A patient man
Though Noah was aware that Laila was no longer the type of girl who only saw guys as other potential playmates or an extra player in her games, that she hadn't been that type of girl for some time now, he had naïvely hoped that this wasn't the case. He had hoped that she would remain blind for the notion of guys as something other than another possible friend until he was ready to show her what more THEY could be. What more HE could be. But the person who had caught her interest wasn't one to wait and he managed to shoot the gun before Noah even had the chance to find the courage to load his. Just like that Laila's heart was stolen and Noah was forced to hold back what he had been hiding in his.
But despite holding back his feelings, he couldn't hold back the dislike he felt for Jake. Though Noah was in love with Laila himself, this wasn't the only reason why he didn't care for Jake. From the very beginning Noah had a bad feeling about Jake but there was nothing he could do as long as Laila had feelings for Jake. So, he waited. He waited for Laila to get over Jake. For her to see that he wasn't all that he was pretending to be. All so that he could show her that Jake was never right for her to begin with. To show her that maybe she should consider someone else, ...someone like him... But while Noah was very much in love with Laila and even though he was thoroughly convinced that Jake wasn't the right guy for Laila, he didn't want to stand in her way. Even if she was meant to be with him. But more importantly, he didn't want to lose her, all because he had moved too soon.
So, he told himself that until she showed even the slightest interest in him, he would keep their relationship as it was. He was a patient man. He had always been one. Since, he had been waiting for Laila to notice him for over a decade, if need be, he could wait another. Besides, if all else fails, he would at least always be her friend. That was something no boyfriend could take away from him. At least that was what he had assumed... He never thought that he would be the one to walk away. But time would should that everyone has a limit and a breaking point, and soon he would reach his.
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Noah had always been there for Laila. He was the person that picked her up when she was down and comforted her every time she and Jake had another fight or breakup. Which at a certain time, meant one and the same thing. Since he had liked her for so long, it hurt him even more to see her keep going back to a guy who didn't appreciate her. Of course his dislike for Jake grew as well. But again he told himself that he was a patient man and he was convinced that one day his time would come. There would be a day where she would see that Jake wasn't the right guy for her and that is when he would scoop in and fill the spot as her boyfriend. He only needed some time to become the man she deserved. One who could give her the live she desired. One who could take her out of their poor neighbourhood and give her a life of luxury. Or at least he needed to be on a track that would allow him to be that man.
Noah thought his time had arrived during their senior year. He had just been accepted into a prestigious university with a full scholarship. This break that he had been waiting for, would ensure that he would get a good job and that he would be able to do better for himself than his parents had been able to. A dream that all parents have for their children and a dream he himself had shared. But just like bad things come in three, good things seemed to come in three as well. Because shortly after he had received the news that he had been accepted into that programme, his father told him that he too had gotten a break in life and had been given a promotion at work. When he got ready to relay all the good news he had received to his best friend and the love of his life Laila, she opened her bedroom door with a tearstained face as she told him that she was done with Jake for good. Though he hated seeing her sad like that, he was glad that she was finally done with him. Just like that all good things were coming together and it seemed like it was fate at work.
After he headed inside to pick up the pieces of his once so cheerful friend, he became determined to not waste the opportunity that had been given to him. Once the first tears had dried, he made her some food, cracked a few jokes to see her laugh again and he felt relieved to know that Jake was finally out of the picture. It was at that moment in time that Noah's dreams were on the verge of coming true as he and Laila were so close at becoming more than friends. But apparently it wasn't meant to be, because the person that was supposed to be out of her life for good, was determined to be in it once more...