#noah drabble

[probably-writing-x]

No Apologies.

~A Noah Centineo Imagine~

Work had been overwhelmingly stressful all week. As a freelance photographer, there were certain times when this would happen. You had a wedding, a christening, a family shoot and a dog shoot all to edit and go through before next week so it felt as though you hadn't left your screen all week. Which, really, you hadn't. Though your own fatigue or stress was nothing on the fact that it meant you'd not seen or barely spoken to Noah all week. The two of you had the type of relationship that meant you were always engaging in an endless string of texts, calls and dates. But this week had made all of that fall flat. Noah had still texted you every day and even tried to ring sometimes but you never had the time to respond with anything more than a few words. And it was horrible. Today, it was meant to be your weekly date and it was your turn to plan something. You felt so awful for how much you had ignored him for the past seven days that you wanted it to be special.

Luckily, last night was spent preparing it all so you could leave early this morning - hopefully with an attempt at making ammends for this past week.

~~~

Noah's place was not far from yours and you had got your own key from him since you were over there all the time usually.

"Babe?" You start as you walk in but the apartment is still dark.

His bedroom door is ajar slightly so you start there, dropping your supplies on the kitchen table.

Your boyfriend's bedroom was still shadowed in a curtain-protected darkness and you could see his form still snuggled into the comfort of his sheets.

"Come on, up and at 'em soldier," You laugh, tugging open the fabric curtains and turning to face him.

"Go away," He grumbles, keeping his eyes closed as he rolls onto his back.

"Are you annoyed at me?" You stick out your bottom lip in a hope of projecting some innocence.

"Well, you know," He shrugs, "It's not great to be ignored by your girlfriend for a whole week. I was starting to think you were cheating on me,"

With that, you jump onto the bed, hovering over him by holding yourself up on your arms.

He tucks his hand underneath his head and peeks through slightly open eyes at you.

"I'm definitely not cheating on you," You confirm, "And I wasn't ignoring you. I've just been ridiculously busy and I had no time,"

"Oh you had no time for your favourite person?" He rolls his eyes, acting like a teenager.

"I have time now alright Mr," You poke him in the stomach, "So we're going for our date day,"

Noah closes his eyes once more, "No can do, I'm too busy today,"

"Too busy for what I'd call my best date plan so far?" You raise your brows and soon his eyes ease open.

"You're not forgiven just yet," He pouts and you press a kiss to his lips to silence any more complaining that would come from them.

Noah's hands find your waist and he tugs you closer to him, kissing you with all the passion that he had missed.

"Certainly very touchy for someone who's annoyed at me," You chuckle as his hands go behind you and slightly south of your waist.

"I've missed you," He mumbles against your lips, completely forgetting his act of being angry, "Really, really missed you,"

"We can continue this later, babe," You smile, pushing yourself away from him with all your strength, "But, now, it's time for our date,"

Eventually, Noah is out of bed and getting ready. Whilst he is in the shower, you start the beginning of your date.

Leaving a note and his first clue on the table, you grab the rest of your things and exit the apartment quickly.

~~~Noah's POV~~~

When I was ready, I came back out into the kitchen of the apartment but was not met with (y/n) as I thought I would be.

"Babe?" I call, picking up the piece of paper on my kitchen counter.

'It all starts here gorgeous! Take this napkin to the place that it reminds you of most where you get one step closer to the main part of today xoxo'

I couldn't help but laugh, she must've been up all night planning this. It warmed my heart to know it was all for a date for us two. There was nothing more than that, she was going through all of this effort to just make sure that we'd have a good date. She really must've felt guilty.

I took the note and the napkin and knew exactly where the next step would be. The coffee shop where I'd first given her my number. It was back when she used to work there and I'd been building up the courage to give it to her for weeks based only on our short conversations whilst she made my order. I will never forget the way she spoke with such ambition about her future, such passion for her dreams and such compassion for the world and the people in it. It was like she was saying everything perfectly. And that's when I knew.

"Order for Noah?" The barrista calls from behind the counter, setting down a paper bag on the surface before turning to the next customer.

I frown and pick up the bag, finding a chocolate brownie inside. The smile fell back onto my lips instantly and I took the note out to read what idea she would have next.

