"And how?" Noelle found herself attracted to the young lad full of energy.
"Because I'll be joining you. Hi, I'm Derek." Derek said, raising his hand for a handshake.
"Noelle." Noelle said shaking Derek's hand.
"Such a beautiful name for such a shorty." Derek said making fun of Noelle's height.
{Derek is a fun guy with a height of 5'11 and on the other hand, Noelle is an introvert with a height of 5'2}
"Oh My God! Derek you're almost touching the sky. Wow, so tall." Noelle said rolling her eyes.
Noelle felt a warmth spread through her, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. For the first time in years, she felt seen—not as Sarah's friend, but as Noelle, a person with her own hopes and dreams.
And that's how Noelle and Derek got to know each other. On every school day, they went home together with the couple. Noelle used to walk on the higher sidewalk to make her height equal to Derek.
One fateful day, Derek asks Noelle for her socials. Then starts their chatting and flirting. As they were together on third wheeling and never letting day go boring, Noelle and Derek discovered a shared passion for science and a mutual appreciation for dry humor. They laughed at each other's jokes, exchanged anecdotes about their hometowns, and found solace in each other's company.
With each passing day, Noelle found herself drawn to Derek in ways she couldn't explain. He was like a breath of fresh air in her otherwise predictable life, a reminder that there was more to school than being a third wheel.
As Noelle's friendship with Derek blossomed, she found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. On one hand, she was grateful for his presence in her life, for the way he made her feel seen and understood. On the other hand, she couldn't shake the guilt that accompanied her newfound happiness.
Sarah and Adam had been her friends for years, and she didn't want to betray their trust by forming a bond with someone else. Yet, she couldn't ignore the undeniable connection she shared with Derek—a connection that seemed to transcend friendship and venture into uncharted territory.
A new day came with new feelings that Noelle felt for Derek. Noelle went to the library to escape from all those feelings. She found a book to her liking. She stood on her toes trying to get the book.
"Need a ladder there, shorty?" Derek teased, leaning against the shelves beside her.
"Are you a ghost?" Noelle asked.
"No. Why? Don't say you're trying to riz me up." Derek said.
"Cause you jump out of nowhere. And please don't flatter yourself too much, no one's trying to riz you up." Noelle said.
Derek reached the book and kept it on Noelle's head, smirking cause he found a new way to annoy Noelle. AND FYI DEREK LOVES TO ANNOY NOELLE (cause that's his love language)
They fought openly during lunch breaks.(Not that kinda fought jk flirting fought.)
Noelle liked that kind of friendship. They both liked each other's company. She wanted moments like this to last forever cause she was afraid of what could happen if she let her feeling be revealed.
A year passed, they shared a passion for literature, a love of sarcasm, and a penchant for late-night conversations about the mysteries of the universe.
With each passing day, Noelle found herself drawn to Derek in ways she couldn't explain. He was unlike anyone she had ever met—smart, funny, and unapologetically himself. And though she tried to deny it, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was beginning to mean more to her than just a friend.