The Story Of Us

09

They were high in that car for 2 hours straight talking about everything and nothing at all.

"Noah- theres sand in every crevice of this godawful dress," autumn said. He looked at her dress.

"Yeah why haven't we gone inside?" He asked.

"We probably smell dank as fuck, and weed is illegal in New Jersey" she replied.

"If we just sneak into the stairway,"

"We are on such a high floor we'd have to walk up 6 flights," she said.

"I will literally carry you," he smiled.

"Nuh-uh," she smirked.

"Yes I will I literally will," he looked at her, his red eyes squinting, and a smile across his face. She got out of the car and he got out as well. She was adjusting her dress when he swept her off the ground. She yelped in surprise, but impressed. He started carrying her inside, and he took her in the stairway. It was dark and practically empty in the hotel, only a few employees still cleaning up from dinner. After what seemed like hours of walking, she heard their key card click and the door creak open. She had nearly fallen asleep in his arms, and was almost asleep until he plopped her on the bed. She quickly sat up, and started laughing, and he laughed with her.

"I need a shower so bad," she said.

"Yeah me too," he replied.

"I call going first," she said.

"dammit," he laughed under his breath. She ran into the shower and turned on the water, ripping off her uncomfortable, sand filled dress. She felt the hot water run down her back, the sand going down the drain. The high was wearing off at this point- she was nearly sober. She thought about Noah, and how he was so good to her. She thought about where she would be if this hadn't happened- probably crying somewhere. When she was around Noah, she didn't feel like a victim- even though she knew technically she was. She felt like someone with a sad past that was finally seeing a light at the end of a tunnel. She felt like maybe things might be okay, and that maybe Alex, Kevin, her absent father, and every other man in her life that had left her, abused her, hurt her, maybe they were just drops in the ocean that was her life. How could one good person make her realize this? Noah was the drop of good that she needed, and she was so grateful for it.

"Hurry up miss girl," he said outside the bathroom.

"Miss girl?" She replied.

"Yes," he laughed. She turned off the water and threw on a towel, and walked past Noah. She noticed his hands covering his eyes.

"Noah, miss girl, you don't have to do all that," she said. His hand fell from his face and he looked at her. She looked back at him for a moment, and then walked away. He smirked and walked into the shower. She threw on one of Noah's tshirts and a pair of his sweatpants, throwing her wet hair in a bun. She crawled into bed and sat there for a moment. She was tired, but it was hard falling asleep. She sat with her eyes open until noah came out of the bathroom wearing an enormous crew neck sweater and sweatpants. He threw himself on the other bed, rolling around in the white sheets.

"Goodnight... miss girl," he said. She got under the covers, but after a moments time she turned over.

"Noah?"

"Yes?"

"Can you like... cuddle me.. or something? I'm cold," she whispered. He got up, and laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her, her back to him, her head on his chest. He kissed her on her head, and they both fell asleep almost immediately, listening to the ambient city noises echoing from the world outside their window.