'Looks like your memory is better than you say it is, congrats! Next, think about where you FINALLY decided to kiss me. One step closer my love xx'

Again, it was an instant response. The park about a street away from here. We'd been on a couple of dates by that point and they'd all gone really well but I felt so ridiculously nervous about it all. It wasn't like another girl when I was willing to just 'see how it went'. I knew more than anything that she was the one. And I was terrified of screwing it up by being too forward. Luckily, that didn't last too long.

~~~Flashback~~~

"There's just no way!" She exclaims, her moving hand gestures accentuating her annoyance, "How can you even say that Batman would win against Spiderman?"

I couldn't help but laugh, hands stuffed into the pockets of my jeans, "I just think Batman's cooler,"

"Yeah but Spiderman would still win," She shakes her head, "Batman has no real power, he's just rich!"

I roll my eyes but want her to carry on. I admired how passionate she could get about any topic- even superheroes.

"And realistically, Spiderman could just-"

I have a sudden urge to stop her from saying anything more so I spin her round and press my lips to hers. At first, it's light because I was fearful of her response. But then she's kissing back. And my hands are holding her waist and hers are resting on my shoulders. It's like something out of a film.

"Spiderman would still win," She mumbles against my lips and both of our mouths curl into the biggest smiles.

~~~Present Day~~~

'Congratulations babe! And my point still remains, Spiderman is better and always will be. Okay, you're probably missing me too much now so your final task is to get to the place you told me you loved me for the first time. See you soon handsome ;)'

And how could I ever forget? The roof of the hotel. I'd taken (y/n) to an event there and it was the most boring thing I've ever been to. I felt so guilty about it because I'd just wasted one of our dates. She took me up to the roof and we watched the view of the city for ages, and I told her I loved her. I'd known it for months before that but I was always so fearful of admitting it. It felt like a vulnerability I wasn't willing to have again. But I knew she'd be the last person I'd say it to.

"(Y/N)?" I frown as I walk through the ajar door onto the rooftop.

There are fairy lights scattered around the edge of the wall and a section of the concrete was covered by blankets, duvets and cushions. There was a wicker basket partially open with two plates set out beside it and two glasses.

"Is this enough for you to forgive me?" Her voice is quiet and perhaps relieved.

I spin around and she's stood behind me holding out two books.

My face turns from surprise to joy as I wrap her in the biggest bear hug possible.

"I brought your favourite and my favourite," She explains and finds my hand to lead me over to her set up.

"This is-" I begin but can't find an adjective good enough to describe it.

"An apology," She sighs, turning to face me once more and taking both of my hands in her littler ones, "I'm sorry I haven't made any time for you this week and I've been so blunt whenever I did reply to you. Works just been really stressful and I'm definitely glad it's all done now,"

"No apology needed, darling," I mutter, leaning down and pressing a soft, longing kiss to her lips.

(Please send in any requests)

[probably-writing-x]

The unknown one. Vol.1

~Gif is not my own~

~A Noah Centineo AU series~

Inspiration: The boy next door cliché always seemed to happen in movies. But when this boy moved in to the house beside yours, he seemed willing to discover more than you wanted him to know.

Warnings: None for this part x

The air was warm and muggy on this summer morning. There was no comfortable breeze and the heat was starting to become irritating after eight weeks of the same weather. Summer hadn't been forgiving- with burning concrete floors and cool pools becoming a constant escape, you were excited for the anticipated autumnal days. Though, in this scorching sun, hot chocolates and warm fires sounded like a first world hell. They had to remain as a distant dream for now.

"Alright, come on buddy," You chuckle, letting your dog off the leash as he instantly bounds up to the front door. His black curls flung carelessly over his body, ears flapping up and down with every step.

Reaching for your keys in your pocket, your eyes unknowingly wander to the house beside your own. The bold 'for sale' sign had been taken down to leave a muddy patch in the neatened grass and there had been the appearance of a family every so often that you assumed would become your new neighbours. They seemed nice enough - Two parents with a girl and a boy, one slightly older than you and one who seemed the same age, respectively. Of course, you'd be polite to them, but you liked to keep your house private from the rest and that is how it would stay.

"I'm back!" You exclaim as soon as you enter your home.

It was furnished simply with the main recognisable feature being the photos on top of photos that scattered the walls of all the rooms. Through the ages, your family were held in these walls because their photos held enough memories to bring it all to life in your head. Normally, you would pass an old photo and conjure up a story from it in your head - sometimes choosing to write it down to refuse to let it go.

"Are we going shopping today?" Your brother, Leo, hurries down the stairs with hopefulness echoing in his eyes.

"Yeah, you need to get some school stuff, right?" You respond, walking through to the kitchen to get some food for Bolt, the dog that circled your ankles in excitement. Much like his animated namesake, Bolt was named after the white flash of colour that darted across his chest, and you soon realised that his name echoed in his spritely personality.

"Yeah, I need a bag and new shoes and-" Leo stops when he notices the tired and defeated look on your face, "Well, I don't need them."

"We'll get what we can, yeah?" You push yourself up to stand from the balls of your feet on which you crouched, walking over to your brother and pressing a kiss to his curly locks.

His face brightens with a toothy grin before he's running off once more to get ready to leave.

Days usually felt like this, with no time for rest or to relax. Perhaps those autumn cosy nights weren't only limited by the heat that warmed these streets.

