The jeep came to a stop. Not in the middle of the road, obviously. Noah managed to pull over. Somehow that was still enraging to other drivers because while my brain was still processing what had literally just happened, a red sports car that was coming up behind Noah's jeep honked and drove right beside him, but not without yelling out some curse words.

"Well?" Noah asked, impatience starting to show.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I wanted to talk back to him, tell him that he had some nerve offering me a ride when for days he wouldn't even bother to say good morning when we were literally sharing the same space. But I didn't.

"I'm going home first. Not the hospital." I clarified before tucking a lost strand of hair from my ponytail behind my ear. "My appointment is not until five."

Noah looked unbothered at my revelation. With a shrug of his shoulders, he asked me the same question again. "Well? Do you still want a ride home?"

I should have said no.

I should have just told him to take a hike and not look back.

But that was rude, and I was raised better than that. I was better than to just drop at his level of rudeness. At least the level of rudeness he's shown me.

"Um..." Up until the very last second, I was unsure, so unsure. "Sure." I ended up saying. I shrugged back and made my way towards the passenger seat, opening the door.

Supporting all my weight on my left leg, I jumped a little to make it to the passenger seat. It was a jeep after all.

The music was way too loud, to the point where I actually thought this could qualify as sound pollution, but I said nothing, not wanting to sound ungrateful.

When the car didn't move an inch and Noah stood still, looking at me while his fingers tapped the steering wheel to the sound of the beat, I thought this had been a prank and I had totally fallen for it. And I immediately regretted accepting his ride.

Never take a ride from strangers. I remembered what my dads had always told me. And so vividly, it made my insides turn right now.

But then he spoke up. "Could you give me the directions?"

Of course. It made sense now. He didn't know where I lived. I mentally slapped myself.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

I fidgeted with the loose strands of my bracelets while I told him where to go and where to turn.

It was a short card ride. Five minutes, probably, since I had already walked a bit.

"Didn't you just sit down at the table with your friends? Like fifteen minutes ago?"

I asked abruptly when he stopped his jeep on the side of the road right outside my house. He chose not to enter the driveway and I chose not to think too much of it.

"Oh yeah, but Ben and I were headed to swim practice and I realized I forgot my shorts, so... I had to drive home real quick."

Swim practice. Yep, all of Harper and Kyle's suspicions check out.

"I'm part of the swim team as well." I blurted out.

"I knew." Noah said, his voice dropping a tone lower, while looking me in the eye.

I can't explain how he did it but his look was so captivating, I stared at him for a solid ten seconds without speaking. Damn it, that was ten whole seconds without even breathing, which felt like ten minutes because by the time a notification sound went off on my phone, I felt like breathing for the first time in a while.

Like I was in a bubble that had suddenly burst.

"Thanks for the ride. You didn't have to."

"It was no hassle, I live a couple of blocks from here." He said, resting his left arm lazily on the door, sounding so relaxed, so laid back.

"Are you sure you're not gonna get in trouble? Showing up late to practice on your first day back?"

"It's like you said, it's my first day back." He said, tilting his head to the side before showing me a grin. "The coach can cut me some slack."

A drift was felt inside the vehicle from the windows rolled down, causing his white t-shirt to gently move against his skin. Once I picked up my backpack that I had previously placed next to my feet, and opened the passenger door, the movement became more visible.

"Alright, thank you again."

With my backpack hanging on one shoulder, I jumped off the jeep, my feet hitting the concrete floor with a loud thud.

"You got it, Barbie doll."

My eyes instinctively rolled but by the time I turned in my heels to say something smart and witty to shut him up, the car was already halfway down the road.

* * *

"So, you're all good?"

"Apparently, yes. My blood work keeps looking good."

Kyle came by my place after his third surfing session of the week - that he claims to have been one of his best ones - to join me for dinner while my parents were at a dinner party. And Harper, who should be showing up any second now, was joining us too.

He grabbed a bag of Cheetos from the kitchen cabinet and threw them at me, who catched them smoothly with my palms open wide.

"I just gotta say, first and foremost, that you are the strongest person I know. And I'm so glad you're doing okay now."

"Thanks." I replied with a smile while I saw him open the fridge to get us some cola drinks, three glasses now in his hands. "Me too. All I need to do now is talk to the coach and see if he can still let me be a part of the winter competition."

"Don't push yourself already, alright? You have just been cleared from the doctor."

"I won't be pushing myself, Kyle! But I know that I can keep up with the rest of the team if I do a couple of extra practices a week." I fidgeted with my hair in between my fingers while I thought about it. "Plus, it's not like I've got a heart condition or something... I just have a crappy immune system. I have a hard time fighting infections but it's not like I'm planning on getting another one anytime soon, so..."

"Yeah, but your body's still fragile." He said, his voice dropping a tone, yet he didn't let it become a whisper.

That was true. And it was a hard truth. A pill hard to swallow. But it was in fact true, and I had to be careful.

"Okay, I get it. But I'm sure I can work something out with Coach."

Just as I was about to switch to Netflix so we could choose something to watch - or, as per usual, spend approximately two hours discussing the different options, talking about everything and anything, and ending up on not watching anything at all -, I hear the doorbell ring and I get up from the couch to make my way to the door.

"Zozo!" She lifts up her arms, balancing multiple plastic bags. "How are you?"

"I'm great." I said as I hugged her. "God, it smells so good." I sighed in contentment after taking in the amazing smell of the chinese food she brought with her.

Sliding to the side to let her in the house, I closed the door behind her and watched as she made her way towards Kyle and they hugged. They truly were just friends and nothing else.

