War of the heart || Marco Peña Fanfic (The Kissing Booth)

Chapter 8

"Love comes in many forms,
as many as there are hearts to hold it." 

~Atticus

*~*~*~*~*

[A/N: I'm baaack. Just a heads up before you all get your hopes up, this chapter is just about Noah and Arabella. I got a bit carried away but there will definitely be much more Marco in further chapters (wink wink). Enjoy!]

Chapter 8

Arabella runs her fingers through her hair, it was getting a bit too long for her taste. It has grown quite a lot since the accident and she didn't pay much attention until now.

"Don't even think about it," Noah warns through the phone as he sees the way she was looking at her hair between her fingers as they FaceTimed.

She rolls her eyes and whined, "It's getting way too long."

"You actually look like a girl now," he teases with a half-smile as he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"Exactly! I can't be stealing your thunder now can I?" She gives him a teasing smile as he barfs out a laugh.

Arabella always kept her hair short because it was a liability when she fought, especially with a girl. The bitches always go for the hair every chance they get. But, she also liked it short because it made her look badass and it always got on her nerves when it got in the way especially when she went on rides.

Noah's eyes soften as he looks at her. His eyes traced her cheeks, taking in the small freckles splattered on her nose and cheeks, and felt his heart release a breath at the redness of life in it.

Arabella's humorous expression drains away slowly when she sees the look in Noah's eyes. Every now and then she'd catch him looking at her like that... ever since the accident. She knew that look. It was the same look she always gave her mother after finding out that she would die soon. Mesmerizing every detail about her as if it would be the last time she might ever see her mom and it was, but it wasn't like Arabella was just going to drop dead... yet she understood.

That accident might have stolen months of her life and brought her more pain than she ever imagined, but it changed something even more in Noah.

He had always been protective of her, caring. But, the accident, it was as if he was both appreciative that she lived yet afraid that if he blinked that she'd be gone and on the floor within an inch of her life leaving him with bloodstained hands, breathless lungs, and without the half of his soul.

And she wasn't dumb to know that this distance was worse on him than her. And it definitely was not how she wanted him to live his life, their life.

"Noah," she whispered as she sees tears gather in his eyes. He was remembering that night, she just knew it.

FLASHBACK

Noah shoves her slightly with his hip, making her burst out laughing as he storms ahead of her.

"Oh, come on, Noah."

He ignores her, folding his arms, and averts his eyes as he continues to stomp ahead.

"Flynnnnnigaaaan," she whines before running and jumping on his back. He stumbles slightly to the front in surprise at the jump but doesn't hesitate to catch and keep her legs against his sides. He lifts her slightly to get a proper grip on her as her legs wrap around his waist from the back.

Arabella lays her head on his shoulder, pouting as she pokes his cheek, a smile creeping on her face as she sees a smile pulling at his lips.