You chose to get changed before you left, pulling your hair out of your face and opting for an outfit of a crop top with shorts and flip flops- the true image of summer. Your mind was already creating the story- the young girl caught in summer heat, and perhaps a summer love.

Soon enough, you and Leo were heading back out of the house, locking up and descending the stairs towards your car.

"Hey, hey, excuse me," An unknown voice yells from somewhere behind you.

Leo, completely oblivious, clambers into the car without a second thought. You are left to turn on your heels and acknowledge the presence behind you. The voice had come from a tall, fairly muscular boy of about your age. He had brown hair that fell in light curls in its slightly styled way and a sharp bine structure to his mature face. You would define him in writing as every way handsome as a man could be purely based on looks. Though, you hadn't made that judgement completely yet.

"Can you help me with my key please?" He sighs, running the back of his arm over his sweat touched forehead.

"Oh, yeah, sure," You nod, holding your hand out to take the key from him.

"My family and I are moving in here and it's the first time I've actually been to the house on my own," He explains with a slightly deepened voice, one that sounded more mature than any of the other boys in your now senior year of high school, "So I have no idea what I'm doing,"

"These keys can be a bit of a pain, you've got to-" You stop, pushing down the handle with some force before turning the key and opening the door, "Just do that,"

The boy behind you looks slightly dumbfounded at what you saw as a simple action.

"Put the key in, give the handle a push down, turn the key and then put a bit of force into opening the door," You explain, handing his key back to him, "It was nice to meet you,"

Your words seemed polite but, really, they felt a bit rehearsed to you. It couldn't really be said that you had 'met' him when you'd not even acknowledged his name.

"I'm Noah," He calls after you as you are already on your way to your car, "By the way,"

Turning around quickly, you wave in his direction before getting into your car.

"Okay, I guess you don't have a name," He mumbles to himself, finding his eyes trailing back to you as your car drives out of his view.

You didn't really give him a second thought. And maybe there was a slight guilt for doing that.

~~~

Shopping, though tiring, was successful. You managed to find a few bargains to keep Leo supplied for his new year at middle school, his first year actually. Leo was 11 now and you were going into your senior year, making you 17. So, to you, him starting school mattered more than you doing the same thing.

"What's for dinner, (Y/N)?" Leo asks, walking into the kitchen and washing his hands.

"Aww, are you gonna help me?" You raise your brows, opening the cupboards to search for some available food.

Leo doesn't need to respond as he hops himself up onto the counter top and watches you rummage around the kitchen.

"Alright we've got leftovers... Or nothing," You sigh, knowing a food shop had to be your next priority.

Before your dinner conversation can continue, there's an enthusiastic knock at the door.

Bolt is already spinning in circles at the hallway, letting out an occasional bark as you and Leo head over.

When you open it, the family from next door are all stood there. The parents, the older girl, and the handsome boy from earlier.

"Hello lovelies," The mother beams, "Well, we just moved in next door and we wanted to come and introduce ourselves,"

"Oh, yeah, hi," You smile, "It's nice to meet you. I'm (Y/n), and this is my brother Leo... And that's Bolt," You chuckle as Bolt bounds in circles around them all.

"Ahh it's lovely to meet you, I'm Greg, this is Kellee," The older man explains, "This is our eldest Taylor, and this young man is Noah. Were the Centineo's,"

You smile politely as each of them are introduced.

"So, are your parents home?" Kellee asks, inquisitively looking into the house that was open behind you.

"No they're-" Leo begins, always one to never shield the truth.

"Not home at the minute, they'll be back in a couple of weeks," You interject, resting a hand across Leo's shoulders, "Busy with work,"

The parents of the family nod in response and Taylor holds out a plastic container of food to you, "I made a lasagne for you, just heat it up and it should be good to eat,"

"Thank you!" Leo grins, taking the dish from her.

The family bid you farewell and begin to head back to their own home as Leo and Bolt dash back into the kitchen. Noah hangs back slightly, turning to face you when he's on the bottom step in front of your house.

"You go to Bergemont?" He asks, referring to the local high school that you and the majority of the town attended.

"Yeah, just about to start senior year," You nod, hand holding the door and anticipating the moment when you could close it.

"I'll see you there," He smiles in response, "And it's nice to know you do have a name, (Y/N)."

A uncontrollable blush crawls onto your cheeks because this boy appeared to have all the confidence in the world stuffed into those muscular arms and those piercing eyes and that was something you had never held. And, for some reason unbeknownst to you, you found yourself watching Noah all the way until he reached his house. And you even smiled to yourself when he tried to get the door open with his key and failed, opting to knock on the door until one of his relatives opened it. Now he was the one that was blushing, fearful of you seeing him embarrass himself, but smirking because he knew you'd watched.

That family seemed nice and the smell of fresh lasagne was already warming these walls. But, sadly, they were just another family you'd lied to and another one who you didn't want to know the truth...

(So this is a new AU series I'm going to be starting, hope you like how it has begun. Obviously the depictions of Noah's family are completely fictional but they don't play too much of a big part in the story. Please give me any feedback you have and any questions. And if you have any ideas for a story, please let me know)

[probably-writing-x]

Reunion

~A Noah Centineo Imagine~

Gif is not my own

Inspiration: Reunion by Betty Who

Warnings: Mentions of a past break-up, lil bit of fluffy angst (it's a thing)

