Summer Love (An Emotional Small Town Romance) ~NOAH CENTINEO~

Chapter 7

"A bitterness of ambiguous origin but consuming intensity"

-Noah Centineo, 02.24.97

BBBRRIINNGGG BBRRRIIINNGG

I rub my eyes as I groggily wake up to my alarm, not realizing that I had even fallen asleep.

I look down and find my hands clutching an old journal, and the memories come rushing back to me. Oh my gosh, Noah's diary! I reach for my phone to text him and realize I fell asleep without charging it last night. Gosh I must've been really tired. I reach for the charger and the book falls out of my lap. The pages splay open as it lands on the ground. I crouch down to pick it up and my eyes widen when I notice my name. My name?

I inadvertently read the lines... "Today I met someone amazing at grammy's poetry slam. Her name is Hazel and she's one of the most talented and beautiful girls I've ever met. I no longer question my decision to spend the summer here. I have to get to know her."

I tried to look away, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the words. My heart fluttered at just seeing my name...but the rest? One of the most talented and beautiful girls he's EVER met? I think about all the rumored past girlfriends he's had, all supermodels. I never thought I could compare to girls like that. But he sees something in me. He likes me for the real me.

I continue to stare at the page, my eyes flickering back and forth rereading it. Then I snap back to reality and realize what I'm doing. This is his personal diary, and I can't believe I have read even a few lines from it. I quickly snap the book closed and promise myself I will never read it again.

Suddenly I hear the door open downstairs and familiar shoes stomping up the stairs. The door to my room burst open as Katy barged in. Alexandria slinked in behind her. "Hey! You'll never believe what Alexandria got us invites to!" She didn't wait for me to utter a single syllable before she revealed it. "It's only the hottest summer party of the year! It's Chad's birthday bonfire extravaganza!"

Katy's eyes lit up as she waved her hands around wildly. I'm not really like the party kind of girl, but seeing Katy warm up to Alexandria made me more willing to give it a shot. "Oh that sounds fun, I guess! Thanks for the invite Alexandria." I reply warmly.

"Please, call me Alex. We're friends now" she winks. She looks me up and down. "But, we have to get you something cute to wear."

"I have cute clothes" I say indignantly. I pull out a knee length floral skirt and a sweater.

"Oh honey..." she says sympathetically. "Don't worry, I got you." She pulled a slinky black dress out of the Louis Vuitton duffle.

"Oh I don't think that is very me." I say, blushing as I think about squishing into that tiny dress.

"Well, tonight we are not ourselves. We are popular, hot, fun versions of Katy and Hazel" Hazel grabs the dress from Alex and shoves it in hands.

I spent the next hour trying on different accessories and outfit combinations with Katy and Alexandria. She painted my nails a sparkly gold and let me borrow glimmering long earrings. I never looked like this before. But I felt...pretty. I hoped maybe Noah could see me in this dress...

It was a slinky velvet black dress with thin straps. I was going to wear gold sandals that matched my nails and a lacy black choker. We curled my hair into soft beachy waves. Alexandria drew a perfect winged eyeliner that framed my bright green eyes and mascara that made my long eyelashes actually noticeable.