Chapter eight

Wednesday evening, after work I headed to McLaren's diner to meet up with Maya and Ben, who had just come into town to see her. I spotted them from outside the window, he was whispering into her ear and she was giggling, still as love struck with each other as ever.


I walked into the diner, my face breaking into a smile as I approached them.


"Hey Ellie", Ben stood up and enveloped me in a warm bear hug once I got to their table "Damn girl, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages"


"That's cause you haven't. Too busy with your girlfriend and being a big time DJ for me", I pouted up at him. Ben was this cool DJ with dreadlocks and all who was kind of popular in the New York party scene, which was of course where Maya had met him. He was really sweet to her and she adored him and they were good together, although their PDA made me want to gag sometimes.


Ben chuckled as he sat down. "You know that's not true. I hear you're quite the big shot now, climbing up that corporate ladder"


I gave Maya a look. "I don't know what this one has told you but that's far from it"


Maya gave me a cheeky smile. "You just like to downplay your awesomeness, Ells"


The gum snapping waitress appeared just then, ready to take our orders. We settled on a large pizza we could all share. Ben asked for a beer and Maya and I ordered milkshakes.


"So when are you taking him to meet the 'rents?" I wagged my eyebrows at Maya once the waitress left


Maya laughed, her hand clutching his big bicep. "Tomorrow. We could have gone earlier but tough guy here was scared. Can you imagine that?"'


I snorted back a laugh. I couldn't imagine Ben scared of anything, he was such a cool cat.


"Hey. I don't know about you guys but where I come from, meeting the parents is a big deal," Ben offered in his defence.


"Anything to help you sleep at night, babe", Maya said, rolling her eyes at him. Then she turned to me, her eyes glinting in excitement "So Ellie, the reunion is officially a go!"


"Really? I can't believe you made that happen", I wasn't entirely keen on the whole reunion thing, but Maya's enthusiasm was contagious.


"Yup. My girl's social skills should be a super power" Ben beamed at Maya


"So when is it?" I asked


"This Sunday. I found this new karaoke bar on Donovan Street and I've already sent out the invitations on Facebook and everything"


Karaoke was always fun. Okay, I was beginning to warm up to the idea now. "Sounds like a blast, Maya girl". We high fived over the table, giggling and the waitress finally returned with our pizza and drinks.


I dug in without wasting any time, I was hungry from work today.


"Woah", Ben watched in amusement as I gobbled down the first slice "Are you on a fast or something?"


I shook my head, washing the pizza down with a slurp of my milkshake. "I've been working in the labs this week, had less time for lunch"


"I see. Your boss working you too hard or something?"


"Oh no. My boss is quite great actually"


"Speaking of your boss", Maya piped up "Heard anything from the boss's son?"


I shook my head, my spirits a bit dampened at the thought of Noah. I hadn't seen or heard from him since Saturday, no calls, no texts. He didn't even forward me his joke of the week which had been a thing for a while. And I was too proud to contact him with the feeling that he was avoiding me.


"Who's the boss's son?" Ben asked curiously as he took in the look on my face.


"Oh, his name is Noah. He's a hell of a hottie and they are totally into each other", Maya supplied around a mouthful of pizza


"Oh no, he isn't into me. We're just friends", I gave an embarrassed shrug


"That's bull. I saw the way he looked at you at the coffee shop"


"Well, if he was into me he would have gotten in touch with me by now"


"Instead of leaving you high and dry after your date?"


"It wasn't a date"


"It was so a date, just under the guise of making kids happy"


"It really doesn't matter because if he liked me, he'd have told me or done something to imply that he liked me"


"Oh, please. Hanging around you when he doesn't actually have to isn't enough proof? Some guys are just shy like that. What do you think, babe?"


Maya turned to look at Ben, who had been looking between us, trying to follow our conversation. It took a few seconds for all the information to sink in, before he finally spoke.


"Ellie. Do you like this guy?" he asked me seriously


Okay, were we playing moment of truth? I nodded. "Yeah, I do", I answered honestly


"Do you want to be with him?" he asked further


That was a confusing one." I don't know... Well I didn't want to at first, like I don't want it to get in the way of my job or anything. But I can't shake this feeling I get when I'm near him and I'm like screw it, YOLO right?"


Maya laughed out loud at my attempt to use hipster slangs in my speech. Ben grinned as well.


"Well, do you think he feels something similar towards you? I mean, most people can tell if they're being blown off but they choose to ignore it"


I thought back to Saturday. He had been nice, he had been awesome. No he wasn't blowing me off. I thought to the moment on the front porch, I had definitely seen something in his eyes before he had bolted off.


"I... I think so", I said, sounding unsure of myself


"Well if he hasn't made the first move, maybe you should" Ben suggested


"What?" I squeaked. Had the Ben we all knew and loved gone stark raving mad? Oh, hell no.