~~~Enjoy lovelies! Thank you for reading and please send me requests/questions/comments that you have!~~~

His face looked like an aged mirror of what you had left years ago. There was still that dark shadow to his warm eyes, the defined cupid's bow that graced his lips, the scar that touched across his cheek. Everything was the boy that you had parted ways from at the end of high school; just more mature.

He saw it too. The dimple in your right cheek that shone every time you smiled, the freckle underneath your eye, the beauty of your features. It felt like a bittersweet sight. You were everything he'd loved and everything he'd lost. And you were walking towards him.

"Noah," You start, not really sure how to follow on from that.

"(Y/N)," He responds, his lips curling up with a boyish charm, "It's been like..."

"Feels like forever," You finish for him, suddenly feeling a flood of that childish crush emotion. How you felt when you first loved him.

"Yeah," He looks down, scratching the back of his neck, "Why are you here? I thought this was just a press event?"

You nod, "I actually did it. I became a reporter, I've started working for this really great magazine and they invited me here to start my first story for them,"

"Wow that's-" He shakes his head in a disbelieving pride, "Just what you always wanted. That's amazing, babe."

Noah stops himself after he's said it and you see the blush that grows onto his sun-kissed cheeks.

The silence that hangs between you is far too odd. Normally, your meetings would have been filled with a constant chatter or a million stolen kisses. But today, all of that was gone. Because your love had divided.

"Would you maybe want to get out of here?" You suggest, "I was thinking of leaving anyway and my place isn't too far,"

His eyes light up with a surprise glee, "Sure,"

To add some context, you and Noah dated in high school- all the way to senior year. For the majority of your time together, it had been great. You had a connection that went beyond any childish relationship that people expected you to have. But...that changed when he decided to go to LA to pursue his acting career. You were all for it, you knew that LA would be great for him and you'd even looked into a few courses over there that looked perfect for journalism. But that wasn't in his plans. He had some sort of complex about 'doing it on his own' and wanted to call this a fresh start. And a fresh start meant taking you out of the equation. The break-up was awful. You've never cried so much, and you hadn't since then.

He hurt you. There was no denying it. But you couldn't help but still fall in love with him whenever you saw him. So here you were, unlocking the door to your apartment with another weird silence between the pair of you.

"This is your place?" He asks, curiously peering into the different rooms.

"Yeah, the job I had as a PA for an editor definitely paid well," You chuckle, walking through to the kitchen and throwing your keys and bag down onto the counter, "Can I get you a drink?"

"Water will be fine," He responds, following you and standing at the counter.

The silence is deafening once more but you take the moment to properly look at him. Noah was more muscular than his teenage self, he had defined arms and a more structured face than you had known. He was still a beautiful man in every way he possibly could be- nobody could deny that.

"Do you maybe have a top or something I could change into? I must've left some with you," He cuts through, "This suit is ridiculously uncomfortable,"

"I-" You start and break eye contact as you set the glass down on the surface, "I threw those out Noah,"

He stops, "Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry,"

"I had to find some way of getting over you," You admit.

It was true. You got yourself into such a dark place when Noah left that you had to find any way of clawing yourself out.

"I tried to call you, more times than I care to admit, I rang like a thousand times," He shakes his head, "I even sent you some letters,"

"I know," You nod, "I got them, but I didn't read anything. They're in a box upstairs,"

Noah glances down with a solemn regret present in his piercing eyes.

"Like I said, I needed to do anything I could to try to fall out of love with you. And that meant that any attempts you made just felt like something I was going to regret when I was alone," You sigh, dragging a hand through your hair and pulling it out of your face, "And when I heard you'd got a new girlfriend I-"

"I haven't been with anyone else," He cuts in quickly, "I've never even thought about it,"

You look down with perhaps a smile of relief.

"(Y/N)," Noah begins once more, coming close to you and taking your hand, "I was an absolute idiot to leave you because I thought I should go out on my own to LA. I can't tell you how much I hated it, movies and success felt so hopeless without you beside me to celebrate and keep me grounded. And I'm telling you that I've grown and I'm willing to spend a million and one days proving to you that I deserve a second chance. And I think in some weird way, it was fate that we were both at that event tonight, that happened to be extremely boring!"

