Loving Noel (Wildcat Graduates Book 1) Page 9

  I am able to finish my homework and the English paper that is due on Greek mythology, and still have time to watch some television with Mike and Dad before I decide to go to bed. I call Stacy before I take my shower to see how she did on her mythology paper. We talk for about thirty minutes while I get my things ready for school. Early rehearsal always makes me too rushed in the mornings, and I always end up forgetting something. With Noel picking me up, I’m bound to be even worse than usual.

  I’m all showered and getting into bed when my phone rings. “Hello,” I answer as I climb into bed.

  “Hi, girlfriend. Are you getting ready for bed?” I can hear Noel grin when he speaks.

  “Hi,” I say shyly, as if he can really see me. “Yeah, I was just getting ready to go to bed. What about you?”

  “I just wanted to talk to you before I went to bed. How was your brother after I left? He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?” Noel’s tone hardens just a touch, but I can tell he’s serious about his question.

  “Yeah, he was fine. He’s not normally so protective like that, but I guess being away at college for so long has made him all crazy. Enough about my brother, how was the rest of your day?” I ask, desperate to change the subject.

  Noel laughs at my change of subject. “It wasn’t too bad. Cade and I went to the ball park and played ball with some of the guys. Then, I did what homework I had. Thankfully, it wasn’t all that much.”

  “Wasn’t it too cold to go out there and play baseball,” I ask as I get comfy sitting up against my headboard.

  “Not really. You know how Arkansas is in the winter. You can wear shorts one day and sweats the next. Once the guys and I get warmed up and playing hard, we really don’t notice the weather anyway. I’ll pick you up in the morning for school and early band practice, and then I’ll take you home after the concert tomorrow night. You can tell your parents they don’t have to wait around for you to get your things put up afterwards.”

  “Noel, you really don’t have to give me a ride every morning! I can ride the bus just fine. You don’t have to drive all the way over here to get me, but I appreciate the offer.” I tuck my hair behind my ear. I’ve taken it out of the ponytail it had been in while I showered. It’s gone all curly with the humidity from the shower. It really does have a mind of its own.

  “I know I don’t have to, and I’ve told you that I want to, so please don’t worry about it. If there’s ever a time I can’t or it becomes a problem, I promise I will tell you, but I honestly don’t ever see that happening. I like being around you too much. I’ll pick you up at six forty. Will that be enough time for you to get ready,” Noel asks, really concerned about how long I need to get ready. No one has ever cared about what I need before. I usually just have to do what everyone else wants me to do. I think I like this. “I thought I could take you out for ice cream after the concert if you don’t have too much homework to do.” I can’t help but notice the hopefulness in his voice. How can I say no to that?

  “I think that would be really nice. I’m sure I won’t have too much homework, and if I do, I’ll just work harder to get it done,” I tell him with a smile in my voice. “I’m looking forward to that actually.”

  Noel is relieved at my response and eagerness to go with him. We both really want this, so I can’t imagine how this could be a bad thing, “Me too, Princess.”

  “Can I ask you something and you won’t take it the wrong way?” I nervously ask him, almost afraid to hear his answer. He’s never one to hold back with how he feels.

  “Of course you can, Xan. You can ask me anything. I’ll always listen to what you have to say. Go on, ask me whatever you want.”

  I take a moment to gather up the courage to ask him. I’m always worried about how people will respond to my questions. “Why do you call me Sweetness? And just now you called me Princess. Why? I don’t understand it,” I ask nervously.

  Noel pauses before answering, making me more nervous and embarrassed by the minute. “Because that’s who you are. You’re kind, loyal to your friends, and you give people the benefit of the doubt, even when they’ve taken advantage of you numerous times. You always have a smile on your face, unless Cade is making you late. You’re my sunshine, my Sweetness.” I’m so glad he can’t see my face right now, because I know, without a doubt, that my face is fifty shades of red. I’m almost speechless at his admission. “And I called you Princess, because, well…that’s how you should be treated. You deserve it more than you think you do. I want to give you that.”

