NOT EDITED

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I scarcely went on trips. Even if we had long weeks off of classes, I usually spent my days cooped up in Beaufort. Evan and I simply didn’t have the extra cash to spend on recreational activities. The only times I was lucky enough to escape Beaufort were the nights Paige and I went five minutes out of town to catch a movie.

But today I was more than lucky. I actually traveled approximately three hours out of town this time around. I was more than ecstatic, buzzing with excitement.  

Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, was bright with lights in the dark of night. Raleigh was also known as “The City of Oaks” due to the many oak trees that lined the streets. Tall and big buildings, unlike the small and dainty ones in Beaufort, towered above the few citizens that walked down the sidewalks. Raleigh was big and busy, bursting with energy and livelihood.

“Relax, Emmy. It’s just Raleigh,” Noah commented with knitted eyebrows as I pressed my face against the backseat window.  

Maia hooked her arm around mine, a bright smile on her round face. “Aren’t you happy I invited you? This will be so fun!”

Every other month, the Callaway’s drove up to Raleigh to visit Natalia’s brother and his family. The months that the Callaway’s didn’t go to Raleigh, Natalia’s brother came down to Beaufort. Natalia and her brother, Luca Bertolini, grew up in a close knit family and made it a point to see each other every month to keep in touch.

Once Maia invited me to be her partner on this trip because she didn’t have any female cousins on her mother’s side, I agreed right away. I practically begged Evan to let me go. I wouldn’t stop begging and pleading until he let me have what I wanted – a chance to get out of Beaufort and explore the world that was hidden from me for seventeen years of my life.

“Please let me be,” I said to Noah, my eyes glued to the different stuff I saw outside. “All I know is Beaufort. This is a new experience for me.”

Natalia glanced back at me from the front seat. “Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself so far, Emma.”

Luca Bertolini’s house was located in a more urban part of the city, situated right where the road curved. It was a two-story beige colored house with bricked pitched roofs and a huge yard. Unlike the Callaway’s big and luxurious mini mansion, the Bertolini’s stuck with an average sized and common type of house.

We parked on the driveway, behind the garage. A freakishly tall and muscular man with graying hair and the brightest smile rushed out the front door before we could even step foot on their stone walkway. Behind him, a fit woman with curly hair and bright brown eyes followed with a baby in her arms.

“Luca!” Natalia laughed and hugged her brother tightly. “I hope you made food because we are starving.”

 “Naturalmente, sis! I made my famous pizza – everyone’s favorite!” He replied. He twirled Maia around when she ran up to him. “Hey, beautiful girl! Don’t have a boyfriend until you’re thirty all right?”

Maia rolled her eyes as she hugged Luca’s wife, but laughed slightly. “Yes, Uncle Luca.”

“Hey, Kate, it’s so good to see you,” Natalia greeted the woman next to Luca. She slightly pinched the baby’s cheeks. She cooed, “Hey baby Aaron. You’ve gotten so big. Where’s Gray?”

“He’s still in the shower. Oh, that boy. I swear he could be a pain sometimes,” Kate sighed in disappointed, shaking her head. “Where’s Paul?”

“Oh, he’s taking care of things with his business,” Natalia replied, not elaborating.

Yeah, Paul’s taking care of things with his business and his fustration with Noah. Shortly before the trip, Paul refused to go too because he and Noah had an argument the night before. Their argument was similar to the one they had during my first dinner with the Callaways.

Luca seemed to know the truth, because he sighed and automatically looked at Noah. “Noah! You’re getting taller everytime I see you!”

Noah hugged his uncle back with a chuckle. “It runs in the family.”

I fidgeted awkwardly next to Noah as they exchanged a few more words. However, I didn’t miss Luca’s subtle glances between Noah and I  and the smirk on his face.

“Yeah, school’s fine. I’ve been acing all my classes,” Noah informed.

“Yeah, that’s great,” Luca said as if he could care less about the topic right now. Luca outstretched his hand towards me. “Hi, I’m Luca and it’s nice to finally meet my nephew’s girlfriend. Lei è bella, don’t you think, Kate?”

Kate nodded her head and stood in front of me as well. “Yeah, she’s a very beautiful girl, Noah!”

 “Oh, no, I’m not Noah’s girlfriend. I’m Maia’s babysitter,” I corrected with flushed cheeks at the same time Noah rubbed the back of his neck and said, “She’s not my girlfriend. Who told you that?”

Luca looked genuinely surprised and scratched his head. “Well, your mother told me you two were dating.”

