“Is Deliah coming?”

Marty glanced up from the drink he was fixing for himself in my kitchen. “Yeah. She said she'd be here later. She's got a couple of friends from Guelph with her this weekend.”

“Good.” Deliah was the only one missing from our core group, or any of my friends really. The entire group was here along with Bridget and Chuck, and Aaron. There were also a few other people I didn't really know who came through invitation by my friends.

“Do you want a drink?” Marty held up his orange juice and vodka, trying to tempt me.

“No, thank you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked while waving the drink in front of my face tauntingly.

I never was one to drink. Sure, I'd had a couple here and there, but I always took my time when drinking them. I'd never really seen the appeal in drinking a lot and being drunk.

“Your loss,” he replied before sipping his drink and giving me a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes before linking arms with him.

“You look hot tonight, you know.”

“Marty, stop it.” I nudged him playfully. I was wearing a new pair of low riding jeans and a black corset-like tank top.

“Hey, I may not swing that way but I know when a girl looks hot.”

“He's right. You do look very hot tonight, babe.” Aaron appeared next to us as we headed to the living room.

I dropped Marty's arm and found myself with Aaron's arms immediately wrapped around me. “Hi,” I said softly, having spent most of the night thus far letting people in and showing them the basics of the apartment and therefore, not much time had been spent with him.

“Hey,” he grinned, dimples and all, before kissing me.

The past couple weeks I'd been really busy with Lynn getting a jump on the business idea. After going to see the different possibilities for location/building, we'd managed to find the perfect place in the perfect area. Lynn had pounced on it immediately, making it ours. It was only seven blocks from where I was living and we'd started to work out of there already. Lynn was dealing with the permit issues and such while I was doing all the ordering. I was just getting started on that as she had to go over everything with me in detail beforehand.

Another big issue we'd come across was coming up with the name for our bookstore. I'd been doodling random words and placing them together, trying to come up with something that would fit, but I hadn't found anything yet.

But most of the time when I wasn't at Lynn's office or in the empty, future bookstore, I was spending time with Aaron. It made sense to me because he was my boyfriend and now that his friend was back in Toronto, he was alone. And he was really only here in Hamilton for me. He didn't have anything to do when we weren't hanging out, so most of our down time was spent lounging here. He'd spent quite a few nights here as well. Marty came over once while Aaron was here to help me set up the TV. After he did, we all watched a movie.

Marty had taken off as soon as the movie was over because of how awkward it had been, and honestly, tonight was the first I'd seen of him since then. And that had been a week and a half ago.

He called me once, and used the excuse that he was busy when I had questioned why he wasn't around anymore.

I couldn't help but wonder though if maybe he was mad about how much I'd been hanging out with Aaron.

A week was the longest Marty and I had gone without hanging out since we initially met.

I gradually unwrapped Aaron's arms from around me and scanned the sunken living room for where Marty had gone to. I felt the sudden need to really talk with him.

Amongst the crowd of people, I spotted Marty sitting by the fireplace talking to Kaitlyn and John. There was only about thirty people there right then, but it was loud with all the talking, music, and the sound from the video game Simon and Chuck were playing.

“Hey, I need to talk to Marty. I won't be long, promise,” I half pleaded with Aaron, feeling bad for leaving him. These people weren't his friends, they were mine.

He nodded and motioned for me to go ahead.

I maneuvered my way through my crowded living room over to Marty and offered him my hand. He raised an eyebrow at me and finished his drink. He set his glass down next to him before taking my hand and I pulled him up.

“What?” Marty asked loudly.

“Can I talk to you?”

“Sure.” He shrugged.

I motioned for him to follow me and led him to my empty bedroom and closed the door behind us, drowning out the obnoxious noise.

“What's up?” Marty asked casually.

“Are we okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I've been really busy and I feel bad 'cause we haven't been seeing much of each other...”

“I've been busy too, Annabelle.”

I shot him a look to let him know I didn't believe him.

