Let Love In

Riley’s car sat in the driveway when the two returned to the house. As they pulled up to the curb, Noah stole a glance at Colin, thinking out loud.

“Um, Colin, w-what was this?”

“Are you still with Garrett?” Colin said quietly, staring at the steering wheel.

“I don’t know, I suppose so. Are you still with Sarah?”

“This was nothing.” He sighed roughly and shoved open the door, heading straight for the house, not bothering to wait for her. Noah sat there in silence for a moment or two, unsure of what just happened before she opened her door. Riley was waiting for her on the porch with her arms crossed in a questioning stance by the time Noah walked up the path toward the house.

“Well, well, well. What was that?”

“Ugh, honestly I don’t have a clue. All I do know is I’m in dire need of that girl’s night if your offer still stands.” Noah ran her fingers nervously through her hair, letting out yet another frustrated sigh and stepping through the doorway into the house. She took one look at Colin and Sarah wrapped in each other’s arms standing in the dining room before stumbling up the stairs toward her room.

“Okay, hold up. What the hell happened Noah? You can’t leave me hanging. What were you doing in the car with Colin? Where did you go? What is going on?” The door slammed behind Riley as the interrogation began. Noah had thrown herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillows in obvious frustration.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on anymore, and both Colin and Garrett are fucking playing with my heart, and it sucks.”

“Okay Missy, you’re gonna have to repeat that last sentence without trying to asphyxiate yourself ‘cause I can’t hear a damn thing other than ughohhblahblahblahughohrage something sucks.” Noah took a deep breath, rolling herself over to face her best friend. Riley sat cross-legged next to her, picking at the hem of her shorts and waiting patiently for her to speak.

“Garrett won’t talk to me. We haven’t had a decent conversation since he was here and before they left. I miss him and I don’t know what the hell is going on between us. I mean, what are we? Was this just a cliche prom hook up fuck her and dump her thing or are we actually still together? I don’t get it, and He. Won’t. Talk. To. Me. And Colin? He shows up out of nowhere and drags me to dinner, offering an ear to listen about Garrett, and then all of a sudden we’re kissing, and then two seconds later it’s the cold shoulder from him too. And now he’s downstairs back with Sarah again like nothing happened. Ugh what the fuck, why are boys so god damn confusing?”

“Back it up for a second, you and Colin KISSED?! WHAT?! How, what, I mean—wait, what?!” The news caught Riley off guard as she was half listening to Noah, bringing her back to reality and full attention on the conversation. “SPILL. TELL. ME. NOW. This is huge!”

“Riley, this is BAD! I’m with Garrett and he’s with Sarah, who, last time I checked, was my OLDER SISTER… Ugh, I didn’t want any of this!” Noah yelled in obvious frustration, feeling the hole she sat in get bigger by the second, any good feelings associated with the kiss going right out the window the more she dwelt on it.

“Okay, fucked up boyfriend/girlfriend situations aside, this is big. Colin and you kissed. Let’s focus on this for a second, I mean, ‘cause hello. You and Colin kissed. Finally.” Riley stood up and quickly swung open the door, poking her head into the hallway for a moment before shutting the door swiftly and jumping back onto the bed.

“Wow. You are ridiculous.” Noah shook her head at her friend, knowing this conversation was being led in the wrong direction.

“I mean let’s look at this in a different light. What happened? You’ve been waiting for this for years, remember? Is there something finally going on between you two now?”

“Ugh, I don’t even know. I mean, this isn’t the first time he’s done this. And he—”

“Not the first time?! WHAT?! Rewind. When was the first then?!” Riley was practically up in Noah’s face, with her jaw on the floor and her hands in the air in front of her in shock and disbelief.