“Mom,” Noah groaned as my cheeks flushed a deeper red.

Natalia shifted her weight from one foot to the other in guilt. “A mother could dream.”

Kate laughed and winked at Noah. “Well, you better keep this one close because someone else might snatch her – “

“Gray Bertolini apologizes for the late appearance! I know I was missed,” a male around my age, with dark green eyes and a muscular build, announced as he jogged down the walkway.

“Like Gray,” Luca added to Kate’s previous statement.

“Cous!” Gray yelled and practically tackled Noah to the ground. “Dude, you need to step up your game on those workouts. You’re a little flabby there.”

“Shut up, Gray,” Noah said with a smile on his face, grabbing Gray’s head in a headlock.

As Gray struggled to get out of Noah’s hold on him, his eyes landed on me. Gray continually smacked Noah’s chest and smirked. “Dude, Noah, is that her – the one you told me about?”

Noah suddenly let go of Gray. My heart thudded in my chest frantically. He talked about me? Was that supposed to mean something?

I think my eyes decieved me when a light pink tinge painted Noah’s cheeks. “No. Possiamo parlarne dopo?”

I don’t know why my heart felt like it dropped out of my chest at Noah’s answer to Gray’s question. It was hard to believe Noah was interested in a girl when the only person I’ve seen him with was Callum and Paige – if she was with Callum. Maybe he had his eyes on someone much prettier and sexier than me and less embarrassing. I had the sudden urge to interrogate him on this situation, but decided to hold it back in front of everyone.  

Gray smirked as he crossed his arms, but kept his eyes on me. “No, I don’t want to talk about it later, Noah. I want to talk about it now. But since you clearly aren’t interested in such a bellezza, then I hope you don’t mind if I use the Bertolini charm on her.”

Everyone groaned at Gray before piling inside. Luca smacked the back of his son’s head as Kate warned him to calm his hormones. Noah, Gray, and I followed behind them, but Gray continued to talk.

“Hi, I’m Gray,” he said to me with a smile as smooth as butter. “Noah said you were beautiful, but I think you’re gorgeous.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. My cheeks flushed too. Admittedly, I was psyched that Noah called me beautiful. And although Gray’s compliment should’ve made girls weak in the knees, it had no affect on me. It seemed like he was up to something more than he meant it.

Noah’s eyebrows drew together as he glared at Gray. “Vaffanculo.”

“Noah, don’t say bad words like that!” Natalia gasped.

“Oh, he’s a grown man.” Luca waved off. “He’s not seven anymore. I’ll save you, buddy. Let’s go, Nat, Help me with the pasta and let these kids catch up. Emma, please feel right at home. I don’t like people who are shy and timid.”

“Thanks,” I simply said, distracted by their house. “Wow, your house is gorgeous.”

Their house wasn’t luxurious with the most antique stuff. But it felt comfortable and to me, that’s what made a home gorgeous. Aaron’s items were on the coffee table, Kate’s books were all over the bookshelf, Luca’s shoes were in the corner by the door, and Gray’s video games were stacked by the television. A carpet adorned the whole floor to protect Baby Aaron and several items were misplaced.

“Thank you, Emma.” Kate smiled as she and Maia went up the stairs. “Gray, keep your hands to yourself. She belongs to No – not you.”

 “Yes mama!” Gray mock saluted and turned to face me again. “Anyways, do you have a boyfriend?”

I shook my head in honesty. “No.”

“Wow, how can a beautiful girl like you have no boyfriend?”

I laughed. “Thanks, but I’m an awkward introvert at school. I’m not the girl boys want to date.”

Gray crossed his arms once more. “Really? Huh. That’s not what I heard from Noah. He says you’re oomf.”

Noah smacked his chest with knitted eyebrows. “Si prega di stare zitto! Ti sto implorando! How’s your chick?”

“I don’t think it was meant to be, man,” Gray sighed and shook his head.

  Dinner was hectic, but there was a sense of love and family. The Bertolini’s knew how to cook – Luca’s pizza was the best slice I’ve ever tried and Natalia’s pasta and garlic bread was as amazing as usual. By the end of dinner, my stomach felt like it was going to explode but my taste buds were satisfied.

There was a lot I learned about every single one of them even if I spent only two hours with all of them. It seems that when you spend time with someone’s family, you see everyone for who they truly are. Luca was a successful and popular lawyer in Raleigh who was a cool and supportive father towards his children and the husband a wife would be lucky to have. Kate works as a yoga instructor on the weekends, but doesn’t work during weekdays because she took care of her children. She seemed to wear the pants in the relationship and kept her children and her husband in line. Baby Aaron was a cutie pie who sucked his thumb and had the cutest laugh in the history of baby laughs. And Gray … well, he was a flirt who was the captain of his basketball team and was obsessed with working out.

