She's backkk!
What's up fanfiction world? To all my other readers, I apologize for the unannounced hiatus I took. It mostly due to computer problems, which was why i haven't updated "Campus Crush" in such a long time. But no worries, I'm back now and better than ever! :D
This is a KendallxOC story I had been planning for MONTHS, and I'm so happy that it's finally a reality. The summary may change at some point in the future, mostly cuz I had no clue what to type in the box, but the story will stay the same throughout. I briefly introduce James, Carlos, and Logan in the beginning so you the readers can get a feel for how they play out in the story, but unfortunately they won't be returning for a longgg while :( I know, sad right? But they'll be back, i promise. I have great plans for this story.
So, without further ado, here's "Time to Change!" :D
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Big Time Rush, or Apple products, but I own Noelle Callahan and her family.
Maybe I'm a dreamer
Maybe I'm misunderstood
Maybe you're not seeing the side of me you should
Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe I'm the only one
Maybe I'm just out of touch
Maybe I've just had enough
"Maybe" - Sick Puppies
"Alright, that's the last of it," seventeen year old Kendall Knight announced, rearranging his guitar case and last duffel bag to make sure everything was safe and secure in the back of his mother's red SUV, parked on the paved driveway and ready to pull out. It was nearing seven-thirty in the morning, and while Kendall would have preferred to stay in bed until noon like the rest of the teen population, here he was packing the car and prepping himself for the six weeks ahead of him. He pulled down the trunk door and closed it with a thud as he turned his head to face his friends, all waiting to bid him off and wish him a safe vacation away from the comforts of Sherwood, Minnesota.
James, Carlos, and Logan all stood close by, the raven-haired teen being the only one who looked awake of the three. School had just let out for the summer about a week prior, and the guys were using the extended break to their full advantage by sleeping in and causing mischief throughout the small town. Logan Mitchell was the only morning person of the bunch, still accustomed to waking up at an early hour to get to his lifeguarding job at the local summer camp on weekdays, clocking in at seven-thirty in the morning. It would be worth it though, as it would be a great asset to add to his resume upon applying for medical school in the near future. Today was a Saturday though, so he was more than able to stop by the Knight household to spend a few more minutes with his best friend before he jetted off to California.
"I still can't believe you're getting out of this dump for the summer, man," Logan said to Kendall with an encouraging smile and light shake of his head.
Kendall chuckled and stepped closer to the group. "Come on dude, Sherwood's not that bad," the blonde boy argued lightheartedly and truthfully. He was born and raised here, living in the same small house ever since he could remember with his mother and little sister. The next six weeks would be the first time he had ever been away from them for an extended period of time.
He had been one of the two hundred students nationwide that were accepted into the Harlow Brooks Music Academy in Burbank, California. Kendall had always had a passion for music, something him and his late father had always shared since the beginning. He was a music teacher at the boys' high school, and the varsity ice hockey coach until his untimely death two and a half years ago in a car accident...
Something Kendall never dared to remember from that night.
"Dude, compared to California, the whole fucking state is considered a dump," the Latino of the group chimed in, looking more awake now than he had all morning. Carlos Garcia was still dressed in his flannel pajama pants and a wife beater, making Kendall think he had woken up five minutes before showing up at his house.
"Language..." Kathleen Knight warned the group with a quaint smile, walking along the front sidewalk to the driveway with a tired, brunette pre-teen in tow.
The boys smirked as the auburn-haired woman neared the group. "Yes, Mama Knight, we know. We're sorry," Logan responded to his psuedo-mother with a warm smile. Mrs. Knight smiled fondly back, wrapping an arm around her eldest while clutching a thermal coffee cup in the other, Kendall returning the one sided hug instantly. She herself was still dressed in the yoga pants and tank top she wore to bed, her long red tresses tied back into a messy bun with a zippered sweatshirt shrugged over her slim frame. She knew she'd be too tired to shower and put on makeup to drop her son off at St. Paul Airport in Minneapolis, especially when she wouldn't be around anyone she knew from her kids' schools. Plus, the three boys standing near the Knight family had been over so many times over the years, and had seen her look much worse than this on numerous occasions.
"I knew you were my favorite for a reason," Kathleen teased, reaching out to ruffle Logan's spiked dark locks, earning a round of snickers from the bunch. She smiled again as she turned to face her son. "We better get going soon if you wanna catch your flight," she reminded Kendall, releasing her grip around him before starting toward the driver's side of the car. Kendall immediately felt his body tense as he watched his mother take a sip out of her coffee, noticing the bit of exhaustion in her eyes for the first time that morning as she walked to her designated spot in the car.
"You sure you want to drive me down, mom?" Kendall questioned his mother, trying to hide the apprehension in his voice. Kathleen's head snapped back around to look at him, knowing exactly why he was taking this extra precaution. "You look exhausted," he added with slight affliction and concern.
