NOEL SLIPPED on a large oversized stripy polo shirt and tattered baggy jeans to complete his look for the day. He squeezed his curl mousse into his hair, and threw on his black backpack haphazardly.
Noel couldn't pinpoint what it was but he felt different. He liked the clothes he was wearing because they were clothes he's always wanted to wear but had never had the balls to do so.
Yesterday he had came back late in the night, he wasn't sure of the exact time, but he knew the clouds had been dyed an inky black and when he got back everybody was asleep.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Noel fumbled down the stairs, half asleep and half awake. Cheryl was sitting on the living room couch, taking part in an elaborate phone call that shouldn't really be happening at seven a.m. Ron was nowhere in sight, which made Noel involuntarily sigh in relief. His mom however was stuffing a toasted waffle in her mouth while slipping her work bag on her shoulders swiftly.
"Mom?"
"What is it Noel, I have to go to work." Kim's voice was clipped and firm, she still wasn't happy with Noel and she wasn't sure when she would be.
"I-I- I-" Noel didn't know where to start, he had so much to say that he didn't know he could talk about it this morning when he had to go to school. "Are you still mad at me?" Noel chose to say instead, but he regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.
"What do you think?" Kim snuffed the last of her waffle. Turning to look at Noel's face which was still shockingly not hidden in those dust ridden hoodies. "I'm trying to make this all work, and you said it was okay. Not once did you say that it wasn't okay but your words are empty and your actions are contradictory. What am I supposed to do Noel? How am I supposed to feel?"
"But I am trying, I'm not wearing my hoodies anymore, a-and I'm going out with my friends..."
"Seriously! What type of friends are you making that your getting into fights and coming home late, and I know you came home late yesterday, I'm not stupid." Kim ran her hands through her black hair, which was not in its usual tight ponytail, but fell in smooth waves across her face. She was definitely going to be late to work today. "I want this family to work."