Page 104 of I Shouldn't Feel This Way

“So you were dancing all sexy on that boy to get back at me?”

He found it sexy?I was so angry that I could have cried. I knew it had been absolutely stupid and childish of me to react the way I did by using Ryan, but Noah made me crazy in the head. There was no better way of explaining it.

“Not everything I do is always about you,” I denied. “I was dancing on him because I felt like it. You can’t control my life twenty-four/seven.” I tried to make my bitterness obvious.

“I’m your father, and technically you’re not a legal adult yet, so yes, Icancontrol your life, Aria.” Those blue eyes intensified, penetrating straight through my egotistical barrier. Why did we have to fight so much?

I glanced at my wrist watch. “Enjoy your authority over me for another … oh—forty-five minutes! I’ll be eighteen by midnight! And I’ve already thought of the perfect birthday present to give to myself.”

“Oh, yeah? And what’s that?” He looked amused by my response.

“I’m dropping your last name and choosing my own. I’m not a Mitchell, I don’t feel like a Miller, and I sure as hell don’t want to be a Hunter!”

Noah studied me inquisitively, folding his arms in his chest. “Well, good luck going through the legal process, becauseIsure as hell won’t be giving you any legal aid.”

“Is that supposed to surprise me?” I sardonically answered. “What do you think the internet is for these days? Changing my last name will be a piece of cake.”

He dropped his arms and pressed his thumb and index to his forehead, exhaling his frustration. “Are you PMSing or something? What is your problem?”

I clenched my jaw and scowled at him. “You! You are my problem!”

Noah frowned, shaking his head. “I’m just trying to protect you. Don’t you understand that? Those guys could’ve lured you somewhere and raped you.”

“They’re people I know from school!”

“So?” he shouted, startling me. “Do you think that takes the risk away?” He steadied my shoulders and said, “How can you trust a guy so easily? I didn’t think you were that naïve, Aria.” There was anger in his voice—I could hear it—and my lips began to tremble. I was fighting my tears again, averting my eyes.

The car was only a few feet away from us. I kept my head down and tried to get away from him as fast as my feet could carry me. His footsteps followed behind me, as gravel crunched beneath our shoes.

“Aria …” That crunching sound got louder until he caught up.

“I want to go home,” I stated sharply. “You’ve officially ruined my night.” Refusing to look back, I kept walking ahead.

“Hold on a minute, please.” Noah grabbed my arm and forced my body to turn and face him.

I looked up as he towered over me, superior and intimidating. He made me feel so small. If this was a battle for dominance, he was winning.

“Can we please not let this disrupt our fun?” he begged. “Come on, baby, we were having such a great time.”

His terms of endearment were never said in romantic ways, which absolutely gutted me inside. I exhaled harshly and defensively crossed my arms against my chest. Was it too late to salvage the evening? “You embarrassed me and basically called me a slut in front of my friends. That hurt.”

“I’m sorry, okay?” He sulked. “I was getting a little crazy and tried my best to control my temper. I didn’t mean to insult you. I’ll make sure to apologize to Ryan tomorrow if it’ll make you feel better.”

No, it wouldn’t.

“I’m not perfect,” said Noah. “I screw up. I make mistakes too.” He looked at me with those soft cerulean eyes.

How could I stay mad at him? Again, it was impossible. I had a cat’s temper around him … incredibly pissed and hissing in the heat of the moment, and then completely calm and relaxed a few minutes later. At least that’s how Buffy’s temperament was. I missed her. She was a Scottish Fold I had grown up with. Her death had hit me hard when she died four years earlier. I hadn’t had another pet since. Owning a fish was even hard. Death was a traumatizing ordeal for me.

“Can we hug and make up now?” he asked.

I preferred tokissand make up but was willing to settle for a hug. Resisting the urge to smile, I failed miserably when he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me close.

“You drive me nuts, do you know that?” he said.

I was about to respond but stopped when my stepmom and her sister showed up.

“There you guys are!” Vanessa said. “We’ve been looking all over for you. What are you doing back at the car?”

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