But he was completely serious. "For real, Ells. He might just be afraid of rejection or something"


Maya scoffed. "Afraid of rejection? Oh please, no straight woman in her right mind would think of rejecting that gorgeous hunk with the smoking hot bod..."


Maya quieted right down when Ben turned and fixed her with a look. "Except me of course", she kissed him on his cheek and he couldn't help but break into a smile.


"But seriously, Ells. If you want to be more than friends with him, you can make the first move. This is the 21st century you know", Ben went on


"Babe has a point", Maya added, sipping on her milkshake


"Okay, guys. I've heard your pointers on my love life", I just needed them to stop bombarding me "Can we focus on this pizza now? I'll think about it when I get home"


They needed no further encouragement, digging into the pizza and we talked about anything that didn't involve Noah Stinson.


I arrived back on the top floor of Stinson and Co. after completing my simulations and tests at the lab. I was in a good mood because I had done a good job and my supervisors had noticed and commended me on it.


Imagine the look on my face when I walked in and saw Noah sitting down on a chair he had pulled up to my desk. I tried to pretend my steps didn't falter as I stuck my chin up and went and sat down on my chair, totally ignoring him.


"Ellie..."


"Elena didn't you tell Noah here that Mr Stinson is in a meeting in the conference room", I said to Elena who was across the room, eyeing us suspiciously.


"I told him", she replied, crossing her legs and swivelling her chair to get a better view


"Then I wonder what he's doing here", I busied myself with some work I didn't actually have to do


"Don't be like this, Ellenore", Noah said, his tone serious but with a bit of a plea underlying


I turned to look at him, like really look right into his hazel eyes. We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, my hands trembling on my desk because I was so affected by him even though I was mad at him.


"Where have you been?" I asked him point-blank


He sat up and I tried not to notice how good he looked in his black button down shirt tucked into dark pants and awesome Brogue shoes. His hand absent-mindedly stroked his smooth chin, light reflecting off his designer watch.


He looked like the Noah that I met that day in New York. Not like the Noah who had become my friend.


"I went to LA for a couple of days", at the questioning arch of my brow, he added "To see some friends"


He looked away at that last statement. Hmm, odd.


"What? There's no cell reception in LA nowadays?" I hoped he wouldn't detect the hurt in my voice


"Look, I know I fucked up", Noah said, he let out a breath and ran his hand through his hair "I'm sorry"


I didn't answer him, staring absently at my laptop screen.


"I'd like to... tell you something. But not when you're mad at me"


I sighed. "I'm not mad anymore, Noah", I looked at him again and our eyes connected, I was the one who pulled away "I don't know why I even was"


"Well I figured you'd be. And I got you something to make it up to you". I looked at him again and watched as he pulled out something from his pocket "Tickets to see the Invaders band for their hometown concert this evening"


I stared at him in shock, not able to formulate a reply.


"I remember you mentioning they were one of your favourite bands from that movie" They were my favourite band, not one of "And I got three tickets so you could invite Maya"


OMG. I couldn't believe Noah had freaking remembered and then went and gotten tickets to their hometown concert. This had to be the best apology gift ever in history. I tried to restrain myself from freaking out.


Noah noticed, his upper lip curling as he watched me try to fight this inner battle. "So do you want them or nahh?"


"Of course I want them", I reached out and snatched them from his hand, happiness bubbling up in my chest. Noah visibly relaxed now, he could tell that I had forgiven him.


"How did you even get these? I tried getting them but they have been sold out for weeks" I inquired


Noah smirked at me. "I have my ways"


Oh wow. I could totally smother him to death in a happy hug right now.


He stood up. "I have to go now. I'll pick you up by 8?"


"Sure", I nodded, smiling up at him


"Okay", he gave me a devilishly handsome grin "Oh... and Ellenore?"


"Yeah?"


"Your desktop background has depleted some of my brain cells. I mean Care Bears really?"


I flipped him off and he chuckled, walking away. I looked back at the Care Bears on my laptop, smiling goofily to myself.


"Oh wow", said Elena


Darn, I had forgotten she had been listening in on our conversation.


I quickly wiped the smile off my face and gave her a look. "Oh wow what?"


"You guys totally want each other", she said


I laughed awkwardly. "Oh no way, I..."


"Hey I'm not stupid or blind. I could feel all that sexual tension all the way over here"


"Don't be silly, Elena"


"Oh, I wish I was being silly because it pains me to see Noah into you when I've been here all along", she gave a dramatic sigh, flipping her full hair over her shoulders and went back to her work.


I tried to do the same but her words had made my heart to beat fast in my chest, Could she possibly be right? Could Noah actually feel for me the same way I felt about him? Was that what he wanted to tell me? Well, I didn't know and I had been thinking a lot about what Ben said last night, maybe tonight I would take things into my own hands and find out.

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