You can't help but blush at his words, he still made your heart melt and part of you hated that, "When you left, I thought I'd never get over you. I took every single photo I had of you and put it in a box out of sight. I thought it would give me some sort of closure that whatever 'forever' I thought we had was gone," You look into his eyes because its the only way you think you can get through what you're saying, "But then I see photos of you and I see your movies and I see you tonight and... I realise that my heart never really broke that forever. And I thought tonight might be my way of getting away from you once and for all because I could finally say goodbye. But I ended up realising that I didn't want to say goodbye at all and I think it's really the reunion I've been waiting for ever since senior year, "

"So what does this mean?" He questions with that childish hopefulness that would never leave his maturing mind.

His thoughts are lost as soon as he sees the tears building in your eyes. Noah drops your hand and instantly moves his hands to your waist, searching until your eyes meet his.

"Hey, hey, hey," He shakes his head, "Don't cry. You know I always cry when you cry,"

"I can't get hurt again Noah," You whisper, a blush creeping back onto your cheeks.

"I'm not going to hurt you again," He assures you, lifting his hands to cradle your face as his thumbs swipe across your cheeks to rid you of any escaping tears, "I was an idiot in high school to do what I did, but that was a long time ago and, if being away from you was good for anything, it was for proving that I can't imagine the rest of my life without you."

"And I don't want to leave you again," You sigh and his smile blossoms.

Noah tips his head down so his lips are centimetres from yours, "Never,"

(Asks and requests are open!!)

[probably-writing-x]

The unknown one Vol.4

~A Noah Centineo AU Series~

Inspiration: The boy next door cliché always seemed to happen in movies. But when this boy moved in to the house beside yours, he seemed willing to discover more than you wanted him to know.

Warnings: Nothing y'all

It wasn't long before the football team snapped Noah up, he already seemed more talented than any them. You had tried to speak to him less, always avoiding his attempts at eye contact in the corridors and diverting whenever you saw him near to you. It seemed stupid but you felt like it had to be done - you couldn't be responsible for destroying his school reputation.

Leo was spending the night at a friend's house today so you were all on your own- giving you a chance to do some well needed maintenance around the house.

The light in the kitchen still needed fixing and the tap in the bathroom wouldn't stop dripping and the radiator was making a weird sound... So yeah, there were a few things to get done.

The summer heat was still cruel and unsatisfying so you had opted to start your work outside in the hopes of some breeze floating past.

But then there's a presence beside you and you regret it all.

"So, I still can't work my key," Noah grins, leaning against the wooden post outside your house.

"Careful, I'm trying to fix these boards," You respond, not glancing up too much.

"You're even ignoring me when there's nobody around? I'm starting to think I've done something wrong," He sighs, sitting down on the steps beside where you were crouched.

"You've done nothing wrong and that's the problem," You admit, dropping whatever you were doing to go and sit beside him, "You're a good person, unlike anyone else in that damn school,"

Noah falls silent because he realised there was more to it than he'd given credit for. This house and Leo wasn't a part of your life, it was the entire thing. It was everything you worked for and everything you cared about.

As if on an alarm to break the tension, Bolt ran swiftly out of the house when he'd woken up from his naop engulfing Noah in a ball of curls as he bounded around the tall teen.

Noah laughs and you watch as his eyes crinkle up and his teeth flash for just a second. He looks gorgeous as the golden hour sun beams onto his tanned compexion.

What you don't realise until its too late is that he looks up to meet you too. His eyes watch how yours dance across his face and his focus on the dog has completely swapped to you.

With certain movements, he's moving closer to you and you're doing the same. You feel your shoulders tense and your heart beat a little too quickly. But, as soon as his lips touch yours, it stops. Your muscles relax and your heart slows; he was kissing you, and you were kissing back.

You're too caught up in the contact of his hand in your hair and your fingers gracing his cheek to hear Taylor's car pull up outside the house next to the two of you.

Noah pulls away with a grin on his face you were certain couldn't get any bigger, he clears his throat, "It feels like I've been wanting to do that for a while,"

You hum in response, a blush growing on your cheeks because you would always feel that bubble of nerves when you saw him.

"Well don't you two move fast," Taylor calls out, jamming her key into the lock.

Noah turns and faces her, groaning and turning back to you. For a moment, he rests his forehead on your shoulder to hide his embarrassment but the contact still feels intimate.

Taylor laughs and heads into the house, knowing when it was her point to leave.

"I'm so sorry," He finally says, looking back at you again.

You shake your head, "There's definitely nothing to be sorry about,"

"I want you to come to the game tomorrow night," He states with the confidence in his voice to make you want to say yes.

