culpables years later

Nick

In all the time I've known Lion, there's never been a moment where I've been really mad at him. Until now. I knew he was going through a tough time, but to destroy that moment and say certain things about Noah and me is not going to work. Noah didn't know how to react, nor did the rest of the guests. Lion had raised the issue, which to me was a red flag. Jenna had gone after Lion, and we stayed behind. But honestly, I wanted to tell Lion why I went after. Noah wanted to pull me back by the arm, but I wouldn't let it and gave her a look that said more than a thousand words.

You could hear the guests squawking but I just gave a shit out to the guests. You could hear a shout coming from the kitchen and there were the two of them. ,,How could you ruin that moment? I don't recognise you! What the fuck?" Jenna was very angry with him. Lion was too drunk to realise that. He was having fun. When I walked into the kitchen and Jenna saw me, she looked so sad I didn't know that from her. ,,Nick, I'm so sorry. I'm embarrassed for him and the whole situation. We've ruined your party." Jenna almost cried again and I held her in my arms and she dropped. ,,It's all right Jenn. It's not your fault."

It was one of the few moments I remember when I was with her. We've been good friends since we were little and we had a bond that's indescribable. But that moment was interrupted by Lion laughing. We broke up and looked at him. ,,How sweet you two. You know I'm so fed up! I'm always the bad guy and the scapegoat for everyone! You Shit Rich Kids. I always listen to your problems and never complained! But if I have any, it's my own fault and no one cares! When you and Noah were separated, you were a bunch of shit! But I was there for you and told you what helps you! You know what? Maybe you shouldn't have fucked your stepsister and then you wouldn't have been in the shit!" Best friend or not. I hated it when someone thought or talked about us like that. I didn't want to miss Lion. Jenna seemed stunned by his words. I'd never heard Lion talk like that before, and it was all over the place. Just as I was about to say something to him, I heard dishes clinking. My eyes found Noah staring at us. She'd heard it all.

Before I could say anything, I hurriedly looked at Lion and Jenna and then at Noah. But she was already gone. Fuck! ,,Lion? Get out. I don't want to see you again!" I actually wanted to say more to him, but he was drunk and I had to go to Noah. So I almost ran to Noah, who I could intercept just outside the garden.

,,Hey, Noah, stop there. Freckles all right?" When Noah turned to me, she had tears in her eyes. I hated Lion for making her cry. I held her in my arms, but she fought back. ,,Is it true? Shouldn't you have fallen in love with me? Would everything have been better if there was nothing between us?" I couldn't live in a world where there wasn't Noah and Nick together. She was my one and all. I couldn't live, let alone be happy, without her. I hugged her face with my hands and forced her to look at me. ,,Noah. You're the best thing in my life. Because of you, I'm a father and who I am today. If it wasn't for you, I'd be trapped in a dark life. The best decision of my life was to kiss you for that photo for your ex boyfriend. And to marry you."

She kissed me intimately, and no matter how much I wanted that kiss and more, I needed to hear from her that she understood. So I looked at her expectantly, and she seemed completely lost. ,,I really believe you, Nick. Only there's a part of me that thinks you could be better with someone else Sophia or something." I knew Noah was very insecure at times, but to hear it coming out of her mouth like that was unusual. Usually she would use her mouth and overplay it. I understood her, but Sophia couldn't emotionally give me what Noah did. Noah was the person I thought of when I went to bed and woke up. No matter how much we argued or anything like that. We belong together. We're as strong as a knot of eight.

,,Don't you think I have the same fear sometimes? That you deserve someone better? I know you wouldn't date any more, but when I see the guys looking at you I think why me? What do I give you that binds you to me? I'm broken." Noah looked at me with an emotion I didn't know about her. She raised our hands and showed me our wedding rings. ,,You're not broken, Nick. We're both broken. I love you because you were the first person I could trust, no matter what kind of arrogant ass you were sometimes. I feel complete with you. It might not have been love at first sight, but there was something there. We both learned to trust each other and get on with it. I don't care about other men but you. I just love you Nick Capullo Leister."

It was good to hear those words from Noah, because sometimes I was afraid to forget. She leaned against my neck and her fingers went under my shirt, where she held onto my hips. My head leaned against hers and we enjoyed the moment. ,,Maggie asks questions about the breakup. What should we tell her?" ,,The truth if it has to be. Let's not mess up the rest of the party. We know the gender now and I'm going to be the best dad to the baby. Noah promises." She laughed and we went to the party. The guests seemed to have recovered and enjoyed the party. Jenna and Lion were still arguing in the kitchen, but honestly, I didn't want to go in there and see Lion.

Back at the party, Andy fell into our arms, who was full of joy for his little sibling. Our parents and friends came up to us to congratulate us and hand over their presents. The party itself was relaxed, but I was allowed to explain to my sister later why Noah and I were separated. The mood was good and the weather was good, too. By evening, our guests were leaving one after the other. We didn't see or hear from Lion for the rest of the day. Jenna said he slept off his high and then left the house. We had a lot of presents and honestly I didn't know what I saw there. These were women's things and you don't have to know everything.