“Okay, not that busy...”

“I feel bad.” I pouted.

“Don't feel bad.” He ruffled my hair. “I couldn't expect you to spend all your time with me for the rest of our lives. My little Annabelle's growing up,” he joked, sighing dramatically and wiping a fake tear from his cheek.

“Shut up,” I laughed at him. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. When we parted, I poked my finger against his chest. “Tomorrow, you and me. An Annabelle and Marty day.”

“Annabelle and Marty day? Shopping?” He was visibly excited at the thought.

“Sure? Yes?” This man never gets sick of shopping.

He nodded. “Of course.”

We chatted a few minutes longer before returning to where everyone else was.

“Hey, it's Deliah,” Marty commented.

I glanced up and noticed her coming through the door. I was quickly distracted though by Aaron who appeared at my side along with Bridget.

“Annabelle! Your boyfriend's been keeping me company since mine is a video game whore.” She tilted her head at Chuck whose attention was focused solely on my huge flat screen television. Simon sat next to him, just as entranced.

“Has he now?” I smiled at Aaron, impressed that he was making an effort with at least one of my friends. One of the rich kids he normally would do anything to avoid.

“Yes! And he was telling me about his band. I was saying he should play a show in Hamilton! It would be fun!”

“That sounds good to me. I've never heard your band play.”

Aaron shrugged. “Yeah, I'll see what I can do.”

“What's my brother doing here?””

As soon as Bridget said the words, I prayed that I had misheard. But then I glanced to the door and saw that Noah had indeed walked in with the same group Deliah had appeared with- two girls I'd never seen before, Cole, his friend Tyler, along with Noah and Greg who were also friends of Cole's. The sight of Noah made my stomach flip-flop. I took a deep breath and put on a false smile, facing Aaron again.

Bridget wandered off and Aaron turned to me after a lengthy stare down at the newly arrived group, or probably more specifically a certain fair haired man.

“You know, this is your place. You should just tell him to get his unwelcome ass out of here.”

“Whatever,” I tried to brush if off like his presence wouldn't bother me.

It would of course. But I wasn't about to make a scene.

“I'll tell him to leave then.”

“Aaron, don't,” I said softly and shook my head. “I can't stand him but they like him so whatever. It doesn't matter.”

Aaron studied me closely before nodding. “She sure does talk a lot,” he commented about Bridget.

“Yes, that she does.” I grinned. I found it endearing about her.

A little while later Bridget came back over and stole Aaron away, making him take over the video game for Chuck so she could get some time with him. I didn't really mind and headed toward the kitchen, seeing Deliah and Marty in there through the open space in the wall.

As soon as I got up the steps though, Noah stepped in front of me and gave me a once over. “Belle, long time no see.”

“I like it that way,” I snapped and tried to push past him but to no avail. I hadn't seen him since that time at Tim Horton's at the beginning of the year.

“I like your place. Once again, I'm impressed.” He looked me up and down again before adding, “Very impressed.”

I scowled at him before stalking past him. “I need a drink,” I announced to Marty who was fixing himself another screwdriver.

He glanced at me and smiled. “That's my girl.” He handed me the drink he'd mixed for himself and started pouring another.

I quickly gulped it down as Marty left the kitchen leaving just Deliah and I standing there. I poured myself another one, more vodka than orange juice this time.

We sat down at my dining room table off to the one side of the kitchen and I watched Deliah curiously. She looked uncomfortable. “Are you okay?” I questioned.

Her head snapped toward me. “I'm fine, why wouldn't I be fine?”

I shrugged. “You're acting kind of weird. Agitated or something.”

She glanced around. “Just nervous.”

“Nervous? Why?”

She looked back at me and sighed. “I don't know!”

I wanted to laugh but I didn't because of how distressed she looked. She ran both of her hands through her long wavy brown hair and shook her head.

“It came out of no where, you know?” she said quietly.

“What did?”