"What about Leo?" You frown, your heart beating fast enough to burst.

"Why don't you bring him? I'm sure he would enjoy it as well and I want to spend more time with you," Noah grins, brushing a piece of hair from in front of your face to behind your ear.

"Okay," You reply, "I'll meet you there,"

Noah's grin remains on his face but falters as he presses a kiss to your cheek, standing to leave.

Your eyes follow him because you couldn't help it. He was perfect.

"Oh," He turns around, finger pointed directly at you, "And I expect the full blown cheerleader act. I'm talking banners, my name painted on your stomach and definitely a chant,"

"I'll see what I can do Centineo," You call back, watching him struggle with his key in the lock before Taylor finally let him into the house.

What had just happened? Was that a sort of date? Did you have to take it formally and act to impress? This was intense and definitely not something you'd normally do. But the idea excited you and so did Noah. He made you feel more human than just the girl who grew up too fast. He made you forget the million and one worries that normally flooded your thoughts. And, in those moments, he made you feel more loved than you ever did - even if neither of you were close to that point yet. He made you feel.

((Does anyone still actually like this? Please please let me know your thoughts, how is it going so far and how do you want it to continue (if at all)?))

[probably-writing-x]

The unknown one. Vol. 3

~A Noah Centineo AU Series~

Inspiration: The boy next door cliché always seemed to happen in movies. But when this boy moved in to the house beside yours, he seemed willing to discover more than you wanted him to know.

Warnings: Mentions of parents' death but nothing in too much detail yet

Noah and Leo managed to strike up a continuous conversation in the car and spoke for the entire journey, not thankful for the fact that it had to end when you got home.

"Well, thanks for driving me," Noah smiles, long limbs clambering out of the passenger side.

You watch inquisitively as he walls towards the door to his house, once again, trying and failing to actually unlock the door.

From his facing away from you, the blush creeping onto his tanned cheeks was only slightly evident- though it was there all the same.

"Need some help?" You call, making your way with Leo to your own front door adjacent to his.

"Urm..." He lifts his hand up to scratch the back of his neck, "No, it's okay. Do you mind if I wait at yours until my parents get back?"

His advances and attempts were all lame and should be useless, but you found yourself agreeing because this man seemed good. He didn't seem like one of the immature boys that circled the hallways of school like vultures; he seemed confident in all the right ways and down to earth as a young person should be.

"Hey Bolt!" Leo exclaims, his hands scratching at the excitable dog's fur.

On the small table in the hallway, the elderly couple had left their regular note - 'He was an angel. See you again tomorrow x'

"Hey buddy, aren't you a little ball of energy, huh?" Noah is crouched down now, his hands tickling the soft curls of the hyper creature in front of him.

"Oh, sorry about him!" You sigh, watching as Bolt jumps up to try to lick Noah's face.

"No, no, look at him! He's adorable," Noah laughs, his voice breaking into a laugh as the dog bounces around him, "I would love to have a dog but my parents definitely wouldn't let us,"

You frown and he takes it as reason to continue, standing up to come closer to you.

"See this scar?" He begins, guiding your eyes to the line that crossed under his mouth, "I got bitten by a dog when I was younger so my family have been cautious ever since,"

In that moment, his story seemed lost. You realised how close he was stood to you and how much you could see. There were moles scattering delicately over his skin and a faint shadow of growing hair across the lower part of his face. His dark brows hung low over his chocolate eyes that matched the warm cocoa of the messy curls on his head.

"(Y/N), the light in the kitchen's gone again," Leo yells, breaking any moment that hung between yourself and Noah.

"Oh, yeah, I know," You shake your head, the reality rushing back too quickly for your liking, "I'll sort it out next week,"

In your moments of not looking at him, Noah had turned to look at the photos shielding the aging paint of the walls. His eyes echoed with intrigue and interest as they fanned over each captured memory.

"You love your photos," He states absently, not particularly certain whether you were listening or not.

"They're all good memories," You smile lightly, glancing at each photo that his eyes leave.

That silence returns again. There's a comfort you find in it that you would never expect. It's weirdly calming to be in his new, fresh presence without the need to talk and fill the moment with unnecessary chatter.

"How come your parents aren't in many new photos?" Noah frowns, worry lines appearing prominent across his forehead.

The silence now feels deafening and sickly. You're suddenly aware of how small you feel- wanting nothing more than to continue shrinking into the floor beneath you. Chest tightening, cheeks burning, hands trembling- you felt weak. And you always did whenever this was mentioned.

"They-" You clear your throat, "They passed away, about two years ago,"

His mouth hangs open slightly because instinct would always take over in a moment like this. Leo and Bolt are lost in the expanse of the garden and the only focus he has is you. The shimmer of emotion in your eyes, the deep breath that you had to let out even though it shakes in the air.

