Frequencies of Us Chapter 76: Radio Heat and Brick Rain

Noah POV

I’m sprawled on the basement floor at Lincoln High, a radio ripped open in front of me. Mateo’s arm is around my shoulders, heavy and warm. We’re laughing hard. He’s mimicking Ortiz’s growl, making his voice deep and grumpy. “Vargas, you’re out!” he says, grinning at me. My stomach hurts from laughing. It feels good after the shed, after running from that banging door. I lean into him, happy to be here, just us.

The radio crackles, static spitting loud. We stop laughing. Then Ortiz’s voice comes through, real and clear. “Expel him before the audit.” My stomach drops fast, like a rock sinking. My hands freeze on the radio. Mateo’s arm tightens around me. I look at him, eyes wide. He pulls me in, close. His lips find mine, slow and desperate. His hands cup my face, warm and strong. I kiss him back, hard. My heart pounds, scared but alive.

His lips taste like sweat and the candy he ate earlier. I push my tongue into his mouth, needy. He groans, quiet and deep. My hands grab his shirt, pulling it up fast. He yanks it off, tossing it aside. I touch his chest, fingers sliding over his skin. He’s hot, solid. I kiss his jaw, then his neck, sucking soft. He moans louder, hands tugging at my jeans. I undo them quick, letting them fall.

He grabs me, his grip tight and warm. I gasp, loud, my legs shaky. His fingers move, slow then fast. I bite my lip, holding in a moan. It slips out anyway, low and rough. He kisses me deeper, swallowing the sound. My hands fumble with his shorts, pushing them down. I feel him, hard and hot. I stroke him, matching his rhythm. Our breaths mix, fast and messy. He grabs my hair, pulling a little. I groan, too loud. He presses his mouth to mine, keeping me quiet.

I push closer, hips rocking into his hand. He’s trembling, close. I feel it too, building fast. “Noah,” he whispers, voice shaky. That’s it. I lose it, spilling over his fingers, shaking hard. He follows right after, a low growl in his throat. We cling to each other, panting, warm and sticky. His forehead rests on mine. Our breaths slow, matching. It’s sweet, perfect, even on this dirty floor.

I pull back, smiling soft. He grins, eyes bright. I fix my jeans, hands slow on the zipper. He pulls his shorts up, laughing quiet. “You’re crazy,” he says. I shrug. “Only for you.” My chest feels warm, full. He leans in, kissing my forehead. I close my eyes, feeling safe. For a second, it’s just us, no threats, no fear.

I turn back to the radio, digging in its wires. My fingers brush something hard. I pull it out. A USB, small and black. “Vargas” is scratched on it in sharpie. My heart jumps. Evidence? Maybe something to save him. I hold it up, showing Mateo. “What’s this?” he says, voice low. I don’t know, but it feels important. I reach for my laptop, ready to plug it in. My hands shake a little, excited.

The door slams open. I jump, dropping the USB. Lena’s cheer squad bursts in, loud and fast. Their shoes squeak on the floor. They’re sneering, phones out, flashing bright. “Caught you, freaks!” one yells. My stomach twists, sick. Mateo stands quick, pulling me up. I grab the USB, shoving it in my pocket. The girls laugh, mean and sharp. My face burns, mad and scared.

I step in front of Mateo, trying to shield him. “Get out!” I shout. They don’t move. One girl, tall with glitter on her cheeks, points her phone at us. “Smile, Keller,” she says, smirking. My chest tightens. Lena’s behind this, I know it. She’s been after us, with her videos, her texts. Now this. I clench my fists, ready to push them out.

A loud crash cuts the air. Glass explodes inward. A brick sails through the window, fast and hard. I grab Mateo, pulling him down. We hit the floor, his body over mine. Shards rain down, sharp and cold. One cuts my arm, stinging bad. I feel his breath, fast and scared, on my neck. The girls scream, ducking. My heart’s pounding, loud in my ears.

I look up, glass crunching under me. The window’s gone, just a hole now. The cheer squad’s still here, phones shaking in their hands. “Who did that?” I yell, voice cracking. No answer. They’re scared too, eyes wide. Mateo’s hand grips mine, tight. I feel blood trickling down my arm, warm and wet. My mind races. Lena? Ryan? Someone worse?

I pull Mateo closer, keeping him low. “You okay?” I whisper. He nods, jaw tight. His eyes dart to the window. I follow his look. Nothing out there, just dark. My stomach flips. That brick wasn’t random. Someone’s watching, waiting. The USB burns in my pocket. What’s on it? Something big, something they don’t want us to see.

The girls start moving, backing off. “This is messed up,” one mutters. They’re still filming, but their laughs are gone. I stand slow, pulling Mateo with me. My arm stings, blood dripping. I don’t care. “Get out,” I say again, quieter but hard. They turn, shoes squeaking, and run. The door slams shut behind them.

I look at Mateo. His face is pale, eyes dark. “What’s on that USB?” he says, voice rough. I shake my head. “Don’t know. But it’s something.” My hand shakes, holding it. I want to check it, right now. But my laptop’s by the radio, under glass. I take a step, crunching shards. Mateo grabs my arm, stopping me. “Wait,” he says.

I hear it then. A low hum, outside. My chest tightens. I look at the window again. Nothing moves. But the hum gets louder, closer. Like an engine. My heart slams, fast and hard. Mateo pulls me back, tight against him. “Noah,” he says, urgent. I nod, scared. The hum turns to a roar. Lights flash through the broken window, bright and blinding. A car, speeding close.

I stumble back, pulling him with me. The lights grow, filling the room. My breath catches. The roar’s right outside now. Tires screech, loud and sharp. I grab Mateo harder, heart in my throat. The car stops, sudden. A door slams open. My stomach drops. Someone’s here. And they’re coming for us.