hit and run

Chapter 5

BELLA

When I get home from school on Friday, there are crayons scattered across the table and paper all over the place. Noah is here.

"Noah-Bear?" I call. I couldn't hear anything except for the sound of small and large footsteps coming down the stairs and into the living room.

"Belly-Bean!" He yelled throwing himself into my arms, he hooked his legs around my waist and his arms around my neck tightly. "Look Belly-Bean, do you see something different." I took a look at him and noticed his hair quiffed to perfection, which could only mean one thing. "Justy did it to me, doesn't it look so good?" I looked at Noah and smiled brightly when I saw Justin leaning against the door frame a towel over his shoulder, and a comb in his hand smiling at us.

"Hi, Belly-Bean?" He teased. Noah's smile dropped instantly and he turned around to face Justin.

"No Justy you can't call her that. That's my nickname for Bella. Get your own." He's very serious when it comes to nicknames and even though the both of us wanted to laugh we stayed serious for his sake.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll think of one Bella would like." He smiled. I put Noah down and sighed. "Tony told me to tell you, he's going to be taking another shift at work, so I'm going to be taking you guys to the mall for...bras?" Seriously? Nice save Justin.

"What are bras? Is that the thing Bella wears? I and Tony found some in your drawer." It was disturbing in so many different ways.

"Noah!"

"What? Don't be such a baby Bella." He teased pinching my side.

"I like that. Baby, that's your new nickname." My heart did a somersault inside my chest. And I fought the urge to jump up and down in excitement.

"Okay, Noah go get dressed so we can get going." He nodded and went upstairs.

"Your brother is amazing." Justin laughs, picking up some stray crayons from the floor. "So baby, what are we planning on getting him for his birthday?"

"Tony didn't tell you?" I asked. I still didn't get why we were going to the mall because we hadn't agreed on what we were getting him.

"He was in a rush, so I didn't catch everything." My mouth formed an 'o' shape and I filled him in on the Ipad situation.

"Shit, I'm sorry." He gave me a hug. "Phil's a fuckin' asshole." I nodded my head.

"I'm ready- Belly-Bean what's wrong." I backed away from Justin, smiling up at him although it was a total contradiction to what I was feeling inside.

"Nothing Noah-Bear, I'm going to change out of my uniform, be right back." I walked upstairs quickly, taking out a pair of black Adidas pants and a black shirt. "You ready to go?" They both nodded as we headed to the car, Noah's car seat was placed in Justin's car and he crawled in for me to strap him in.

"Hold on, I forgot my phone," Justin muttered jogging back to the house to retrieve it. I put my seatbelt on and rested my hand on the gear shift tracing out the letters absent-mindedly. I didn't even hear Justin get it until his hand brushed mine to turn the gear to drive. His hand found mine and kept it in his as we drove.

My heart was beating fast with each sweep of his thumb over my knuckles. Justin pushed the loose ring back and forth on my finger while continuing to drive. It was a cute gesture and I felt it hard to even breathe while he was doing this.

When we arrived at the mall, after spending ten minutes to find a parking space, we walked up to the entrance, Justin holding both mine and Noah's hands.