Chapter 64 Chapter Sixty Four
Lena’s POV – Present
\[Recap: Last chapter ended with Noah asking Lena "Do you trust me?" after she revealed she can't meet Allison’s impossible standards for the tryouts.\]
I stared at Noah, he’d known me barely twenty-four hours but had already stood up for me more than anyone ever had.
He didn't care about being seen with me in public; he wasn't worried about his reputation. He was worried... about me.
His eyes were steady and patient as he waited for my answer.
"Yes," I said quietly. "Yes, I trust you."
How could I not? It made no sense to feel so much trust for someone I had barely met, and I knew it didn’t make much sense, but I did trust him. There was no doubt about it.
His smile was bright and comforting enough to chase away some of the anxiety coiling in my chest. He held out his hand.
"Then leave everything to me.”
I took his hand and shook it gently, his grip warm and sure.
The final bell rang, echoing through the empty hallway. Students poured out of classrooms, a river of voices and slamming lockers as everyone gathered their stuff and got ready to leave.
"Lena! Noah!"
We turned to see Nicole and Jake jogging toward us, their backpacks bouncing and they ran.
"Hey, so we were thinking," Jake said, slightly out of breath, "you guys want to walk home together? We can take the long way, grab food or something."
"Really sorry about that whole thing with Allison, it was pretty intense," Jake added, falling into step beside me as we headed for the exit. "You handled it like a boss, by the way. I try to tell Nicole not to take the bait, but she never listens."
"I'm not sorry at all," Nicole grumbled. "Somebody has to give that girl a taste of her own medicine. And if that person has to be me, then so be it."
"You were pretty savage," Jake agreed with clear admiration. "The sugar daddy line and the look on her face when you said it? That was chef's kiss, although I’m still not sure if you were just going or not.”
“Of course I was! What do you take me for?” Nicole laughed. “Although….”
Noah asked, “Although what?”
Nicole whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, “Although my mom’s a journalist, and she knows all the tea about these senators and like… government officials and stuff.”
Her voice grew even lower, “I’m pretty sure Alison’s father is having an affair and her parents are fighting over a divorce, that’s why she’s such a bitch.”
I gasped, Noah raised his eyebrows in shock, and Jake just face-palmed saying, “First off, Nicole, you can’t talk like that about other people. Second, that actually explains things when you think about it.”
“Maybe if she wasn’t such a bitch, I wouldn’t talk about her like that,” Nicole said, clearly not caring if she was being judged or not.
“Wow. Okay, she’s evil, we knowwwww. Are you gonna drop it yet?” Jake finished for her.
I managed a weak smile at their jokes, but the bravado I'd felt in the gym was already fading away.
"What's wrong?" Nicole asked, studying my face. "You seem worried."
"I'm fine, it's just…” I bit my lip. "What if I can't do it? One single day to learn a back handspring, toe touches, herkie jumps, it’s impossible.”
I sighed, “I've watched cheerleaders practice those moves for years but I never… I don't even know where I'd practice. Or when I'd find the time."
I'd been losing weight steadily, because of the stress killing my appetite. My clothes hung looser every single day, plus I basically walked everywhere since I couldn't afford bus fare.
My body was exhausted, always exhausted from the constant physical and mental exercise, and it was beginning to show.
"First of all," Nicole said firmly, "you're going to stop that negative self-talk right now. No bestie of mine is ever permitted to talk down on themselves."
“But…” I started. “What if people don’t…”
“Then we’ll be there to tell anyone who acts up else to fuck right off where the sun doesn’t shine,” Nicole said simply.
“Language aside,” Jake added, “she’s right. You’ve got us now. You’re not alone anymore.”
"I told you I’d help you figure it out," Noah said. "And I will."
"Right, but first…" Jake suddenly brightened. "Let's go to Marco's. You look like you could use some carbs and good company."
"Where exactly is this Marco's? I never actually heard about it till you brought it up at lunch,” I asked.
Nicole and Jake stopped walking, they turned to stare at me with identical expressions of horror.
"Where’s Marco's?" Nicole repeated slowly. "Did you just… Jake, pitch me! Did she just—"
"She's never been to Marco's," Jake said his voice grave as he reached out to pinch Nicole. "This is a tragedy. An actual tragedy."
