Back at the camp.

Noah's Pov

     I saw her smiling, her head rested on Mark's chest. Rose excused herself to go back to sleep and I focused my eyes in front, letting the ambers burn the fire in me. She had done it again, pulled me out from my life when I desperately tried to move on. After our fight I had not talked with her and I saw her taking every opportunity to make me jealous or so she thought. She claimed she came back for me, I laughed sarcastically. Hailey the girl that had everyone wrapped around her little finger had come back for me, and yet she welcomed any attention towards herself. I didn't know how I felt about Mark, I felt conflicted. I knew he loved Rose. I knew it even when he himself denied it. I knew it was his facade to make me jealous. I raised my eyes again seeing Mark get leave vacating his seat near her.

      She raised her eyes to me. The eyes that I had once fallen for. Her oval face glowed in the light of the fire. I could see the guy near her shifting towards her quickly taking Mark's place. Her eyes left mine as she made quick conversation with her new companion. She had it in her, the ability to please, she was smart, pretty, shrewd and she knew how to put on an act for the sake of her companion, and many people failed to notice her mask, her broad smile hiding the boredom in her eyes. I got up unable to focus my thoughts that seemed to be pulled more and more towards her, only this time I crushed them. I went in and grabbed a bottle of vodka, I spilled some off and hastily added water. The bitter liquid burned down my throat. My mind replacing her image with a new one. Rose. I wasn't sure what I felt for her, but her very presence comforted me. I didn't have to pretend, I could speak my mind out and she was genuine. I could read her. And that was my curse, that I could read her I knew she liked Mark and I was caught in the crossfire of my heart. Not knowing which road would hurt less, which way would burn less. I took another swig from the bottle. My friends abandoned me like I knew they would, nothing seemed to lessen my misery no amount of alcohol, no amount of parties, no amount of girls.

     I needed closure at least from one end. I took another long swig, the alcohol clouding my judgment but I let it. I made my way towards her. Her eyes were focused ahead behind her companions head she stifled a yawn.

" We need to talk," I said gruffly.

" I'm am a little busy right now," she said smiling, her eyes twinkling. She had expected me to come.

I glared at her, then I looked at the boy next to her. He was one among the many other boys I had seen her with.

" You, leave " I said. The boy held my gaze " Now " I yelled he then murmured a good night and left.

"You shooed him away, that not very nice," she said still smiling and getting upcoming close to me and pouting.

" Hailey, I am in no mood for your tricks "

She folded her hands and walked, I followed her. We went away from the crowd the loud chatter muting into a slow hum.

" I'm all ears ". She said

" You have to stop it" I breathed through my teeth seeing her made up face.

" I have to stop what?"

" This, trying to make me jealous "

" I am not doing anything".

" If you think this will make it alright if you think I'll go back to being someone who you can summon whenever you want and kick away when you don't need then you are wrong "

Her pretense fell off, and her lips quivered she took a step towards me.

" Noah, I...."

" No, stop I know you felt that today I will come to you in anger and then get on my knees and beg you to be back with me but that's not happening ".

" Noah, that is not what I want. I have changed can't you see" she said pleading.

" I can see very well, you can have the rest of them fooled but I won't be "

" Stop, you are hurting me ".

" You need to hear it, Hailey, I am not that person anymore and I won't be that person for anyone ".

" Noah please, I just want you to be with me, I promise I have changed "

" I saw how much you have changed Hailey, you haven't left Marks side even when you know he has feelings for someone else "my voice went quiet when I said it out loud.

Her gaze shifted, her eyes showing resentment renewed by my words, she closed her eyes and took my hand.

" Noah, all that was an act to make you jealous and I think you know that too. Please, everyone deserves a second chance ".

" Can't you see I have moved on, I don't want to give you a chance especially when I don't believe you ".

Her body went rigid.

" It's because of her isn't it" she breathed out her gaze fixed on me.

" I don't have to pretend around her, she doesn't make me feel worthless, that I'm not enough how much ever I try, " I said holding the bottle in my hands and swirling the liquid.

" Noah, I know I was wrong I hurt you badly even when you were by my side always but please Noah I know you still have feelings for me you are denying them ".

" You are being delusional," I said throwing the bottle away, the glass shattering in pieces.

" You are drunk"

" They say you say the truth when you are drunk, so listen to me closely. I loved you and I was blind. All your well composed demure blinded me, I saw what you wanted me to see.  You may be pretty on the outside but I know what you are capable of, you are not the person I thought you were. When you broke my heart, the image that you had so perfectly created shattered and I saw the real you".

" Noah stop, you don't mean that that's the alcohol talking, you know me " tears started falling from her eyes as she trembled.

"I don't need you, I may seem lonely but believe me I am not "

" You can't compare me to her, she is nothing, I love you, Noah. She doesn't even care for you. You know she loves Mark " she yelled.

" Just like you did once, " I said and she winced "  but there is a difference you are wrong she cares for me and she will never treat me like you did. And you are right I shouldn't compare you to her. She doesn't have the ugliness that you hide".

" No, No Noah " she pleaded her voice bleak " Look at me, I love you, I was a fool but I really do, I left everything just for you "

"Then all that was for waste. Let me tell you a thing about love. When you love someone like I did selflessly, crazily loving with all that you have and when the person breaks your heart like you did mercilessly again and again, even when you saw what you were doing to me without acknowledging my feeling and stricking again and again; you get over it, my self-respect won't allow me to love you again. I can never deny that I won't feel for you but I'll be only a fool if I act on them when something beautiful and true is in front of me. I know Rose may not love me back, but I will be there for her always, and if, if she does come to me I'll make sure I'll give her all or at least what's left of me."

" Noah, she is using you, she doesn't care for you, do you not understand.  There are so many men out there who want me but I rejected them all because I love you. How can you ever call me all this and reject me for her? She is NOTHING. No Noah you are forcing yourself to love her because you are mad at me, it isn't possible "

" Maybe I was forcing myself before  but I am not now, and she may not have money and fancy clothes. She may not have your carefully made image and your plastered smile. You will have to look at her closely to know what she has and what you don't, I am almost sure you won't see it though". I said smiling at her the alcohol had started to take a toll on me.

She held me close and kissed me her lips soft on mine. Her eyes shut and her hands holding me. I gave in my body acting on its own. I willed myself to break the kiss and held her hands away.

" You can't get any more desperate than this can you?" I said and her eyes widened resentment flowing from them.

" I will show you, Noah, I will that she is not anywhere near me. She is dirt that needs to be shown her place. You made a mistake. I came back and begged you. You can count on it, I will make her life hell " she said seething.

" See, it took quite a lot of efforts for your demon to come out. " I said laughing.

" Let me warn you, I will always have her back, If I was in your shoes I won't want to do anything foolish " I said seriously.

" I had changed for you, but you seemed to have lost your taste in women," she said and gave me an absolute look and left.

I stood in the dark, letting her words and mine consume me. I had gone overboard but I had to. I didn't want my heart to wander in her direction again.