Ch 3

The following Saturday, Noah decided to pay Jace a visit again, this time of his own accord. He had actually gone back again on Wednesday evening and had fairly nice and less awkward experience than the first time and the two boys had bonded a bit more. This time home ever, Noelle, his sister, had offered to come too and he obliged. Jace said his own younger sister would be around as well so he didn't mind.

He got dressed and packed a basket of vanilla cupcakes along with a carton of apple juice (his favorite, and if Jace didn't like it then he could just drink water) then headed out to the bus stop with his sister. Normally, he would ride his bicycle and enjoy the breeze as it played with his hair but he couldn't because his sister was with him this time.

***

"Reya!!!", Noelle screamed the moment she burst into the door.

"Andrea?" Noah asked in confusion, walking in behind his sister and shutting the door after. He'd seen her before, she was Noelle's best friend and she'd had more than a few sleepovers at the Carter house. Noah had seen her almost as often as he saw his own sister. "You're Jace's sister?"

Noelle gasped dramatically before turning to face him, "You didn't know!? You've dropped me off at their house like a million times and aren't you classmates with Jace?"

Jace stifled a laugh as he watched the scene in front of him play out.

"Noelle, this is a hospital ward not a night party. Stop screaming before the nurses kick us both out," Noah groaned. It was obvious that the poor boy was getting exhausted. "How was I supposed to know? I don't go around asking your friends and my classmates for their family trees to if they overlap or something. It's only a coincidence and I bet Jace didn't know that we're siblings either."

"Of course I did" he replied simply. He had always sat by the window in his room upstairs, watching Noah whenever the boy came around to drop off or pick up his sister. Frankly, he'd been watching Noah from afar for a much longer time than the latter could've imagined.

Noelle huffed at her brother before turning to face Jace. "Hi Jay, how are you doing?"

"Well, other than the fact that I'm you know, in the hospital," he said with a laugh, "I'm fine."

Noelle talked with Jace a bit before heading off to the other side of the ward where Reya was seated on a couch placed there. The two girls began chattering away, leaving the teenage boys alone to discuss whatever matters they had.

"I brought some cupcakes and apple juice if you'd like," Noah said quietly.

"Oh um, you didn't have to but thanks. I know a great place we can go and enjoy them if you wouldn't mind."

The two boys decided to give their sisters some room to catch up and headed to the garden located somewhere near the center of the hospital. There were beautiful flowers of different kinds all around and a fishpond in the middle. They chose a bench that had a great view of the pond and watched the fish while they are their own snacks.

Noah spotted two fish struggling over a piece of fish flake out a small giggle before quickly slapping his hand over his mouth at the sound he'd made. It was a very unmanly sound and Noah felt somewhat insecure the way he laughed, he'd received his fair share of bullying about it and really wasn't ready for what Jace would think of it either.

"No don't," Jace said when he saw Noah covering his mouth. "You have a beautiful laugh."

To Jace, it was honestly the most wonderful sound he'd heard. It made his heart flutter and the butterflies in his stomach come to life, he wanted to hear it over and over again.

"It would be even better if I could be the reason he laughed so beautifully," he thought to himself.

"Oh ummm...It's er... g-getting late now and Noelle and I sh-should probably start going so our p-parents don't worry," Noah said, looking down in an attempt to hide the blush that threatened to stain his cheeks.

The two boys packed up their basket and headed back to the ward to rejoin their sisters, both trying to ignore the air of awkwardness between them.

***

"Bye Jace, see you tomorrow," Noah said as he waved.

"Tomorrow?" Noelle asked once they were out of the hospital.

"Umm yeah, I plan on bringing him a few more snacks then I'll probably help him catch up on some school work," Noah shrugged. "Don't," he said, sighing when he caught sight of his sister wiggling her eyebrows. She was making fujoshi eyes at him and he knew exactly what she was implying. "He's just a friend. You know I'm straight as a rod and he most likely is too."

"Sure sure. I'm just saying, don't think I didn't see the way your eyes lit when you were talking to him. You don't know that but even then, it's still possible straightest of people to still get bent." And with that, she skipped away and hopped into the bus that had just arrived.

Noah spent the rest of the bus ride in silence, unable to stop himself from thinking about what his sister said. Damn her and her suspicions, she'd definitely read one too many BL novels and now she'd filled his head with questionable thoughts.

^^^\~Kyra✨^^^

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