AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS BOOK WILL CONTAIN VULGAR LANGUAGE. IT WILL ALSO CONTAIN A LOT OF STRUGGLES, ANGER, AND ARGUMENTS. BUT IT IS PART OF THIS WATTPAD NOVEL - TO SHOW THE TYPE OF STRUGGLES THAT DO HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE. PLEASE ENJOY AND CONTINUE READING :) YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! THANK YOU SO, SO, SO MUCH!

NOT EDITED*

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The street was only three blocks away from Noah’s house. It was a smaller lane with five houses and streetlights that dimly lit the surrounding areas. At one end of the street was an intersection with a traffic light that switched from green to red randomly when there was no traffic. Cars barely passed through here this late at night.

It was the perfect place to rollerblade.

Evan and I used to come around here late in the evening to practice rollerblading. His friend used to live in one the houses and occasionally joined us on our evening activities. It was fun and making it a challenge was even more fun.

“We’re rollerblading?” Noah asked incredulous, holding Evan’s rollerblades up by the laces. “This was your idea of having fun?”

“I think it’s fun,” I admitted with a shrug. “And your mom told me you used to rollerblade with her before you hit puberty and became a teenager.”

Noah sat on the curb and laced up the rollerblades on his feet. I thanked the heavens that Evan and Noah somewhat had the same shoe size. If they hadn’t, this would’ve been a disastrous plan and Noah would’ve still been at home, beating himself up.

I’m not sure why I cared about the wellbeing of such an insensitive jerk who most likely didn’t give a damn about me, but I knew what fueled my patience for him.

We were similar in ways him and many others weren’t aware about.

Situations shouldn’t define who you are, but it does affect what your outlook on life is. The more time I spent with Noah, the more I understood tiny fragments of the big picture.

“But he died right next to you and you didn’t even know what happened,” Paul bluntly said to Noah, who looked torn apart and angry at the same time.

His brother died not even four months ago and as far as I knew it, he didn’t know how Nick died. He was there, but he didn’t remember a single thing. If I was present in the death of Evan, but couldn’t recall a single memory, I would be devastated and continue to beat myself up for it my entire life. I was afraid to know the answer – to hear more of this horrid truth that wreaked havoc in Noah’s life. He lost his brother and had to carry the burden of such a heavy mistake that wasn’t even his own.

“You don’t have to constantly remind me that I’m your fucking screwed up son because I already know. You treat me like crap. And the way you hardly look and talk to me is enough proof that you’re ashamed of me,” Noah spat in disgust.

Then there was Paul, who was supposed to be a supporting father, but made Noah feel like the worst son in the entire world although he didn’t admit it. He expected so much from the seventeen-year-old male, constantly reminded him of a loved one’s death, indirectly blamed him for it, and made a future for Noah that Noah didn’t even want. They lacked a bond a father and a son should share. Noah not only lost his brother, he lost his father too.

 “These two idiots threw their beer at me and decided to jump me because I was a murderer,” Noah finally said when I drove onto the main road, but I could hear the rigidness in his tone.

“He’s only an ass because society made him that way,” Callum defended with finality.

And then there was society. Society was cruel. Society made assumptions, quick and harsh judgments, and ruthless criticism over every single human-being on the face of Earth.

Noah had it worse than many others. He was looked down upon because society assumed he killed his own brother – a person I’m sure he didn’t even want to hurt a single hair on his head. Society beat him up both emotionally and physically. He was the way he was towards everyone because he assumed that everyone wanted to hurt him.

I mean, could you blame the guy?

“It wasn’t because I hit puberty. It’s because she spent most of her time working for my dad,” Noah spat, waking me up from my reverie.

I really didn’t know how to respond to his statement. I certainly didn’t want to piss him off by bringing up his father.

Instead, with a lopsided smile, I lamely said, “Hey, we aren’t here to reside in the negativity. I brought you here because we’re supposed to have fun! No negativity allowed on this street … ever.”

Noah stared down at me with those steel blue eyes. “You don’t have to do this, Emma,” He finally sighed. “I’m not a charity case, okay? Stop trying to help me out.”

My smile faltered when he started to remove his rollerblades. I skated towards him and pulled his arm, which caused him to get up and start skating with me. Although his skin was electrifying against mine, I reluctantly let go so I didn’t embarrass myself too much.

“One game,” I pleaded and held out a single finger in front of me. “Just one game and after that, you could go back home.”

“Fine,” Noah grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Hey! No negativity on this street,” I scolded.

We skated to the end of the street, the farthest end from the traffic light. The cold air was biting at my skin, especially since the air whipped past as we skated. The traffic light was visible from here and it flickered from red to green every twenty seconds.

“Okay, so here’s the game,” I started, pointing at the traffic light. “It’s basically a race. When the traffic light turns green, we start skating towards the crosswalk. Whoever gets past the crosswalk first wins.”

Noah’s eyebrows drew together. “Don’t you think that’s unfair? I mean, I obviously have a faster stamina than you because I’m a guy.”

