Noah

We arrive at the airport, parking in front of the drop up and pick up sign. Phoebe seems even more anxious and has decided that playing music would help this situation.

I look around the hectic airport, seeing hundreds of people leaving and entering the doors. I see Phoebe duck slightly, making me look at her, confused.

"What?"

"Paparazzi!" That is all she says, putting on a pair of sunglasses and hiding behind her arm.

"Aren't the windows tinted?" I ask, looking at the six men with cameras.

"Yeah, but they know my car," Phoebe whispers, making me smile. Suddenly, I watch the men look at her car and start pointing. Then flashes, everywhere.

"Phoebe! Phoebe! We know you're in there! Tell us the scoop! Is it true the twins are coming to New York! Is it true your Mother got fired from the Soap Opera?" All of these men are now banging on the windows.

"Jesus Christ," I say, as Phoebe hides her face. "Here." I take off my jacket and hand it to her. She covers her face with the coat and says thank you.

"Phoebe! Phoebe! Is this man, your boyfriend? How long have you been dating? Does your family know! Why has he been kept a secret?" The group of paparazzi is getting bigger, and the flashes are starting to give me a headache.

Phoebe's phone goes off, and she answers it-

"Hey, girls! Yes, I'm parked out front. Our Mom's security with you? Okay, good. Yes. You should see my car parked out front with- yes. With all the paparazzi surrounding it. Get into the backseat." Phoebe's chopped conversation makes me even more nervous about meeting her sisters. This is not how I wanted to meet a part of Phoebe's family- in such a tense situation. But oh well...

"McKenna! McKinley! Are you excited about your birthday? Kenna, how is your relationship with Matt? Kinley, does my family know your kissed a girl last night?" This is all I hear when three men escort her sisters out of the airport and into Phoebe's car.

I lock the door quickly when I hear the backseat doors close. The paparazzi are now banging on her doors, and the twins are staring at me.

"Girls-"

"Is this the guy who was on the news with you?" The one with her hair up asks, "Mom said he looked older-" The other one with her hair down says.

"Girls, this is Noah," Phoebe says, as I drive away from the airport. I look through the rearview mirror as they whisper to each other.

"Hello," I say, smiling. I see Phoebe lowering my jacket and pulling it close to her. I quickly notice Phoebe doesn't have her seatbelt on and neither do the girls. "Phoebe, seatbelt," I whisper, trying not to sound like I'm demanding her. She quickly puts her seatbelt on, giving me an apologetic look.

"Girls, put your seatbelts on!" Phoebe turns around in her seat too fast, making me nervous for her ribs. But I keep looking ahead, focusing on my driving.

"Can we stop for some coffee, Phoe?" The girl with her hair down asks.

"No." That is all Phoebe says, reminding me of my Mother when I was a young boy always asking for junk food.

"Phoebe, come on. We just got to New York-" The girl with her hair up pleads, almost whining.

"And I said, no. The paparazzi are following us, and you want to take a detour to get Starbucks?" Phoebe almost yells, making me grin. She will be a great Mom one day...

Wait, why did I just say that? I shake away my thoughts, stopping at the closest Starbucks. Phoebe gives me a look, but her sisters are smiling.

"I will go inside. Here, write your orders down." I open my phone to the notepad and hand my phone to Phoebe. She shakes her head signalling to me she doesn't want coffee and hands the phone to her sisters. They type their orders and hand my phone back. I lean into Phoebe, whispering in her ear.

"I will be right back, lock the doors when I leave," I say, kissing her on the top of her head. I leave them in the car, walking into the coffee shop.

Once I get their orders, I see two male paparazzi taking photos through Phoebe's car. Okay, now I'm getting frustrated.

I see Phoebe through the windshield, looking directly at me and she shakes her head. She clearly doesn't like being in the limelight. But her sisters, on the other hand, are waving at them. I walk to the car, and they start crowding around me.

"Noah! Who are you to the Marshall family? Are you dating Phoebe? Is it true you are a Doctor? How long have you been dating Phoebe?" I keep my head straight and keep my mouth shut. Where do they even get their information? I ask myself as I quickly get into the driver's side and lock the doors behind me.

I take my coffee out of the holder and hand the girls the other two coffees.

"Did you forget how to say thank you?" Phoebe asks, looking directly at the girls on their phones.

