Perfect

Chapter 29

Noah Anderson
12:30 AM

My brother and sister have long since gone back to school. At first I thought things would've changed but it actually got worse.

Dad stopped home most nights and mom was hardly ever home unless it was to sleep. It was so much worse than before my siblings left.

"Thomas! You said we would wait!" I hear my other yell as I jolt out of my sleep.

"I can't live in this miserable fucking home any longer, Sarah! Let me go! The boy's going away to college and Ashley and Logan are in college. There is absolutely no reason to be together any longer!" He yells as he gets closer to my room.

I sit up until my room door is thrown open.

"Noah! I thought you were at Aaliyah's!" My mother says shocked. My mom's brown hair toddled and her robe open.

I do not sleep over, ever. At least when her parents are home.

"See, you don't even pay attention to your own damn kid!" My dad says, his face red with anger.

"That's not true, Thomas!" She yells.

"What's happening?" I ask, looking from my mom to my dad and back again.

"We're getting divorced." My father says.

Divorced?!

My parents aren't perfect but together they worked like a well oiled machine. Can't they just talk this out?

***

I feel my phone vibrate underneath me. I grab it and answer.

"You coming to school?" Aaliyah asks over the phone.

Just hearing her voice puts me at ease.

"Yes, I'm just going to be a little late." I say getting up and getting ready.

"Okay. I'll see you in class. I gotta go."

We only share 2 classes plus lunch and then she leaves for the day but I have 5 classes and then I go home. Aaliyah took honors and APs her sophomore and junior year so she could've graduated early if she wanted to.

Once my face washed and I use one of the moisturizer Aaliyah left over here I start to get dressed. I took a shower the night before so I'm clean but dry.

I grab something of Aaliyah's. I really need her today. I'm feeling...lost? I don't know what I'm feeling. I just know it's not a good feeling.

Once I'm dressed and ready I decide I want to walk to school. I need the space to do that. My parents just dropped this major bomb on me. Did that not care how it would affect me? Do my brother and sister know?

I guess I should've known based on how little time they spent together. I don't think I've ever seen them go on a date. Share a kiss. Laugh together. They're nothing like Aaliyah's parents.

***

"You okay?" Aaliyah asks as we walk to the cafeteria.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking."

"You sure? You've kinda been out of it for a few periods now." She says stopping and looking up at me.

"I'm fine." I say stroking her hand.

"Honesty, remember?" She says lifting up my chin.

"I don't want wanna talk about it right now." I say truthfully.

"Come on." She tugs me towards the doors.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Somewhere." She says reaching her car and opening my door.

"Chivalry isn't dead." I joke.

"No, it isn't, my king." She says kissing my chin and starting up the car.

***

We pull up to a spa.

"A spa?" I ask stepping out of the car.

"Yes, I need some relaxing and you some cheering up. Come on." She grabs my hand and tugs me inside. She talks to the receptionist while I look around. It truly is relaxing in here.

"Come with we." A woman says.

We follow.

"Take off your clothes here. You can leave your underwear on. The slippers are right underneath here. And here is a lock for your things. Enjoy." She smiles and leaves us.

We do as instructed and walk out. A woman comes and takes us to a room. She instructs to lay down. After a while 2 women come in and start to massage us.

We get a full body massage, then a foot and leg massage and then a facial.

"How do you feel?" She asks as we pull off.

"Relaxed. The full body massage hurt at times but other than that I was fine."

"Good. Now let's go somewhere fun." She says pushing down on the gas.

***

"Got you!" She yells.

"Not again!" I exclaim.

She took us to laser tag.

"You suck at this game." She says taking off the gear.

Our hour is up.

"No, you're just a beast at the game." I say taking off my gear.

"I will admit, I am." She laughs.

Her phone rings and she picks it up.

"Hello?" She says into the phone.

I admire the way her lips move. I watch her dimples pop out when she says certain words.

"...okay...I'll meet you."

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Destiny needs me. You have work right?" She asks looking at her apple watch and checking the time.

"Yes. I'll drop you off and pick you up."

"Okay." I say taking her hand and walking her to the car. I open the door and she slides in and I get in myself.

***

"Dad, left?" I ask my mom when u walk into her room.

"Yes." She says looking down on her phone.

"Without saying goodbye."

"Yes, he has been like this, Noah. He's a very absent father. Now he's over there taking care of someone else son." She says bitterly.

"What do you mean, mom?"

"I mean he's been with the same woman for 20 years!"

(A/N I dead don't remember how old Noah is. But I think he's 17. Turning 18 in June.)

"What?!"

"Yes, her name's Charlotte and she has a son, Nathan! He went to the hospital thinking the baby was his but it wasn't! Nathan is her ex husband's..."

I tune my mother out. My parents haven't been happy for years and I didn't see it.