  At a loss for words, I can only reply, “Oh.” If it were possible for my face to get any redder and my embarrassment to get any more serious, it would right now. Not only do his kisses make me lose my train of thought, but his very passionate and sincere words do the same thing, if not more. How do I respond to something like that? Once again, Noel Daniels has turned my brain to complete mush.

  “Yeah, oh,” Noel laughs just a little before turning serious. “I don’t understand how I can feel so strongly for you, but I do. I felt it last year when we had band camp practices before school started. I didn’t quite understand it then, but I knew I had to be near you. I was never so thankful that we had lunch together. Other than band, that was the highlight of my day. And this year, to have lunch and most of our classes so close together, I was never so grateful for anything, ever.”

  “Noel, I….” What in the bloody hell is wrong with me? Why can’t I just spit it out? He makes me all tongue-tied and I can’t ever get out what I’m trying desperately to tell him. “I felt it too, after we started hanging out at lunch. I saw how all of the girls surrounded you. I knew I didn’t have a chance, so being your friend was what I took. I knew that’s all we could be.”

  “Xana, don’t you ever say that. Yes, they all seem to want my attention, but no one has ever been able to hold it except you. I wish I were there to make you understand that. Do you trust me? You can ask Cade about any of it and he will tell you the truth. You know him pretty well.” Noel sighs as he shuffles the phone from one ear to the other and I can hear a television being turned on.

  “I trust you, but I know how they are. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. I can’t compete with that. It’s just not who I am,” I say resignedly, letting out the breath I was holding.

  “Trust that I know how they are, too. Trust how much I like you. Can you do that for me? Stop worrying about other people and let me in,” Noel says very quietly.

  “Yeah, I can do that. You’re already in, more than I expected you to get,” I mumble back to him.

  “I’m glad it’s me. Now let’s get you off the phone so you can get to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. Bring your coat. It’s supposed to get icy tomorrow.”

  I can’t help but giggle at him. So he’s telling me how to dress now? I can check the weather myself, and Mom and Dad are always letting me know what the weather’s going to do that day. “So you’re telling me what to wear now, are you?” I ask teasingly as Noel chuckles into the phone.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t mean it like that. I just didn’t want you to get sick before finals.”

  “I know. I was just giving you a hard time for being so bossy. I kinda like that,” I say quietly, surprised I admit that to him.

  “Good, now go to sleep and I’ll see you in the morning, Sweetness.” Noel sighs and the phone goes dead. He really likes to have the last say and leave me either speechless or confused. I place my phone on the charging dock and turn on my mp3 player. I thought it would take me forever to go to sleep, but I’m soon fast asleep and dreaming about his kisses.

  Noel picks me up for school the following morning and brings me hot chocolate with extra marshmallow cream. How on Earth did he get that right? He had to have asked Stacy. Didn’t he? “You brought me hot chocolate. You shouldn’t have, but thank you very much,” I say, smiling at him. The cup of hot chocolate warms up my cold hands. It wasn’t nearly as cold yesterday as it is this morning, looks like we may be ge
tting bad weather after all.

  “Always,” Noel replies as he pulls out of the driveway and heads for school. We make small talk on the way and simply enjoy each other’s company. Noel holds my hand as much as he can. He seems to need to touch me, and I’m totally fine with that.

  School goes by quickly and fairly smoothly. Mrs. Baker tells us the last chapter on acids and bases will be on the final instead of having a test of its own. Thank coconuts for that. We’ve started to go over review sheets in the rest of our classes, and once the band concert is over tonight, band will be fun and games until school starts back in January. I’m almost done with my semester drawing project in Architectural Drawing 1, and I found out that my history project more than ensures that my grade is good enough to be exempt from taking that final. I’ll know by tomorrow if I am exempt from English, Chemistry and Algebra 2. I’m not holding my breath about Chemistry, but I should be exempt from the other two exams.

