The air in the gym was tense, the kind of tension that made every word feel sharper than it should. Ashly's voice sliced through the atmosphere like a knife.
"Are you talking to the both of us, Noah? Or is it just Serena you're talking to?" she asked, her raised eyebrow and skeptical glance making her challenge clear.
"Relax," Alex interjected with a nervous chuckle, clearly trying to smooth things over. "You all need to change fast. Our classmates might join us soon. Go for type A—those comfy jogging pants!"
Sam stretched lazily on the bleachers, letting out a dramatic yawn. He twirled his locker key between his fingers, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Hey, while you're at it, why not grab that cake Sar baked for me? I'm starving just sitting here waiting for this game to kick off!"
I glanced at Noah, his jaw tightening as Sam's words hung in the air. The charged moment between us didn't go unnoticed. Noah's expression was icy, his frustration palpable. He didn't say a word but stood abruptly, his movements sharp, and strode toward the building.
The silence he left behind was deafening.
Ashly exchanged a look with Ian, their shared unease mirroring my own.
"I'll go check on him," I said, determination setting in.
"Sierra, stop," Ian warned, his tone firm.
But I couldn't let it go. My feet carried me down the bleachers before I could reconsider, my heart pounding in my chest. I followed Noah as he disappeared into the building, his retreating figure a beacon for my mounting curiosity—and concern.
"Noah!" I called, my voice echoing in the empty hallway.
He didn't stop, didn't even glance back.
"Noah!" I tried again, louder this time, but he slipped into the locker room without a word.
I hesitated, glancing at the sign on the door before pushing it open. The faint scent of cologne and sweat greeted me as I stepped inside, my pulse quickening with each step. My eyes caught a glimpse of a towel-clad figure in the corner, but I had no time for embarrassment.
"Noah!" My voice wavered, but my resolve didn't.
He was standing by his locker, swinging it open with more force than necessary. He placed a box—the box I'd used to carry the cake—on the bench with a thud. His movements were quick, purposeful, but his energy was stormy.
"What's wrong with my cake?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion.
His head snapped up, his eyes narrowing at me. "Why don't you fool someone else, Sar?"
I blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? What do you mean? What's with your ass getting mad about? It started with... well, you want me to support you guys. And now my cake? I'm lost, Noah."
He let out a sharp laugh, void of humor. "What's my problem? You want to know? Fine. You act like you're all innocent, like you don't know exactly what you're doing."
I crossed my arms, my irritation bubbling over. "If you have something to say, Noah, say it clearly. I'm not in the mood for riddles." I crossed my arms. "You tell me what's up?" I demanded, my brows knitting together in confusion.
"Honestly? You're stupid!" He fired back, a chill in his tone.
His gaze darkened as he pointed at me. "That. What you're wearing. You like the attention, don't you? You like being stared at, being talked about."
I stared at him, incredulous. "This is our PE uniform, Noah. You're acting like I had a choice."
He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "You knew everyone's attracted to you, and you encourage them by wearing that kind of clothes." He pointed at my clothes.
I took a step closer, refusing to back down. "This is ridiculous. You're upset because people like me? You're upset over a cake? Or is it something else, Noah? What's really going on?"
He turned away, his hands gripping the edge of the locker door. "You liked their cheers. And now, you're a liar, huh? You told me you made this shit only for me but you actually made shits for the half of the male population in our school." His words dripped with sarcasm, his cheeks tinged with red.
I tilted my head, exasperated but intrigued. "Sam is not the entire male population of our school, Noah. And I baked the cakes because I wanted to support Chainz. Isn't that what you said fans should do? Appreciate all four of you?"
His shoulders tensed, and he slammed the locker door shut, the sound reverberating through the room.
"Tell me, Noah," I said, a teasing edge to my voice. "Are you jealous?"
"I'm not," he replied quickly, but his eyes betrayed him, flickering with something he couldn't hide.
"Then why do you care what I wear or who eats my cake?" I pressed, my heart racing as I stepped closer.
He sighed, closing his eyes briefly before opening them and meeting my gaze. "Why don't you leave me alone," he muttered.
"Try me," I challenged.
He exhaled sharply, his expression softening just slightly. "Just... go. Leave me alone, Sar."
But I wasn't done. "Fine," I said with a shrug, turning toward the door. My lips curled into a small, triumphant smile as I walked away, his words replaying in my mind.
He's jealous.
The sound of his locker slamming shut again echoed in the hallway, and I couldn't help but grin.
"Angry bird," I muttered to myself, a mix of amusement and something warmer settling in my chest. I wouldn't change my clothes. I wouldn't back down. If Noah wanted to stew in his jealousy, I'd let him.
"What happened? And why haven't you changed yet?" Sam asked, his brows raised as his eyes flicked to my PE uniform. His tone was casual, but the way his question hung in the air made it feel like a loaded statement.
I sighed, brushing past him to grab my water bottle. "What's with everyone being so worked up about our PE uniform?" I muttered, more to myself than to him.
"Relax, Sar," Ashly chimed in, her laughter bubbling over as she slung an arm around my shoulder. "Let's go. Your suitors are mad."
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help the faint flush creeping up my neck. "My suitors? Really? You're ridiculous."
"Oh, come on," she teased, smirking as she pointed back toward the building. "Noah looked ready to set the locker room on fire, and Sam over here keeps staring at you like you're his favorite dessert."
"Hey!" Sam interjected, feigning offense as he crossed his arms. "I'm just concerned about Sar here. Maybe the uniform's the one causing all this chaos."
Ashly laughed harder, nudging me with her elbow. "See? Your charm is too much for these boys to handle."
"Alright, enough," I said, my voice firm, though I couldn't help the amused smile tugging at my lips. "Let's just go change, okay? You guys are making this issue way bigger than it needs to be."
Ashly raised his hands in mock surrender, her grin still firmly in place. "Fine, fine. But you know, It looked like Noah wants to throw punches over that uniform earlier."
I shook my head, glancing toward the gym doors where Noah had disappeared moments ago. Something about the tension between us lingered, like an unspoken challenge neither of us was ready to admit.
"Let's go," I said finally, grabbing my bag. "Before you two make this even more dramatic."
As we walked back toward the lockers, Ashly leaned in, her voice low and conspiratorial. "You know he's jealous, right?"
I didn't answer, but the small smirk on my face said enough.