All American Boy Next Door ✔️

12. Warning

Aaron’s POV

Hanging out with Noah was a breath of fresh air. I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t stalking him. I was just having breakfast when I saw him with his bag walking into the forest. I followed him, saw his treehouse, and the rest is history.

And I was glad I went in there. I found information about Noah that I would’ve never guessed. 

That being said, why did he come here? Did he use this place as an escape from reality? Why was he distant from his family? Why did his dad look happy when he saw his son with another person? All these questions pondered me. There was something up with this.

I was currently walking with Noah to school. He finally stopped walking away from me.

“Hey, why is it that whenever Mack is nearby, you tense up?” I asked Noah.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” He looked nervous. Definitely wasn’t nothing.

“C’mon, you can tell me anything.” 

“Fine. Promise not to say anything.” I crossed my heart. “Mack tends to be very… flirty with me. But not in a good way. He finds ways to bother me. And I can’t say anything because then he’ll spread rumors about me. I just want him to leave me alone.” Noah finished. He cowered after he finished speaking, looking like he was ashamed.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought maybe you liked him.” He laughed, actually laughed.

“Hell no! I’m not into straight guys who act gay.” He said. For some reason I felt relieved.

When we approached the school, I was once again swept away by my teammates. I gave a wave to Noah, and he waved at me. Every time I saw him, I made sure to give him the biggest smile I could.

We were in the locker room, getting ready for football practice. Everyone was outside and it was just me and Mack. I know I promised to say anything, but I can’t let it go.

“Mack. Can I talk to you for a second?” I said, turning to him while he put his helmet on.

“Sure.” He turned to me.

“Could you lay off Noah. I know you bother him. But I would appreciate it if you left him alone.” I said, hoping he wouldn’t get mad.

“Sure.” He said. I was a bit shocked. I kinda hoped he would put up a fight. 

“Great. Thanks!” I began to walk out until he grabbed my wrists.

“Aaron. I know you’re friends with him. I just want to warn you. He’s delicate.” I questioned what he meant.

“What’d you mean?”

“I mean, a few years ago, he tried to kill himself. He had a cast on and to cover up his attempt. It was the summer before ninth grade. I found out about it, and he went crazy. I had to calm him down and he exposed himself. Since then, I’ve tried to keep him from hurting himself. Just know that he’s clingy.” He finished. He then let go of my wrist and walked out of the locker room.

Bullshit.

I know he’s making all that up. Noah told me Mack messes with him. And I trust Noah more than some guy who in the past week has been nothing but a stuck up asshole.

But needless to say, I wondered how far that rumor was. Is there some truth to it? Is it fabricated? Or could it be the whole truth?

Practice went on normally. Coach was putting more pressure on us because we had our first game coming soon. It was in a few weeks, but even then we had to put our best effort now! I was nervous, but I know I got this!

I returned home, and rather than enter my house, I went to the treehouse. Since my first visit, I felt like the treehouse was like a portal to a dimension that was made just for me and Noah. Like we could be ourselves.

But I didn’t want that confined to one space. Which is why I would be asking Noah a question today.

Rather than knock on the trap door like a normal person, I bursted the door open and walked in like I was also living there. And I was met with a startled Noah who was on his bed reading a book. His legs were bare, and I found my eyes trailing them. I snapped my head out of my trance and looked at him.

“JESUS AARON! What if I was jerking off?” He said, setting his book aside

“You’re too innocent for that.” I said. He had a mischievous grin on his face.

“So, how was practice?” He asked. I know he didn’t care about football, but I felt like I could talk about the dictionary and he would listen to every word.

“Great. We have our first game in a few weeks. So practice has been harder.” I said, laying down on the bed. He scooted over, while I tried not to look at his legs.

“Ooo, sounds fun.” He said sarcastically. 

It went quiet for a while. I didn’t mind it. I folded my arms to the back of my head. My elbow brushed on Noah’s legs.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked

“Sure, anything.” He said. It was only two letters, but he was already warming up to me. That ‘anything’ to me was a symbol that he would do anything for me. And I really liked that.

“Wanna hang out with me outside the treehouse?” I asked. No, I wasn’t gonna ask him out.

Not yet, I hope.

“Umm, I don’t know. Going out isn’t my thing.” He said. 

“Oh come on you agoraphobe. It won’t be that bad. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” I said.

He thought about it for a while. And in that time, I held my breath.

“I’ll buy you food.” I said.

“I’m in!” He said fast.

I remembered what Mack told me. It didn’t want to ask him. Not now. Maybe in the future. But as of right now, I want to earn Noah’s trust. It doesn’t feel right for me to pester him about a false rumor when we’ve barely met. 

“Hey look! This spoiled apple reminds me of you!” He said, holding up indeed, a spoiled apple. I laughed and he laughed too. I saw his face light up at the fact that he has someone to talk to. He looked happy. Much different than the Noah I first met in the office.

“Noah, you bitch!” I said as I threw a pillow at him.

“You’re gonna regret that.” And I did.

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bye! i love you all!