"Thanks!" They say in unison, then give Phoebe a rugged look. I don't remember talking to my sister like this. I mean, she was younger than me. But Phoebe is almost Motherly to them. I wish I knew more about her life... But she is so closed off.

"Let's go home, please." Phoebe gives me a pleading look on her face and grabs onto her side. I drive off, heading to our place. Our place... I love the sound of that. I am stopped at a red light, hating morning traffic. So I side glance at Phoebe, thinking of how absolutely beautiful she is.

Her long brown hair that perfectly defined nose and those luscious lips. How she bites her bottom lip when she checks me out. I can just imagine her lips kissing me all over...

I am pulled out of my thoughts when a car horn honks behind me. I drive off, and almost ten minutes later, I park in front of our apartment building.

"This is seriously where you live, Phoeb's?" The girl with her hair up asks, and Phoebe just gives her a look. "Sorry." The girl says, holding her hands up in defence. "I forgot how much you hate being famous."

Thats my cue to get out of the car and open the door for Phoebe. The twins look at me, waiting for me to open their doors but Phoebe beats me to it.

"Noah is not you chauffeur, he is-"

"We get it- he's your boyfriend. Let's get inside before we freeze to death." The girl with her hair down says, making me bite the inside of my cheek. Dear God, what did I get myself into?

I support Phoebe as she struggled to get through the snow. Her injured ankle isn't helping this current situation.

"Phoebe, what happened to you?" They ask, making Phoebe stiffen.

"I- uh."

"She slipped in the snow a few days ago. Completely sprained her ankle. My clumsy girl." I smile, as Phoebe looks at me. She hesitates but nods her head.

"Yep, snow will forever be my worst enemy." Phoebe laughs, and the girls nod their heads.

We get to the front door and head up the elevator. The twins look almost disgusting as we exit the elevator, but I ignore them and put all my attention into Phoebe.

"It's no Mansion, but here we are," I say, opening my front door. The twins nodded their heads, looking around.

"Your room is over there." Phoebe points to her room, and they grab their luggage off the floor and carry them into their room for the week. "Take a nap, and I will wake you up when lunch is ready." She says as they close the door.

Phoebe sighs, rubbing her temples. I cup her face and press my thumbs against her temples, rubbing them. She looks up at me, with thankful eyes and lets her head rest against my palms. This week is going to stress us both out, but mostly Phoebe.

I had to lie to her sisters, only thirty minutes of knowing them- Definitely not a good start. But I know Phoebe doesn't want them knowing the truth...

A few minutes passes of me rubbing her temples and I stop pulling her into my arms. She doesn't hesitate to wrap her arms around my waist and press her head into my chest. I let my head fall on top of hers and close my eyes.

This is our safe place... Holding each other. I can feel how calm she is in my embrace, and I hope she can feel the same from me.

"Phoebe?" I whisper, and she goes to let go, but I stop her. Tightening my arms around her, not hurting her, but not wanting to let her go.

"Yeah?" Phoebe's hands slowly move up my body. One hand is on my chest while the other is on my stomach.

"I would really like to kiss you right now and show you how much you mean to me," I say, breathing in her hair and relaxing even more. She always seems to smell like lavender. "But if you aren't ready, I understand, and I would never push you into doing something you don't want to do. I just want you to know how much you mean to me and that I am willing to wait for as long as you need."

I go to kiss her on the top of her head, but she moves just in time. I look down into her beautiful green eyes, wondering what she is thinking right now. Suddenly she gets on her tippy toes, and then I barely felt it.

She presses her lips on mine.

I wanted more, but I know this is a big step for her, so I just stood there. Frozen and fighting against my own reflects. She backs away, looking sad for a moment, almost like she is upset that I didn't kiss her back.

So I cup her face, pulling her into my lips. This time firmer- in this very moment, I could never recall feeling this way before- how my heart beats so fast, just by kissing a woman.

I kissed her... pouring my heart out to her in the hope she would do the same, and she does by saying... 

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•If you liked this chapter, please consider giving it a vote and answering the questions below. •

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Hi hi! Yes, another chapter of "Save My Hope." Aren't you the lucky readers?! Haha! Tell me your thoughts, I would love to hear them.

Questions:

1. Poor, Noah. How do you think he will handle a house full of women? Especially two young adults who clearly don't want to be there. 

2. Why do you think Phoebe kissed him? Do you think it's because she feels comfortable around him, or do you think it's because she is trying to give him what he wants?

Thank you for reading! 

- Anna