  The Christmas concert with the Choir lasts until eight thirty, and since I have all of my homework done already, and my parents met Noel a few times last year, they don’t mind if Noel takes me out for ice cream, as long as I’m back by nine thirty. It may be December and almost Christmas, but ice cream is still on my must-have list. Noel and I go to Swenson’s Ice Cream Parlor on the Square and share a Cupcake Split. It’s their version of a banana split, only cupcakes replace the bananas. BEST. IDEA. EVER! It’s totally my downfall, and I am not worried about what people think when I eat it. If it looks good, I’ll eat it. We decide on the blue velvet cupcakes topped with chocolate chip and strawberry ice cream, marshmallow cream topping, whipped cream, sprinkles, and two cherries so we don’t have to fight over who gets it.

  “I never would have guessed you’d attack this dessert like an animal,” Noel laughs as he fights for his own share of our cupcake split. We’re sitting beside each other in a booth, away from the frosty window so it’s easy to steal his share. “Next time I’ll get a flavor you don’t like just so you won’t eat it all!” Noel scrapes the bite I have gathered on my spoon onto his and feeds it to me.

  Finishing the bite he gave me, I warn him, “Don’t get your hopes up, mister! When it comes to cupcakes and ice cream, I know no boundaries. Consider yourself warned.” I wink at him and steal his next bite from his spoon, causing him to laugh and shake his head.

  “I give up,” he tells me as he puts his hands up in the air. “I’m buying you your own from now on.” I smile back at him and continue to eat from his side of the dish. I really have no shame. Noel sits back and watches me finish off the last bits of cupcake and ice cream, and he’s smiling the entire time.

  “Okay, I’m done. I told you that these were my favorite!” I sit back in the booth and push the empty, almost spotless dish, away from us. Noel puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to his side. I can feel him chuckling against my side.

  “Yes, you did. You’re always a surprise to me, Sweetness.” Noel places a kiss to my temple. “Are you about ready to leave?”

  I turn to face him and give him a quick peck on the cheek. “Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s blow this joint,” I giggle as we slide out of the booth. Noel takes my hand as I stand and walks me to the car.

  “No more sugar for you. Get in the car before I leave you here in the parking lot with your sugar high,” Noel jokes as he opens the car door for me. I climb inside and buckle up my seatbelt. When Noel gets into the driver’s seat I turn to face him with my eyebrows raised and my head cocked to the side.

  “Leave me in the parking lot, huh?” I look Noel in the eyes, trying hard to keep from giggling.

  Noel quickly closes the gap between us and kisses me strongly, and I kiss him back as he wraps one hand in my hair and the other cups my face, holding me in place. I pull back a little bit to catch my breath and Noel says, “Mmmmm, marshmallow, my favorite.” He leans back in and sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and bites down gently, causing me to moan softly. I move my hands to his face and pull him closer to me so I can kiss him more thoroughly. I don’t want to stop kissing him, but I know we need to stop before we can’t anymore. I think Noel realizes this too when he pulls away from me. “Wow. That was…” Noel says, but stops to look at me.

  “Yeah.” I look into his eyes and smile, still slightly out of breath. Noel runs his thumbs over my cheeks before he winks and turns to start the car. He pulls out of the parking lot and turns left to take me home. The Christmas lights all around the square make everything feel magical. Every building is decorated with white lights on the roofs as well as every tree and bush. Noel reaches over to hold my hand as we make the short drive to my house, his thumb running over the knuckles on my hand.

  “So, this date my boyfriend is taking me on. Would you happen to know where he might be taking me? Or when I might need to be ready?” I ask him as we turn into my neighborhood.

  “I might know something about it,” Noel replies as we arrive at my house and he parks the car. “That maybe you should be ready by six thirty so he can take you to a movie.” He smiles as he turns to look at me, unbuckling my seatbelt, “And that you need to be ready on time so Cade and Stacy don’t get there before us and pick out bad seats.”