Kathleen gave him a faint, sympathetic smile and walked back to him. She looked into his bright green eyes, the normal bright and liveliness in them holding nothing but distress that only a mother could detect. She could recognize the look anywhere, as it was something Kraig Knight would do every time he was upset over something. It was one of the many traits Kendall got from his father, along with his looks and stubborn attitude.
"I'll be fine, baby, I promise," she reassured him easily, her smile curling up into a more confident one, bringing one of her hands up to brush his shaggy blonde hair away from his face and planted a kiss atop his forehead. Normally, the action would make Kendall roll his eyes, especially with his three brothers standing beside him. But with the sudden fear that had taken over him, he couldn't have cared less.
Kendall smiled back, releasing some of the tension in his body. "Only if you're sure," he responded. Mrs. Knight smiled back at him and looked between him, Katie, and the three boys all gathered near the car.
"We need to get going soon. I's like to get down to the airport in the next hour so you're not rushed through security and luggage," she spoke. Kendall's flight to California wasn't until ten o'clock, but with the summer months rolling in and many families going away on vacation, she wanted to make sure Kendall got to there with plenty of time to do everything that was needed.
Kendall nodded as his mother went back to the driver's side of the car, opening the door and gently sliding in. He turned to face his friends and little sister, instantly starting for the eleven year old, knowing that she wanted nothing more than to hop back into bed and sleep for another few hours. "You," he pointed a stern finger at the brunette. Katie Knight was always known to create mischief, even more so than Kendall and his crazy friends. She loved blackmailing people, and was clever when it came to helping the boys pull off a prank in the neighborhood. She was smarter than most kids her age, and was even beginning to formulate her career as a major business tycoon once she graduated high school.
Katie picked her head up and looked to her older brother. "I better not be getting phone calls from mom saying that you're in juvy for conning the Johnsons' kids out of their college funds or something," he warned her, keeping a smug smile on his face the whole time. Katie smirked and giggled as her brother continued. "And I better not be hearing about any boys coming over, also!"
"Stop interrogating your sister!" Kathleen scolded him playfully out the open window of the car, earning another small round of laughter from the boys.
"Yeah, you heard her!" Katie responded brightly.
"Katie..." Kendall said in a warning tone.
She sighed before wrapping her arms around her older brother. Kendall chuckled back and hugged her, kissing the top of her head meanwhile. "Good luck, big brother. And watch out. That town is full of crazies," she said as the two parted.
Kendall laughed back. "You too, baby sister," he smiled, ruffling her messy brown hair and moving on to Logan as the two engulfed each other into a hug.
"Stay safe, buddy," the always cautious one of the boys said before the two friends pulled apart.
"You too," Kendall said and moved to Carlos, embracing him in a hug as well.
"Good luck out there," Carlos wished him, patting the blonde boy's back in the hug as Kendall did the same before they too pulled apart. "And if you could maybe get Megan Fox's autograph for me while you're out there..." he trailed off with a puppy dog look in his eyes that could make anyone give in to his pleas, even as a junior in high school.
Kendall chuckled at his antics. "Only if you don't kill the others with your general craziness," he responded, referring to the teen's love for the adrenaline pumping, dangerous stunts he would try to pull off.
Carlos shook his head. "No guarantees," he joked back. Kendall chuckled back before going to James, who stood with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.
"Dude, you haven't said anything since you got here," Kendall told the taller brunette.
"I'm still pissed at you," James informed him, earning a roll of the eyes from everyone standing around.
It was obvious that James Diamond had always wanted to be a singer in Hollywood. The self-centered teen always bantered about his latest fantasies of getting a record deal, becoming famous, and marrying a hot supermodel one day. In addition, James was a perfectionist when it came to looks. He never left the house without his "lucky comb" (though no one knew why it was coined as lucky) and wore designer jeans and t-shirts on a near daily basis. He was a player, no doubt about it, easily using his looks to get any girl he wished.
But despite his narcissistic ways, he still remained loyal and trustworthy to his friends, their needs going ahead of his without a second thought.
Logan spoke up. "James, can't you be happy for Kendall instead of moping around for not getting in, too?" he asked him.
Both James and Kendall had sent in audition tapes to Harlow Brooks for the same summer program Kendall was taking part in. The two had fought about it on numerous occasions. Though it was obvious James had an amazing talent, Kendall was never confident enough to sing outside of the comforts of his shower. He'd play guitar and sing with his friends when they had the radio playing in the background, but that's as far as his singing went. His friends sensed his talent immediately, and James was determined to help Kendall on his own journey to stardom with him.
Unfortunately, the school had declined James, sending him the letter a while back and encouraged him to try again the following year.
Kendall had gotten accepted.
"Yeah dude, this is the last time you'll see Kendall all summer," Carlos piped in. "Maybe even forever. I mean, what if his plane crashes somewhere on the way over there, and everyone on it dies, and-" He was cut off by Logan cupping a hand over his still rapidly moving mouth, muffling his voice. "Hey!" they still managed to hear him exclaim.
