𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 [MONTGOMERY DE LA CRUZ AU]

THIRTEEN ૐ PEPTALKS AND SHORT INQUISITIONS

MONTGOMERY ANXIOUSLY ARRANGES the bouquet of wildflowers, making sure everything was on place. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. He places the flowers carefully on his desk before running his fingers through his hair. Today was the start of his plan to win her heart back, seeking help from his boys and his older brother.

Dawson peeks his head in his bedroom and gave him an incredulous look, "Dude, what the fuck are you doing? I've been waiting at the car for 15 minutes. Are we going or not?"

Montgomery looks at the reflection of his brother behind him in the mirror and took a deep breath.

Dawson noticed the apprehension radiating from his brother and trudged towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You okay man? You look tensed."

"I just.. I'm.. I feel nervous, okay? I.. feel restless as hell." Montgomery lets out a shaky breath and Dawson chuckles.

"The last time I saw you this nervous was when you shit your pants during breakttime in middle school and you were scared for your classmates to see and you went to my classroom to ask for help and started crying like a baby." Dawson recalls, laughing goofily. "You stink as hell that time, man."

"Screw you!" Montgomery retorts, rolling his eyes. "I'm anxious, okay? This time's different, she's different. I... if you've just seen the hatred in her eyes when she looked at me. I really did love her and i don't think i'll ever stop loving her. What if this doesn't work? Shit.. I—I can't have her hating me forever and keeping me away from my son. I just—... i just hope it's not yet too late to fix the shit I've caused."

Dawson slaps his back reassuringly. "Don't overthink it, Mont. Just be you and do you.. But not too—not too much okay? You might scare her off. We don't want her skittering off. Remember what Jeff and the other guys said? Baby steps. One step at a time. You have to earn back her trust. We'll get there soon but as of now, focus on the plan. Now if you're done whining, go get the things you need and pick up your balls and meet me in the car."

Montgomery takes a deep breath, summoning all his strength. He picks up the flowers carefully and took the paperbag full of toys for Grayson with his other hand. He didn't know what to get Grayson and neither did the boys and so they've agreed to take one each of everything.

Dawson drives them both to the familiar way to Olivia's house that he knew by heart. He looks over his brother every now and then and smiles in secret when he sees Montgomery's knee bobbing up and down in nervousness, he's mumbling the practiced script with how he would talk to Olivia. It was silly but he was making effort and that was something Dawson never sees in his brother.

When they arrive the household of the Connelly's, Montgomery doesn't move an inch to step out of the car. Instead, he gazed at the familiarity if the house he had grown to love, the house she grew up in, the house they made memories in. After she left, he used to spend hours and hours on end just sitting in his car and watching the house. He would drive up to their neighborhood and park infront if the vacant house three doors down opposite the house of the Connelly's and just sat there, waiting as if any second she would walk out of their front door and come straight to him with the same fondness in her eyes she only had for him. He would do the same thing over and over again when he gets overpowered with longing to be held in her arms again to calm him down. Noah had endless times sneaking out of his room to walk up to him outside when he was drunk and called for Alex to come get him before their parents comes out and see him crying at their street. Noah and Alex didn't say a word to anybody about how they've witnessed Montgomery's 3am breakdowns.

"Get your ass out of my car and go get your girl." Dawson dismissed but Montgomery doesn't budge. He grinned mischievously, "Or would you rather have someone else get ahead of you and win her heart back before you could. Someone who answers to the name of Justin Foley?"

Montgomery reacted the way Dawson expected and he barks with laughter. "But seriously, get our of the car. We don't want you having cold feet. Go. Win her back, man."

ૐ

Noah Connelly sits comfortably at their living room playing Call Of Duty, cussing out whenever his character gets shot by the opponent. His oceanic blue eyes remained glued at the television screen and his fingers worked their way expertly at the controller. He was too engrossed with the game that he was oblivious tot he pair of brown eyes watching him from behind.

"You're good." Alex speaks up and Noah jolts up in surprise, the game controller slipping out of his grasp and falling with a loud thud. Alex watches in amusement and confusion as Noah stands up abruptly and sat back down again only to stand up again, jittery. "You okay?"

Noah's eyes snapped up to meet his for a second before avoiding it. "Uh.. y-yeah? I mean.. yeah, yeah I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Alex smiles and nods his head at the kitchen. "Your sister's asking for toasted breads with peanut butter spread. Do you mind helping me out?"

Noah shakes his head rapidly, gulping. "N-no! Not at all."

The pair sets foot in the kitchen; the one with grace and the other with unease. Alex works on his side of the counter, toasting breads while Noah waits with the peanut butter

Alex stares at Noah openly and Noah pretends not to notice, shuffling uncomfortably and inwardly punching himself in the face. Noah could feel heat working its way from his neck up to his face and he prayed that his face wasn't so red or else Alex would caught on to something. Noah asks quietly, thanking the heavens that puberty had included his voice with its changes so he wouldn't squeak like a wimp right now. "What?"

Alex shrugged. "Nothing. You're just.. interesting."

Noah blinks hard and tried to act as casual as possible. "Cool, i guess?"

"No need to be awkward about it. I just find you interesting and.. i'm curious." Alex says. "We usted to be friends and then suddenly, you ... became different. I've noticed everything about you when I'm in the room. You always looked like you wanted the ground to open and swallow you up.. Why, do you hate me?"

"Hate is a strong word." Noah chimes. "I don't hate you."

"Clearly, you're not telling me something." Alex ponders and Noah refrains himself from breathing heavily and made sure he was breathing normally through his nose so he wouldn't have to look like a panting dog infront of Alex.

"What secrets are you hiding from me, Noah?"

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IM SORRY IF IT SUCKED BUT ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR THE 49K READS!! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST IS2G 😭💘