I’ve even learned so much about the Callaway’s although I’ve known them for a month and a half. Natalia was actually a comedian around her family, teasing Luca and Gray nonstop. Maia was more tolerable around the Bertolini’s and it was obvious she enjoyed spending time with them. Noah was more open, more relaxed, happier, and much kinder. It was cute when he tickled Aaron and made him laugh. In fact, Noah was the only one Aaron liked out of the Callaway’s and I.

I found myself smiling and laughing. I even teased Luca on his receding hairline and conversed with Kate about the small passion I had for yoga. Although I was a tiny bit confused as to why Noah seemed to be edge when Gray continually flirted with me, I kept the thought pushed aside. There was no way he would be nervous about me or jealous of his cousin. I mean, he did hint that he was interested in someone else.

“Did you know Noah could draw?” Gray suddenly asked, walking into the living room in his pajamas with a leather bound book in his hand. He plopped down on the couch next to me. “He thinks he can’t. He’s just a pussy about it because he’s insecure about one of his many talents.”

My eyebrows hitched forward as I leaned over to look at the page Gray was on. “Really? I never knew that.”

Gray sighed. “It’s like a diary. He likes to keep it private, but I like to steal it from his bag. Here, have a look.”

I felt like I was seriously invading Noah’s privacy, but I couldn’t help my curiosity as I took the book from Gray. There was no doubt that I was awed and amazed at the sketch that was on the page. My mouth flew open as I studied the intricate drawing of Paul – half of his face younger and happy, the other half older and angry. There was so much emotion on a single sheet of paper that I could feel my heart aching at the sight. I fingered the page, curious as to what the next page held. However, curiosity was what killed the cat.

Noah walked into the living room with his eyebrows drawn. “Gray, man, please stop stealing my book. It’s priv – Emma?”

I shut the book in my lap and stared at Noah with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean to. I was just so curious – “

“Emma, what’d you see?” Noah asked terrifyingly while he walked closer at a slow and intimidating pace.

I wanted to shrink until I disappeared from the situation and pressed myself into the couch as he came closer. Noah didn’t seem the least bit angry. He just seemed like he was embarrassed and he was cooking up a plan in that head of his.

Gray, who seemed frightened too, all of a sudden yelled, “Run, Emma, run!”

This jolted me out of my frozen state and I obliged by his orders. I jumped over the couch and ran all over the house with Noah close behind me. The book was clutched to my chest as I tried to find a way to get rid of Noah.

“I got you,” Noah yelled once his hands were planted on my waist.

However, his grip wasn’t strong enough and I easily from his grasp. I laughed as I started to run again. When the deep, rich tone of his laughter joined in with mine, I was genuinely surprised.

“I think Gray was right. You need to step up your game on those workouts,” I teased, running up the stairs.

“Oh, you think you’re funny, huh?” Noah taunted.

I squealed and laughed when his hands seized my waist and cornered me against a wall.  I kept the book behind me as he tried to grab it from me. But when my hand mistakably rested on his chest to push him away, both our laughter died and things started to get a little more … intense.

His heart beat quickened under my finger tips, his warmth seeping through the thin fabric of his cotton white shirt. Fire licked in the pit of my belly at our proximity. I could smell the cologne I would never get tired of and see the tiny freckles on the bridge of his nose. One of his hands – the one he used to attempt to grab his book – rested on the wall behind me. My heart thudded loudly in my chest and everything seemed to disappear from around us as I stared into his warm blue eyes.

Noah’s eyes flickered to my lips as he gulped, causing a riot of butterflies to flutter in my stomach. We were mere inches apart, our breaths mingling between us. I literally felt like my heart was being touched by an angel as his face inched closer. Our lips were a hair away from each other now, but I was too busy drinking up this moment to press my lips into his and rush it. I really wanted to kiss him though.

“Hey kids, make sure you use a condom, all right?”

Noah and I jumped away from each other at the sudden intrusion. Noah rubbed the back of his neck when Luca clapped a hand on his back with teasing eyes directed at me. I was more disappointed that our moment ended so quickly than embarrassed that Luca caught us.

“Oh, please, don’t stop because of me. I’m going to bed now. Just play it safe,” Luca said in the dead silence.

