The Middle - Volume Three ✔️

Chapter 68 (Noah)

Noah

I close the front door behind Patrick and find myself smiling. Why the hell am I smiling? Because he’s about to drive out to the airport to tell the girl I like that he’s madly in love with her and he wants to marry her and have babies with her? No, I’m not happy about that. Of course I’m not happy about that.

But I know how happy this is gonna make Jamie. I guess that’s why I’m smiling. God, I’m so mature.

“So, what was that about?” Will asks, emerging from his bedroom with only a towel around his waist. Great.

“Nothing, there’s stuff going on with The Middle, he just wanted someone impartial to talk to.” I lie.

“Okay.” Will says dubiously, “So what was with all the shouting?”

“We weren’t shouting.” I say dismissively, moving over to the refrigerator to grab a beer.

“You were shouting.” Will says, walking through to the kitchen. “I’m not an idiot, I know he came over here to give you the talk.”

I frown as I open my beer. What the hell is he talking about? “The talk?”

“Yeah, you know? The big brother talk.” He throws some air quotes around the last three words. “I got the talk from Jay, you know, way back when.”

“Right.” I laugh at him. “Well, he’d be almost five months late with my talk. Jamie and I are over, you know that.”

“Say you don’t know.” Will smiles at me. “I still think you two are gonna end up together. Patrick obviously does too.”

Oh, Will. You have no idea.

Luckily, I’m saved from this conversation by Madison emerging from Will’s room in just a towel too. Awesome.

“Ready, baby?” She beams up at him and he grins down at her before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into the bathroom while she giggles at him. He has clearly completely forgotten about whatever he was just talking to me about. Fine by me.

I can hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom now, so I look down at the beer in my hand before putting it back into the fridge and heading to my room to grab my running shoes and my headphones. I am not sticking around here while Will and Maddie shower together, no fucking way.

***

It’s almost 7pm, and it’s a nice night. Still January temperature but there’s no wind and no rain, so I have no complaints. I prefer running in the colder seasons, for obvious reasons. This is about as nice a night as it gets, so I decided to stay out longer and run further than I had originally planned. I haven’t eaten yet, but that’s okay. I’ll eat later.

I’m almost at the beach and I’m listening to one of Jamie’s playlists on Spotify. I like the music, that’s the only reason. Some of her music isn’t the best for running along to (I’m currently listening to a song called Get Fucked Stud by Biffy Clyro, which I’m actually running along in time to pretty well) but her taste in music really grew on me. Just like she did.

I’m gonna get over her, I know I am. I wouldn’t have smiled at Patrick’s airport plan if I was really upset about the way things have worked out. But it still sucks. And when she and Patrick start walking around holding hands and kissing all the time it’s gonna be tough. Maybe I just need a temporary distraction. Like before, that worked out pretty well when she was sleeping with Shaun Campbell. It could work again. Maybe Stefan might wanna go for a drink tonight…

I’m running along the beach promenade and I’m almost at the small strip of shops; the café, some tourist type stores that sell sun cream and blow up water rings, the restrooms, that kinda thing. None of the stores are open at this time of year besides the café. I slow down as I approach the café, hoping it’s still open so I can grab something to eat. I am starving now after running all the way down here. But, of course, it’s closed for the day already. Damn.