Noel

"Okay, Breakfast Club." Arden claps, beaming all over. "Commencement of first meeting is a go. How's everyone doing?"

Jax and I decided to gather our allies into the empty Sociology room. Jax and I are standing on the left side of the room, holding hands because I need the support. On the right side of the room, Emily's sitting at a table. Georgia leans against the wall behind Emily, her arms crossed.

Arden, being the dramatist he is, wanted to be the leader. So we gave him the teacher's chair.

Georgia frowns at Arden, her eyeliner looking stellar as per usual. "Can you be serious for one second?" she complains to him.

"He can't." Jax concludes, folding his arms. His golden hair gleams in the sunlight cast from the windows.

"Arden's kind of cute, though." Emily mouths at me with a smile. I'm actually grateful that she's here.

Arden's eyes are sharp, and he catches her compliment, smiling back at her. "Thanks. Who are you, by the way?"

Emily flushes. "I'm Noel's friend, Emily."

"But I'm Noel's friend." Arden replies, looking confused.

I raise my hand. "You know I can have more than one friend, right?"

"But you only have one best friend." Emily tells me.

"And it's me." Arden pipes up.

Emily glares at him. "No, it's me."

"Can we get back to the important stuff?" Georgia asks, her low voice silencing everyone. "Great. Noel, what's the deal?" she says, her eyes focused on mine.

I steady my breathing, then I speak. As I tell everyone about my struggle with alcohol, I try not to focus on their expressions. But when I finish, Arden's looking at me with sympathy. Emily's eyes are teary. But Georgia and Jax are my rocks. Their eyes are fixed on mine, unwavering in their focus.

I'm so grateful for these people. As I look around, I only see concern for my wellbeing. My health. A few months ago, I had none of this. Years ago, I had a bleak imitation of friendship hanging over me.

"So I'm getting blackmailed by this guy named Mason. He bullied me for the past two years." I conclude. "He wants me to break up with Jax in two days, or he's going to snitch about my alcohol cabinet."

Jax's hand tightens around mine, but he doesn't say anything. Arden snorts. "Mason's a dickwad. Remind me why we're taking him seriously?"

"Because he knows about Noel's alcohol stock. We can't get rid of the bottles without getting caught." Jax answers impatiently. "I don't want her to get in trouble because of his idiocy."

"We've got your back, Noel." Georgia says supportively, brushing her long hair over her shoulders. "You can count on us."

"So what's the plan?" Emily asks the group, folding her arms.

"Get a shovel and dig Mason's grave." Arden answers. Jax hits his arm and Arden recoils, scowling at his best friend. "I was joking. Obviously you have to kill him before you dig the grave."

"Ignoring Arden's bloodthirst," Georgia brushes his comment off, "I think I might have an idea."

"Go ahead, Georgia." I encourage, and she smiles at me.

"How do you get rid of a blackmailer?" Georgia asks the group at large. When no one answers, she rolls her eyes. "You blackmail them back, obviously. Am I the only smart one here?"

"Do you have expertise in blackmailing?" Arden asks her innocently. 

Georgia smiles mysteriously. "Maybe. Or maybe I read a lot of crime fiction. Who knows? The point is, Mason definitely has dirt we can dig up."

"I support that idea." Emily speaks up. Georgia grins at her, and she blushes.

"So do I." Jax agrees, running his thumb over my hand. 

I smile at my friends, asking, "Okay, who's going to search for Mason's secrets?"

"I've got that covered." Arden volunteers, smirking. "I'm sure I can get the girls at the volleyball club to tell me about Mason."

"I'll search too." Jax concurs. He taps his chin. "But we need someone to watch Noel's room when she's not there. Just to make sure Mason doesn't try anything, like planting drugs or something." Everyone stares at him, and he shrugs. "It could happen."

"I'll do that." Emily says, smiling at me. I mouth a thank you to her.

"Can I beat Mason up?" Georgia asks.

