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Chapter 27

Noah

"What are you talking about?"

My heart was pounding harder than it had ever pounded before. The guilt of last night wasn't helping. Maybe she knows? But how?

I watch as Chelsea picks up her phone and stares at it intently before throwing it towards me. "This!" Her blood is clearly boiling, her face is covered in anger.

I look down at her phone and my stomach almost drops from my body. I feel sick at the sight of what's in front of me. "How did..."

"How did I see it? I have friends who have my back, Noah. Friends who care for me, friends who warned me that you were no different from the rest of the guys out there. But silly old me fell for your charm. Do you know how stupid I feel right now?"

"Chelsea, I'm sorry but it's not what it looks like."

It was exactly what it looked like. My eyes still locked to the phone screen in my hand. A photo of Alice and me, lying in bed together last night. This must have been taken after I'd fallen asleep. But why would she take a selfie of us and post it to Instagram? This must have been the post she deleted earlier. Fuck!

"Don't try and get out of it, Noah. Not only are you both naked, did you read the caption?"

'FWB ❤️'

"Friends with benefits, huh? Is that right?"

I had no response. I was stood in front of this girl who I was genuinely beginning to fall for, who had just caught me cheating on her. What could I say?

She grabbed the phone from me and threw it down in anger on her sofa. "Argh! I'm so fucking stupid!" She began to pace around the living room, visibly shaking.

"How did you get that?"

A wry smile etches itself across her face. "Your stupid 'friend' posted it to Instagram but obviously forgot that Becky follows her. I mean she deleted it pretty quickly but not before Becky could get a screenshot and sent it to me. What an error of judgement, hey? Silly girl."

She's not wrong. Why would Alice even post it though? Her account is only for her professional photography, she doesn't usually post her real life on there?

"Still got nothing to say for yourself?"

"Look, Chelsea. I know it looks bad on my part but I can assure you, nothing happened. It had been a long day and she had offered for me to stay the night."

A chuckle from Chelsea made me realise I was wasting my time. "Oh quit digging yourself a hole, Noah. You're wasting my time here. Just go. I don't want to see you ever again. Just leave, you've caused enough damage.

"Chelsea, please? Let me explain. If you give me the opportunity, I promise I'll make it up to you."

"Why should I? Why should I waste my time listening to your cheating lips? They've probably still got the taste of her pussy on them."

She wasn't wrong.

"Please? Just give me ten minutes to talk and if after those ten minutes, you still want me to leave I will."

"Fine. You better get started though, the clock is ticking."

"Thank you." I took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa to where she was sitting. My heart still pumping hard. There was no way I was getting out of this with any credibility but it was worth a shot.

After a few deep breaths I began my defence.

"Yes, we did have sex last night but it didn't mean anything. We've been having sex for a few weeks and it all started unexpectedly before we met. It was just a casual thing but after the funeral when we were texting, Alice was stupidly drunk and kept trying it on me at the wake but I chose to come and spend the night with you because I missed you and needed you. You're my comfort, you're the one I want."

"Oh thank you. You really know how to make a girl feel wanted, Noah." Her eyes rolled as she turned her face away from me.

"Alice felt betrayed as I picked you over her and she put a guilt trip on me last night. I know I could have said no but her friendship is all I have, I couldn't bare to lose her as a friend so stupidly went along with it. I knew it was wrong but I was caught up in my emotions and made a huge mistake."

"Too fucking right you made a mistake. Noah, I was falling hard for you."

I nodded in agreement "And I'm falling for you too. Commitment scares me, it always has. That's not an excuse for my actions but I need you to believe me. You make me feel wanted, you make me feel loved. You're the first person in a long time that accepts me for the person I am, not the person I appear to be online. It's probably the wrong time to tell you this but..."

"Don't do it Noah. Not like this." She becomes agitated and stands up from the sofa.

"I love you, Chelsea."

Her palm finds her face within a second. "Why? Why would you drop that now?"

"Because it's true. I'm begging for your forgiveness. I'm sorry for what I've done but I need you in my life. I need you by my side."

I look up to see Chelsea stood over me shaking her head. Almost dumbfounded by the bomb I have just dropped on her heart. "Just go. I need some space from you. Just give me a few days to take all this in."

I drop my head between my legs and lift my hands up through my hair. "Fuck" I whisper to myself.

I stand up and smile. I put my arms out towards her for a hug which is turned down. "I'm sorry, Chelsea. I hope you can forgive me."

She stays silent, her eyes gazing straight past me, towards the door. "Go."

I turn and begin walking away from her. My tail well and truly between my legs. Defeated.

"I'll see you later." I turn back around as my hand reaches the handle. No response.

I walk out of her apartment closing the door behind me without another word being exchanged between us.

"You're a fucking idiot." I mumble to myself as I make my way out of the building.

Those were the last words I spoke and the parked cars just ahead of me in the street were the last things I remember seeing as I felt the blunt object from the side of me come crashing down against my skull.

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