"Love the vote of confidence, buddy," Kendall told the Latino in a sarcastic tone, a smile tugging at his lips. Carlos simply gave him a thumbs up before Logan removed his hand from Carlos' mouth and the blonde turned to face James.
"Come on, James. This is really getting stupid. You haven't spoken to me in weeks!" Kendall said frustratingly. "I didn't even want to go to this school!" he added for good measure.
"Exactly! That's why they should have let me in. I mean, hello!" he exclaimed, wiggling his fingers in front of his face. "I'm 'The Face,' and I can sing... probably even better than you and the other bimbos they let into that school," he went on.
"Dude!" Logan hissed as Carlos hit the taller brunette across the chest. Kendall just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He was used to this.
"Okay, as true as that is, we go on with what life gives us. And wasn't it you who practically begged me to audition for this thing?" he questioned, the corners of his mouth turning upwards slightly as he pointed a finger at James.
"You know, he never even fought you into not going to California..." Logan brought up.
James' head snapped in the dark haired boy's direction, glaring at him like he had just revealed his biggest secret. Like his attitude had all been a lie and Logan had finally revealed the truth.
"Aha!" Carlos cheered excitedly. "So you are happy he got in. I knew it!"
Even James had to smile at his friend's childish behavior as he spoke to Kendall. "You do know I was never actually mad at you for getting in, right?" he apologized to the blonde boy. "Just that they didn't accept me into the school with you," he added reassuringly.
Kendall nodded. "All's forgiven." he responded.
James smiled, laughing lightly as he stepped forward and clapped one of his hands with Kendall's and wrapped an arm around the blond in a tight embrace. "Godspeed, buddy."
"Thanks," Kendall said as they pulled away and he stepped back. "See you in a few weeks!" he exclaimed to the group, earning one last round of goodbyes as he went around the car and slid into the passenger's seat beside his mother.
This summer would be nothing like he'd ever experienced...
"We're here!"
Noelle Callahan looked out the window of the stranger's Ford Escape as they pulled into the driveway with sadness in her green eyes, seeing the Hale household for the very first time. The house was a descent size, Noelle guessing it had to have been a few thousand square feet, complete with light siding and neutral colored stone on the front of the house, black shutters, and a wraparound porch that lead to a gorgeous patio in the back. The lawn was perfectly cut and trimmed, not a blade of grass looking out of place, and the flowers and shrubbery below the windows looked colorful and well taken care of.
This wouldn't be the first time she'd lived in a house as nice as this.
Stephen Hale, a tall, handsome brunette man in his early to mid thirties, parked next to the three-car garage before stepping out of the car and going to the trunk and retrieving Noelle's belongings. The young brunette took her time as she too got out of the car to assist her new caretaker with her things.
"You're gonna love living in southern California," Stephen spoke up as he started pulling out a couple suitcases. "The weather is always perfect, there's always something to do, and, if I do say so myself, the animal care here is amazing!" he finished with a delighted smile, earning a chuckle from the shy teenager.
Stephen and his wife Jamie worked at the Burbank Animal Hospital about fifteen minutes away from their home. He was one of the main doctors at the firm, and she was a veterinary nurse. That was one of the only things Noelle knew about the couple, thanks to her social worker. Along with that, she knew they had two dogs and a cat, and learned that the couple started looking into foster care and adoption upon learning Jamie was unable to get pregnant when the two wanted to start their family.
Other than that, Stephen and Jamie were complete strangers to Noelle.
She and Stephen walked across the cobblestone walkway that lead to the front door of the house, luggage in hand as they stepped up onto the porch, and the sound of loud barking came from the indoors. Before she knew it, Noelle spotted a golden retriever's head glancing out the side window, eagerly awaiting the arrival of one of her beloved owners. Light laughter bubbled out of Stephen's throat as he reached for the brass door knob. "Don't worry about Gracie in the least. The second you step in, she'll be begging you for attention and bring you a few of her toys to play with," the man informed Noelle, not knowing if the dog in the window was intimidating her.
Noelle looked up with a reassuring smile, her eyes looking a more alive now than they had all day. "I wasn't even fazed by it," she said encouragingly. Stephen smiled widely back and opened the oak wood door, stepping aside and gesturing for Noelle to enter first.
"After you," he told her politely, fastening his grip on the suitcase in his one hand. The brunette slowly walked in, immediately being greeted by the dog she assumed was Gracie that had barked at her through the window. She jumped up, her paws clawing at the brunette's torso as she tried to climb up her body and lick her face repeatedly. Noelle giggled at the dog, playfully trying to shove her down as Stephen came by to assist her, grabbing onto the collar around her neck. "Whoa, down girl, down," Stephen said in a firm, yet gentle voice as he tugged the dog down and back onto the hardwood flooring. "We're home!" Stephen called to his wife.
Home. It sounded so... sure and permanent. When in actuality, that was the last thing Noelle was feeling. After all, nothing in her life seemed to be permanent for her.