My cheeks flushed as I shook my head. “N-no, that’s not w-what we had in mind. I mean, yeah, we almost ki – had an intima – I’m just going to go to bed now.”

Noah cleared his throat, his eyes refusing to meet mine. “Yeah, I should sleep too. We have a long day tomorrow.”

Luca’s eyebrows hitched upwards as he watched us walk away from each other awkwardly.

▼▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼

I turned once more in my bed, causing the sheets to fall to the ground. Besides the fact that the room was too quiet and I was in an unfamiliar territory alone, I couldn’t sleep because all I could think about was the almost kiss I shared with Noah.

It couldn’t possibly have meant anything. It was probably a huge mistake on his part. He did mention earlier that he was interested in someone else who wasn’t me.

However, I was confused as to why he stared at me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him, why he moved slowly as if he was scared that if he rushed things, the moment would be over, and why he kept staring back at me when he walked away.

I exhaled loudly, laying on my back in irritation. There was no way I was going to sleep tonight if I didn’t find some sort of closure with Noah. I had no clue where I found courage, but I shot up from bed to find my answers.

What exactly happened between us?

I crept in the dark as quietly as possible while I made my way to Gray’s room. He owned the basement, a spacious white colored room with contrasting furniture. His room was practically an apartment. It was easy to tell that he was spoiled by Luca and Kate.

Gray was asleep on his queen sized bed, snoring heavily. Noah lay sideways on the single couch which sat behind a coffee table and a flat screen television that hung on the wall. I was glad that a lampshade was on or I would’ve tripped over the various basketballs that were randomly sitting on the floor.

I bent in front of Noah, who snored lightly and looked innocent in his sleep. I gulped before shaking his arm to wake him up. He groaned, shifting slightly.

“Noah,” I whispered. “Can we talk about … what happened earlier?”

“Go to sleep, Emmy,” Noah complained, burying his face into his pillow.

I frowned slightly. “I can’t. I have to know what … happened.”

He didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds, lying stiffly with his eyes shut. “Can we talk about it in the morning?”

“I really can’t sleep because all this mysterious crap is actually making me restless. I promise it won’t take more than five – whoa!”

My words were cut short when Noah pulled me into the couch beside him, my back pressed against his front side. Both my heartbeat and breathing increased rapidly when he pulled the comforter over us and placed his arm around my waist. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my neck, causing my cheeks to heat up and goose bumps to rise on my body.

“You’re going to wake up Gray,” Noah murmured. “You talk too much.”

My fingers played with each other. “N-no, I don’t.”

Noah chuckled quietly. “Yes, you do.”

Although I should’ve been insulted that he thought I was talkative, I smiled when I realized it was the truth. “Well, at least it’ll take me a long way in Broadway.”

“I think you could do it - finally get out of Beaufort,” Noah sighed. “I’m nothing but one of those Beaufort Losers.”

“Don’t say that! You are definitely not one of those Beaufort Losers.”

 “Yes, I am! I missed baseball recruitment for a college I want to go to. I lost my scholarship – my one chance because my team thought I’d fucking kill them if I was back on the team with a baseball bat in my hands.”

Anger swelled up in me on behalf of Noah. He obviously wasn’t the one who smashed his brother’s skull with the baseball bat that was adeptly planted in his arms. To me, it was a huge set up. It was a mystery I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to aid Noah with.

Now Noah had to pay for a consequence he shouldn’t have to pay for and lose his entire future with it.

I gripped the pillow in my fists. “They’re all idiots.”

“Well, at least those idiots are going somewhere in life. I’ll be stuck here doing nothing or being a pathetic slave for my father’s business.”

I should’ve been jittery or scared, but I turned in my spot until I faced Noah. His blue eyes were still prominent in the dim lighting as he stared at me curiously. Although his face was mere inches from mine, I felt comfortable. I placed my hand lightly on his cheek, watching him gulp.

I smiled. “If all you think about is the negative and what people expect you to be, you’ll never know how talented you are. Your drawings are amazing. That’s an option. You don’t have to be a baseball player.”

Noah shook his head. “I’m not that good at drawing.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve only seen one page of your artwork and I was already blown away.”

“I’ll be setting myself up for excruciating failure.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “The biggest failure you could make in your life is not trying.”

The corners of Noah’s lips curled up in a small smile. “Did you memorize those quotes?”

“Maybe.” I laughed. “I’m a sucker for life quotes.”

“Here’s one: If one does not sleep, he will endure hell the next day,” Noah said sarcastically, but smiled anyway.