I snorted at his doubt in me. “Sometimes I beat Evan – my brother. Yes, I am a girl, but I also do run marathons. Over the years, I built up my stamina. I say this is a fair game.”

Noah didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds. He looked down at me, the corners of his mouth turning up in a smirk. “Okay. Whatever you say, Emmy.”

However, I was too stunned to reply to him. One, my brain stopped working when he smirked at me. I was accustomed to the usual frown on his face that it shocked me to the core when he actual smirked … at me. Two, he actually used the horrible nickname his little sister has given me.

Gulping and trying hard to hide my blush, I said, “It’s Emma.”

“Maia always talks about you. Emmy is growing on me,” Noah said in a teasing matter.

Wait, hold up. Was he actually joking around with me?

I realized I spoke my thoughts aloud and my blush grew a deeper shade of red. I was thankful for the darkness or I would’ve been even more embarrassed that he could see how embarrassed I was.

Noah’s single eyebrow hitched upwards. “Well, you said no negativity on this street.”

I should’ve been enjoying how nice he was actually being and how his unkind behavior seemed to be thrown out the window, but I was nothing but shocked. Once again, it felt like my eyes and ears were deceiving me.

I cleared my throat in awkwardness and smiled evilly at him. “There’s a reward for the loser. Whoever loses has to knock on Old Lady Jenkins’s door,” I said, pointing to a bright yellow house closest to the traffic light. “And ask her for a pair of her underwear.”

Noah grimaced. “The seventy-five year old librarian who literally throws books at you for making noise in her library?”

“Yup.”

“You’re on, Emmy.” Noah smirked once again and turned to face the traffic light.

“Okay, when the light turns green, we start,” I replied when the traffic light stayed at red. “Prepare to lose.”

Noah didn’t have a chance to respond. The light flashed green and we bolted for the makeshift finish line.

The cold air blew my hair behind me. Houses and trees blurred as I rushed towards the crosswalk. My heart beat faster. My mind was focused on one thing and one thing only: crossing the finish line before Noah could.

Or in other words: winning.

I laughed aloud when I realized I was in the lead. The closer I got to the finish line, the more I could taste sweet victory. However, before I could even set foot on the crosswalk, Noah flashed beside me. My smile faltered when he crossed the finish line and came to a slow skate.

Usually, I’d be a tiny bit upset about my loss. However, I felt nothing but true success when I heard a light chuckle from Noah. There was a big genuine smile – one that was breathtaking and handsome – on his face as I skated towards him.

“Not bad,” I commented, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You weren’t bad either. I was actually struggling to keep up with you,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. His smile settled into a small smirk. “You know what that means.”

I groaned. “Why did I have to make the penance so intense?”

Noah watched in amusement as I skated towards Old Lady Jenkins’s house. My fingers were trembling and my cheeks were flushed in embarrassment at the stupid task I was about to do. Mustering the little ounce of courage I could find, I knocked on her door.

After several more knocks and waiting for approximately five minutes, Old Lady Jenkins opened the door roughly with an annoyed expression on her face. Her hands were clutched tightly around the pink robe that covered her small and fragile frame. Although cat eye glasses with thick lenses sat on the bridge of her thin nose, she had to squint to look at me.

“My husband is the laziest arse in all of North America,” she hackled under her breath as she opened the door. When she looked at me and Noah behind me, her face grew angrier. “What do you kids want at this hour of the night? You better not be playing pranks on me!”

I fidgeted in the presence of Old Lady Jenkins. She was small, but she sure was intimidating.

“Good evening, Ms. Jenkins,” I said in a shaky voice.

“Emma, is that you?” Ms. Jenkins asked. She squinted more if that were even possible and moved her face closer to mine to get a better look at me.

Her strong floral perfume wafted up my nose and I tried my best not to choke from how potent it smelled.

I plastered a smile on my face. “Yes, Ms. Jenkins. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Oh, darling, why don’t you go to the library anymore?” She yelled at me although she didn’t mean to. “Did you finally get some friends?”

I flushed in humiliation when I realized that Noah could clearly hear what we were conversing about.

I shook my head. “No! No! I had friends then. I still have friends now. I just had to do my research there because I didn’t have a computer at my house at the time.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! You should stop by the library more often. There was a shipment on teen fiction books that came in last Thursday. I’ve got that vampire-werewolf story that all the teenagers likes to talk about. The one with the apple on the front cover, but the story wasn’t about an apple. What was it called? Ah, let me see … I know it has something to do with the time of day. Dusk? No. Sunrise? No. Sunse – “

“Twilight,” I said, clearing my throat.

“Ah, yes! That one!”

“I’ll make sure to drop by soon,” I promised, nodding my head.

“Well, honey, what do you need at this hour? You’re lucky that I heard you over my fat husband’s snores!”

I’m pretty sure my whole face was the color of a tomato. I was so embarrassed and humiliated that I was about to ask Old Lady Jenkins for one of her undergarments.

“Why is your face so red? Are you sunburned?” She asked bluntly.