Noelle set her bag down on the floor and looked around the soft tan colored walls and vibrant paintings that surrounded her. The front foyer itself gave off a warm and inviting feel that Noelle hadn't felt in a while.
"She's here?" a female voice sounded throughout the first floor. Not a second later did another brown haired woman who looked about a year or two younger than Stephen appeared in the entry way across the room. Her smile widened, if that were even possible, as she stepped over to Noelle. "Welcome home," Jamie greeted excitedly as she engulfed the young girl into a hug. Caught off guard, she nervously chuckled and waited a second before wrapping her arms around the woman, returning the hug.
"Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you in person," Jamie said with a kind smile as the two parted. "it's so nice to have you here staying with us." Noelle had previously talked the couple once or twice through FaceTime and Skype before the official move to California. She was thankful for that, especially since it made spotting Stephen at the airport earlier that day a lot easier. Noelle already came to the conclusion that they were a beautiful couple, but after seeing them in person rather than on a computer screen, they looked stunning.
Jamie herself was a naturally beautiful woman with her straight brown locks, stunning blue eyes that would put Zac Efron to shame, and fair skin with a friendly white smile. She looked comfortable, seeing as both adults took the day off from work today, but still fashionable at the same time in her dark skinny jeans and white button-down, sleeves rolled up to just above her elbows.
Slightly taken aback by her statement, Noelle gave a small shrug of her shoulders, a small smile settling onto her face for the first time that day. "I'm happy to be here," she responded.
"I'm gonna go get the rest of your things from the car," Stephen piped in from the front door, still keeping a hold of Gracie's collar so the dog stayed by his side instead of bombarding the newest addition to their home.
Noelle instantly turned around, her thin eyebrows shooting upward, as she began going to the door. "No, don't bother, I'll go out and-"
"Nonsense," Stephen cut her off with a chuckle, "I'm more than happy to do it. Plus, it'll give you some time to go look at your room."
"Yeah, why don't I go up and show you right quick." With that, Jamie bent down to grab the bag by Noelle's feet, ushering for her to follow her up the curved stairwell. Noelle heard Stephen chuckling in the background and pulling the dog's collar to follow him out, again watching out for Noelle's safety. She smiled at how caring these two were acting towards her, and rushed up the stairwell to follow Jamie.
Upstairs, Noelle immediately stood on top of a balcony that looked over the foyer and the family room in the back of the house. There were four doors that led to what she guessed was four bedrooms, and a second staircase that led to a room in the back of the house.
"This is your room right over here," Jamie pointed to a closed door next to the second set of stairs and started walking over to it. Noelle followed as she opened the door and the two stepped in.
The wood flooring was the same as the rest of the house, with off-white painted walls and dark oak furniture around the room. The wall in front of her had a full sized bed and a nightstand on either side, with a black and white floral comforter, white sheets, and matching pillows and shams, with extra throw pillows added in. The next, the one to her right, had a dresser and mirror with a couple of candles sitting atop of it. The wall to her left had a closet an open doorway to her own bathroom. The last had a desk with a large window overlooking the backyard, allowing lots of natural sunlight into the room.
"I hope this is okay for you. It was originally our guest room, so it's very plain, but you can do whatever you want with the place," Jamie rambled nervously. "Stephen's very handy with a paint brush if you'd like to change the wall color or anything," she went on.
"Wow, this is..." Noelle started in complete awe, stepping further into the room and looking around. "It's so beautiful," she gushed as Jamie smiled and let out a sigh of relief.
"Good, I was afraid you wouldn't like it," the older brunette said.
Noelle turned to look at her with shock written across her face. "Are you kidding? This place is amazing, the whole house is amazing," she complimented. "It's definitely one of the nicest houses I'd ever stayed in..." she trailed off, her mind wandering to the small house in Phoenix that would always stick out in her mind. Her parents' house.
She thanked God that Jamie didn't catch the now saddened look that had dawned her features as she spoke again. "I'm glad to hear it," she thanked her, before being cut off by Stephen asking for a hand downstairs. "One second, baby! Come on, let's just bring your stuff up and then we'll give you the grand tour of the house," Jamie called down to Stephen before turning to Noelle.
"Sounds great."
After five and a half hours in the air and an additional hour at LAX Airport to gather his luggage and find a cab, Kendall had arrived at his destination. His mind had been a mess of nerves and excitement ever since his acceptance letter had come in the mail. As happy as he was to leave Sherwood earlier this morning, and as much as he loved his music, he was nervous about leaving his mother and baby sister behind in Minnesota. Kendall had a part time job at the organic supermarket in town, which helped the small family pay for their food supply, and Kathleen's salary from the preschool she worked at took care of the bills and kept a roof over their head. The two women would now have to fend for themselves for the next six weeks.
Needless to say, it worried Kendall to be so far away from his two favorite girls. Being so far away from them for this long a period made him feel near sick to his stomach.
