Obsessive ~ Noah Foster [1]

Chapter Twenty-One// Palmer?

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"What's your favorite scary movie?"

--Original Ghostface

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"You guys know that I love you, and you're probably the best friends I have here in Lakewood, but do you understand the word "Sleep"?" I asked, as Audrey drove. "Sleep is overrated." Noah waved me off. I groaned. "And who goes to bed at eleven? What are you, twelve?" Audrey snickered. "And what is with your hair? And what kind of pajamas are those?" Audrey added, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

I looked down at my attire. I wore small shorts, that showed off my pale legs, and a long sleeved pink top, that was a bit low-cut. "Well, you didn't exactly give me time to change. And I fell asleep as soon as I got home." I scoffed, touching my messy hair. I felt a bobby pin sticking out. I shrugged, and just left it. "And, Audrey, why are you driving Noah's car?" I asked her. "Since we're asking questions." I hummed. "Well, that's easy. Noah's had, like, five caffeinated drinks today. Not risking that." Audrey told, making a sharp right turn. I shrugged. "That's explanatory." Noah turned in his seat and looked at me. Up and down. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Emma's in the hospital." He said. "Wait, what? Why?!" I asked, sitting up in my seat. "She's been sleep deprived... and she's just being quite weird. Her mother was worried about her."

"She's not being weird, Noah. She's stressed out. She watched Will die." Audrey snapped. I shrunk in size at the mention of Will. It was weird... about Emma. Her mother had never mentioned anything about it today. "Where exactly are we going?" I asked suddenly. "The school." Audrey answered. "Why?"

"Branson is being very mysterious." Noah explained. I laughed. "And? He's Mr. Branson. A weirdo." I said. "His name is technically not Mr. Branson." Audrey said. "Oh? What's his real name?" I asked. "That... we don't know yet." Noah said truthfully. "Oh, great." I sighed. Audrey pulled up to the school parking lot, and parked it, sloppily, and hopped out immediately. I grumbled, and did the same. Noah and I followed Audrey towards the school. "Uh, how are we gonna get in?" I asked, rushing to catch up with them. "Janitor works late, back doors are unlocked." Audrey said, proving her point as she wrapped her hand around the handle of the back door. She pulled, and it opened immediately. She turned back to me with a smirk, and I gave her a mock smile. "You're not cute." I shoved her shoulder, as she walked into the school. Noah snickered, and followed her in. I followed after them, closing the door silently behind me. I rushed after them as they made their way towards Branson's classroom. Once we were there, I realized we had a much bigger problem. "Okay, and how are we gonna get into Branson's classroom?" I asked, crossing my arms, raising an eyebrow. "Uh..." Audrey looked at Noah questioningly. She looked back to me, and smiled. She reached over me, and grabbed the bobby pins out of my hair. "Hey!" I protested. "Oh, shush. You'll get them back... If I don't break them." She shrugged.

She had two of my bobby pins from my hair, as she turned back to Branson's door. "Hey, uh, maybe you should let me do that." Noah grabbed the pins from Audrey, and pushed Audrey out of the way gently. I watched as he stuck the bobby pins in the door, and twisted them. The door opened almost immediately. "How--"

"Google is my best friend." Noah smiled at me, pushing the door open. Audrey pushed into the room, and started at the bookshelf, checking the books, and behind them. I raised my eyebrows, and sighed, walking over to his desk. Noah followed after me. "What exactly are we looking for?" I asked him, as he opened a desk drawer. "Arielle." He said in a hushed tone. I looked at him. "Yeah?" I smiled lightly at him. "What did I do? You're mad at me, I know that much." Noah looked at me, stopping his movements. "Noah..." I trailed off. I did not want to talk about this. "No, you're mad. Is this because of the bowling alley?" I watched him, not saying a word. "No." I said finally. "I'm... I'm not mad at you." I said, rounding the desk, to check another drawer. "Ari." He said again, grabbing my wrist. "I'm sorry for kissing you and making things weird." He nearly whined. I rolled my eyes, and bent down to look into the lower drawers. "It's not weird." I lied. "We're friends, and even if the kiss sparked something, nothing can ever happen because..." I didn't have an explanation. "It sparked something?" Noah asked suddenly. I leaned back up, and Noah was right there. In my face.