Page 57 of Prove Me Wrong
Something was troubling him.
Before he left Gran’s house, I made sure to hug him closely, not saying anything but silently holding him. I felt his heart racing against my own.Part of me wished it was beating erratically for me, but it would have been from whatever was making him so quiet. Leaving with a sleeping Jade, Noah kissed my cheek, and the intensity in my blood heated at the feeling. It was so simple and small, but it made me feel closer to him. And now I feel those walls guarding my heart beginning to deconstruct, and it makes me nervous.
Sinking my teeth into my lip, Noah’s finger reaches out, pulling my face up so that I can’t hide what he’s done to me. Eyes lock onto mine again, and I feel my knees weakening at how vibrant they are today. “I like it when I make you blush.” I feel my face heating, stomach burning as well. His dimples deepen, making my heart bloom when Noah leans down and lifts Jade onto his waist. “Jade picked them out for you.”
“Really?” My lilt is barely audible as I’m still gushing over them. Jade giggles, poking fingers into the side of Noah’s cheek, making him chuckle. “She has good taste.”
“She learnt from the best.” He pumps his eyebrows at me, and I let out a small laugh that brightens his eyes even more. His chin points through the doorway behind me, gaze locking on something over my shoulder. “Was that you playing in there?”
Frowning for a beat, I glance behind me to the empty piano with sheet music scattered on top, and nod. “Yeah, it’s one of my favourites to play. Beethoven is difficult but always a crowd pleaser.”
His eyebrows lift to his hairline. “Well, this crowd was very impressed.” I laugh at that. “You’re way better than justslightly above average.” His tone mimics mine, and my jaw slackens at how terrible he sounds.
“You remember me telling you I was slightly above average?” A bashful smirk dances on my lips.
Noah lifts a shoulder. “Well, yeah. But I was correct in saying that you’rereally talented.” He winks at me.
Shaking my head, concealing a wide enough grin that’ll display all my teeth, I dig my nose in the petals once more before peering up at him. “Did you want a piano lesson in exchange for the flowers?”
His eyes shudder, like he’s considering my offer, but instead declares, “Actually, I had a better idea.”
I swallow, unsure of where he's going.
“Have you ever been to the Autumn Festival before?” Apple eyes shimmer with intrigue.
My chin dips. “I haven’t been since I finished school.”
Noah gives a low hum. “Well, if you’re not busy today, Jade and I would love for you to come with us. I can show you around, get a drink, buy some delicious baked goods that fall apart in your mouth.” His eyes roll backward, and I let out a giggle.
Gaze flicking between Noah’s imploring face and Jade’s innocent one, my smile grows. “I’ll just have to change.” I refuse to look down at the sloppy tee and trackpants I threw on this morning. “And put these in water. Do you want to wait inside?”
“Sure.”
Noah follows me in, shutting the door with his foot and shadows me into the kitchen. Grabbing out a clay vase stained cream with green leaves, I go to fill it up when Noah takes it from my hand.
“Go change, I can do this for you.”
Lips parting, he just smirks and moves past me to the sink with Jade at his feet, looking around the house with enlarged bug eyes.
“I’ll only be a few minutes.”
Ducking down the hallway, I shut my bedroom door and let out a large pent-up breath I didn't realise I was holding on to. My hands restagainst the door, feeling the bitterly cold timber, grounding myself as my heart beats profoundly beneath my ribs. Steadying my breathing, I decide on wearing a grey knit jumper and wide-legged jeans. Slipping on runners to suit, I brush out my hair and stick a white bow at the top, glide some balm on my lips, and spray some perfume.
My hands are slippery from sweat because this feels like more than just us hanging out, getting to know each other. This feels intentional, almost like a date. Why else would Noah invite me out? Unless he's just trying to be friendly, which would be in his nature, given what I've learnt about him these past few weeks. But my hands are now sweating profusely. I haven’t been on a date in years, and I never thought I would again when I moved here. But I also can’t control the flush of heat creeping up my neck and the flutters in my chest.
Walking back out, I hear Jade’s giggles and see the two of them together, her little legs wrapped around his waist as Noah blows raspberries on her chest and neck. Bubbly laughs escape her smile, and my entire body warms, a piece of my heart mending at the sight of them. Seeing them adore each other does something to me, and the feeling doesn’t scare me away. If anything, I want to feel more of it, like starbursts erupting in my chest.
Noah’s eyes catch mine, and he drops Jade to the floor again, holding one of her hands to keep her steady. I move to her other side. “Are we walking there?”
“Yeah, it’s not too far, Grey.”
I slide her tiny fingers in mine.
The three of us walk slowly, since Jade’s little legs can’t keep up with ours, and Noah takes the time to tell me about the rock bands he’s seen in person, how he loves anything citrus or peppermint flavoured, and how his love for cars started with him working on them with his dad.
I share with him the rock gigs I’ve been to, how much I despise anything cherry-flavoured, and that I got into piano because it was something I could do alone.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother, but when you’re twins, most of the time you’re lumped together. We were always paired together, apart from sports, where Sinnett was way more skilled with rugby. Dad tried teaching me, but I was never into the roughness of the sport, so Mum made me try ballet.”