All he wants to do is wrap his arms around you because there was clearly a vulnerability behind the fascade that you tried to uphold.

But, the piercing sound of a car horn outside stops him from reaching out.

"That's my-" He stops himself because suddenly the word parents makes him hold a guilt he couldn't help but feel.

"It's okay Noah," You assure him, but the weakness in your voice is still faintly there, "I'll pick you up for school tomorrow?"

"Sure, thank you (y/n)," He somehow pulls up the courage to reach out his hand and squeeze your own. It is a tiny and delicate gesture but brings a warmth back to your shaking hands that you can't shy away from.

And then he's gone, his exit bringing a chill back to this summer heat.

~~~

The next morning, you're already being ditched by your brother who has chosen to walk to school from now on with one of his new friends. You wanted nothing more than for him to be in the backseat when you realised that it would just be you and Noah in the car.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," He blurts out, you've never seen him look so nervous, "I didn't mean to pry or be nosey or whatever. I just wanted you to know that,"

"No, it's okay," You shake your head, eyes focused on the disappearing road beyond the windscreen, "You were probably gonna find out soon anyway,"

"So how does it all work?" He questions, "Like, who lives with you and Leo?"

The question you avoided more than people asking about your parents. How did the living situation work? How could you keep on top of it all?

"It's just us two," You shrug, hands gripping the wheel just a little tighter, your knuckles paling just slightly.

"You- but-..." Noah stops himself because he clearly wasn't good at handling surprise.

"It's unconventional, of course," You sigh, "But it works. I work and we scrape together enough money to get by. My grandma lives in London so she sends money every month to help with the house and keeping everything in check. And we're happy,"

"That's a lot of pressure on you," He states and his eyes are burning into you.

You're suddenly aware of it all- the blood rushing in your ears, the continuing click of the indicator, the fact that his hand had moved closer to yours.

"Yeah, but when my parents died I didn't want to go into care and risk losing Leo or him losing me. I didn't want to lose our home or Bolt or any of it. So yeah, the documents might say that Grandma still lives here or whatever, but it's just us two," You state, and you're expecting him to mentally label you 'the freak'.

"You know (y/n)?" He pipes up, "I really admire you for that. You were willing to sacrifice a lot to make sure you could bring up Leo and make a great childhood for him despite everything. And you were what? Sixteen?"

You nod because words are impossible now your throat feels this dry.

"Hey," He reaches a hand onto your own that rested on the gearstick of your car, "I'm not going to tell anyone,"

And, with that, your hand snaps away, "They all know anyway."

Back to the sickening reality. All of these people behind school gates would tear away any chances you had of being properly happy here. It was just one more year... Though, Noah had to come in to throw a spanner in the works. He made you feel a desire to want go spend time with someone here, to tell the secrets you'd held in for so long... Just maybe not all of them.

[probably-writing-x]

The unknown one. Vol. 2

~A Noah Centineo AU Series~

Inspiration: The boy next door cliché always seemed to happen in movies. But when this boy moved in to the house beside yours, he seemed willing to discover more than you wanted him to know.

Warnings: Hints at bullying with slight depictions of it, nothing too severe though lovelies xo

And school had finally arrived once more. Your last year and Leo's first year of middle school and summer was drawing to an unwelcome close.

"Come on, you're going to be late," You shout up the stairs.

Bolt was circling your feet as always but it always pained you to have to leave him. Luckily, the elderly couple that lived a few doors down took care of him as part of a little business they ran. So, when you were gone during the day so you didn't have to worry too much. They had an old Labrador so it was a bit of a contrast to have this lively one with them but they loved him and always welcomed you with open arms.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Leo shouts, almost tumbling down the stairs with the big bag slung over his back.

You handed him his toast before unlocking the door, leading Bolt into the car and watching him bound into the trunk.

The sun was still unforgiving as summer was coming to an end so you were thankful for the chance to wear your own clothes to school more than ever. Not that you usually put too much thought into your clothing- you cared more for Leo's, making sure he always had clothes to fit his growing form, even when yours were overly worn and looked as tired as your fatigued eyes.

Taking your pit stop down the road to drop off Bolt, you continued your drive to school and were soon met with the school gates you had quickly grown to loathe. Though, you were lucky that Leo's middle school was right next to your high school so you didn't have to worry about him too much; you'd be there to protect him from the devastating clutches that school seemed to hold every student with.

He runs off without a second thought and you grab your bag before locking your old car behind you. It stuck out like a sore thumb against the shiny, rich kid cars that circled you.

"(Y/N)," A growingly familiar voice calls out to you and soon Noah is at your side, "Hey,"

"Hi," You smile lightly, already feeling that sickening worry build in your stomach that school always brought, "So, first day?"

"Yeah, I don't feel too nervous though. I have a lot of first days," He shrugs and you can see the confidence in the nonchalance that radiates from his walk. You wished it would disperse into you.

"Well, if I were to give you one piece of advice..." You stop and look up at the crowd you despised that was near to you, "I'd recommend you don't get seen around me,"

And with that, you grip your bag strap a little tighter and walk a little faster- hoping to escape before anyone says a word to you.

"(Y/N)!" The loud, cruel bellow sounded inyour ears and already made you feel even more sick, "How was summer? Oh, no wait, were you working? Or looking after your brother? Or working? Or looking after your brother?"

You turn on your heel to stare Mikey, the resident bully, in the eyes, "Oh and same to you Mikey. Oh, no wait, were you trailing after Mummy and Daddy? Or crying over over the fact that the only company you had all holiday was your own right hand?"

Your own confidence overwhelms you so you're quick to leave after that remark, turning away and only hearing the faint laughter from his friends that surrounded him- though, this time, it is at him rather than with him. Noah was stood amongst them, pushing through to try to look at you once more- for this was completely different from the girl he met yesterday. How much could this place really change someone?

