If I'm There - Noah Sebastian

Chapter 8 - 3618 Miles In between.

[A/N - I just want to thank everyone for the love and support on my story. It's nearly at 1k views and I'm blown away by that considering I've never written anything in my life so knowing how many people are reading it and liking it is so fucking lovely! Thank you so much! 💓]

*Noahs POV*

The pain in my head wakes me up at an ungodly hour.
I shouldn't have had that extra tequila shot.

Ugh. The thought of it churns my stomach.

I turn over and see the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. Lou.

My God, she is beautiful. She's still asleep, and in her drunken state of drowsiness, she's immaculate.
Her skin looks like porcelain, with the contrast of her dark eyebrows and eyelashes breaking it up, like the gold accents in Kintsugi china. She keeps herself so well. Even in her inebriated condition, she refused to go to bed with her makeup on, talking about how bad it is for your skin. Her knowledge of skin and makeup is so broad and since it's something I know absolutely fuck all about, it makes her even more attractive to me.

This past weekend was something I could have only imagined. It didn't seem real once it ended and then she showed up today and I feel like every hurt in the past has taught me that this is what's meant to be. She's come and turned my world upside down and I don't know how our lives will intertwine with 3618 miles between us but I'm going to make it my life's mission to work it out.

I'm not in that deep ocean of a brain of hers, so I can't tell what she's thinking as she doesn't voice her feelings much, but for me, this is the most passionate I've felt about someone ever. It feels like my heart is beating fire through my veins when her presence is near.

I love watching her interact with my bandmates, I don't have any family. They're my family, so it's fundamental that whoever comes into my life is accepting and loving of my guys. I can see Jolly has a huge soft spot for her. He grew up with 2 sisters and has definitely taken her under his wing as a 3rd adoptive sister.

Folio is a crazy guy, and she matches his energy, I love seeing her hold her own around him and spit back at his sarcasm and jokes. I notice her playfulness sneak out of her hard shell when she's around him, I almost discry 2 siblings who dote on each other secretly while taking great admiration in annoying the hell out of each other. Watching them is like watching a comedy duo.

She's calm around Nicholas. He's a shy guy anyway but I can tell he's warmed to her thus far. Nick has been through every difficulty and obstacle with me since high school. His family is my family, and he's my brother. Nick knows the deepest and darkest secrets of my past and is still by my side without judgment. When they speak, she's so soft around him, knowing he's not super extroverted, I can sense he calms her, and she trusts him. My body heats up when I watch how gentle they are with each other, caring for each other and shooting each other smiles from across the room. He knows she's a beautiful soul, and she feels the same about him.

I carry on watching her sleep. She's going to be so hungover when she wakes up, considering how much she drank last night. She literally drank Jolly under the table. Lightweight.
He's definitely the father of the group.

She looks so peaceful, I can't help but trace the contours of her perfectly symmetrical face and running my hands through her dyed black hair. I wonder what her natural hair colour is?
She stirs in her sleep from my movement and rolls over facing me. She sneaks closer into my chest, and I can feel the movement of her breathing on my skin. Her hands are like ice, as well as her feet. She's always so cold, but her heart is so warm.

I keep thinking about those words she said last night. Love you.
She hung up so quickly afterwards and fell asleep before I could even finish my sentence. I wonder if it was more like a friendship thing? I know she says she loves May and Jesse all the time. Or if it was those words.

I hear someone get up from outside, and I'm dying for a pee, so I crawl over her so gently, I really am like a giant compared to her tiny fragile body.

I come out of the bathroom and see May with her head over the kitchen sink. She looks up at me and groans.

“I’m so sorry if I woke you up, Noah. I feel like pure dog shit.”

"Ha ha, you didn't wake me. My pounding headache woke me up. "

"I think I'm still pissed and I want to die."

We both laugh at each other, and I go to grab bottled water out of the fridge.

"She's never been like this with anyone you know?"

I'm assuming she meant Lou.

"Huh?"

"Lou? She's never opened up to anyone before. I've known her for over 10 years, and in all that time, she's never smiled as much as she has in the last few days. She's seen a few lads, don't get me wrong, but I see the way she looks at you. I'm her best friend so it's my duty to say this, please don't fuck it up. She's overcome a lot of trauma, and I'm sure she'll tell you eventually, so just go easy on her heart. Jesse and I have spent years patching it back up."

I feel a sharp pain in my chest, like my heart is being sqeezed so much it could shatter just at the thought of Lou being upset.

"I'm glad you've told me. I notice she's not super open about her feelings, and I'm sure she'll open up more when she's ready, like you say, and I'll wait for years if I have to for that moment. I'm ready to give her my heart if she'll take it. I promise I'll look after her, cradle her heart, and help you and Jesse patch it up whenever it needs patching up. I think I'm beginning to love her."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it because I'll kill someone if I have to."

"Thank you for being her friends. I see why she's friends with you and Jesse. You're both so amazing. "

"Listen Noah, I'm hungover as it is, carry on being this soppy, and I'm gonna be sick."

"Ha ha, got it. Thanks for the chat, May. I'll leave you to die now."
As I'm walking away, I hand her a bobble from my wrist for her hair.

She looks at me confused.

"For your hair, in case you're sick."

"Thanks Noah, I fucking love you,” she groans as she puts her head back down on the side of the sink.

I take the water bottle and some painkillers back to my bunk. Lou has turned over and overtaken my side of the bed. I can't help but smile as I notice that she's cuddling my pillow.
I get in behind her and place the water bottle and painkillers on the shelf at the foot of the bed, ready for when she wakes up. She's going to need it, no doubt.

I can't wait for the next couple of days with her.

And hopefully, the rest of my life.
Am I worthy?