I shook my head vigorously and played with my fingers. “No. I’m just embarrassed to ask you to do me a favor. I was wondering if I could maybe borrow or have – I mean use, maybe lend me – “

“Well, spit it out! I don’t have time for your blabbering,” Ms. Jenkins interjected in the middle of my stutter.

“CanIhaveoneofyourundergarments?” I rushed out in a high pitched voice.

“I didn’t catch that, darling. Please repeat your question one more time.”

I wanted to groan or walk away, but I knew Noah wouldn’t let me go so easily. After heaving a sigh, I asked once more.

“Can I have one of your undergarments?”

The look on Old Lady Jenkins’s face was priceless, but it was also very scary on my part. I fidgeted as she stared at me in confusion and in utter stun.

When her mouth finally shut, she asked, “Why would you want one of my undergarments.”

Although the lie I said next was very awkward, it was the only thing that came to mind at the moment. “I was in the neighborhood and my friend didn’t have extra undergarments for me because he’s a male. And I, uh, leaked.”

Old Lady Jenkins gasped at my announcement. She looked at me apologetically. “That’s horrible, darling. Just hold still for a moment, okay? I’ll be back.”

To my horror, Old Lady Jenkins did indeed lend me one of her undergarments – a light pink silky material that looked more like pajama shorts than a panty. I rushed away from her house, muttering a thank you. Skating towards Noah as I eyed the granny panty, I held the material from the tip of my index finger.

I could tell he was trying not to laugh by the way the corners of his lips twitched. Throwing the undergarment at his face and letting it fall to the ground, I said, “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Noah argued.

I skated past Noah with a yawn. It was already midnight and I had to head home soon. “Let’s go. I’ll race you back!”

Rollerblading was admittedly fun and making it a challenge was more enjoyable, but injuring yourself was the last thing you wanted to do.

In the middle of our race and turning the corner, my clumsy self tripped over the curb of the sidewalk. I came crashing towards the ground, scraping my chin and my elbow in the process.

“Shit,” Noah muttered, looking back at me. He rolled over in a hurry and knelt down beside me to inspect my wounds.

I tried not to cry from the burn of my injury, but it hurt too much. It was impossible not to hiss from the pain. A few tears involuntarily rolled down my cheeks as I inspected my elbow.

Tiny bits of rocks embedded itself in the scrape. Blood dripped from my elbow to the pavement and painted my skin red. I was pretty sure my chin resembled the graze on my elbow.

Noah removed the rollerblades from my feet and replaced them with my Chucks. He gripped my forearm lightly, helping me get up on my feet.

“C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up,” he murmured.

By the time we reached the Callaway household, my tears stopped falling and everyone was already asleep in their beds. Noah led me up the stairs and into his room – a place I was a little hesitant to step into.

Noah’s room was as spacious as Nick and Maia’s own. The walls were painted a Taupe shade and dark furniture adorned the room. Unlike Nick’s wall, no posters were plastered up, but a single flat screen TV hung above a dresser. A queen sized bed with black bedding sat next to his mahogany desk. His room was tidy, besides the desk area where different pencils and papers were strewn across the surface.

To my surprise, even his bathroom was clean. His shaving stuff was neatly pushed against one corner of the sink. It didn’t smell horrible like most men’s bathrooms did. Sure, the toilet seat was left up, but that was normal considering he was the only one who used this bathroom.

Noah rubbed the back of his neck. It was almost as if he was embarrassed that I was in his room. However, he quickly hid it as he patted the counter of his sink.

“Sit up here,” he ordered and I obeyed.

He left the room and came back in five minutes with a pair of tweezers, a wash cloth, cotton balls, Q-tips, and Hydrogen Peroxide. After he dampened the wash cloth, he came towards me. However, he paused and looked at my legs.

Noah cleared his throat. “Uh, do you mind if I ask you to sit cross legged? I, uh, don’t want to make it awkward by standing in between your legs.”

I quickly nodded, feeling heat rush to my cheeks. I folded my legs underneath me and let him clean my wounds in silence. His eyebrows knitted together as he concentrated.

First, he carefully wiped the dry blood from my arms and my face, getting as much as the rocks out as he could. He was so close, I could feel the heat from his body wrap around me and although he hasn’t had a shower since his workout with Callum, his cologne still did him justice.

When I couldn’t handle seeing anymore of my blood on the washcloth, I shut my eyes tight. I tried my best not to wince every time I felt pain. Therefore, I focused on how his fingers felt so good on my skin as it worked carefully to disinfect my wounds. When his fingers came up and brushed against my face, I shivered involuntarily and shortly blushed afterwards at my humiliating action.

“I’m sorry,” Noah shot out, dropping his hands. “Did I hurt you?”

I shook my head and blushed harder. “No. You’re not hurting me. My wounds are,” I lamely said.

Noah sighed and continued to work on my chin. “The good news is that your scrapes will probably be gone in less than a week.”

I opened my eyes to look at him, but his gaze was trained on my chin. “Thanks. You know you didn’t have to do this.”

“It’s … a repayment for everything you’ve done for Maia.”

I couldn’t help but think that was his indirect way of thanking me.