“He kissed me at Prom too just before Garrett showed up. It would have almost been perfect if he hadn’t said it meant nothing. I didn’t bring it up because Garrett and John showed up and we were caught up in them, and then I didn’t want to tell Garrett about it if it meant nothing to Colin. Ugh, I don’t get him. And then tonight he is all of a sudden concerned about me again, and gets mad at me for being with Garrett after prom, but then he hugged me and told me it was okay when I got upset about it, and then before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine, and it was perfect. I mean, I dunno.” Another frustrated sigh left Noah’s lips as she paused her run-on sentence. “He kissed me and then when I kissed him back, it was different from any kiss Garrett and I had ever had. Of course, my life, this would be short lived because he practically jumped out of the booth after that like it didn’t happen and he had to get away from me, but then when we walked to the car, he grabbed my hand and held it until we turned onto my street. I don’t understand any of this because I flat out asked him what this was, and yet again, he said it was nothing, and then jumped out of the car, ignoring my existence and running right back to Sarah’s waiting arms.”

Riley sat there silent for a moment before taking a breath to respond. “Wow. Um, wow. What the fuck is his deal? I’m gonna go kick his ass right now and demand he give you an explanation ‘cause that’s not cool, bro. Not cool at all. He can’t just kiss you and then ignore you like it’s no big deal.” She moved to stand as Noah grabbed her arm.

“No, just leave it, okay? I don’t know what the hell his problem is, and as much as I wish that he’d figure it out and stop messing with my heart, we’re not together. I’m with Garrett, and he’s with Sarah. Actually, he avoided my question when I asked him about her, but they seemed to be still together by the looks of if when we got home tonight. Ugh, and I just miss Garrett. I wish he was here right now. At least things weren’t so fucked up when we were together in person.”

Riley nodded as she pulled out her phone, tapping at the screen a few times before pulling it to her ear and laying down next to Noah. Both girls stared up at the ceiling as the phone rang a few times.

“Hey babe, um, is Garrett by you?” A muffled sound of John’s voice came from the phone as Noah covered her face with a pillow in frustration and anxiety. “Mhmm, oh no emergency, well, actually, I lied. Can you kick his ass for me and make sure he calls his girlfriend tonight? He’s on my Bad List and needs to redeem himself… you’d be on the Bad List too if you neglected to call me, so keep that in mind babe… I miss you too, more than you know. Ugh, I can’t wait to see your face…” Riley’s stern tone quickly morphed into giggling and lovesick sighing, warranting an angry pillow to the face from Noah. “Oh, sorry babe, I gotta go now, but have Garrett call Noah tonight, it’s important, bye.” Riley hung up the phone, counting down the seconds in her head in anticipation of Noah’s outburst.

“This is not going to end well…” Noah’s voice was laced with obvious defeat, anxiety seeping through her bones as the two laid there in silence, continuing to stare at the ceiling.

“I still can’t believe you had sex with Garrett after prom…” Riley whispered, breaking the silence a few minutes later.

“What. Ever. It’s not like you and John don’t go at it like rabbits whenever you two visit each other. Gimme a break, I thought you of all people would understand.” Noah blushed in slight embarrassment as she hit her friend with a pillow.

“You know me so well… but we’re not talking about me so that’s irrelevant. I mean, you and Colin kissed at prom and then you ditched him and had sex with Garrett. Granted, Garrett is your boyfriend and not Colin, even though I know you’ve been in love with him for like, forever, but that’s not the point. Okay, fine, I’m not judging you, I’m jussayin’… Moving on…” Noah didn’t know how to answer, and stared at the ceiling for a moment in avoidance. “So, how was he then?” Riley’s suggestive tone in contrast to her previous statement was almost too much, bringing a deep blush to Noah’s cheeks, bringing her hands up to quickly cover her face. “Was it everything you wanted it to be?”

“It was, until he started ignoring me when I asked him about a tattoo he has on his rib, making it weird between us, and I don’t know why… and even though it’s not like I have a slew of guys to compare him to, he was more than satisfactory, so…” Noah trailed off as Riley snickered at her, rolling her eyes and sitting up. “I just wish he’d talk to me for more than two seconds, and that I could believe him that he misses me. I dunno, things have just been off since then, and I don’t get it.”

“Well at least you’ll get a chance to talk to him when he calls tonight, otherwise I’ll have John kick his ass for the both of us.” Riley laughed lightly, trying to make Noah feel better. “Okaayyyy, c’mon. Enough about idiot boys already. Since you already had dinner, the ice cream is calling our names and so is the Romantic Comedy section of your DVD collection.”