Just Friends: A Noah Beck Story

63- Confrontation

When you get downstairs Noah, his parents, and your dad are all sitting on the couch waiting for you.

Dad: "Are you going to sit there and keep lying that you didn't sneak off to a hotel room alone for what we all know you did for?"

You and Noah are sitting like deer in the headlights and this is all utterly horrifying.

Mom: "I think we all need to take a step back and remember they are 17 and going to do what they want. o matter how we feel"

Noah' Dad: "I just don't understand how you got the hotel room in the first place when its required that you're 18?"

Mama Beck: "He told me it was for the party…"

She was looking at him so betrayed and you couldn't tell if he was ashamed or regretting your night together.

Dad: "I think it goes without saying that it'll be a LONG while before we trust you two alone together."

Noah's Dad: "That will be an issue for the fall since Noah is going to the soccer program on the east coast all summer"

Noah looks at you like he'd just been punched in the stomach as Mama Beck realizes he hadn't told you yet.

Noah: "Im so sorry. I was going to tell you-"

Dad: "Yeah yeah.. you just wanted to get her to sleep with you first."

Noah's Dad: "It's time to go Noah."

His parents drag him to the car as you run after them to the driveway. You throw your arms around Noah and your tears get heavier.

He whispers in your ear: 
"I regret nothing."

You kiss him goodbye and your dad steps to the porch and demands you get inside. You squeezed Noah extra tight before storming back into the house. You decided to worry about what his father had let slip later. The front door hadn't even latched before you unleashed on your father.

You: "I am not a little kid anymore! I am about to be a senior in high school. I am going off to college in a year!"

Dad: "You are 17, you're still just a kid!"

You: "How long do you think you can keep me from growing up exactly?"

Dad: "As long as you live under my roof, you will be what I say you are!"

Mom: "Can we all just calm down and talk this thru? Yelling will not fix anything."

You: "I'm not the one who started yelling. He tried to put me down for doing what most teenagers my age are doing."

Dad: "There's nothing left to talk about, I already fixed it. She is grounded."

You storm up to your room and slam the door. Indiana is sitting on your bed trying to keep busy.

You: "Can you believe him?"

Indiana: "He's your dad and he loves you. You know that."

You: "No he loves controlling me. I make straight As, do all my chores, literally never argue with him. He doesn't get to make me out to be bad because I fell in love at 17!"

Indiana: "I don't think you're bad for that at all. I know how much you love Noah."

You: "He can't just keep treating me like a child."

Indiana: "I know you're too mad to understand right now, but you do live under his roof so he can make rules to protect you"

You: "So you're taking his side? Great! Just wait till he finds out the other teenage girl living under his roof is the hoe of our high school and we'll see how you feel!"

As soon as you said it you knew you'd gone too far. Indiana stood up and left her books open on your bed and walked out. 

You were so hurt by the fact that your best friend basically agreed with your dad being so hard on you for something you did with the love of your life that she does all the time with random guys. You knew you shouldn’t have called her out like that though and decide to go find her and apologize… especially with everything she was going through right now. She’s not there. She’s nowhere to be found so you call her but quickly remember her phone is disconnected so you confide in your mom what happened.

Your mom goes out to search for her and you quickly call Blake and tell him everything that happened with Indiana’s mom but leave out your fight with her. He rushes out to help look for her. Blake ends up finding her sitting in the school parking lot and hops out of his car and runs to Indiana leaving his door wide open.

Blake: “Indiana!!! Oh my God are you ok?”

Indiana: *numb and staring past him*
“I just needed to be alone.”

Blake: “Can’t you do that someplace safe? A lot of people are worried about you, babe.”

Indiana: “I don’t need anyone. Not even you, so stop.”

Blake: “Wow… you win Indiana.”

Blake walked away and got in his car and called you to tell you where Indiana was then hung up and drove away.

You text your mom to let her know where Indiana is and race off to get there as fast as you can.

You pull up next to where Indiana is sitting and on the curb outside of the school. You yell for her to come get in the car and she won’t even look at you. 

You: “Indiana, please I’m sorry.”

It’s obvious she’s been crying which rips your heart out because you know that you were the last person Indiana expected to hurt her. You get out of the car and go sit by her and she hugs you letting all her tears pour out. 

You: “I didn’t mean anything I said. I was just so worked up and I lashed out and that’s no excuse, I know, but I’m just sorry. Please forgive me for that.”

Indiana: “I know. It’s just everything. How could she just leave me behind.”

As you hold your best friend while her heart breaks, your own mom pulls up and helps Indiana into the car. She hands Indiana a phone and tells her:
“I know you don’t like taking things from others, but if you’re staying with us I need to know where you are and that you’re safe.”