Noah

"What the fuck?" Cicely demanded weakly.

"She can't fucking swim!" Noah snarled. "You just tried to fucking kill her you stupid bitch!"

"I didn't know!"

"I was watching, waiting for a rush to bring her out to tell him to just let her hold on to the side! Use your fucking head!"

"Stop yelling at me! I didn't know!"

"Sutton! Sutton, are you ok?"

"My eyes burn!" I cried, trying to see.

"Cum burns your eyes!" a woman called.

"Get something to flush her eyes! Bottled water! Hurry up!" Noah yelled. "Keep it coming! Get her a drink too! Not a fucking beer you stupid cunt, water!"

"Noah, I'm SORRY!" Cicely wailed.

"Not as sorry as you're going to be, making me get into that stew! Actually, you know what? You get in it. All of you stupid sluts get in that pool, right now."

"Noah?"

"Now, Cicely! Get in! All the way in, all of you. Now drink it. Big handsful, drink. Don't fake it, Holly, I fucking see you, drink it! Now I bet you think twice before you go trying to kill someone half your size, stupid bitch!" he yelled, then held my face in his massive hand and pried my eyes open one at a time as he poured bottled water into them. He kept going until I stopped sobbing and the burning eased.

"Can we get out now?" Cicely asked poutily. He'd told her she had to stay until I was no longer in hysterical pain.

"Get out. Get out and find your own way home. Henry, make the rushes clean out that pool. No sleep until it's done. Sutton? You good? Aiden, go change my bedclothes, I'm sure mine have fucking jizz on them. Hurry up. Clean sheets. Hang on, I'll get you taken care of, Sut. Mason, grab her a t-shirt or something."

A man came back with a shirt and Noah eased me up slowly.

Like he'd read about POTS and he knew to sit me up slowly now.

The man looked me over, smiling gently. "Hey little one, you good?"

"Fine now, thanks," I offered, blushing under his scrutiny. He was cute, and if he was a basketball player, he had to be a point guard because he was short.

"Where were you that no one found you?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with his smile.

Noah's hand went tense on my shoulder.

"The lazy suzan in the kitchen. The bottom shelf. I'm small, I climbed in and rode it around the back then curled up in the back corner in case someone spun it."

"Shit. You really did not want to be fucked by one of them lowly rushes, did you? How dirty was it back there?"

"Dusty," I managed, Noah looking down at me with his considering look.

I had considered the lazy suzan, it was my favorite hiding place as a kid, but that meant displacing everything on it and thus giving myself away if anyone looked.

"Smart girl. The chick that grabbed the curtain rod and lifted her feet every time someone came fumbling was smart too. Would have worked if she was your size and she hadn't taken the whole rod down with her. You need a ride back to your place?"

Noah went rigid, his face turning red as he tried to bite back his anger.

Why did he care?

"I'd like that, thanks."

"No. I'm taking you to the ER," Noah announced. "I just realized you could get like pinkeye or an STI or something. You need to have it washed out professionally. Come on," he demanded, pulling me to stand slowly, then taking me to his truck. He hesitated there, watching something I couldn't see in the yard. Finally, he looked down at me. "Stay away from Mason, he's a user."

"Like, drugs?"

"Girls. He uses girls. Talks them into bed then dumps them. It's a thing for him to find prudes and virgins and girls who don't give it up easy. Talk them into it then dump them. He only wants you because you supposedly fought so hard for it not to happen."

"Coming from a guy who would never dream of using a girl," I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"The girls I go after want it and they know what I am. I don't pretend to be anything different than what I am and I only go after girls who want me as much as I want them. Usually a lot more than I want them."

"Why did you protect me in there? Earlier?"

"Because I know you're a virgin. You aren't like the other girls who knew what they were getting into and want this. This was all fun for them. You didn't think it was fun at all. An idiot could see that."

"Thanks," I mumbled, peeking out at the yard where he was looking. "What are we waiting for, are we going or not?"

"No, I washed your eyes out in time, probably, and if I didn't there's nothing the hospital will do until you show symptoms. Just waiting on Mason to leave."

"Can't you take me home?"

"Not tonight. I don't want to go back there tonight."

"You could drop me off? I need to get home, I have classes in the morning and..."

"Do you ever just shut up and stop bitching? Fuck. he's fucking gone. Come on," he demanded, pulling me into the house. Several of the men watched him walk me by and there were still rushes from POP there, making out with some of the guys. They didn't notice me as Noah took me up and pushed me into the bathroom. "Shower. I'll find something you can wear."

