Good Intentions - Noah Sebastian

Moving On

After the days' events Noah took me out for dinner to try to retain some sense of normalcy. For safety's sake Noah drove us across town and away from my usual stomping grounds. We were seated near the front of the restaurant near a large window overlooking a grand view of a busy sidewalk.

"It really shouldn't matter being by the window, maybe it's good for you to be visible." Noah rattled off as he looked over the menu in front of him. "Ya know, like maybe if they find you back in the city they'll come around and they can get caught."

"What do you think this is? An episode of Scooby Doo?" I asked, cutting him with my eyes over my menu.

"Hey!" he defended. "Don't sass me like that." I watched as he fought back the smile that threatened to spread on his face.

"I wanna drink tonight." I said offhandedly. "They have white sangria" my eyes wandered down the drinks listed on the front page of the menu.

"I'm driving, you can do whatever you want." Noah said setting his menu flat and leaning back in his seat. I could feel his eyes burning into me from across the table.

"Take a picture it'll last longer." I said laying my menu flat between us.

"I think you've had your picture taken enough." Noah said his tone stayed light despite the reference.

"Not by the right people I'm afraid." The painful topic was stopped by the waitress arriving to take our order. Noah gave me a disapproving look when I ordered a simple salad.

"Stella told me you aren't allowed to order salad in restaurants" he quipped when the waitress left with our menus.

"That is an age-old rule my mother made." I clarified. "I didn't know Stella told you that."

"She just wants you healthy, just like I do." He defended. "Stella is the only one in your life I've met that's ever mentioned your mom"

A topic I didn't want to entertain but it was better than the current most popular topic. "Stella was more the daughter my mom wanted." I said bringing my glass to my lips. "My mom is a shrink."

"I take it she wasn't much of a mom then"

"She tried. So I can't complain I guess."

"I'm sorry if this comes out the wrong way but how did you still develop an eating disorder if your moms a shrink?" Noah's voice held a tone that let on his was afraid of the topic he was bringing up.

I let my shoulders rise up to my ears before dropping them quickly. "It didn't happen like it does for other girls" I started before taking another sip, twisting the stem of the wine glass between my fingers as I set it back on the table. "Most girls hit puberty and develop the problem as their body is changing and scaring the shit out them" I pulled my eyes off the table to meet his. "Mine was ingrained in me very early, it was not my parents or anyone else's fault. I always loved dancing, it was my entire life growing up just like it is now." My throat tightened the more I thought of it. "It's just a symptom of a condition I suppose."

Noah seemed pleased with my half ass answer. He nodded his head slowly. "I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to speak so candidly about that."

"I kind of have too, with Stella in my life." I earned a chuckle from Noah; I watched as he dropped his head forward as he laughed. I was glad he was able to recognize how much of a pain Stella was capable of being, even if it was with good reason.

"She just wants to make sure you're taken care of" he defended her.

"I know." My gaze drifted back up to Noah's, dark brown eyes stared back into mine causing my brain to stall out leaving me at a loss of words. Pulling my mind back to reality to say "There's actually an addendum to that rule."