Strings Attached

CHAPTER ONE

                                                THREE YEARS AGO

RHINE

I pulled my glasses from my face and placed them on the desk, leaning my back into the seat, I stretched my arms over my head, softly moaning when I felt that crack in my back. Ah, that felt nice. Putting my hands back down, I looked to my right and smiled. The man sitted not a foot away from me, had his hands on the desk, laying his head on the desk, his eyes closed as he slept peacefully. Feeling cheeky, I grabbed one of my sharpie markers, I drew a finger heart doodle on his arm, mentally crossing my fingers that he doesn't wake up from the sharp smell of the sharpie. When I was done, giving myself a mental pat on the back for my drawing skills, I found his eyes open, looking at me through his glasses. 

"I- uh...," I bit my lip, stopping myself from smiling. I watched as his eyes roamed over his exposed arm to my talented work of art. "Ry..." he groaned. And immediately, I clenched my thighs, what was I doing? He is my best friend, I am dating his brother. What the hell, Rhine?

Shaking my head, I dug into my bag and got wet wipes and sanitizer, looked back in his direction, "this will remove it!" He pushed my hands away, "never mind." Didn't he want the doodle off?  I watched as his shirt tightened across his bicep as he raised his hands up, pulling the band out of his hair and redoing the bun. He tilted his neck, this way and that then looked back at me, "are you done?" "Huh?" I felt my ears getting warm, he was calling me out on my checking him out, I was mortified. "Are you? I'm so tired, this seat isn't all that comfortable," he said again. Right. He meant my school work, he obviously had not realized I was checking him out, and that would be awkward. Clearing my throat, I shook my head yet again, gathering my books and stationery. When I was done, he grabbed my bag like he always did and swung it over his shoulder, his own bag in one hand, "let's go." Zion kept me company a lot, we studied together when we could, even though we did different majors, and we studied together in our free time, him on his laptop and me with my books. I did like hardcopy books. Sometimes when Noah, was not busy with clinical duty, he joined us. But at the end of the day, we hang out a lot, on most days. 

"Did Betty come around today? Urgh, I miss her lasagna," I asked, their housekeeper, cooked the best lasagna. Though they now lived in a bachelor pad together, I also had a room in the house they occupied as I would sleep there sometimes, and other times I did not want to crowd Noah's space. "I'm not sure, I could make you the lasagna instead," Zion said, opening his car door for me and helping me in. Then put our bags in the backseat before going to the other side to take his seat in the driver's seat. "No offense, Zy, I like your cooking, but I'm really craving Betty's signature lasagna," I pursed my lips, as I put on my seatbelt. He chuckled, "okay, then." The car ride was filled with my singing along to One Direction's songs, even though Zion said he hated that kind of music, I saw him tapping to the beat. 

When we reached his place, we noticed one of Noah's friend's cars. So I figured Noah was around. I put in the password and the doors opened, the house was quiet. "They're probably out back, I'll put these in the study then grab you a drink," Zion motioned to our bags. I nodded and went up the stairs first to Noah's room, but it was empty, it was too quiet upstairs so I went back down, in the direction of their home gym. I smiled seeing their images through the glass doors leading to the pool area. Noah had his back turned to me, leaning on the lounge chair he was on

"I mean, I don't know man. I really do care about her... I don't know. If I break up with her, I'll be the asshole. My mother adores her, Zy spends a lot of time with her, hell, he is more of a boyfriend to her than I am. And you know her story I can't do that to her," Noah signed. I stood there rigid, he wanted to break up with me? "Dude," his friend said, probably as shocked as I was. Noah shook his head, "I know, I'm an ass. I feel responsible for her and I don't know" "That you are," I voiced my thoughts. I watched as they sat very still in their seats for a second before they turned to look at me, Noah stood, putting his drink down. He looked at me, with regret. Probably regretting my hearing of everything he thought. "Babe-" he started, but I raised my hand in the air to cut him off. 

Finally breathing out, I found the courage to look him in the eye, "tell me, Noah, at what point in our relationship did I become a burden? Never mind that" I waved my hand away as if it will erase those words, "why did you ask me out three years ago? Was it obligatory for you to have the misfortune of asking me out? Or is it because you pity me? Or yet another reason, you thought your brother would beat you at it since you're always in a silent competition with him?" He took a step forward despite him looking as if I had struck him in the face, "baby, I didn't mean it that way" "Don't spare my feelings on your account," I told him honestly. Taking a deep breath, I raised my hands to my face and ran them once on the outline of my face, from my forehead to the sides of my face, I could feel my skin hot, and I knew I was seconds from bursting into tears, "Noah, don't worry I won't make you out to be the asshole, so I release you of your obligation of taking care of me." "Baby," he put his hands on my arms, and I immediately pulled away, "don't. I am breaking up with you." I looked to his friend who stood a few feet away from us, "have a good game, tomorrow, Leon." And to him, i said, "we have nothing more to say to each other." 

I turned and almost smacked right into Zion's wall of a chest, I tilted my head upwards, and found his eyes already looking at me. I forced a smile, "take me home?" He nodded, gave one look to his brother, then took my hand in his and we walked back right through the door we came in.  "I don't want to go home yet, can you take me to the movie theatre and I'll call Dave to come to pick me up later." "There's no need for that," he said, navigating his way through the traffic, his hands wound tight on the steering wheel. 

Later, at the theatre, he asked which movie i wanted to watch. "Me before you," i did not hesitate, but he did, he hesitated for a moment before going to pay for the tickets. "Let's go," he put his arm around me and we headed for the room.