The hot water felt good and I scrubbed myself top to bottom three times, washing my hair twice. When I got out, there was a towel waiting and womens underwear, along with a nightgown that was a few sizes too big.

Poking my head out, I slipped into his room, holding the underwear up angrily. "I am NOT wearing some panties left here by some rando!"

"All the lost and found clothes are washed," he shrugged. "They're clean."

"Not happening."

"Well your swimsuit is in the wash. Clean used panties are better than cum soup swimsuit bottoms."

"I'd rather wear nothing."

"Then wear nothing," he shrugged. "Like I give a fuck. Lay down, I get the outside of the bed, you get the wall."

"I'm not sleeping with you!"

"It's here or out there with the guys where you are on the menu as one of the POP rushes. "

"That's barbaric!"

"You signed up for it," he reminded me, dropping his swim trunks to pull on boxers. I stared at his round ass in surprise. "So which will it be? Sleep in here, or go out there and take your chances? Hurry up, I'm going to bed. I have practice in a few hours."

"You won't touch me?"

"Why the fuck would I touch you? You repulsive little cunt, I detest you. Just get on your fucking side and don't make a sound," he growled, shoving me into the bed roughly.

I fell in, moving over and letting out an exhausted sigh. I was asleep before he was laid down next to me.

When I woke up, I was alone in the large bed and there was a lot of noise downstairs. Talking, laughing, cupboards slamming.

Sitting up, I looked around, then wondered where my phone was. What time was it?

Moments later, Noah walked in with no shirt on, it was hanging around his neck like a towel. His basketball shorts hung low on his hips and the sight of it pulled at me slightly.

Noah Fucking Albright.

I must really need to finally get laid if Noah was making me look twice.

Asshole.

"You have bedhead," he told me, turning his back to me as he tossed his shirt in the hamper before sitting down. Bending, he began untying his shoes.

Sliding my fingers through my hair, I shrugged. "I can't be picture perfect while I sleep, pretty sure that isn't in the bylaws. I get that much to myself. What time is it?"

"It wasn't an admonishment. I'll take you to POP after I shower," he told me. "You'll have time to get ready before your first class today."

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I asked as he got up and bent next to his bed, setting his shoes under the end, next to the other two pairs there.

Exactly like mine had been that first night.

"Can I stop you?" he asked glumly.

I sat there, looking down at the shoes, my mind working.

He'd put me to bed. Taken my shoes off and set them under the bed. He'd slept there, on that chair and ottoman. He bought me clothes so Cicely had no reason to kick me out, he'd protected me from being taken by the rushes and stalled with me and prevented me from having to compete in the BJ contest.

He was still in love with me.

The realization hit me like a hammer.

He didn't hate me at all, he was just barking back, like a dog cornered but was toothless.

Swallowing hard, I looked up at him.

"Well?" he demanded.

"Well what?" I asked, confused.

"The question?"

"Oh... I... umm... I'm sorry. That happens sometimes."

"Fugue?" he asked.

He HAD read up on POTS.

What now? I could end this war, end everything with two words. I'm sorry. Did I want to?

No...

Noah Albright ruined my life.

He split up my parents, made my life hell, tried to embarrass me in front of the entire school!

All because he had to go and tell me he loved me.

Fifteen years ago.

And somehow, after all I'd done, he still did.

"You smell like Irish Spring," he told me, leaning down to pick up the shoes next to his basketball shoes.

"You didn't have many feminine choices in there."

"No... you used to smell like Irish Spring every day. Up until about the seventh grade? That's when you switched to something else, something flowery and girly."

"Ok creeper," I laughed, shaking my head.

"I sat right behind you almost every year."

"You picked that seat."

"Still, it's not weird to know what someone smells like when you're always that close."

"We didn't sit close in the seventh grade.

"You sat behind me in civics."

"One class."

"One is enough. I'll be out in a minute, don't mess with shit."

Getting up, I wandered around his room, then sat at his desk and opened his laptop.

Password protected.

'Basketball'

Nope.

'1234'

Nope.

'Password'

Nope.

'Noah'

Nope.

'Albright'

Nope.

Feeling queasy, I hesitated, then typed in:

'Sutton'

It opened to the main screen and I stared, feeling a little light headed.

His screen was organized. A few apps, a couple clicker games, and three folders.

