Books & a Baller

Noah

I woke up to the sound of splashing, I sat up in the daybed, yawned and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Looking over to the pool, I could see someone swimming laps, it had to be Cara. Blinking against the early morning sun, I got up, walked over to the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on, it was the least I could do. I hoped this morning she'd have a clearer head, and she would listen to me.

I'd tried to tell her yesterday that it wasn't my fault, that Priya had come on to me. It was completely unwanted, at least on my side. I needed her to see that. I wanted her, and only her. I thought I'd shown her that. I let out a sigh and took a mug from the cabinet, I glanced over to the pool and saw Cara pulling herself out of the water. I poured her coffee and walked over to her.

"Morning Baller, here, coffee?" I handed out the mug to her, she took it from me and took a sip. Without saying a word, and without making eye contact.

She handed the mug back to me, took the towel off the sun-lounger that she had brought down with her, wrapped it around herself and held out her hand. I passed the mug back to her, she took another sip, grabbed her phone and water bottle and headed off inside.

I sighed, I hated this. How could I have been so stupid!? If only I'd opened my damn eyes this never would have happened. She couldn't even look at me. How was I going to even get the chance to apologise to her? To explain the whole situation?

I headed to the kitchen to make myself a tea, Marisol was there.

"She'll come around Noah, she just needs time."

I shook my head at her, "I can't believe I was such an idiot."

"Hey," she placed her hand gently on my forearm, "we believe you, we know you wouldn't do something like that to her. She's hurting right now, but once the dust has settled, she'll understand."

"I don't know Mari. She won't even look at me." I flicked the kettle on, and took a mug from the cabinet.

"I know, but she will. You two are made for each other. Just be patient with her, give her the time and space she needs and when she's ready to talk, you'll know."

"You sure?"

"Positive." She smiled at me.

"How can you be?"

"I'm good with body language," she shrugged. "And down there by the pool? She wanted to look at you, and I think it's safe to assume she wanted to kiss you, or at least hug you. She wanted to thank you for the coffee."

"How can you tell all of that just by her body language?"

"The way her feet were positioned towards you, but she turned her face away, the direction of her feet showed her attention was on you, but she was fighting against it and avoiding looking at you, the rest, call it an educated guess." She shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Huh, so she's not really that mad then?"

"Oh she's mad. That's for sure. But she's hurt more, she's put her trust in you Noah, and now it's broken."

"But I didn't do anything! It was Priya that kissed me!"

"I know that, and the rest of us believe you, well maybe not Lottie."

"And obviously Cara."

Marisol nodded, "and you need to give her time to let the shock settle, and then explain it to her. Remember she hasn't just been hurt by you, Priya has betrayed her trust too."

I sighed, "I still can't believe Priya would do something like that."

"Me either, but she must have some kind of angle, some sort of game she's playing, do you think anyone else knew that she was planning to do something?"