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chapter two; partners in crime
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━━━━━It was the next day, and Noa was getting ready to go to the beach for another day with Sean, as promised. With only six days of freedom remaining, the reality that Sean went to a different school dampened their future plans. Who knew if they'd be able to hang out with each other once school started?
Noa finished getting ready and noticed Nick's door was closed as she left her room. She pressed her ear against it, but there was no movement inside, which puzzled her. Was he not getting ready?
When she opened the door, Nick wasn't putting on sunblock or packing his essentials like a towel, snacks, and a book. Instead, he was lying on his bed, holding his phone up to his face. "Nick, why aren't you dressed yet? We have to go to the beach! Sean's waiting for us!" she exclaimed.
Nick kept his attention on his phone while speaking cooly. "Sean's your friend, not mine."
Noa sensed his lingering resentment from yesterday's frisbee incident and sighed. "He's sorry about the frisbee incident, okay? It's the wind's fault."
"I'm not upset about that."
"Then why don't you want to hang out with him?"
Nick, tired of the questions, sat up and shouted angrily. "Because Mom won't let me!"
Noa jerked back in surprise. She opened her mouth, but her words were stifled as she processed Nick's revelation. Was he suggesting their mother was a tyrant? "Why?"
"Because..." Nick paused, biting his lower lip as if he wanted to say more. "She just won't, okay? Not unless you talk to her."
Noa thought his plea was unnecessary. "Nick—"
"Please, Noa," Nick interjected. "You want me to go, don't you?"
Yes, she did, causing Noa to drag herself to her mother's room. She barged in, unannounced, to find her mother making her bed. Marjorie smiled as she greeted her. "Oh. Hi, honey. You're going to the beach?"