'Homework'

'Junk Drawer' and

'Pics'

I clicked on picks and it opened to a couple dozen more folders. Most of them were labeled things like 'basketball', 'fam picnic', 'family' and other benign things. At the bottom was another folder that was just labeled with a ' - '.

I opened it to more folders, these with dates. Opening the top one, I stared. I stared at pics of me. I was younger and they were pics taken at school, at church, many by people I knew. Pics he'd gotten his hands on somehow. Going back, I looked over the dates, then went to the ones from last year.

Me in bed, sick, bald, taken through the window. Josiah in bed next to me while we watched TV, me half asleep on his arm, so sick. Dozens. Hundreds. Different days, different times, different stages. From when I still had my hair until I was on oxygen before they had taken me in to hospice.

The next folder was over the summer, after I started getting better against all the odds. Josiah was still in over half of them, most of them were still taken through my bedroom window. There were three on the bottom, all labeled 'XX1'. 'XX2' and 'XX3' with me and my vibrator.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Noah demanded, horrified as he stared at the pictures I had open from the door.

Turning, I looked at him in confusion and anger.

He came in quickly, shutting the door. "I didn't take those! And I didn't tell her to take those! She just did it and sent them to me! You have no right getting into my personal things... how..." he blushed, realizing I had guessed his password too. "Sutton..."

"Take me home now, please," I told him quickly, getting up and hugging myself as I looked out the window.

"Sut..."

"I don't care! I don't fucking care, Noah! You fucking creepy weirdo! Don't TOUCH me!" I screamed when he put a hand on my shoulder, jerking away from him and fleeing to his door.

He let out a breath, then got dressed quietly. He was just as quiet on the way back to POP, but caught my arm before I jumped out. "I'll see you tonight. I'll keep you out of it."

I said nothing, jerking away and getting out, running inside.

I had to take another shower before I felt clean enough to get dressed. As I started to go, Cicely intercepted me. "You don't look presentable to me. You need to fix your hair and makeup!"

"Let's get this straight," I snarled up at her. "You and I both know if the dean read these waivers and bylaws, this sorority would be dismantled within the day! Do NOT fuck with me today, Cis, I don't have the patience! I am about to be late for class and I don't give a FUCK about how I look. MOVE."

She stepped back, her hands on her hips. "You break the rules, you just give us valid reasons to send you off!" she called to my back.

"I'll do it in the car!" I told her, lifting the little makeup bag.

I managed some mascara and put product in my hair, fluffing it as I walked into class.

Shockingly, Mason eased into the seat next to me as the professor started talking. "Hey you," he grinned.

"Hey yourself," I smiled, looking into the eyes of the man who was going to help me get back at Noah.

"Big night tonight."

"They keep us in the dark," I told him softly. "Wanna fill me in?"

"Sure, baby. Maybe I'll get there early and find you. Tonight you're all on cock duty. All of you for the whole frat. If I find you first, I can keep you busy all night. Would you like that? Just me and you and a lot of alone time?"

"Sounds nice..." I managed, blushing.

He chuckled. "Don't worry baby, I know how to be easy with a girl like you. Make sure you enjoy it, make you come back for more. I think I could really fall for a girl like you, so adorable and sweet. And, mmm, so fucking smokin'. I will break you in nice and easy."

I managed a smile, but I felt sick and I was starting to shake now. Leaning back, I tried to breathe, then shoved my hand up high.

The professor ignored me like he thought I was going to ask an annoying question or to be excused.

Instead I pulled a card out and thrust it at Mason as his grin slipped and he read the card.

"Sir!" Mason called, standing up. "She's having an episode? A.. umm.. This!" he said, shoving the card at the professor as the professor hurried over. My limbs jerked slightly as everything went white.

My head ached as I opened my eyes in the back of an ambulance. The EMT smiled at me as he looked down at me, "Hey there beautiful! Nice of you to join us. That wasn't so bad at all, was it? Can you tell me your name?"

"Sutton Adima."

"Lovely name for a lovely girl. Did you hit your head, Sutton? Are..."

"No, I felt it coming and moved."

"You did super, fantastic even. You even got your classmate some information, that was really clever of you. Did you make those cards yourself?

"Yeah."

"Smart. Very helpful, very informative. I'm just going to squeeze on your arm here for a minute and take a good listen, ok?" he asked cheerfully.I nodded, wondering why male nurses and EMTs were always so much more friendly. It may have helped that he was adorable with his red hair and freckles, vibrant tattoos on his neck peeking out of his uniform and black glasses framing pretty green eyes.