Her hands fell to the table and she looked at me seriously. “You can't say anything to anyone.”

“Does Marty know?” was the first thing I asked. I didn't want to have to hide a secret from him, especially involving Deliah. When she shook her head, I groaned. “Maybe you should talk to him.”

“I can't,” she said and her lower lip quivered.

I realized then, whatever she was hiding must have been bothering her a lot. “Okay. I promise I won't say anything to anyone.”

She glanced around again, checking to make sure we were still alone and then leaned over the table. She watched her hands, avoiding my gaze, and mumbled something incoherent.

“Pardon?” I leaned forward.

“I like Simon,” she mumbled a bit louder than before.

My eyes widened and I sat back. “Oh.” I quickly finished my drink.

“I know!” She groaned loudly. “It came out of no where. And, well, he's my friend apart from the fact that we don't get along at all. I don't know why. I just do. And now it's so weird to be around him. Seriously, we like never talk and all I can do is think about him. I don't know why. I just know that when Kylie dumped him all of a sudden I didn't see him as the jackass anymore. Ugh!” She dropped her head on the table and banged it a couple times before sitting up. “I don't know what to do.”

“That explains a lot,” I commented, recalling her strange behaviour lately. I nodded my head but stopped quickly when the room was suddenly moving. It made me dizzy.

Apparently the alcohol was already taking effect.

“I'm sorry that I brought Noah,” Deliah said abruptly, changing the topic.

I gave her a questioning look.

“Tyler's trying to bed Alicia, one of my friends from Guelph. I didn't really have it in me to fight Cole when the four of them decided they were tagging alone with Alicia, Teresa, and I. So yeah, I'm sorry. What'd he say to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I saw you talking to him just before you decided to drink, and I already know you're not much of a drinker. So he must've said something.”

“I'm not drinking because of Noah,” I claimed.

She smirked at me. “Sure, whatever you say.”

“I'm not.”

“At least I'm not in denial,” she announced before standing up and leaving the kitchen.

I bitterly stood up and poured myself some rum when I couldn't find anymore vodka and added some coke.

I rejoined everyone in the crowded living room and frowned when I spotted Noah first, leaning against the wall a few feet away talking with Greg and Cole. He spotted me and winked. I glared at him before quickly crossing the room and sitting on the floor next to Aaron who was still situated in front of the TV, playing some violent game on the playstation.

I leaned against him and glanced at me and nodded before returning his attention to the game. I sat there, sipping my drink, for a few minutes when I felt someone staring at me. Casually glancing over my shoulder I spotted Noah watching me with an unreadable look. Greg punched his arm, breaking his gaze and he turned to look at Greg who was speaking to him.

“Did you cut your hair?”

I turned to find Corrie drunkenly seating herself next to me. “Yes, I did. Quite a bit actually.”

She reached up and played with my straight, dark hair that now sat around my shoulders; a good six inches having been cut off yesterday. “Sam cut all of his off, too.”

“Really?”

She nodded and pointed across the room.

I turned and saw that Sam had cut off all of his hair. His shaggy hair was now completely gone, replaced by a nearly entirely shaved head with only a dark shadow remaining.

Not long after, Aaron stopped playing the game and got me another drink, and a beer for himself. I really shouldn't have taken it but he'd already gotten it so I did. My head was light, and my mood darkened. I sat with him on the couch and listened to everyone who joined us talk, but kept quiet. All I wanted was for my vision to be clear again; that's all I could focus on.

Occasionally I caught Noah watching me. Flattering, but annoying.

Around midnight, Sam and some people I didn't know left. Marty decided to go and get some pizza and munchies and so he and Deliah (who was driving), as well as Alicia and Teresa all left saying they'd be back. My head was swimming at that point and I needed to lie down, just for a minute. “I'll be right back,” I told Aaron quietly and crossed the room carefully, but was stopped by Bridget just as I reached the hall.

“I think we're leaving, but I'll call you soon, okay? Mom said she invited you to the wedding, you're coming to that, right?”

