In The Spectrum [ N.C. ] ON HOLD

Chapter 6 - You make me smile

A/N: We're back at Noah's POV, enjoy <3

I found myself unconsciously going to my meeting spot with Olivia exactly at the time I was supposed to. I wasn't in the mood for anything but I didn't want to cancel on her. I barely ever got time to see her and I didn't feel like I wanted to wait a whole week to see her.

Her condition may throw some people off but it just made her more endearing and interesting to me. She had that unique kind of personality and I honestly never knew what was going to come next, she was unpredictable, exciting and impossible.

She was so close and yet so far.

So even if today wasn't the day to sit down with her and fake a smile trying to hide my disappointing friendzoned self, I wanted to see her. Even if I was having a shitty day, even if I didn't want to see or talk to anybody else.

"Good afternoon" her soft voice said while she sat down on the grass next to me. I looked at her and gave her a faint smile.

I was having a terrible day, I was dying to go home and punch the shit out of that punching bag. I couldn't believe what had happened earlier, I was on the edge.

"How are you?" She asked me, I looked up at her to finally meet her eyes. Almost everytime I looked into her eyes she'd get uneasy and break eye contact, today she didn't, though, like that day i helped her find her cat. She analyzed my eyes and a frown formed on her beautiful features.

"I'm okay, I guess... what about you? " I say faintly, I start looking down at the floor and playing with the grass around me. Reaping a few leaves and throwing them back on the floor. Olivia was talking about something but I couldn't bring myself to really pay attention to what she was saying.

My head was merely focused of what my mother called to tell me this morning. I was so mad.

I felt the comfort of her touch as she started squeezing my hand and she rested her head on my shoulder. I sighed and rested my head on top of hers. It felt right, her warmth was just what I needed to feel better. Well, that was until I frowned realizing how odd this was.

"Y-You are holding my hand..." I stutter, like I actually don't even believe it. She had never really even tried getting close to me, I was unfazed.

"aren't you upset?" She asked worriedly pulling away from my shoulder and leaving me actually breathless "I thought it was going to comfort you, I'm so sorry" she apologized and let my hand go out of her grip. I immediately used mine to hold hers again.

"it..it does, it is comforting" I knew it was stupid to think this meant for her what it did to me. Feeling her touch was heavenly but I knew I couldn't really hang on to that. My feelings for her would never be returned the way I'd like them to.

She nodded and let me hold her hand, her head went back to my shoulder and we were sitting there in silence as I tried to let my mind focus on other stuff, but it was hard. Even if Olivia was right here close to me, and in any other situation I'd try to enjoy the moment or try to make the best out of it. Right now I was just appreciating her efforts to comfort me, she was never able to read my sarcasm or other emotions before. But today she just knew I was upset, it was so confusing for me.

"why are you upset, Noah?" she asked softly, her thumb was stroking my hand in a relaxing motion. I thought I didn't want to talk about it, but having her ask me made me realize I did needed to let it out, I needed someone to trust my feelings and thoughts with, and she happened to be just that.

"My stepfather cheated on my mom" I said in between gritted teeth "I trusted him, and he did this to her" i hated him so much right now, he promised me he wouldn't hurt her, and I believed him. I was 18 when they got married and I had to leave for college soon after that. I thought she was in good hands.

"I'm sorry... that's..." she started her sentence but stayed quiet after that. She didn't really know what to say to me, she had confessed to me before how much it frustrated her to not be able to put into words what she was thinking.

"... awful..." she finished. And sighed not saying anything else.

"it really is" I reply and sighed my eyes fixed in the grass in front of me.

I felt comfortable like this. It was a surprise, yes, but it felt so... Right... I didn't know how much impact she'd have on my day just by the simple act of staying close to me, holding my hand, resting her head against me. It just turned my anger into peace.

"when she called me crying earlier, I almost got in my car and drove there" I confess lightly. I had exams tomorrow but in that moment I didn't care. "I wanted to kick that bastard's ass, I feel so useless and frustrated for being all the way here and not being able to do anything" I let out a shaky breath. I was so frustrated.

"It is not your fault. The important thing is that she's okay now, right?" she asked, hoping that I say yes. And honestly it was okay, my mom was staying with my aunt until she sorted everything out.

"yeah she's okay, I just wish I was there to comfort her" I tell Olivia, pulling away from her to look at her face, her blue eyes blinking a few times before she shrugs.

"then go visit her, this weekend, it'll make her happy" she says smiling at me and I mirror her smile. She was right, I could go and see her, at least for the weekend, check out on her.

"I think I can do that... You're right..." I tell her truthfully and she nods, her hand hasn't leave mine but she doesn't seem to mind, neither do I.

"Just don't get in a fight with your step-father ... I don't want you to get hurt" she mentioned casually and I smiled at her endearing gesture that she might have thought would go unnoticed.

"I promise I won't, Liv " I whisper softly and and once more I lean into her to rest my head in her shoulder. She lets me do it and we stay like this for the rest of the time, we share small conversations about our classes and I'm back to my overthinking self once she is gone. She was the only thing keeping me calm today. What was I going to do with this feeling? 

A/N: I love this so mucccchhh i love writing stories with sweet Noah