The Other Guys

Chapter 8

Ever since CeCe’s revelation, I can’t stop thinking about Noah and he’s all that’s on my mind. The fact that I’m so disturbingly boy-crazy, I’ll be either obsessing over Brayden or, by the looks of it, Noah, hasn’t escaped my notice. I remind myself to worry about that upsetting trend later when I’ve tackled on the more immediate problem. But all the brainstorming eventually pays off, for I come up with a plan, not a really brilliant one, but at least I have some plan of action. I can’t keep going on, like my illusion of what my friendship with Noah is supposed to be like wasn’t shattered in pieces, smashed to smithereens. I’m going to put him through a test.

I feel like a stalker, waiting for the guys’ swim meet to be over, but there are indeed certain perks to having your best friends’ schedules memorized. I need to test my theory though for both my sake and Noah’s. Otherwise I’ll go insane wondering. I’ve decided that taking what CeCe has confided in me for granted is dumb. I refuse to believe that I’ll be so blind as to not notice that my best friend’s in love with me. He has never hinted of it, so I make it my life’s mission to prove CeCe wrong.

Luckily, Brayden’s the first guy walking out and he doesn’t notice me as I’m leaning against his car, anxiously biting my lip and mentally prepping myself up for what I’m about to try. I basically sprint towards Brady who looks up in surprise when he hears me coming, aka barreling towards him like a speeding car. I plant a smile on my face before I launch myself at him. He staggers back as I throw my body against him, wrap my hands around his neck, and kiss him with all I have. There are so many pent-up emotions inside me; they really do come in handy when it comes to all the kissing stuff.

At first, Brady’s surprised by having me practically attack his lips with mine, considering we haven’t exchanged a word or a single text since he stormed out of the cafeteria during lunch, but he goes along with it and kisses me back. I would have a bigger problem if he didn’t though.

In the back of my mind, I keep thinking, counting the seconds until Noah breaks us up. No pun intended.

Someone clears their throat behind us and I know all too well who that is.

When I loosen my grip on Brady and step back from his arms, I see Rob and Noah standing by our side, having just witnessed it all. A quick look at Brady’s face shows me he’s looking quite dazed whereas I’m too short of breath, but I’m too concerned with gauging Noah’s reaction to notice much of anything else.

“I can see guys you’re good again,” Rob chuckles, smacking Brady on the back jokingly and winking down at me, but I barely return his smile.

“’Guess so,” Brady murmurs under his breath, not looking at Rob at all, but at me because I can feel his eyes boring into me. I know he has a lot of questions he must be dying to ask me, but how can I go around answering his when I have way too many questions of my own?

Rob goes on talking, but his words go in one ear and right out the other. My hazy gaze is fixed on Noah as I rack my brain, trying to read his body language.

Is he mad?

Jealous?

Annoyed?

Peeved?

Displeased?

I don’t see him kicking and screaming, trying to get to me and push Brady out of the way, but I’ve never seen him show the slightest of discomfort when I’m in Brayden’s arms and aren’t you supposed to all torn up when you see the one you love being all touchy-feely with someone who’s not you?

I can’t tell and I get frustrated because when looking at Noah, all I see is my best friend – same tousled blond hair, crazily blue eyes, tan skin, Colgate smile, and I can’t figure out for the life of me how he can be possibly in love with me.