I SHOVE MY way through the sea of students, a regular occurrence I have to suffer through during class changes. Someone bumps me harshly, almost knocking the juicy red apple out of my hand and I take a large bite out of it as I glare at the back of said someone's head. 

I wipe my mouth of the juice as I open the small door into the damn  yellow office I have to visit a minimum of three times a week. Wooden chairs were placed in a semi circle, meaning only one thing; it was a group session today. 

I spot Levi instantly who waves at me and I take a seat next to him. 

"Where's Everett?" I question under my breathe and drop my bag to the ground, noticing the lack of him in the room.

Levi shrugs, "I haven't seen him at all today." 

That worried me slightly as he wasn't in bed when I woke up for training early this morning and I don't remembering hearing him come back to the dorm room last night.  I don't let my worry show as I shrug in the same manner as Levi and wait for the \lesson to begin. 

We end the session as usual by going around the group and we all have to say one nice thing we did since the last group lesson. 

I tell the group how I helped my friends study and Levi, very proudly might I add, announces to everyone that he told girls to stop sending him nudes because they're too pretty for that. 

To say the least, Miss Oakley was not impressed. 

After the session, I had English Lit with Vera which I was excited for. And sure enough, the split second I take my seat next to her she begs me for gossip on the fight between Chase and Luke the following day. 

"It wasn't a fight, V." I tell her as I take my books from my bag and place them on the desk in front of me, "Well, it almost was but I somehow managed to stop it." 

Vera grins, "Still, it's absolutely riveting." 

"What I don't understand is why Chase hates Luke so much? He's such a sweet guy and I couldn't see him doing anything to piss Chase off to the point where Chase doesn't want me hanging around him." I question as I side glance Vera who just shrugs and takes a sip of her iced coffee. 

"Chase is an extremely private person which makes him so mysterious and intimidating at the same time. One of the many reason why so many people are terrified yet extremely attracted to him." Vera explains, "From what I've heard, Chase never talks about his past before Caldwell. Never has and I highly doubt that he will." 

I pout, disappointed, just as the teacher walks in greeting the class brightly. I try to focus on the lesson, but half of my brain was too busy wondering where the hell Chase was. 

My worries are only put to rest after the class ends and I'm heading towards my art class. I see his tall ass body over the crowd of students and we make eye contact. From here, I could see his jaw clench before he turns and walks the other way. Real mature, Everett. 

I shrug it off, relieved that he was here and not dead in a ditch somewhere in the forest. It then shocks me that I was actually glad that he was alive. What the hell is happening to me? 

    ♤♤♤♤  

I glance over at Chase's side of the room for the umpteenth time in the pasty twenty minutes. It's just a natural habit now and I hated myself for it. 

I was creating a charcoal sketch for my art class when the door opens and I whip around instantly, only to see Noah strolling through the doorway with a cocky bounce in his step. 

"Damn, sorry to disappoint." Noah remarks sarcastically, seeing my long face and I roll my eyes, turning back to my sketch. Noah peers over my shoulder. He suddenly gasps and points at my paper,  "Whoa, is that me!" 

"No you complete walnut, it's landscape of the lake outside." I scoff as I glance up at him with the most confused look on my face. Noah shrugs happily as he glances around the room with his hands on his hips. 

"I want to take you somewhere." Noah announces like a captain as I groan and drop my charcoal onto the paper. I glance up as Noah stretches his hand out to me, "It'll be fun." 

I sigh heavily as I slip my hand into Noah's and I follow him out of my dorm, placing my dorm key into the pocket of my ripped denim shorts as I follow. I was wearing a faded blue sweatshirt as well as a pair of white vans which was probably not the smartest choice of attire to wear outside. 

The cold hits my bare legs and Noah leads me out of the hall. I follow him in silence, wondering where the hell we were going until my curiosity got the best of me. 

I tug on his hand, "Where are you taking me?" 

