Teaching Noah | √

024

BY THE TIME me and Camden pulled away, we were breathless, but I hadn’t had enough. Wanting more, and feeling confidence build in me, I pressed my lips back to his. It was clear he wasn’t expecting the action, but he went with it and wrapped his arm around my waist. With the way he kissed me back, I knew it was something he had wanted to do for a while now, and my mind went back to the time I was at his house; the way his gaze had dropped to my lips. Yes, that must have been the time.

When we finally broke apart, our breaths were a bit ragged and uneven. Camden brushed a thumb across my cheek, his eyes fixed on mine, “I like you, Riley.”

I swallowed, feeling butterflies in my stomach. I loved the way he looked at me, and before I tried to tell him how I felt too, he quickly added, “Scratch that, I really like you, Riley.”

I felt a smile slowly spread across my face, “I really like you too, Camden.”

His face was etched with relief and surprise, but I didn’t know why he would be surprised. If anything, I should be surprised. We had spent a lot of time together, but I didn’t think it was enough for him to fall for me.

“So, what happens?” I spoke up, licking my lip in a swift motion as I looked at him, “I— I don’t think I’m exactly ready for a—”

“You want to take things slow?” His fingers dropped to my fingers and he took them in his.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “If that’s okay with you.”

“It’s more than okay. We can do whatever on your terms,” he chuckled, then paused. “You’re cute, come here.” He pulled me into his arms. I hugged him back, and that was where I spent the following hours.

I liked it here.

❀

“Your nose is literally perfect, I shouldn’t be contouring it,” I said as I went ahead to draw a line of dark concealer down her nose.

“You know, I don’t even care what you do, I trust you to make me look good,” Lennon winked through the mirror, causing me to chuckle.

Despite the number of times Lennon had convinced herself that it would be good if she knew how to do her own make up, she somehow still ended up running back to me if she ever needed to get glammed up.

The amount of people who followed Lennon’s dessert board on Pinterest had somehow turned into followers on her other social media accounts, and so she tried to update them with pictures from time to time. It was when she needed to do this that she scurried to me, apart from days when she was giving off her natural looks.

“I wish River was around,” she sighed.

It was always fun watching River do small photo shoots for Lennon. Of course, she would have to beg him and sometimes pay him with desserts, but River always took the best pictures of her.

River always took the best pictures of anyone, period.

“You’re hella photogenic, plus you know just how you take those gorgeous pictures of yourself, so you’re good,” I told her sincerely. By this time, I was brushing off some setting powder off her face with powder.

“Okay, random thought,” Lennon began after a moment of silence. “Wouldn’t it be sick if your mom and Simon had a thing?”

“What?” I chuckled softly, an eyebrow raised. I definitely didn’t see that one coming. “That was so…random.”

“It’s just, Simon’s really cool, and too good-looking for his age. Your mom on the other hand, is one of the most beautiful and amazing people I know.”