When Words Fail, Music Speaks.

Chapter 23: You're not a coward

After Noah and Aiden's fight I decided the tutoring can start tomorrow and to go to Alice's after school after all. I texted Noah to let him know but he just answered with a simple 'Okay'.

We tried our best to cheer Aidan's spirit up and it seems we did it. He even said soon he wants to come out to his parents- he feels so confident in himself and I'm so proud of him.

And while Aidan is getting better with his shyness, it seems like I'm just staying the same. Granted, I'm better than I was (Because of Noah) but I still really struggle in nerve wrecking situations. But Nicole and Alice tell me that's normal for everyone.

I hate to admit but I really miss Noah. He really made me feel happy. I felt myself around him and I felt like I could conquer the world. He gave me confidence and knocked down my walls without even realising what he was doing.

I want to forgive him. I feel like staying away from him is hurting both of us. But I feel I don't want to after everything that's going on with Aidan. I feel like they need to make up, before anything can happen between us.

It's now Wednesday and today is my tutoring with Noah. I am currently sat in English clicking my pen out of boredom. Suddenly a note lands on my desk from a boy next to me. I furrow my eyebrows and he shrugs his shoulders before pointing at the back of Noah's chair.

I open the note after making sure the teacher wasn't looking. His handwriting was scruffy and rushed.

'Come to the library afterschool for tutoring? I also need to talk to you about something.-Noah'

His head turns round when the teacher not looking and I send him a nod which makes him send me a weak smile.

What's wrong with him? Where's the cheerful, carefree Noah I know?

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I walk into the library and my eyes scan the environment for Noah. It's actually quite loud and busy for library and I wonder how people can concentrate. A frown makes it's way onto my face when I see Sam sat in the corner with his friends. Great.

I can't see Noah so I assume he hasn't arrived yet so I sit on the only empty table which is unfortunately a round one in front of the loud table. I hesitantly sit down I the chair hoping they don't see me and look around for the librarian. Where is she? She wouldn't be letting this rowdy atmosphere abide.

"What you doing here, bitch?" I hear a insult behind me which I instantly know is Sam. I clench my teeth and ignore him taking some of my books out. "Hey, stop ignoring me!"

I ignore him and again and look up. Thankfully at that moment Noah walks in and scans the library for me.

"Hey." I say when he gets close but he just narrows his eyes at the people behind me. "Ignore them." I place a hand on his arm and he looks at me before taking a seat next to me.

"So, Physics?" Noah asks taking his jacket off. He smiles softly at me and my heart flutters. Thank god he's back to normal from his sad self this morning. I wonder what happened?

"Yup." I say, grabbing the textbooks out my bag. "What do wanna start wit-"

"Oh! I see!" A sneer sounds behind us. "You have to tutor this idiot! That's right! Didn't you get an F Williams?" Sam laughs and his friends laugh. I can't believe Noah was ever friends with them. And by the look on Noah's face, he can't believe it either.

"Leave us alone, Sam." He spits not turning around.

"I'd rather watch you fail, to be honest. Is this gonna be another one of your unsuccessful relationships?" He continues to taunt Noah.

Maybe Noah finally understands what I meant when I said Sam was an asshole.

"Or maybe she'll be the one to dump you this time? Or maybe she'll cheat on you like the last one did!" He laughs and his crew join in.

Noah's jaw clenches further and his breathing increases as I can tell he is fighting himself.

"Do you remember that, Noah?" He patronises. "When your girlfriend went behind your back and was with me? And when your little friend here told you but you didn't believe her? Ah, classic!"  He jeers.

That's it. Noah stands up sharply and turns around fuming, but I can't let that happen. He shouldn't get in trouble for fighting when it was Sam who was provoking him.

I stand too and it snaps Noah attention to me. I plead him with my eyes and I can he is feeling conflicted with his emotions. But finally he sighs and picks up his jacket.

"Come on, we'll leave." Noah says quietly. "I can't concentrate, we'll finish at mine." I agreed with him not wanting to stay here so I start to gather my stuff.

"Aw, leaving all ready?" Sam snickers. "Such a coward, Williams. Maybe that's why your girlfriend chose me."

That did it. Noah stormed over to him before I could do anything, almost red from anger, and punched Sam right in the nose. Sam groaned from the impact and clutched his nose while muttering many curse words.

Then Noah stormed neck to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me out of school before we were caught.

His breathing was still raged by the time we got out the school gates.

"I'm sorry." He says after some silence. "About all that."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." I reply quietly and a sense of Daija Vu washes over me from the times I used to go to Noah's house almost every other day. I nearly know the route by heart.

He smiles brilliantly at me as we continue out walk in comfortable silence.

"Noah?" I chirp. He nods looking up. "You're not a coward. I don't think you are anyway."

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Total word count: 1024

Very short chapter and not really edited properly but I wanted to publish something as I haven't updated in forever!

Thank you for reading! Leave a comment! ^-^