Page 26 of Wanted You More

I shake my head and move my frizzy blond hair out of my face. I can’t imagine what I look like. I didn’t brush my hair this morning or change out of my oversized sweatpants and T-shirt. My face is void of the typical makeup that makes me feel pretty, and my lips are chapped from the drop in temperature.

Normally, I hate people outside of my family seeing me like this. I’ve never cared about it around Noah. His gaze may last longer than I like, but there’s never any judgment no matter the state of my appearance.

Before Noah can say anything, I let out a short breath. “Sorry,” I murmur, rubbing one of my tired eyes. “You don’t need to hear that.”

He stands up, sliding his hands into his large hoodie pocket. “You don’t need to apologize for being honest with me, Austen. You never need to do that.”

It takes a moment of silence between us for me to soak in his genuine tone. “Okay,” I reply quietly. “Thank you for bringing me lunch. I’ll call your mom later to thank her too.”

“Anytime.” He gestures toward the door. “I should get going. My shift is in a couple hours and I have a few other errands to run beforehand. I’ll put the spare key back where I found it on my way out.”

He starts to walk out of the room, but I stop him. “Noah? How is…everything with you? With things?”

Things. People.Same difference.

I don’t know if he knows what I’m asking when he replies, “Things are good. Really good.”

There’s a tiny smile on his face that he doesn’t hide well, which gives me the answer I’m curious about. And I’m not sure I mean it when I say, “That’s good.” But Idomean it when I add, “I’m glad you’re happy.”

Because there’s no point in both of us being miserable.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Marybelle is waitingby my car with a sour look on her face as she stares at her phone. Before I can ask what happened, she says, “I’ve decided that I’m over high school boys and their games. Do you know what Davis did?”

I didn’t know she was talking to Davis, a senior whose only real personality trait is being a stoner. “Whatever it is can’t be good based on your face. But it’s Davis. Are you that surprised he did something to piss you off?”

Last year, he got suspended for a week because he went to the principal about being sold bogus pot. It was oregano. If that doesn’t say anything about his intelligence level, I don’t know what else she expects.

“He told me I wasn’t histype, Austen!” she bellows, opening the passenger door. She got her car taken away by her parents after a second speeding ticket. She’s lucky they let her keep it after the prank gone bad at Cheyanne’s party, so I don’t know why she’d risk her driving privileges. Getting mine taken away for two weeks was rough enough.

She slams the door closed, causing me to glare in her direction. “Respect my car,” I tell her, grabbing my seat belt and buckling in. “I need it to keep working, and you’ll hurt its feelings if you’re mean to it.”

Marybelle deadpans, “It’s a car.”

I roll my eyes, starting it up. “Says the girl who got a brand-new Mercedes for her sixteenth birthday. You’re forgetting mine is from 2004 and starting to show its age.”

“Whatever. Back to me and Davis.”

I lean back and look out the side mirror to see if Wolfe is anywhere in sight. “I’m pretty sure the only type Davis has is green and leafy. I wouldn’t get offended. You’d be wasting your time letting a guy like that bother you.”

She scoffs, staring out her window. “Says the girl who wastes her time with an older version of Davis. The only difference is that Monty washes his pot down with beer because those are his only two food groups.”

Although she isn’t entirely wrong about Monty, I don’t appreciate her bringing him up to make herself feel better. “I haven’t seen him since the scare. You know that.”

“Well, still.” She crosses her arms across her chest as if she’s pouting. “Where is Wolfe? I’ve got stuff to do.”

I’m tempted to ask her what things, since neither of us is scheduled to work today, and she doesn’t have any other transportation. But I don’t because I have a feeling she’s just saying that out of irritation.

When I don’t answer, Marybelle sighs heavily and turns to me. “Can’t he take the bus or something?”

“What’s your issue?” I finally ask. She doesn’t mind Wolfe. She’s always seen him as an annoying little brother. “It can’t just be because of Davis. You couldn’t have been talking to him for that long because you never told me about it.”

Her eyes narrow. “That’s because you’ve been a shitty friend lately! All you care about is your brother and dad and spending time at home. You never want to hang out or go anywhere anymore. You’ve become so boring and tight laced since you thought you were pregnant.”

My nostrils flare with irritation over the ridiculous complaint. “I’ve been trying to spend more time with my family because I haven’t been a good daughter or sister. All I cared about for years is escaping all the bullshit I’ve had to deal with by hanging out with you and partying. Just because I’ve pulled away from that doesn’t mean I’m a shitty friend. And wouldn’t you be scared straight if you thought you were about to become a teen mom?”

The disgruntled noise she makes has anger settling deeper into my bones. “But youaren’tpregnant, Austen. And you could just get condoms if you’re that freaked to make the same mistake. You never cared about any of that stuff before, so why now? Seriously, you won’t even smoke with me anymore. It’s like you think you’re too good for me all of a sudden. And it all started when you tried being friends with that blonde nitwit this summer.”

---