Nick

In all the time I've known Lion, there's never been a moment where I've been really mad at him. Until now. I knew he was going through a tough time, but to destroy that moment and say certain things about Noah and me is not going to work. Noah didn't know how to react, nor did the rest of the guests. Lion had raised the issue, which to me was a red flag. Jenna had gone after Lion, and we stayed behind. But honestly, I wanted to tell Lion why I went after. Noah wanted to pull me back by the arm, but I wouldn't let it and gave her a look that said more than a thousand words.

You could hear the guests squawking but I just gave a shit out to the guests. You could hear a shout coming from the kitchen and there were the two of them. ,,How could you ruin that moment? I don't recognise you! What the fuck?" Jenna was very angry with him. Lion was too drunk to realise that. He was having fun. When I walked into the kitchen and Jenna saw me, she looked so sad I didn't know that from her. ,,Nick, I'm so sorry. I'm embarrassed for him and the whole situation. We've ruined your party." Jenna almost cried again and I held her in my arms and she dropped. ,,It's all right Jenn. It's not your fault."

It was one of the few moments I remember when I was with her. We've been good friends since we were little and we had a bond that's indescribable. But that moment was interrupted by Lion laughing. We broke up and looked at him. ,,How sweet you two. You know I'm so fed up! I'm always the bad guy and the scapegoat for everyone! You Shit Rich Kids. I always listen to your problems and never complained! But if I have any, it's my own fault and no one cares! When you and Noah were separated, you were a bunch of shit! But I was there for you and told you what helps you! You know what? Maybe you shouldn't have fucked your stepsister and then you wouldn't have been in the shit!" Best friend or not. I hated it when someone thought or talked about us like that. I didn't want to miss Lion. Jenna seemed stunned by his words. I'd never heard Lion talk like that before, and it was all over the place. Just as I was about to say something to him, I heard dishes clinking. My eyes found Noah staring at us. She'd heard it all.

Before I could say anything, I hurriedly looked at Lion and Jenna and then at Noah. But she was already gone. Fuck! ,,Lion? Get out. I don't want to see you again!" I actually wanted to say more to him, but he was drunk and I had to go to Noah. So I almost ran to Noah, who I could intercept just outside the garden.

,,Hey, Noah, stop there. Freckles all right?" When Noah turned to me, she had tears in her eyes. I hated Lion for making her cry. I held her in my arms, but she fought back. ,,Is it true? Shouldn't you have fallen in love with me? Would everything have been better if there was nothing between us?" I couldn't live in a world where there wasn't Noah and Nick together. She was my one and all. I couldn't live, let alone be happy, without her. I hugged her face with my hands and forced her to look at me. ,,Noah. You're the best thing in my life. Because of you, I'm a father and who I am today. If it wasn't for you, I'd be trapped in a dark life. The best decision of my life was to kiss you for that photo for your ex boyfriend. And to marry you."

She kissed me intimately, and no matter how much I wanted that kiss and more, I needed to hear from her that she understood. So I looked at her expectantly, and she seemed completely lost. ,,I really believe you, Nick. Only there's a part of me that thinks you could be better with someone else Sophia or something." I knew Noah was very insecure at times, but to hear it coming out of her mouth like that was unusual. Usually she would use her mouth and overplay it. I understood her, but Sophia couldn't emotionally give me what Noah did. Noah was the person I thought of when I went to bed and woke up. No matter how much we argued or anything like that. We belong together. We're as strong as a knot of eight.

,,Don't you think I have the same fear sometimes? That you deserve someone better? I know you wouldn't date any more, but when I see the guys looking at you I think why me? What do I give you that binds you to me? I'm broken." Noah looked at me with an emotion I didn't know about her. She raised our hands and showed me our wedding rings. ,,You're not broken, Nick. We're both broken. I love you because you were the first person I could trust, no matter what kind of arrogant ass you were sometimes. I feel complete with you. It might not have been love at first sight, but there was something there. We both learned to trust each other and get on with it. I don't care about other men but you. I just love you Nick Capullo Leister."

It was good to hear those words from Noah, because sometimes I was afraid to forget. She leaned against my neck and her fingers went under my shirt, where she held onto my hips. My head leaned against hers and we enjoyed the moment. ,,Maggie asks questions about the breakup. What should we tell her?" ,,The truth if it has to be. Let's not mess up the rest of the party. We know the gender now and I'm going to be the best dad to the baby. Noah promises." She laughed and we went to the party. The guests seemed to have recovered and enjoyed the party. Jenna and Lion were still arguing in the kitchen, but honestly, I didn't want to go in there and see Lion.

Back at the party, Andy fell into our arms, who was full of joy for his little sibling. Our parents and friends came up to us to congratulate us and hand over their presents. The party itself was relaxed, but I was allowed to explain to my sister later why Noah and I were separated. The mood was good and the weather was good, too. By evening, our guests were leaving one after the other. We didn't see or hear from Lion for the rest of the day. Jenna said he slept off his high and then left the house. We had a lot of presents and honestly I didn't know what I saw there. These were women's things and you don't have to know everything.