Teaching Noah | √

006

“WHERE’S NOAH? Did he say he wouldn’t be coming today?” Mom asked me and I looked down at my phone to see if the message asking Noah if he was coming, had delivered. Whenever he wouldn’t be able to make it, he always informed me or mom beforehand, so this was new.

“I’m going to wait outside to see if he comes,” I stated.

I got out and took a breath of fresh air when my gaze landed on Camden. He seemed like he had just come back from school. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder as he walked up to his front porch.

“Hey, Riley!” He grinned and I gave him a smile with a small wave.

“What’s up?” He asked as he made his way to me. “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing great,” I brushed the front of my shorts consciously.

“I was expecting you at the party last night.”

“I already told you I wasn’t coming, though,” I shrugged, a small smile on my face.

“I have to admit that a small part of me was hoping you’d change your mind and show up.”

“I’m sorry,” I tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear. “Did you have a good time?”

“It was… alright,” he looked unsure as he scratched the back of his head. “Do you want to do something sometime?” He asked.

“Do something?” I mirrored because I wasn't sure of what he meant.

“Yeah, like, hang out,” he clarified.

I started to shake my head, and though I saw him look disappointed, I said, “Not really.”

His eyes were soft again and he looked like he didn’t know what to say for a moment. “I understand why you’re skeptical about it… but, I really want you to give me a chance to be your friend.”

I swallowed.

“You have every right to not want to talk, but I’ve spent so much time away and I really don't feel the same. I just want to be your friend.”

“Okay,” I nodded after a while.

I saw relief flood his expression but it was immediately clouded by a grin on his face, “Awesome. Uh, I’m working Saturday afternoon to evening—”

“You literally just got back and you already have a job? What do you work as?”

“It’s a bit embarrassing,” he cleared his throat. “But I work at the movies as an ice cream scooper and cashier.”

“That sounds fun,” I said to ease his obvious embarrassment.

“In fact, after my shift we can see a movie?” His eyes seemed to sparkle.

“Yeah, that works fine,” I smiled.

“Great. I’ll see you then?”

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“Okay,” his eyes held mine and I chuckled, “I’m just going to go back in,” I pointed to my house.

“Sure, bye,” he called after me.

❀

“Look who found his glasses,” I said in a sing-song voice.

“Come on, Riley,” Noah urged.

“I’m tired and hungry,” I groaned and Noah tilted his head to a side, saying, “Well, there are no donuts today, plus the lesson started only twenty minutes ago.”

“In my defense, you came late.”

“The more reason we need to get far this evening, so we can make up for lost time and cover everything that needs to be covered today.”

“I’m bored, let’s do something fun,” I grinned.

“Fine,” he sighed. “But not unless you answer five questions correctly. If you don’t get any correctly, we will have to continue.”

“Really?” I dulled.

“Yes, really,” he looked at me sternly. “Look, I just don’t want to disappoint your mom and I want to make sure that you’ve gotten enough knowledge on today’s subjects. That being said, you answer my five questions correctly, we’ll call it a day. Deal?”

"I want to make sure you've gotten enough knowledge on today's subjects," I mimicked in an exaggerated deep voice. "What are you?"

"Your tutor," he laughed. "Deal?"

“Deal.”

❀

“I’m a literal genius,” I spoke with my mouth full as I chewed on a piece of pizza. “Look how I answered those questions with so much finesse.”

“Uh-uh,” Noah shook his head. “You failed the third question if we’re being real,” he picked up another piece of pizza from the box. River had gone out to do a photo shoot for a couple and came back with a box of pizza for me and Noah.

“To be fair, it was actually a trick question,” I swallowed and lay back on the bed, my hands behind my head.

“Not really,” Noah disagreed.

I sat up on the bed and hugged my knees to my chest before grabbing Noah’s pizza from his hand and taking a bite, “Why did you come late today?” I asked him.

“Don't do that,” he retrieved his pizza from me with a small frown on his face. "But take a guess."

“Was it your parents?”

“Who else?” he rolled his eyes. “I swear those two are the only headaches in my life.”

“Were they arguing again?”

“Over the dumbest shit. Sometimes I wonder if they’re actually teenagers in adult costumes.”

I chuckled lowly.

“Blake will be coming home tomorrow, and I just hate that it’s the same thing for her every week.”

Blake was Noah’s younger sister. The sharpest 12 year old I’ve ever met. She shuffled her time between her actual home and her aunt’s house, although it appeared like she preferred and enjoyed the latter, where she usually spent her weekdays.

“You would think that when she comes, my parents would at least pretend to get along with each other for once. They used to do that before, but it’s not the case anymore. I can tell she prefers to stay away from home, and I can’t blame her. To be honest, I’d  rather watch my parents fight than for Blake to witness it.”

“I know,” I said softly and moved to hug him. “You’re a really good brother to her.”

His body stiffened for a brief moment and was quiet for a while before saying, “Your hair smells great. What is it? Vanilla milk?”

“Almond oil, genius.”

❀

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