Frequencies of Us Chapter 38: Skips and a Stay

Noah POV

I’m at the park, the air cold and damp, my hands deep in my jacket pockets. My chest hurts, heavy and sore, since yesterday at the track. Mateo yelled, “Is she right?” and I shouted back, “No, she’s lying!” but he stormed off, believing Lena, breaking my heart. That glow, “He’s breaking for you,” stuck with me all night, soft and sad, pulling me to him but stinging bad. Now I’m here, skipping school, my gut twisting, hot and empty, because he’s gone, and I’m lost, needing him back.

The swings creak, old and rusty, and I sit on one, my sneakers dragging dirt. My heart thumps, slow and tired, and my face feels hot, even in the chill, because I’m hurt, deep down, and my hands shake, restless, gripping the chains. My breath puffs out, white and shaky, and my eyes sting, wet and blurry, because he thinks I’m using him. Me. The guy who likes him too much. My throat gets tight, sore and dry, and my chest aches, raw and quiet, because it’s love, yeah, and it’s falling apart.

Steps crunch behind me, soft and quick, and my head jerks up, heart jumping fast. It’s Mateo, hoodie up, hands in pockets, walking slow toward me. My stomach flips, warm and wild, and my breath catches, stuck in my throat, because he’s here, real, close, and my chest flutters, soft and scared, hoping, needing him to stay. He stops, close now, eyes dark and low, and my heart slams, loud and fast, because he’s quiet, nervous, and it’s big, pulling me in.

“I was wrong,” he says, voice low, rough, kicking the dirt with his sneaker. My gut twists, hot and fast, and my face burns, red and sweaty, because it’s him, saying it, fixing it maybe, and my chest lifts, light and shaky, wanting to believe. My hands shake, bad now, letting go of the chains, and my legs wobble, standing slow, because he’s here, sorry, and it’s steamy, hitting me hard. I step closer, dirt crunching, and my heart skips, loud and wild, because it’s us, maybe okay, and I need it, bad.

We sit, side by side, swings still, and my knee brushes his, soft and warm. My skin buzzes, hot and alive, and my breath gets loud, shaky in my ears, because he’s close, real close, and my gut flips, flirty and fast, feeling him there. My hands rest on my lap, shaky and dumb, and his brush mine, quick and light, sending heat up my arm. My chest flutters, steamy and wild, and my face burns hotter, because it’s small, yeah, but it’s him, and it’s big, pulling me in deep.

He’s quiet, breathing soft, and my heart slams, loud and fast, because the air feels thick, warm between us, easing the hurt. My fingers twitch, brushing his again, slow and soft, and my gut twists, hot and wild, because he doesn’t pull away, just sits, steady, and it’s flirty, real, lighting me up. My breath shakes, my chest tight, and my eyes flick to him, quick and shy, seeing his jaw tight, scared maybe, but here, with me.

“Don’t leave again,” I whisper, voice raw, cracking soft, and my throat hurts, dry and sore, because it’s out, real and needy, and my face burns, red and wild, scared he’ll run, scared he won’t. My hand moves, slow and shaky, grabbing his, warm and rough, and my heart skips, loud and fast, because it’s steamy, love, hitting me deep. My chest aches, hot and raw, and my breath catches, stuck again, because I need him, yeah, always, and it’s big, pulling tight.

He nods, small and quick, eyes still low, and my stomach flips, warm and wild, because he’s staying, scared but staying, and my chest flutters, steamy and fast, feeling it, believing it. My fingers squeeze his, tight and soft, and my heart slams, loud and wild, because he’s here, quiet, real, and my gut twists, flirty and raw, wanting more, wanting him forever. My breath puffs, soft and quick, and my face burns hotter, because it’s us, close again, and it’s good, fixing the break.

We sit, quiet still, swings creaking soft, and my head buzzes, his nod, my whisper, playing over and over, making me jumpy. My chest feels tight, my hands shaky, holding his, warm and steady, and my gut twists, steamy and wild, because he’s here, not running, and it’s love, yeah, pulling me in. My breath’s loud, shaky in the cold, and my heart thumps, fast and loud, because the hurt’s fading, slow and soft, and he’s close, making it better, making me whole.

The park’s empty, just us, wind rustling leaves, and my chest aches, hot and raw, because he’s staying, yeah, and my throat’s tight, words stuck, wanting to say more, wanting him closer. My hand stays in his, sweaty and warm, and my gut flips, flirty and fast, because it’s small, yeah, but it’s big, lighting me up, keeping me here. My face burns, my breath shaky, and my knee presses his, soft and steady, because I need it, need him, and it’s hitting me, deep and real.

He shifts, slow and soft, his shoulder brushing mine, warm and close, and my heart skips, loud and fast, because it’s flirty, steamy, pulling me in tight. My chest flutters, my gut twisting, and my eyes flick to him again, seeing his face, scared but soft, and my breath catches, stuck in my throat, because he’s mine, maybe, and it’s good, easing the pain. My hand squeezes his again, light and warm, and my heart slams, loud and wild, because it’s us, here, now, and I’m scared, yeah, but happy, needing him to stay.

Then it rustles, a soft crinkle, low and close, from my pocket. My head tilts, heart jumping fast, and my free hand digs in, slow and shaky, pulling out a candy wrapper, old and crumpled, from last week with him. My gut twists, warm and steamy, and my hands shake, bad now, holding it tight, because it’s dumb, yeah, but it’s us, sweet and real, pulling me back. My breath catches, stuck again, and I grin, small and shy, because it’s him, always him, and it’s flirty, lighting me up. My phone buzzes, sudden and soft, making me jump.

I pull it out, hands trembling, unknown number, one word: “Stay.” My chest flutters, hot and wild, and my eyes flick to Mateo, quiet, hand in mine, pulling tight. My heart slams, loud and fast, and my breath shakes, steamy and alive, because it’s us, here, now, caught in the moment. The wrapper crinkles in my grip, soft and sweet, dancing in the wind, and my gut twists, warm and wild, because it’s him, close, staying, and I’m shaky, waiting, with something soft and steamy holding us here.