It was after two-thirty on the west coast when the taxi pulled into the Harlow Brooks Music Academy campus, taking him to Beethoven Hall. He looked up in awe at the tall buildings surrounding him as they drove through the residential area, each floor lined with rows of balconies and clear glass walls like any hotel would have. Students were walking around with suitcases and duffels, and various instrument cases of different sizes and shapes, some chatting with one another as they walked to their buildings.
At last, the cab driver pulled up to a parking space close to Kendall's residential hall, seeing as there were many cars and taxi cabs lining the driveway with other people gathering their belongings. The blond stepped out of the car and took a quick glance up and down the tall concrete building.
After paying the driver and checking in with the student volunteers running everything inside, he got directions to the nearest elevator and soon found himself on the fourth floor of the five-story building. He dug his free hand into the pocket of his jeans to retrieve the letter that was mailed to him last month. It held further information about the school and his summer courses, orientation, a bonfire that would be held later that night, and his housing information, eying the bold-lettered typing in the middle.
Beethoven Hall
Room #406
Once he reached a mahogany door with the bronze plated numbers on it, and double-checked that this was where he and his roommate would be staying, he turned the doorknob and entered the room.
It looked much like any other college dorm room to him - two beds, two dressers, and two desks, with one of each already occupied by the other person in the room, who was currently hanging band posters up near his bed. There was an amp tucked into one of the corners, and Kendall counted three additional guitar cases stacked on top of one another.
Realizing he wasn't alone, a boy with short brown hair turned his head around and spotted Kendall, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly in a polite smile. "Hey," he greeted, pinning a couple tacks into the colorful Beatles poster he was putting up.
"Hey," Kendall said back, dropping his bags onto the only empty bed in the room.
"I haven't seen you around before... this your first year?" the guy asked.
Kendall nodded. "Yeah," he answered.
Satisfied with his work, the boy turned around to face Kendall again and extended his hand out to shake. "Well, welcome then. Mason Ashford," he introduced himself, as the two boys shook hands. He met Kendall's height, with broad shoulders and large, strong physique that screamed high school jock, dark eyes, and small studs in his pierced ears.
"Kendall Knight," the blonde responded accordingly.
Mason smiled back briefly before going back to tend to his belongings and Kendall began unpacking his bags. "So what's your story?" Mason asked him with a friendly tone as he nodded his head to the guitar case. "Guitar or vocals?" he went on more specifically.
A small smile graced Kendall's chiseled features as he began bringing out t-shirts from his hockey duffel. "Both," he answered confidently.
"Nice, same here," Mason said with a nod of his head and encouraging chuckle.
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed with that amp right there," he said with a smug smile and lighthearted sarcasm, earning a chuckle out of Mason back.
"Yup, guitar's my life, man," he responded as he hung up another poster next to the one he had been working on when Kendall came in. "That and football are all I do in my free time."
Kendall nodded, knowing the feeling all too well with his love of hockey. "I know the feeling. I play ice hockey back home... it's my whole life..." he trailed off, looking at a blank spot on the wall in front of him as he reminisced previous hockey championships at school, and tossing the puck around on the frozen pond near his house with his dad.
"How'd you get into music then?" he heard Mason ask. Kendall's green eyes flashed with sadness, but he quickly blinked away the few tears coming on before Mason even had a chance of noticing.
"My uh, my dad used to play a lot of guitar," he replied while keeping his voice from wavering. Kraig Knight had always been a sensitive subject for the blond, seeing as his death had only been a few short years ago, and he and his son had an incredibly close bond. He took the loss harder than the rest of his family had. Kendall cleared his throat and continued. "He was a music teacher, and he taught me how to play on one of his when I was ten. I've been hooked ever since," he added as a small smile involuntarily creeped its way onto his face.
"Good man!" Mason complimented, earning a chuckle out of Kendall as he moved a small pile of t-shirts to a nearby dresser. "My old man could care less about me being here," Mason said.
"I take it he isn't much of a music lover?" Kendall asked with a smirk on his face, moving back to his bed as he did so.
While Kendall meant the question to be friendly, Mason seemed to take the inquisitive remark as anything but. He noticed Mason's shoulders tense as the room fell silent for a few seconds, the brown-haired boy taking a deep breath and unclenched the half fist he made. "He's uh... you know, I'd rather not talk about it right now," Mason spoke quickly, not wanting to go any further with the subject. Kendall nodded, instantly quieting down.
A few seconds passed before the sound of a phone beeping cut the tension in the room. Mason reached into his pocket and dug out his iPhone, reading a text while Kendall continued sorting through his things. "Hey, that was my friend down the hall. A few guys are meeting up later to go grab a quick bite to eat before the bonfire tonight," he told Kendall. "You wanna come with us?"
"Sure, sounds fun," Kendall smiled back.
A few hours later found Noelle settling into the Hales' home quicker than she expected to. The young old couple had treated her with nothing but kindness and hospitality, a nice switch from what she had expected when her social worker informed her of the move. She had most of her clothes put away, placed some old field hockey trophies on her dresser, organized the bathroom a bit, and tucked her guitar case under the bed. She even had a surprise visit from Gracie, who wanted their new guest to go out in the backyard and throw her favorite chew toy around.
