Perfect

Chapter 32

Noah Anderson
2:19 pm

"My parents are divorced as well." Nathan says.

(A/N I know it's been a lil minute but Nathan is the guy he met in chapter 27 and changed his tire)

"Was it tough?"

"I wouldn't know."

"What do you mean?" I ask shooting a zombie behind him.

"My parents were in the process of a divorce when my mom was pregnant with me. She didn't know when they filed for divorce but she was determined to..."

"My girlfriend is calling let me answer her." I say moving one side of my headset and answering the phone. I prop it up and give her as much attention as I could while still playing the game.

"Hey, baby, what you doing?" Aaliyah says smiling in the camera.

"Playing the game and talking to my friend."

"Oh, I was calling to tell you I'm not coming over today. I'm going to chill with Kamari."

"Okay, thanks for letting me know. Also, did Destiny get in contact with you yet?" I ask hitting a zombie in the head.

"No, but I'm not stressing. As long as she's good I'm good. I just wanted to know that she was okay and clearly she is so I'm good."

•••

"Hello?" I ask groggily into the phone.

"N-Noah...pl-please...let me in!" The voice stutters out.

"Who is this?" I ask sitting up.

"It's Mal...I'm scared, Noah...I need help."

(A/N If yall don't remember it's his ex)

"Okay, I'm coming down right now." I hop out the bed and put on the nearest pants.

I walk down the stairs and to the door. I open it up to a shivering, sniffling, tear stained Malinda.

"N-Noah?" She cries out.

"Come in." I say pulling her in and closing the door behind her.

I was her upstairs and sit her down on the bed and cringe as I do so.

"What happened?" I ask, genuinely concerned.

"C-can I talk about it t-tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'll sleep in my brother's room. You can sleep in here." I say stepping away from her and walking out.

•••

"Oh my god!"

I jerk up out of my sleep and run to my room. I see Aaliyah standing over Mal and Mal curled up on my bed.

"What's going on?" I yawn.

"What is she doing in your bed, Noah?" Aaliyah says pointing at Mal.

"Actually, I was going to ask Malinda that now. Malinda, what happened last night?" I ask coming to sit on my bed.

"Does she have to be here for it? It's personal." Malinda says looking over at Aaliyah.

"I'm gonna hear about it anyway." She says before I could answer.

"She's right but if it'll make you feel better she could leave the room." I say looking at Aaliyah and watching her turn her face up.

"Yes, very." She says nodding her head and peeking over at Aaliyah.

Aaliyah looks at me so I stand up and pull her out of the room. I lead her to my brother's room and sit her down on his bed.

"Good morning, baby." I kissing her forehead.

"Don't try to use an endearment on me." She warns leaning into the kiss.

"I'm not, I just haven't properly greeted you. What are you doing here anyway?" I ask kneeling before her.

"I didn't see you yesterday so I thought I'd surprise you today but when I went hop on you, I scared...the girl."

"I'm sorry you had experience that. I want you to know I wasn't keeping her a secret, she just came over last night in tears and I let her in. And she took my room and I took my brother's." I say rubbing her arms up and down to sooth her.

"Why didn't she just go home?"

"That's why I'm trying to figure out what happened to her."

"Okay."

"Are you okay with this?" I ask searching her face.

"It's already done. Plus, I know you, you wouldn't have left her outside your house crying."

"Thank you for understanding but you didn't answer the question. You want me to kick her out? I'll kick her out right now."

I stand up and walk toward the door.

"Noah, come back." She laughs.

"I love your laugh." I say walking back toward her but being mindful of any morning breath. I grab her hand and kiss it.

"Thank you. Go on." She urges and lets me walk back in my room.

•••

"I never told you much about my parents. There was a reason for that." Malinda says pacing back and forth and rubbing up and down her arms.

"They're t-te-errible...I've never told this to anyone and now you and Alisha will know about it. It's embarrassing." She continues on.

I ignore the disrespect about Aaliyah and continue to listen to her tale.

"I got home last night and my parents were home. They were up waiting for me. And apparently they were calling me. Anyway, they were waiting for me and my room a-and, my mother she uh s-ssshe she wanted me to strip down and I listened. My mother then grabbed a bucket of water and threw it on me. My father yelled at me as my mother b-b-beat me with a metal bat. After she was done I just got up and drove to yours." She stutters and cries out.

I go to her and try and comfort her. She cried herself to sleep. After she fell asleep I went back to my brother's room to see Aaliyah looking at my brother's things.

"That was his first award. He doesn't swim much anymore." I say walking into the room.

"Why not?" She asks putting down his award.

"It wasn't something he was passionate about but he was proud of it."

"So, what'd she say?"

I recount it for her.

"Damn, that's sad as fuck. No one shells go through something like that. Did she tell you why she didn't go to the guy she was seeing?"

"No after she was finished telling me she cried herself to sleep."

"What are you going to do?" She asks rubbing my shoulders.

"I don't know." I sigh out.