miss your bus, too?”

  I laugh a little at the confused expression on her face before replying, “Not today. Noel’s giving me a ride and saving me from school bus hell.”

  Stacy raises her eyebrow at me, silently asking me what’s going on, when Noel explains, “Yeah. It’s kinda my penance for Cade and me almost making her late for Hill’s class,” he smiles widely at Stacy and then at me. I can feel my face blushing as he stares at me.

  “Oh Lord Noel, the two of you are gonna make her late one day when Hill’s having a really bad day and she’s gonna end up giving Xan detention for a month! Cut it out!” Stacy attempts to slap Noel on his arm, but he dodges her hand.

  I look at Stacy and giggle, “Yeah, like that’s ever gonna happen. These two are never going to change.” Cade comes up from behind me and picks me up, holding me in mid air, making me squeal loudly in the courtyard.

  Tickling my ribs until I squeal, he tells Stacy, “She’s right, harassing Xana is way too much fun, right Noel?” Seeing that I can’t breathe, Cade puts me back on my feet and steps to hide behind Jason, who just walked over to us, before I can hit him.

  “Exactly! It’s fun to see just how red her face is going to turn,” Noel replies as he grabs my backpack from where it landed after Cade picked me up, “And I think she kinda enjoys it, too. Don’t ya, Sweetness?”