  “A movie, huh? I think my boyfriend has a good plan,” I say as I lean toward him. “What do you say; you want to go with us? Buy me some Raisinettes and watch a movie with me?” I lower my eyelids to look down at Noel’s lips before returning his gaze.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Sweetness,” Noel whispers before closing the gap between us and kissing my lips quickly. “Your brother just looked through the curtains and started flipping the porch light off and on so, as much as I’d like to kiss you more, I think I’d better walk you to the door.” Noel laughs at my thoughts of killing my brother and comes around to open my door. Apparently I said all of that out loud.

  Noel walks me to the door and kisses me goodnight, all while Mike is watching from the living room window. Why can’t he mind his own business? He’s never paid much attention to me since before he went off to college. Why does he have to start this protective crap now?

  I watch Noel leave the driveway before going inside. I walk right past Mike, who is standing in the entryway with his arms crossed, and head straight for my room. He tries following so he can interrogate me, but I refuse to listen to him as I shut my bedroom door in his face and lock it. He tries knocking to get me to open up, but I simply turn on my music and change out of my dress clothes before I grab my Kindle and sit on the bed. With my back against the headboard, I scan through my book library and decide which book to start. Clicking on the newest Odd Thomas book, I get settled in to read for a while. I’m about halfway through chapter three when my phone rings. Bookmarking my place on my Kindle, I reach for my phone on the nightstand.

  “Hello,” I answer as I walk over to my desk and turn the music down enough to hear who is calling. Pulling the desk chair out I sit down and prop my feet up on the desk.

  “Hey hooker! I hear we’re all going to the movies tomorrow night.” Stacy always loves a good movie. I think that it’s the smell of popcorn that gets her all excited.

  “You heard right,” I laugh as I pick at the hem of my pajama shorts.

  “I’m excited we have our first double date, well other than formal, but that doesn’t really count. You’re dating now. That makes it official! How was your date with Noel tonight? You two didn’t stay long after the concert. Where did you two go?” Stacy can’t stop asking questions long enough for me to get a word in. “Did you have fun? Did you kiss him? Was it as good as the first time?”

  “Good Lord, woman, slow down. How do you expect me to answer if you can’t shut up? I swear you’re like a dog with a bone. You never let go of anything,” I laugh as I shift in my chair. “First, my date tonight was good. It was short and fun, and no, we didn’t stay long after the concert because the parental units gave me a curfew, as always. Second, we went to Swenson’s and shared a cupcake split. And yeah,
that was… good. Really good,” I barely finish speaking when Stace interrupts me, yet again, with more questions. I can only sit there in my chair and listen to her rambling until her grandma tells her time is up. Thank goodness for Grandma, because Stacy wears me out.

  After I finish my phone call with Stacy, I plug my phone into the charger and make sure my alarm is set a little early so I can get up and shower before school. I put my Kindle away and make sure all of my books are ready before checking the weather forecast for tomorrow. There is a slight chance of sleet in the afternoon, so I had better bring my gloves for the bus ride home, just in case. Climbing into bed I turn some music on very low, and let it lull me into sleep.

  The alarm goes off way too early, and I’m in the shower before my mind decides to grace me with its presence. I wash my long, wavy strawberry-blonde hair, and pray that I can get it dry enough before I have to leave for school. It’s so thick, that it takes forever to dry, and if I try and rush it, my hair just gets frizzy. The dampness in the air from the incoming storm is enough to make it look like I stuck my finger in a light socket. I don’t want to tempt fate; she’s been pretty good to me this week.

  It’s not until I’m getting dressed that I notice my phone’s notification light is blinking. That’s odd. I usually hear it, even when I’m asleep, since I always keep the phone’s volume turned all the way up. I wonder who it is. I finish putting my shirt on and unplug my phone from its charger. There are two missed calls and two texts, all from Noel. I see that the first text and call were from last night and the others were while I was in the shower. Well, that explains why I didn’t hear those this morning, but why didn’t I hear those last night? I must have been in a deep sleep. I usually hear almost everything, that’s why I play the music. I check the text and call from last night first.