Page 57 of Outdrawn

“This look in your eyes.” My thumb brushed the apple of her cheek. I leaned closer, and she matched my movement.

I saw her throat bob as she swallowed before asking, “What look?”

“The look of someone so hopeful, it might ruin her.”

She laughed a little. “And that’s beautiful to you.”

I nodded. “It’s hard to maintain.”

Noah blinked, trying to fight off emotion she was not yet ready to share. “I guess.”

“You looked like this in school, and I confused it for naivete. It’s not. It’s beautiful, something you’ve protected, and I can’t help but admire you while also wanting to help protect that fire in you.”

“Sage…” she breathed. “Are you being serious right now?”

“I am. I swear on everything, I am.”

I was ready to provide more assurance, but before I can say another word, Noah closed the remaining distance between us. My breath caught in my chest, nerves buzzing loud enough to muffle everything that wasn't happening inside the photo booth. For now, nothing outside existed, and I didn't want it to either. Outside was full of art school debt, my family running in circles, and a comic company that wanted to drain everything they could from us.

Us. I liked the sound of us, associating that with her.

"Can I kiss you?" she whispered. "So we know what it feels like?"

I nodded. "You can."

She pressed her lips to mine. On instinct, my hand tightened on her thigh while the hand that’d been lingering on her cheek moved to the back of her neck. I held her closer to me, desperate to finally feel her.

We started soft and slow, both unsure about what we were doing. Her lips remain closed, and it didn't take me long to realize she was shy about kissing. Noah kept moving her hands around, unsure of where to rest them as I smiled against her mouth.

"What?" she asked when I couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Nothing," I whispered between kisses. "It's just, the girl who constantly tells me about myself can barely hold her own right now."

She made a disapproving noise and pulled away for a second. "I'm doing fine."

"You're a little stiff," I teased, not taking my gaze off her lips. I forgot she was wearing red tonight; the color is smudged and most likely all over me.

"Are you giving me notes right now?" she whispered against my lips.

"A little," I said, not sensing her change in mood until it was too late.

Noah frowned and pulled away from me, and I straightened, confused at the sudden space between us. She didn't say anything as she crawled over me to get out of the booth.

I followed, my heart rate picking up with confusion. "Pastel?"

Noah didn't look at me as she grabbed the two strips of photos, shoving one to my chest without a word.

“What happened?” I couldn’t mask the dejection in my voice with my usual nonchalance. The sadness and anger swirling in her eyes hit me at my core—I cared more than I ever wanted. The amount is far beyond the safety guidelines I’d put in place for myself—this was the perfect time to pull away, let her storm off and end something before it even started, but the ache in my chest wouldn’t allow me.

“Noah, talk to me?” I asked in a softer tone. “Please?”

She looked up at my plea, her expression losing some hardness. Before she could answer, the sound of our names made us turn.

"There they are!" Seline's voice called from a few feet away. Everyone was standing in front of the food court, waiting on us, and Noah made her way over to them without looking back to see if I was following. I joined them, distracted with replaying what happened mere seconds ago.

"You guys ready to eat?" Harry said as he rocked back and forth, Marissa standing between his arms. Tyson smiled as he watched them.

"Yeah," Noah said with a nod. Her voice sounded off, but her face seemed normal enough. "I'm starving."

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