“Yeah.” I vaguely recalled Lynn mentioning my coming to their wedding in a couple weeks.

She seemed satisfied with this and gave me a quick hug before skipping past me.

I stumbled into my room and fell onto my bed. I opened my eyes and saw that it was ten after twelve. Holding my stomach, I closed my eyes again trying to stop the room from spinning.

When I opened my eyes next, the clock read twelve-thirty. Groaning at the headache that was beginning to develop, I rolled off my bed. Glancing in a mirror, I fixed my hair and straightened my shirt before trudging back into the living room.

“Oh, hey, Annabelle. Your boyfriend wanted me to tell you he got a ride with Bridget.”

I stared blankly at Greg. Why would Aaron tell him to tell me? My head hurt too much to think. Noah was watching me with concern from where he stood next to his best friend.

“Are you okay?” he questioned tentatively.

I shook my head. “I don't feel so good.” I covered my mouth as I whipped around and flew into the vacant bathroom. I collapsed in front of the toilet, throwing up the contents of my stomach.

I heard quiet talking and then the door was closed. The next thing I knew someone was gently pulling my hair back. They held my hair back as I finished. When I was done, I leaned back against the bathtub. I groaned and closed my eyes, listening to whoever was with me as they flushed the toilet and moved around.

“Belle?”

My eyes fluttered open and I found myself looking into Noah's bright blue ones. All four of them. He reached up, with a wet cloth in his hand and wiped the corners of my lips.

“There,” he said softly and sat back, watching me closely.

I groaned again and leaned against the tub, curling my legs underneath me.

“You don't drink much, do you?” Noah asked quietly.

His voice was soothing. “Never,” I murmured and rested my head on my arms on the side of the tub.

“Why tonight?”

“Mmpfh,” was my response as I closed my eyes, cherishing the darkness behind my eyelids. A short time later my eyes snapped open and I lunged over the toilet again, surprised I had anything left to puke up.

Noah was swiftly behind me once again, holding my hair out of my face. He also gently, and almost tentatively began rubbing my back comfortingly. “Don't worry, it'll be over in a few hours.”

I sat up again, and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Hours?”

He dropped his hands from me but didn't move away this time. “Belle, you really need to learn how to hold your liquor.”

“I...” I pointed a finger at him to cement my point. “Am never... ever... drinking again.”

“You say that now,” he chuckled as I began to shake my head vehemently. “Are you even legal?” he questioned.

“Not 'til June,” I replied and placed my arms on the side of the tub again and rested my head atop them. “You?”

“Last week.”

“Happy belated birthday.”

“Thanks, Belle.”

I nodded my head still resting in my comfortable arms. I shifted my head so I could see him when I opened my eyes. “Why are you being nice to me?”

He shrugged in response. “Can't let you be like this alone.”

“I feel like I'm dying.”

“It will pass.”

“Good.”

We were quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. “You've got a nice boyfriend. It was pretty obvious you'd had too much to drink but he just leaves without even checking on you.”

“So?” I said pathetically even though I was, in reality, mildly pissed at Aaron for not coming to make sure I was okay before leaving. He had given me my last drink after all.

“So I'm just saying. Why are you dating an ass?”

I chose not to answer, and watched him quietly. “I wish there wasn't two of you, one is hard enough to handle.”

He grinned at my comment. “I'm too much to handle, am I, Belle? Is that why you won't give me a chance?”

I rolled my eyes at him, but clutched my head when that only succeeded in making me dizzier. “Don't expect just 'cause you're being nice to me now that we're suddenly going to be friends or something.”

“Oh, I wouldn't. You're too damn stubborn, Belle.”

“That's right,” I replied before I could stop myself. “I hate alcohol,” I added before he could reply to my first statement.

“Right now, maybe. But alcohol's not so bad in moderation.”