Thinking about it now, it was probably for the best. Relationships can end badly - which, thankfully, was not their case - and if that were to happen, I would have to say goodbye to spending time with the two of them, at the same time. And I didn't want that.

"You're a lifesaver, I was deeply craving chinese." Kyle said before running his hand through his blonde hair.

"I am a lifesaver, thank you for acknowledging it." They let go and she put the bags down on the coffee table. "I didn't know what to get so I went and got us a little bit of everything. We got eggrolls, kung pao chicken, dim sums, and noodles."

Harper took off her long brown jacket and put it on the back of the chair in the dining room before joining me and Kyle at the couch. Each of us grabbed their favorite and started to dig in.

We went back and forth between Baywatch and 21 Jump Street, while also discussing some limited series we've been meaning to watch, but ended up talking, watching some trailers, and not watching any movies or shows.

"I know the school's year is just starting but this year we're doing things a little bit differently in the theater club." With mine and Harper's attention on him, Kyle continued. "We're doing three small plays until Christmas break," He paused his explanation to add, "all of them will be on Friday nights, by the way," He took another small pause to chew his food before he went on. "and then on the last day of classes we're doing one bigger production."

Harper and I looked at each other with matching grins, before looking at Kyle who was highly invested in his chicken.

"That is such great news!"

"Well, it is and it isn't." He explained, while our smiles slowly disappeared. "For those first three plays I won't be having a major role. I'll be a secondary character."

"So?" Harper asked, not getting where he was going with this.

"I haven't been a secondary character in a play since second grade, Harper." He deadpanned.

"That is true." I agreed. "And what about that last play before Christmas break?"

"That's where it gets interesting. See, for that play we're doing Les Mis and I'm playing Jean Valjean." Harper and I wooed in celebration. "But I'll be so busy with those other three plays I'm afraid I won't be well prepared for the final one."

Kyle has always dreamed of being an actor and he's always taken Theater Club so incredibly seriously. Every play, big or small, he goes on that stage and acts the life out of it, working on his performance like the Academy was watching him. So, these concerns of his were expectable, to say the least.

I sighed and wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling him closer to me in a sort of hug. "I'm sorry. But I know you'll find a way to be great. In all plays and in all roles. And every role is important, you know that."

"Zoey's right. Do you think you're gonna find your place in Hollywood or Broadway being the lead?" A pause, then she continued. "Absolutely not. You're gonna start small, like every actor does, and you're slowly going to get bigger and better roles."

He didn't seem to be very happy about Harper's theory, but he didn't fight it because, deep down, he knew it all too well. It just stung a little.

"That other day when I ran into you, I spent the entire time thinking about the lines for the upcoming play. Couldn't even enjoy the waves."

"Aw, my poor Leonardo DiCaprio." Harper said, jokingly, and I joined in on the laughter.

"We're just kidding Kyle." I took a pause and then added. "I know how you feel, I'm sorry. But you have nothing to worry about. Really."

Kyle showed us a sly smile but didn't discuss this issue any further. Instead I brought another subject to the table.

"Speaking of, that day when I was coming back from school something really weird happened to me." I said while I picked up my can of Diet Coke.

My best friends gave me questioning looks and I put down my drink to explain it to them.

"I got a ride home. And you'll never guess from who."

That got their wheels turning. I could see it.

Okay, maybe I'm going to regret telling them about this because they are going to make such a big fuss. But I gotta finish what I started.

"If you can guess I'll give you the last eggroll." I offered, hoping it would distract them a little bit after I confessed it.

"I literally have no idea." Harper said while she adjusted her blanket around her waist.

"Which day was it?" Kyle asked, intrigued.

"That day, when we ran into each other."

"Oh, come on... whoever it was I would have seen them!"

"Well... they were in their car so, no, you wouldn't."

"Would you just tell us?" My cousin insisted, boiling with curiosity.

"Fine, I'll tell you but this eggroll is mine now!" I picked it up from the carton box and took a bite. Kyle and Harper looked at me with suspense written all over their faces.

"Noah Wilson."

There was a silence. And then their mouths opened wide while their wheels kept turning.

"What?!" Harper asked, her voice high pitched, reflecting her state of pure shock.

Kyle looked just as shocked. "Wait... how did that happen in the first place?"

"He asked if I wanted a ride and I accepted it."

"Oh my God!" Harper put down her box of noodles and sat up straighter on the couch. "Do you know how big of a deal that is?!"

I instantly rolled my eyes. "It is not a big deal."

"Care to explain?" My best friend asked, with his eyes opened wide.

"It was a ride, Kyle! How is that a big deal?"

"It's not about the fact that it was a ride, it's about who gave you the ride!" My cousin Harper interjected, letting her opinion known, fast and strongly like a lightning bolt. "Noah Wilson, top male swimmer of school, hot as hell, and surprise surprise... it was the guy that used to ignore you. And who, ladies and gentlemen, Zoey used to hate!"

"Hate is a strong word, alright? I just used to think he was rude."

"What, you don't think that anymore?" Kyle promptly asked, with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"I know what you two are doing and let me stop you right there." I held up my hand in defense. "It was a ride home. It's not a big deal."

"Whatever you say..." Harper shrugged, nodding her head in disbelief. "But that is a big deal, Zo!" She insisted, while her eyes opened wide, clearly trying to make her point.

I sighed before rolling my eyes and ending the conversation.

"Well, we're just gonna have to agree to disagree then."

* * *

author's note: well... this just happened! and you guys don't even dream of what's in store for zoey and noah in the next chapter(s) 🤭

sounding like a broken record here but please vote and comment (i love reading your comments!) also, check out my ig (missmarswrites) for more TBOTE related content and information about my upcoming projects!

xoxo, mars