"You are looking and sounding good," he told me, smiling again. I know the card said no hospital and not to call an ambulance, but it's procedure for them to call us, ok? Do you feel like you need to go to the hospital?"

"No. I just need to rest."

"Probably exactly what you need, beautiful. Still, I'm gonna run a few more tests if that's alright with you? I'm gonna stick your finger here, a little sting, make sure your blood sugar is all good..."

"Sutton? Sutton?" Noah called loudly, hurrying to the back of the ambulance and looking in. "Is she alright?"

"Is this Mr Beautiful?" the EMT asked with a smile.

"NO," I told him adamantly. "He's no one. An asshole who used to bully me back in highschool and is trying to do the same here. He's probably why this happened. I want him gone."

The man's smile disappeared as he turned to a stunned Noah. "Sir, you need to leave. Now. I will call security to have you escorted away no matter who you are. Yes, I know who you are. That doesn't excuse the sort of behavior she is referring to. Go please, or I'm calling it in."

Noah stepped back, shaking his head. "It isn't like that! That was a long time ago, not now! Sutton! At least tell me you're alright?"

The EMT got on his radio. "I need campus security sent to my location on the college campus. ... We'll call it a domestic dispute, but it's also harassment."

"And stalking," I added angrily. "Taking pictures through my bedroom window! Fifteen years worth of creeper photos, even from when I was a little kid! Bullying after I rejected him! Trying to humiliate me in front of the whole school, setting me up after catfishing me! Now he's..."

"Sutton, enough!" Noah yelled furiously, his fists clenched. "You're skewing it completely! And I've been protecting you!"

"From the monsters YOU created! And only because you want me for yourself! Get away from me!"

"Sir, you need to go, she has serious medical issues that you are exacerbating. If she has another seizure, I will lay the charges against you myself," the EMT told him as the driver came around and closed the back doors, blocking Noah out.

Noah hesitated, then hurriedly left.

"I can get the real police here?" the EMT told me. "If a quarter of what you said is true, you need a restraining order."

I sighed, so incredibly exhausted. "I'm tired," I told the man.

"Nice to meet you tired, I'm Justin."

"That was bad," I managed to smile.

He chuckled. "I know you're about to pass out and that means you can't sign the waiver for us not to take you to the hospital. I think that's for the best, you'll be safe there while you rest.

"No. No, I just want to go home and sleep."

"I know, beautiful, but you need real rest and that will come when you feel safe."

"I'm safe... just... is the professor still here?"

"I can get him?"

"Can he give me a ride home? I can't drive right now."

"No you can not," he laughed. "He's in the middle of one of his big fancy lectures. If you... Sutton? Are you asleep?"

"No," I whispered, fighting to stay awake. "I hate the hospital," I told him weakly.

My phone rang.

My phone never rang.

"Can you answer it?" I asked him, feeling afraid. What if something was wrong at home.

"Hello, Suttons phone?... yes, speaking. ... All right, I will tell her. Sutton, this is the boy who was here. Albright, the basketball player. He wants permission to tell me about what's wrong with you?"

"He's a liar," I mumbled, then thought about that. Was he? "What did he say?"

"Go ahead," the man told the phone. "How long ago? ... How long has she been in remission? ... How long in the hospital? ... No, she had a card with her that told her classmates that and us, we know that. ... Yes, we know what POTS is and we know how to deal with former cancer survivors. ... Do you have any other information? ... alright then, thank you," he said, then hung up. "Beautiful, did you have cancer?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"And you opted for in home hospice and not the hospital?"

"I hate the hospital."

"Is the address on your license correct?"

"No... I live at the POP sorority house."

"Are these your keys? That little Prius yours?"

"Yes."

"Alright, beautiful, I will drive you home and my driver will follow us. Alright? I'll get you tucked in and... if it's alright with you I will swing by on my way home and check on you again. Would that be alright?"

"Are you flirting, Justin?" I teased, still sleepy.

"Am I male?" he asked, laughing. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes please."

Waking in my own bed shocked me to my toes. I'd had no doubts at all I would wake in a hospital room hooked up to IV's and machines.

As soon as I turned my head, Noah jumped up from the chair and looked me over from a distance. "Hey. Uh... They said someone should keep an eye on you and call if you had another seizure. Uhh... they also said your blood sugar was low, you hadn't eaten... Umm... I put water and three kinds of headache medicine on your nightstand, along with the tea you like and some crackers. Frosted animal crackers too, I know you love them. Umm... how do you feel?"