𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠~𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞

~CHAPTER 9~SWEATSHIRT~

~Noah's pov~

The red head lay fast asleep on my lap, breathing deeply.

I smile to myself, stroking her long fiery hair.

"You're so beautiful Sades," I whisper to her as she sleeps peacefully, sprawled out on the couch.

I start to hum quietly, my untaught voice slowly turning into words.

My head starts to nod as I fall asleep to the sound of my own singing.

~Millie's pov~

My head throbs as I sit up from the plush pillow.

"Uhhhhhh," I moan as I rub my puffy eyes.

I had cried all night, letting out all of the pent up emotions that I had been holding in for too long.

I get up slowly as to not make my head spin any more than it already does.

I gasp as I look in the mirror.

"Holy fuck!"

My eyes are bloodshot and swollen. My fair face is blotchy and my hair is frizzy.

I groan, falling back on my bed.

Why did I decide to cry all night the day before work? Why am I feeling all these things?

I stand again, shuffling to the bathroom. I press a cold, wet cloth on my eyes. It soothes them a little and the more times I dab my eyes, the more they return to their normal state.

I look in the mirror again. My eyes are back to normal, the whites of my eyes still having an almost unnoticeable light pink in them.

The swelling has almost vanished except for a slight puffiness on my eyelids.

I sigh, starting to brush out my shoulder length hair.

I go into my closet and pull out a big sweatshirt. I frown, not recognizing it or it's scent. My mom had scent me a bunch of clothes from home because I was so busy.

"Hmmm," I shrug to myself as I slip it over my head.

Going into my the kitchen, I see two bowls in the sink. I frown, wondering how they could've got there. I check the clock.

5:40 AM

I decide to wake Sadie because I don't want to be alone. I knock softly on the door before opening it.

"Sadie," I peek my head in. I'm met with a made bed and no Sadie to be found.

"Well this is weird."

I leave her room and check the couch. I almost burst out laughing when I see Noah and Sadie curled up on the couch. She's lying long ways, and her head is nestled on Noah's thighs. Noah's face is leaned to the side and his hand is on Sadie's head.

"I guess she couldn't sleep either."

I put a blanket I've Sadie's legs and another on Noah's shoulders. Neither of them wake up, both being sound sleepers.

I leave a note on the counter and head out for a jog. I close the door and run into someone as I turn around.

"Oh my god! Millie I'm sorry," Finn laughs as he basically picks me up from the carpeted floor.

"Oh it's fine!" I chuckle too as I stand face to face with him.

"Where are you going at such an early time?" Finn says with a joking scold in his voice.

"I don't really know. I was just gonna start walking."

"This is so weird. But I was gonna go for a jog! Wanna go with me?"

I laugh at his excited voice, "Sure Finnlard."

He smiles as we start to walk down the stairs of the nice hotel.

Finn looks over at me and smirks, "I've been wondering where that sweatshirt got to."

I look down at the large sweatshirt on my body, "This is yours?"

He smiles, "Yup."

"Oh god sorry," I start to take it off but Finn grabs my arms.

"It's fine Mills. I gave it to you at the cast party the night Season 2 came out."

"I've had it that long?" I say as we walk into the sunny morning.

He nods, "You were cold."

I start to remember that night. I was sitting on the couch, shivering. He handed me his sweatshirt without question and moved closer to me to keep me warm.

"Oh. I remember now," I say, looking up at him, "It's been forever since then."

"Yea."

We walk in silence for a few moments before Finn breaks it, "It's nice to have you here."

"It's really great to be back in the gang."

"Back in the gang? You were never not in it."

"I guess I felt a little left out..." My voice trails off.

Finn shook his curly hair, "I can see how you would."

He doesn't say it like he's trying to make me feel guilty. He says it more of a compassionate statement. I smile slightly.

He continues, "You were just busy with other things whenever we wanted to hang out. We texted you but you never answered," he looks sad for a moment.

I'm gonna say it, "By other things you mean Jacob."

Finn looks at me surprised for a second then he nods very slightly.

I grab his hands to stop him, "I know you guys think that Jacob is all I care about. But that's not it. I care about you guys more than you know. I've been thinking a lot lately about all of us. I guess I just got caught up in the feelings. He's my first boyfriend and I didn't know how to act, I still don't. But I feel like you guys don't always want me there..."

He looks deeply into my eyes before pulling me into a hug, "Millie. We never wanted you to feel this way. We always wanted you there. We just didn't think you wanted to be with us."

I breathe in the fresh scent of his shoulder, nodding so he can feel my response.

He lets go, "We're all good now right?"

"Of course."

We keep walking, feeling more comfortable in the silence.

Soon we're back at the hotel. Finn and I race each other up the stairs, laughing all the way.

"Finnie! You...you have longer legs...than I do!" I say between pants.

"Well Miss Brown, we didn't specify the rules now did we?" He says smirking at my exhausted expression.

We near our rooms, still bright eyed and rosy cheeked.

"Hey Finn, do you want this back?" I say, grabbing a handful of the dark green sweatshirt.

"Nah. You keep it. As a reminder of me," he replies in a strange, goofy voice.

I laugh and enter my room again, humming to myself.

I put the sleeve up to my nose again and inhale. Finn. The sweatshirt just radiates him. The scent of his hair, his deodorant, his cologne. His fragrance enters my nostrils in a pleasant mixture.

But what Finn doesn't know is that the deep emerald fabric and the scent of him would make me fall in love with him again every time I wore it. But I'm not about to admit that, now am I?