"I'd like to avoid physical violence." I gently disagree.

"How about that shovel?" Arden asks, and Jax walks over to him. Arden dodges the hit, shouting, "I was joking!"

I watch Jax chase his best friend around the room, as Georgia walks over to me. "You're going to be fine." she tells me quietly.

"I will be." I agree, smiling at her. It's weird to think that Georgia and I struggled so much with our acquaintance a few months ago, and now I fully trust her.

With every breath I exhale, I release years of pent-up pain and tension.

Jax and Arden make good on their promises. After a brief session in the sports division of the school, they report back with findings.

Jax gathers me into his arms, burying his face into my shoulder. "I missed you so much."

I reciprocate his hug, laughing under my breath as I tell him, "You were only gone for a few hours."

He kisses my forehead. "A few hours turns into infinity when I'm not around you."

Arden pretends to gag, pulling Jax away as he complains, "Can you not?"

"Jealous?" I tease Arden and to my surprise, he flushes in response.

"Obviously not." he protests, frowning as he glances away. "I'm happy being single."

Jax stares at him. "Margot was joking."

There's an awkward silence before someone clears their throat. The three of us turn to Georgia and Emily, who are staring at us like we have three heads.

"Why does Jax call you Margot?" Emily asks me curiously. Georgia nudges her, and Emily frowns. "It's just a question!"

I laugh, glancing at Jax. He grins back at me. "Margot's my middle name. Jax likes it better than Noel, I guess."

"Noel's perfectly fine." Arden pipes up, and Jax frowns at him. Arden smiles innocently at his friend, asking, "What?"

Georgia arches her eyebrows at the boys. "Well?"

"Yes?" Arden says blankly.

Emily sighs, staring at Arden and Jax. "What did you guys do for the past few hours?"

"They were probably making out somewhere." Georgia points out to Emily, and they giggle together.

I smile at the boys, disagreeing, "They obviously know something. What happened?"

Jax grins. "We got him. Mason's been selling at the back of the school to people, and they know where he keeps the stuff. He won't be able to move his business quickly, either."

Emily sucks in a breath quickly. "Even after the drug scandal last year?"

We all stare at her, and Emily shrugs. "I know a lot about the people in this school, guys. I'm not an alien."

"So we can confront him tonight, right?" Georgia asks eagerly.

"Wait." I breathe. "If we're going to do that, then I have to set the bait." Jax looks at me uncomprehendingly, and I lower my eyes. "I have to lead Mason into a trap."

Jax starts shaking his head slowly. "No. I'm not leaving you with him."

"Jax, we have to do something." Arden says quietly.

"No!" Jax replies forcefully, wrapping a protective arm around my shoulders. "You haven't seen what Margot has to go through. Mason and the rest of those bastards mentally tortured her before we came here."

I feel them all looking at me, and I step away from Jax. He turns to me, looking scared and confused. "I'm not letting him take control anymore." I tell him quietly. "It'll be five minutes. I'll ask him to meet me at my room, then we'll tell him."

Jax looks at the others. "Can I speak to Margot alone?"

Arden nods, taking Georgia and Emily by the hand, and they all leave the room. Jax turns to me, running a hand over his face in exhaustion. "I don't want to see you get hurt." he confesses quietly.

I take his hand, feeling stronger than I remember. "I won't get hurt, right? Because you'll always be there."

"Can you promise me something?" Jax asks.

"What is it?"

He breathes out forcefully, staring at the ground. When his eyes meet mine again, I'm shocked to see tears welling in them. "Promise me that you won't hurt yourself if I'm not there." Jax begs. "I can't bear it anymore, Margot. Why do you always have to be the one to sacrifice yourself?"

I stare at him in complete shock, then begin stammering, "I won't hurt myself. I swear, Jax, I won't."

He hugs me tightly to his chest, and I feel his tears fall into my hair. Helpless, all I can do is wrap my arms tighter around Jax, whispering to his heart, "I won't."

///