"It's a surprise." Noah grins cheekily as I roll my eyes, but nevertheless, I continue to follow me. He takes me to the gymnasium but doesn't stop outside. Instead, he takes me around the back near the over grown soccer fields and gestures to an old rusted later, "Beast before beauty." 

"Of you go then." I retort lamely as Noah chuckles sarcastically and begins climbing. I follow up after, never looking down as I scale the large building because I may have a teensy-tiny fear of heights. Okay, that's a big lie. When I was in middle school, I went on a date with this really cute guy in my class and I ended up vomiting all over him at the top of the carousel. True story, folks. 

Safe to say I never spoke to him again. 

"Wow." I breath heavily as I stumble onto the roof of the gymnasium. I place my hands on my hips as I my gaze pans around the surrounding view. The sun was slowly setting and there were only a few collections of fluffy pink clouds littering the otherwise clear, gradient sky. I then swat my hand against Noah's arm, "Why didn't you tell me about this place earlier."

"First of all, ow!" Noah flinches as he rubs his arm, "And second of all, Levi didn't want me to tell you at first." 

"Levi knows of this place? What about Chase?" I question, folding my arms across my chest as a chill spreads up my spine. Noah grunts slightly near the edge of the roof and I slowly slide down next to him, keeping my locked eyes on the horizon. 

He shakes his head, "No, otherwise Chase would bring all his lady friends here to try and schmooze himself into their pants quicker."

"True." I nod in agreement as I fold my legs underneath me and wrap my hands around my ankles. We sit in silence for a little, basking in the fleeting light of the blazing orange sun hovering above the shadowed mountain range in the distance. 

"Did you talk to Chase today...about the whole Luke thing?" Noah questions, playing with loose concrete rubble laying on top of the roof. 

"No." I shrug slightly, trying not to sound too disappointed. I didn't just want to talk to Chase, I needed to talk to him. It was killing me not knowing why the hell Chase went absolutely chaotic on Luke's ass.  "I did see him earlier today, but he completely blanked me and walked in the other direction." 

"He thinks you're scared of him." Noah mumbles under his breath and I glance up at him in shock and curiosity. Then, I giggle at his statement. 

"I'm not scared of Everett. Okay, so I was a little shaken by his actions yesterday but somewhere under that tough, freezing exterior there's somewhat of a decent human in there. He's a good guy and Luke is too, so what the hell is so damn rotten between them?" I question rhetorically, becoming slightly frustrated at the thought. 

Noah runs a large hand through his blonde mop and sighs, "Chase....has his reasons." 

"And do you know these reasons?" I press further as I turn my attention to him because it was better than focusing I was several floors above ground level. Noah remains silent, his gaze on the ground and I lean forward trying to maintain eye contact, "What do you know Noah? What happened between Everett and Luke because quite frankly, I'm going out of my damn mind right now." 

"It's not my story to tell." Noah bursts out and I close my mouth, "Besides, I don't even know all the details. Chase has only told me little bits and if you want to know, you'll have to ask him yourself." 

I sigh out heavily, my shoulders drooping with sadness, "GH won't even speak to me." 

"Even though he doesn't show it, Chase cares for you Hayden. You've grown on him, just like you've grown on me and Levi." Noah grins at me and I roll my eyes at his statement. Was that his lame attempt at a compliment? Consider me not complimented. The sun was closer to disappearing from our sights now and the sky was darkening, bringing with it night and the crisp chill of autumn. 

I scoff as I flick a small piece of concert along the ground, "You make me sound like a type of fungi." 

"You're welcome." Noah chuckles casually as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and hugs me into his warm body, "I think he's become so fond of you, that he doesn't want you thinking badly of him. Well, more than you already do." 

"Damn." I gasp dramatically as I tilt my head back to look at him, "When did you start becoming so wise?" 

"I honestly have no fucking clue. Some of the things that come out of my mouth surprise me too." Noah admits truthfully and I laugh at him, resting my head on his shoulder as we continue watching the sunset together. 

i really love noah and hayden's cute little relationship. 

hayden is definetly like noah's older sister even though he's actually older than her.