Catch Me While I Fall - Nolan Arenado

Chapter 12

By the time we got home, it was roughly 1:00am. I was so worn out, so I knew the guys must have been too.

Dylan spoke up once we got inside.

"Guys, I know it's late, but I really want to watch a movie. And we have the day off tomorrow, so I figured why not. Are you all in?" I looked at Nolan and he looked at me.

"I am definitely in," I said. " I just need to go upstairs and change."

Nolan chimes in, "Yeah, I need to shower if you don't mind me staying here, Dylan," he said.

Ever so kindly, Dylan responded, "my place is your place, man. "

They did that bro huh thing again and Nolan disappeared to shower. I walked over to Dylan in the kitchen and sat on the counter.

"Dyl, I need you to be honest with me."

He looked concerned, but promised to tell the truth.

"Okay, are you sure you are ok with Nolan and I seeing each other? If that is what it turns into? I wouldn't want to make things weird for us."

Dylan reassured me he was 100% ok with it, and he even pushed Nolan to go after me. I laughed and that and then asked a question that had been on my mind.

"I know Nolan and his girlfriend recently broke up, but does he own his own place? Not to sound like an asshole, I was just wondering."

It felt stupid after I asked, but Dylan offered up a response.

"So here is the deal with Nolan and his place. Santana is still there. She told him that she had nowhere else to go, and he couldn't just kick her out on the street. He told her she can stay until she gets a place, and he would figure it out. He didn't want you to know because he didn't want you to think he was still hanging on to her. I swear, Kenzie, he is not. He is all about you. He just is too nice to kick the bitch out." I smiled at Dylan's response and understood. Nolan has a heart of gold, so no wonder he would tell her that.

"So, what will Nolan do until she moves out," I asked.

"He was going to get a hotel, but I offered him a room here, and he accepted. He is going to his place tomorrow to grab some things, just so you know."

I nodded and thanked him for feeling me in. Dyl and I put some cookies in the oven while we waited on Nolan to finish. Not too long after, Nolan came down the stairs all cleaned up. He came over to me and grabbed my hurt hand.

"How does it feel tonight," he asked?

"It could be worse, but it could be better," I said. "I actually need to disinfect it and re-wrap it. Would you mind helping me?"

"Not at all, let me get the supplies"

Dylan piped in, "guys I need a shower too, I reek. The cookies will be done in 5 minutes, so don't forget."

He ran upstairs to his room and into the shower. I took this opportunity to really talk to Nolan.

"Nol, I mean it. You did great tonight. I love sitting in the stands, watching you do your thing."

He smiled and walked back over with the hand-cleaning supplies. Carefully, he unwrapped my hand and looked at it.

"Kenz, this is healing nice. I think you got lucky with this cut."

I looked down at my hand, and it wasn't too bad at all. The stitches were supposed to dissolve on their own, and it looked like it could happen at any point.

Nolan carefully held my hand and started to disinfect the wound. He was so gentle with me, I appreciated him so much. After he cleaned it with the liquid, he grabbed new gauze and started to wrap my hand back up.

" I have no idea what I would have done without your help, thank you," I smiled.

"Well Dylan would have had to help, and it wouldn't have been done nearly as good as I did it," Nolan said.

I agreed and hopped off the counter. Right on time, the timer for the cookies went off, and I grabbed them with my good hand and sat them on the stove top.

Nolan commented on how good they looked and that he couldn't wait to try one.

While he was admiring my cookies, I took my pain medicine, and laid down on the couch. I grabbed the remote and started to look for a movie. A few minutes later, Dylan came down the stairs in fresh clothes and pillows.

"There is a good possibility we will crash down here, so I went ahead and grabbed the pillows."

Smart thinking, I thought to myself.

"Dyl, what did you have in mind for a movie," I asked?

He took the remote for me and started to scroll. Nolan walked into the living room and sat on the opposite couch from me. I gave him a questionable look and he laughed.

"Is something wrong," he asked?

"I mean, I guess not. Guess I will sit here.....by myself.....and cry," and I pretended to cry. Nolan rolled his eyes, got up and came to sit with me. I looked at him and smiled.

Dylan commented, "please keep it PG, I am in the room."

I was so embarrassed. I buried my head in Nolan's arm, and he threw a pillow at Dylan. Dylan just laughed, cut on the movie, and we started watching. Not even 30 minutes into the movie, I look over and see Dylan fast asleep. I was leaning on Nolan, and he had his arm around me. I looked up at him, and he was still awake, but barely. I reached up and grabbed his face, and he put his hand on top of mine. "Hey, if you are ready to sleep, I'll move to the other side of the couch, and you can get comfy," I offered up.

Nolan kept my hand on his face and replied, "I don't want you to move, we can both lay here together."

I smiled at his response and pulled my hand down. Nolan and I maneuvered around until he was laying behind me, and I was in front of him. I was able to keep my injured hand on the extra pillow to prop it up, and my other went under my head. Just like a reflex, Nolan dropped his arm over me and pulled me in closer.

I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.