NOAH stands in front of the mirror in her bedroom. The mirror used to be her worst enemy. It was the one thing she could never look at — her reflection.
The sight of her tired eyes, consistent stoic expression, worn-out clothes, and the markings from her mother's hand. Noah had always run from her own reflection. Everything she hated about her life was written on her body for everyone to see.
Now, Noah looks in the mirror with a new perspective. Bright eyes, a sweet smile, nice clothes, and the reflection of someone who has grown.
Tonight, Noah looks in the mirror and admires her outfit. She has on a pair of comfy brown basketball shorts. The teen pairs the shorts with a brown tee as well. She accessorizes with some good necklaces to put in some sort of effort. The little effort given is due to the fact that she is meeting up with Parker.
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"Remember, Serg," The girl says as she bends down to let the cat, "Not a word," She adds and kisses his head.
Noah walks out of her room and into the silence of the apartment. Emily has been sound asleep, leaving Noah alone for the night. Noah could not help but jump at the opportunity to break the rules the second Parker texted her.
The teen tip-toes down the steps, careful not to make a sound. She heads to the front door, slowly opening it and feeling the night breeze blow into the apartment. Once Noah locks the front door, she walks to the street.
"Thought you bailed on me," Parker says through the rolled-down window as he watches Noah walk up to his car.
"Well, this was very short notice," Noah replies and gets into the car.
"I haven't seen your face in forever," Parker notes as he takes in the girl's appearance. She gets more beautiful every time he sees her.
"Yeah, I just needed to be alone," Noah states as she leans back in the seat.
"I thought we could go to the dock and chill," Parker suggests.
"Yeah, sure," Noah agrees as Parker begins driving. She buckles her seatbelt and stares out the window.
Parker taps his steering wheel to the beat of the music. Noah keeps her eyes on the city, not saying a word. The quietness of D.C. at two in the morning calms her. The city seems to live inside her, reflecting her loneliness. She has barely spoken in the past couple days. She is now used to the silence of her own mouth.
They park and head down to the dock, very few words exchanged. They climb into Parker's father's boat, sitting at the bow. Noah looks out at the water and admires its calm nature. Parker peers up at Noah now and then, finally noticing her quietness.