Because that's all Noelle felt like at every home she had been in - a guest, and nothing more. Someone temporary, someone replaceable over time.
It was just after four o'clock in the afternoon, and Noelle was in her bathroom placing various toiletries in her shower and medicine cabinet before changing into a pair of Soffe shorts and sports bra. She looked at herself in the mirror as she threw her long brown tresses into a high ponytail, second-guessing her choice of running gear. Memories of her previous home flooded into her mind as she stared at her reflection with worried eyes and thin, parted lips.
Her heart rate picked up and her mind began racing with harsh flashbacks she hoped to never relive again upon the move to Burbank. Her breath catching slightly in her throat, she rushed out of the bathroom as fast as her nervous feet could take her without causing a stir, and over to her dresser, throwing on a sensible black tank top over her body. Her breathing slowly went back to a normal rate when her torso was covered. She was sure nothing bad could come her way now.
After slipping on some running shoes and grabbing her iPod and some extra cash, Noelle slipped down the back stairwell that led to the kitchen. Jamie stood near the center island, glancing at an open cookbook as she placed a couple pots on the stovetop. Stephen sat on a barstool with his cell phone up to his ear, waving to Noelle when he noticed her walk into the room before quickly ending his phone call.
"Who was that?" Jamie asked him.
Stephen sighed. "Chelsea, I think? It was one of the new girls that's running the desk today," he started, Jamie nodding along. "Something's up with one of Mrs. Harrison's dogs and she insists I'm the one who checks them over," he said with a frustrated sigh.
Jamie frowned. "But Noelle just got here!" she argued in a hurt tone, earning a sigh and a shake of the head from her husband.
"You know how those dogs are, though. They barely let anyone else touch them," he stated, standing up as he did so. "I'll go change and be on my way. It shouldn't take too long," he added, looking between the two girls in front of him before retreating to the stairwell Noelle had just hiked down.
Jamie sighed and brought her blue eyes up to meet Noelle's jade colored ones. "I'm sorry, this woman can get really pushy if things don't go her way," she apologized before resting her elbows on the granite counter top and covering her face with her manicured hands. "She's been a client of ours for five years, adopts a new dog or two every year, and I swear, she has to come in every week when even the slightest thing happens to them," she explained before letting out a soft chuckle, picking her head back up. "I swear, she's worse than an old cat lady..."
Even Noelle had to admit, the last comment brought a smile to her face. "It's okay, don't worry about it," the brunette said with a nervous laugh.
"I know, but we were supposed to have a nice sit-down dinner tonight, I was gonna attempt to cook something descent for the first time in a year, and..." Jamie trailed off, burying her head in her hands again.
This was really out of the ordinary for Noelle. She had had mixed reactions from different guardians upon moving in to different home after different home. Some were nice and friendly, while others were cold and harsh, seeming like they never about her wellbeing from the beginning. The Hales, however, were the only people to treat her like their own child. Everything from the newly decorated bedroom, to the sit-down dinner Jamie had planned.
To her, it felt all too good to be true.
"Um, I was thinking of going on a run and exploring the neighborhood a bit, but if you need help cooking dinner tonight or anything..."
Jamie's hands fell back to the counter as the older brunette shook her head. "No, no! Don't even think about it. Go run, do whatever you want," she said, gesturing her hands to the open cookbook in front of her. "I've got this covered tonight," she assured her.
"Are you sure?" Noelle questioned carefully. "Because I've cooked meals for large amounts of people before-," she offered with a friendly smile on her face, hoping to please the woman in front of her in any way possible.
"No, sweetie, don't bother," she cut her off with a chuckle as she brought her hand down to pet the second dog's head that sat calmly at her owner's feet, and Noelle's ears perked up at her new pet name. Sweetie.That's a first, she thought. "And hey, if all else fails, I'll just call Stephen and have him pick up some pizza or something on the way home. Don't worry about a thing," Jamie insisted.
"Alright, if you're really sure..." Noelle trailed off, leaving plenty of room for Jamie to change her mind if need be.
"I'm positive," she stated firmly with the same warm smile she had worn all day. "Now go, run... but be careful! And take your phone. You have our phone numbers, right?" Jamie questioned, her motherly instinct quickly kicking in.
"Yeah, don't worry... I won't be long..."
Her breath shaky, her heart beating fast, and a thin sheen of sweat coating her body, Noelle quickened her pace as she trudged down the sidewalk. She needed this. She missed this. Running had always been an escape for her usually clouded mind. After the day's events with the Hales, she had no idea what to think.
Her iPod was clipped to the waistband of her shorts, screaming music into her ears that only urged her to move faster, as she mentally kept track of where she was and how to get back to the Hales' house. It wouldn't be that hard to relocate, she hoped.