“Alcohol bad,” I murmured. My head was resting on my arms as I leaned on the side of the tub. My eyes began to feel heavy and I tried to resist closing them, quite content with watching Noah.

He smirked at me. “Belle, have I ever told you how much you amuse me?”

“Yes, you have.” I closed my eyes and then opened them. “Why do you call me that?”

“Because it suits you.”

I yawned. “What do you mean?” I murmured as my eyelids began to slowly close.

He chuckled about something and looked upwards briefly before returning his gaze to me. “What the hell, you're not going to remember any of this tomorrow, anyway.”

“Wha'?” I asked softly as my eyes closed, not to be opened again anytime soon.

“Because you're beautiful.”

-

The initial couple seconds after waking were pure ignorant bliss. I was curled up under the sheets on my soft bed. But then a sharp pain flashed through my forehead. I clutched my head and winced as it became more of a throbbing. Opening my eyes, I sat up slowly and paused, waiting for the room to stop moving. I struggled to remember how I ended up in my bed fully clothed the night before, but nothing was coming to me. I tumbled off the bed in an attempt to unravel the sheets from around me. I huffed and stood up and stumbled into my living room desperate for some water and some aspirin.

“Top of the morning to you, darling!” Marty greeted me with a cheery voice and was, God bless him, holding a glass of water and two aspirin.

“My hero,” I mumbled before taking the glass and swallowing the aspirin quickly. I handed him the water back and then shuffled past him and collapsed on the couch. I lay down and curled into the fetal position.

He followed me to the couch and kneeled down in front of me holding the water out. “Drink, you need hydration.”

I took the water from him before sitting up slightly and drinking the rest of it. When I finished, I handed him the empty glass and slumped back down to my original position.

“Did you fall out of the bed? Because you sure were making a lot of noise just now. I was coming to check on you.”

“Kind of. My sheets were holding me hostage,” I murmured. “Did you stay here all night?” I asked even though I already knew the answer.

“Yeah. We'll have to walk and get my car from my place later though. Had to stay and make sure no one took advantage of my passed out best friend. And I cleaned up for you.”

I glanced around, noticing that it was indeed strangely spotless in my apartment. “Thank you.”

“No problem. I was worried. I hadn't realized you drank that much. I never should have encouraged you. Nearly had a coronary when I got back and Noah was carrying you into your room.”

I nearly had a coronary when he said that. I sat up abruptly. “What?!”

“Yeah. Guess you passed out in the bathroom. Greg said Noah was taking care of you because apparently your lovely boyfriend split.”

I strained, trying to remember.

“But yeah, Noah tucked you in. Quite cute to see, by the way.” I grimaced. “And then I stood guard at your door for the rest of the night. People left soon after, anyway.”

I grinned at the mental image of Marty standing post at my bedroom door and glaring at anyone who dared come near it. “Thanks, Marty.”

“You should probably thank Noah, too. He was after all, a gentleman.”

“Ugh, no thanks.” I stood up and dragged myself into the kitchen.

“Still not going to budge when it comes to him, eh?” Marty said as he followed me. “Annabelle, seriously, the guy's not that bad.”

“You said yourself he's an ass.”

“He was an asshole. In high school. He's different now, though. Matured, I guess.”

I poured myself some more water. “I can't remember last night,” I commented.

“At all?”

I shrugged. “I remember everything up until... well I was talking to Deliah over there. And then I remember sitting on the floor watching Aaron and Simon playing video games. Actually, I kind of remember going to lie down. Are you sure I didn't just pass out on my own?”

“I'm sure, Annabelle. I had just gotten back when I spotted you in Noah's arms as he was coming from the bathroom.”

“Hmmm. I must've been really gone to let Noah near me let alone take care of me.”

“You should stop being so stubborn, Annabelle.”

“What?” I glanced at him.

“He's going to crack you someday. Why hold out? He would be great for you, and you could be great for him. Everyone sees it.”

I narrowed my eyes at him in disgust. “Everyone sees what? There's nothing to see.”