~~~

The day dragged on until you could finally be free for your last period, you had no lessom timetabled so opted to stay at school until Leo would finish.

Stood at your locker, your fingers grazed the photos that littered the inside of the door and they managed to provoke some sort of forged comfort in these echoey and cold hallways.

"(Y/N)?" Noah's voice sounded, growing closer to you, "I'm sorry, I don't have a class on my timetable so I don't know where to go,"

"Oh, it's just a free," You explain, "You can go home or just take it as a study period,"

He nods, understanding a bit more, "Is it okay if I stay with you then? I don't really want to go home and I don't know much of this place," Noah's hand scratches at the back of his neck and, if you knew him a bit better, you'd take that as a gesture full of nerves.

You close your locker door and sigh, "Didn't you hear what I said earlier?"

"Yes," He smirks, leaning against the locker block, confidence warming his eyes once more, "But I also saw the rest of those guys, and what you said to that Mikey kid, so I'm kind of willing to take the risk and stay with you,"

You don't really know how to respond, choosing to let him take the fall later, "Okay. Come with me,"

Silently, you lead Noah through the halls of the school and through the back exit onto the sports field. All the way to the back, you find the place you always went to. It was the building of the old storage facility where you could climb up and sit on the roof. Like an empty shell of a building, it was completely skeletal and only had the bold feature of winding plants crawling across it's surface. It was away from everything and gave you the space you needed when things became overwhelming. Noah was the first person you'd ever brought up here.

"So, you come up here a lot?" He asks, looking absently around at the landscape encircling you, "What do you do here?"

"It's a good place to get away from it all," You answer, cautious to not burn your legs on the scorching tiles below you.

"Why were those people so horrible to you?" Noah questions, turning to look at you with intent in his now focused eyes.

"Because they don't like me," You state simply, perhaps regretting your decision to bring him with you, you didn't like people being inquisitive about you, "Why do you care?"

"Because you seem like a good person. And I don't like bullies,"

"Well yeah, they're never anyone's favourite person until you're in their group," You shrug, "That's kind of how it works,"

There is a silence that settles in the thick, heat soaked air that fills the space between you. And it is oddly comforting- the silence and his presence. You feel guilty for not being welcoming to his friendliness.

"My parents already like you," He chuckles to himself, "Im sorry that they made us have a whole meet and greet with you yesterday,"

"No it's fine, they seem lovely, and it was nice of your sister to give us some food,"

"What about your parents? What are they like?" Noah shuffles closer to you but his movements are slight because he doesn't want to seem too forward.

"Oh yeah," You nod, looking down and picking at a piece of grass that was growing between the tiles, "They're great. Like I said, they're away at work right now,"

"Yeah, and it seems like you're close with your brother,"

"Definitely," You smile lightly, "Speaking of, I think he should be finishing school now. Do you need a lift home?"

You stand up and brush the dust from the back of your shorts, not noticing how Noah followed your every move and every curve of your body.

"Yeah, um, if that's okay," He smiles, hopping down onto the ground after you, "I think I'd get a bit lost on my way home,"

You don't need to respond, knowing your lack of opposition was enough for him to know your offer was accepted so the two of you are in silence once again. In this tranquility, you watch his eyes drift to the soccer field where the team are just starting their practice.

"Are you going to join the team?"

"Maybe, they seem like they're pretty great,"

And a little bit of your hope dies. Without being stereotypical, the teams here had a way of luring people in and tying them under their grasps of friendship and trust - meaning it would be likely that Noah would soon fall victim to the popularity curse. And you certainly weren't a part of that, they wouldn't let you into their circle. Noah would learn that soon.

(Does anyone actually like this?????)