When she reached the busier portion of the street, Noelle slowed her pace down and halted in front of a small, high-end clothing boutique, taking a moment to catch her breath as she placed her hands behind her head and walked down the block in an easy cool down. She looked around the street as she did so, seeing various shops and restaurants and roadside venders, with various signs directing traffic to different portions of the city. One in particular held an arrow pointing to the driveway of a music academy Noelle had read about online and in magazines. Despite it being a college, Harlow Brooks was widely known for their prestigious summer music program for high school students, which Noelle had dreamed of being a part of for the longest time.
The driveway wasn't too far off, and the brunette could easily see kids her age turning from it and onto the sidewalk to explore the town a bit. It was quarter to five, so they were probably going out to eat dinner with friends and roommates.
Knowing she'd be due back at the Hales' within the next hour, Noelle decided to step into the nearby coffeehouse for a bottle of water, maybe sit down and relax for a couple of minutes, and then jog back the seven miles to Stephen and Jamie's house for whatever dinner Jamie was preparing.
She walked into the small cozy building, instantly being welcomed by the smell of freshly baked pastries and hearty laughter coming from a rather large table situated near the window. Six or seven boys about her age sat around it, coffees, sodas, and empty plates littering the table top as they talked about the latest topic in front of them. Noelle did her best to fight off a smirk as she pulled the earbuds from her ears and walked to the nearby row of refrigerators, where a brunette boy stood in front of one debating what to grab. He was tall and physically built, with studs in his ears and what looked like the beginnings of a detailed tattoo peaking out under the sleeve of his white t-shirt, the words Harlow Brooks Music Academy stitched across the front in bold lettering.
Feeling intimidated by his looks alone, Noelle quickly walked over to the fridge next to him and reached for a door immediately, not wanting to be near this person for long. As she pulled it open, Noelle accidentally hit the boy's head with the door as he went to open the other fridge.
"Hey, watch it!" he angrily exclaimed at her.
Noelle felt her face turn a shade of crimson as she let go of the glass door, forgetting what she was reaching for and turned to face him. By now, people had looked up from their coffee mugs and stopped their conversations, watching the scene by the refrigerators. The guy had his hand on his forehead, where he had been hit dangerously close to his temple. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Noelle apologized, her voice panicky and laced with shock.
He scoffed. "Yeah, you better be," the guy huffed, removing his hand from his head long enough to grab a soda before closing the fridge door with a slam. A few additional people around the coffee shop looked up at the exchange, most of their stares directed toward Noelle - including a shaggy haired blonde from the same table as the Harlow Brooks boy. The same large table Noelle had passed when she first came in.
Her gaze fell to the floor and her face turned redder. She had never felt so self-conscious about her actions before in her life, and nearly second guessed getting the bottle of water she had originally came here for. She quickly turned around and reached for the door again, feeling a sense of relief when no one could see her face, and went for the closest water bottle she could find.
Kendall Knight felt utterly terrible for the embarrassed girl across the room. He swiftly got up from his chair and began walking in the same direction Mason was coming from, narrowing his eyes at the roommate.
"Dude," he muttered with a somewhat disgusted look on his face.
Mason shrugged his shoulders cluelessly back, earning a roll of the eyes from Kendall as he passed him and fearlessly walked over to the girl, who was now slowly closing the fridge door with a bottle of water in her other hand.
"Hey, don't worry about him at all," he said assuringly as he approached the brunette, who instantly looked up and caught his green eyed gaze. "He's got a bit of a temper on him," he ended with a chuckle, rethinking back to the moment in their dorm room when Kendall had asked about his father. Throughout the afternoon, Kendall had learned that Mason was a very passionate, outspoken person, never holding a single comment to himself.
The girl turned her body fully to face him, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile, giving Kendall a chance to fully look at her. Her hair was long and dark, her skin was warm, and her eyes were the most vibrant shade of green he had ever seen. She stood a few inches shorter than him, his eyes studying every small curve of her slender frame. She was undeniably beautiful, mesmerizing every bone in his body.
"Um, thank you," she said softly, pushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail away from her face, suddenly feeling self-conscious again.
Kendall leaned his arm up against the nearby fridge and stuck his hand out toward the brunette. "I'm Kendall, by the way," he smiled down at her.
He noticed her swallow hard, glancing at his hand for a second before catching his gaze again and locking eyes, smiling softly. God, she really is beautiful, he thought. "I'm Noelle," she said quietly, bringing her own hand up to shake his. It was warm and soft, and significantly smaller than his. He felt a shock of electricity shoot up his arm and travel down his spine, making a smile unknowingly form on his face at the contact.
"So," Kendall started, turning now so his back was against the glass fridge door next to Noelle, "are you going to school up here too? Harlow Brooks?" he asked curiously, but praying inwardly that she would say yes.
"Um, no I'm not," Noelle answered as a small smile graced her face, mimicking Kendall as she leaned back across the other fridge. Kendall felt his mood drop slightly at her response, but didn't let it show. "I just moved here today, actually. I'm just out exploring what I can of the town," she said, feeling an unusual sense of ease as she spoke to him. "I take it you're going to Harlow Brooks then?" she questioned, smiling sweetly.