Marty chuckled. “So what do you want for breakfast?”

“I want you to explain yourself.” I glared at him and blocked the fridge when he stepped toward it.

“Annabelle, there's nothing to explain. It's so obvious.”

“What is?”

“The sparks between you and Noah.”

“Ugh. There are no sparks between us.”

“Whatever you say!”

“There's not!”

“You are seriously the only person who thinks that.”

“Well then, I'm the only one who knows the truth! Idiots!” I tossed my hands up in the air and stormed away.

“Bacon and eggs sound good?” Marty called after me as I stomped into the bathroom childishly. I shut the door without answering. “Bacon and eggs it is!” his muffled voice called.

After taking a shower and pulling my hair back, I felt much better. It put me in a much better mood and my headache was fading. I still didn't feel a hundred percent but much better than before. I slipped into my bedroom with a towel wrapped around me and changed into comfy jeans and a nice pale yellow turtleneck. February was just beginning and it was still fairly cold outside. And something I did remember clearly from last night was that Marty wanted to go out shopping today.

I followed the smells wafting from the kitchen, surprised by my hunger. “Smells good,” I commented surveying the food placed on the table.

“Eat up,” Marty instructed as he dished out scrambled eggs onto the two plates he'd placed at the table.

I did as I was told, and ate all of the delicious food he'd cooked.

“So since we're already heading into the early afternoon, your slumber has severely cut back our shopping time since it's Saturday,” Marty said after he finished eating and was wiping off his face with a napkin. “Not too mention walking in the bitter cold to get to my car.”

“Baby,” I teased as I cleared the table. He stuck his tongue out at me and poked me as he walked by.

“Let's go. We'll clean up later.”

“Marty!”

“Every minute we waste cleaning up is a minute less spent shopping. Get moving, shorty!”

“Hey! You're not that much taller than me!”

“But I'm still taller.” He darted out of the apartment and I had no choice but to follow.

Two hours later, after Marty had purchased new jeans, we were leaving a clothing store when I had the sudden urge for coffee. My desire for coffee could never be denied and therefore our next stop was to pick up some java.

Walking along the stores, window shopping I listened as Marty explained to me his most recent theory on Deliah's behaviour, which hadn't really been modified that much from his last one. I kept quiet though. I could remember all of my conversation with Deliah and I remembered promising her that I wouldn't tell anyone.

“So don't you think that it has to be someone we know? Maybe it's one of Cole's friends, like Ty. Ugh.” Marty made a face of disgust. “I sure hope it's not Tyler. But why would she be so secretive about this if it was someone I didn't know. It has to be that. She has to like someone we know. It only makes sense because...”

Because you're beautiful.

The sudden recollection of Noah's voice startled me and I stopped dead in my tracks as my hand released its grasp on my coffee. And my stomach...

“Annabelle?” Marty's hand brushed my shoulder and he leaned down to pick up my now spilled coffee cup. “What's wrong?”

“I... I don't feel so good.”

The words ran through my head again. His voice genuine, and his words sincere. He thought I wouldn't remember.

“Are you sick?” Marty asked as he gently maneuvered me toward a bench, leaving the spilled coffee for people to walk around.

I could feel the strange looks from passerbys but I didn't care. I couldn't. Even though I'd never experienced this before, I was not ignorant to what was happening.

My stomach wasn't nauseous; I wasn't going to be sick.

Because you're beautiful.

His voice and his words had given me butterflies.

Author's Note:

I suck at fictionpress now, I know. I apologize. Unfortunately fictionpress is no longer a part of my daily life, or even weekly. I do want to get this reposted however I am considering removing it again. I care too much about this story to have it stolen and I don't feel safe with it on here. If I do remove it from here, I will post it to a private lj where only the friends on there would be able to read it.

My other two stories will remain fictionpress no matter what, and hopefully they'll be updated someday.

Once again, I'm sorry for the lack of updates and thanks to everyone who is reading/reviewed last time.