"A crime against humanity," Nicole agreed.
"But, come on, it's just pizza…"
"Just pizza?" Jake clutched his chest and fell to the ground dramatically. "Noah, tell her."
"I've never been either," Noah admitted, laughing a little.
"TWO of them!" Nicole threw her hands up. "Okay, that's it. We're fixing this right now. Come on."
She linked her arm through mine, practically dragging me down the sidewalk.
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Marco's Pizza was tucked into a corner spot on Main Street, sandwiched right between a dry cleaner and a bookstore. I was surprised I’d never spotted it before.
The sign outside was old-fashioned neon, flickering slightly in the bright afternoon light.
The moment we pushed through the door, the smell of garlic, tomato sauce, and fresh-baked dough hit me.
It was the sort of smell that made me think of family dinners and Friday nights, back when my Dad was still with us.
Red checkered tablecloths covered every surface. Framed photos lined the walls, decades and decades of Little League teams, prom couples, and what looked like half the town at various stages of life.
There was a small jukebox in the corner playing something jazzy and warm.
"There they are!" A man behind the counter who looked to be in his mid-fifties called out.
He was barrel-chested, with a big lumberjack beard and moustache, and he grinned broadly. "My two favourite customers who never tip!"
"That's slander, Marco," Nicole called back. "We tip generously with our presence and charm. You love us."
"Your presence, maybe. Your charm is debatable." Marco's eyes twinkled as he wiped his hands on his sauce-stained apron. "Who're your friends?"
"This is Noah and Lena," Jake said. "Be nice to them. They're cool."
"Any friend of these two troublemakers is either very brave or very stupid." Marco studied us with open curiosity. "But I like your faces, you both look like you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. What can I get you?"
Nicole and Jake spoke at the exact same time: "Large pepperoni, extra cheese, light sauce, well done, with a side of garlic knots and two Cokes."
They both stopped, then they stared at each other.
Then they both shouted, "Jinx!"
"You owe me a soda," Nicole said immediately.
"I literally just ordered two sodas. That should count."
"Doesn't count if it's part of the original order. Everyone knows that."
"Since when is that a rule?"
"Since always! Noah, back me up here."
"I'm staying out of this," Noah said diplomatically.
"You two are exhausting," Marco said with obvious fondness for them. "And for the new kids?"
"I'll have the same," Noah said. "But make mine a Sprite."
Marco's gaze landed on me. "And you, young lady?"
"Oh, I'm okay. I'm not really hungry…"I muttered.
"Nope." Nicole cut me off. "Not allowed. Marco, get her something good."
"Seriously, it’s okay. I don't have money for…"
"It's on me," Noah said quickly. "And before you argue, I noticed you barely touched your lunch. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and you need fuel."
"Listen to the smart one," Marco said. "How about I make you a personal margherita? Light, fresh, not too heavy. On the house for a first-timer."
"You really don't have to…"
"Kid." Marco's voice was gruff but kind. "I've been feeding people in this town for over thirty years. I know when someone needs a good meal. Sit. Eat. You can argue with me later if you still want to."
Something about his tone made my throat tight. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. He was being nice after all, it would be impolite to refuse, wouldn’t it?
"Smart girl," Marco said approvingly. "Go grab a booth. I'll bring it out when it's ready."
Jake and Nicole led us to a booth they claimed near the back, and we were supposed to sit there and wait for our orders before moving to a table.
The vinyl seats were cracked but comfortable, the table slightly sticky but in a well-loved way.
Someone had carved initials into the wood, dozens of them, layered over each other till you could barely tell where one name started and the other one ended.
"So," Jake said, stretching his arms across the back of the booth. "Do you and Alison have some kind of history with each other? Or…”
"Yeah, I was wondering about that. She seemed even more bitchy than usual , she looked kind of like she wanted to murder someone," Nicole agreed. "Specifically you, Lena."
"She's looked at me like that before," I said quietly. "She’s just not used to me not running away.”
"Well, I'm proud of you," Nicole said. "Seriously. That took guts, I don’t know how you do it. If I had that girl on my ass constantly, I would’ve lost my mind already.”
Just then, Noah’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and his entire expression changed from relaxed to tense.
"Everything okay dude?" Jake asked, noticing the look on his face.