Kendall nodded. "Yup, we just moved in today, too," he answered, letting another smile make itself known on his face. "It's too bad you haven't lived here longer. I was just gonna ask you to show me around and tell me what the city has to offer..." he told her with a coy smile and lively look in his eyes, letting his statement linger in the air.
"Is that your way of asking me out?" Noelle shot back easily with a bright grin on her face.
"Is that your way of saying yes?" he played along with a confident smirk, lightly nudging his shoulder into hers, near shuddering at their physical contact once again.
Noelle turned away with a shy and smug look on her face, pondering the question with humming sound. "I'll get back to you," she told him, smiling sweetly before walking to the cashier to pay for her water, Kendall's eyes not leaving her once.
He already felt fidgety as the girl swiftly walked away from him, her hips gently swaying with every step she took to the register. She only stood a few yards away from her, and Kendall could feel a strong magnetic pull towards the brunette. Watching Noelle made him want to be close to her, to banter back with her with playful remarks and teasing smiles, to hold her hand and feel that spark between them again.
It was absurd, Kendall wouldn't deny that, but he also wouldn't deny the sudden attraction he felt towards Noelle. He was hooked... and he barely knew her.
"Yo Kendall!"
He was suddenly shaken from his daze, head snapping to the direction of his table. Some of the guys were getting up and starting for the exit with Mason and one of his friends left behind to clean up. "The bonfire's starting soon, you coming?" Mason asked him.
He glanced back at Noelle, who was now standing in line behind some business man ordering an iced coffee. He felt the same strong pull towards her, like something in his brain was nagging him, telling him not to leave her side for one second or his heart would shatter. Even though they had only introduced themselves not two minutes ago, he sensed something special about this girl, something different from the girls he had dated back in Minnesota. And now that he had her in his grasp, there was no way he'd let her slip between his fingers.
Little did he know that Noelle was feeling the exact same thing.
He turned back to Mason and nodded his head. "Yeah. I'll meet you guys up there in a bit."
Mason shrugged his shoulders, not thinking too much of it. "If you say so," he responded, the other guys already going out the front door. Mason followed, saying something about texting him later that Kendall waved off, his full attention focusing on Noelle as she placed the water on the counter.
"Here, let me get that," he told the cashier, reaching into his jeans pocket for his wallet as Noelle looked up at him.
"No, no, no, Kendall. I got it, please," Noelle said, reaching into her own pocket as she did so.
"No, let me," Kendall stated further, already giving the cashier a five dollar bill as he swiftly ran the bottle over the scanner.
Noelle smiled up at Kendall as the cashier was counting out his change. "Thanks," she said.
"Don't mention it..." Kendall responded with a smile as he dug his hand in his pocket once more before pulling out his iPhone, "so long as I can have your number?" he asked, his tone playful and eyes brighter than Noelle had seen throughout the day.
"Are you always this forward with the girls you meet?" Noelle smirked, taking the bottle back as the two stepped away from the register.
"Only the special ones," Kendall answered after a second, making the girl beside him duck her head to hide the redness tinting her cheeks. It was a true statement. Noelle had seen the sincerity to it in his forest green eyes. He was the only one that thought so. It was flattering and nerve wracking to hear it come from a stranger's mouth. Even though now, she wouldn't think twice of calling him a stranger again with all the thoughts running through her mind.
"Why not," she sighed jokingly, taking his phone before giving him her own. Kendall grinned and took it, adding his number to her contacts list before exchanging phones once more. Her fingers brushed slightly along his, earning a soft smile to appear on Kendall's face. He was feeling the same spark that she was. "So, when do I get to see you again?" Noelle asked coyly. She knew that no matter the answer, she wouldn't be able to wait
"Well, I have orientation tomorrow, and my first class ends on Monday at eleven-thirty... maybe we could go out for lunch right after," he suggested, keeping his essence of confidence as she smiled back at him. The brunette had a strong effect on him, and he was loving every ounce of it.
"Sounds great. Just text me the time and place," she nodded back, the butterflies fluttering around her stomach in anxiousness. She knew that Monday was not going to come fast enough for her.
"Perfect," he responded, leaning his head down a bit. He involuntarily glanced down at her lips before meeting her eyes again, praying she didn't notice, but he still felt the desire to close the distance between them with a gentle kiss. But almost as quickly as the need came, he brushed it off with a small smile and a twinge of guilt tugging at his heart. After all, the two had just met.
Maybe the next six weeks wouldn't be as bad as he had thought...
And there you have it, the first chapter! :) Now I can't guarantee quick updates for this story, seeing as I'm moving into my new school on Monday and have no idea what my new college workload will be like, but like I said, I have great things planned for this story. I have a notebook solely devoted to character bios, songs, notes, and any other little thing related to TTC, and I can't wait to see what your reactions will be like!
So with that, please send a review and let me know what you think! See you soon! :D