No Place Like Home

5 ~ Potatoes and Popcorn

No Place Like Home

Chapter Five- Potatoes and Popcorn

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Ella pulled up into an empty space, putting the car in park before checking herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair, giving it a messy but wavy look. She assured herself not to be too worried about what she looked like and glanced out towards the playground.

Ella opened up her door, standing up to look around until she saw Noah's truck pulling up beside her small car. She slammed the door and watched him cut the engine and step out.

"Am I late?" He asks, locking the truck, reminding Ella to do the same.

"Reasonably," Ella assured him, pulling a smile as she rounded the back of the car and met him half way. "So, what's the plan?"

Noah held a knowing look. "What did I say about those questions, Bug?" His hand found Ella's and he intertwined his fingers with her own.

"You're so demanding," Ella rolled her eyes as he tugged her along, heading in the opposite direction of the park.

After a few moments of silence, Noah glanced in Ella's direction. He had been leading her quite a ways from the park, and wasn't going to let any time spent with her go to waste.

"So, give me your back story Ella." He spoke up, trying not to focus too hard on the fact that she was mindlessly rubbing the pad of her thumb against his hand.

"You don't already know?" Ella turned to look at him with a fake gasp. Her smile slipped into a more serious fashion and her gaze looked out in front of them. "Well, I'll give you the basics for now," she paused, thinking how to word her following sentences.

"Grew up in a pretty strict home, so you couldn't imagine how much I wanted to get out of there. Moved here a few months after graduation, living in the family's vacation home has its perks."

Ella paused, looking back up at Noah's curious gaze. "I was that good girl in school, stayed to myself with a few friends here and there, no one really stuck though. Then again, I was never really the social type."

"No crazy ex I have to worry about?" Noah joked half heartedly, but honestly hoping that was a no.

Ella let out a breathy laugh. "No, no crazy ex. Or really," she paused looking at a car passing them by. "No ex's at all."

Noah acted dramatically relieved. "No expectations!" He exclaimed, his humor bringing a smile to her features. His gaze slipped away from her milky brown eyes and up to the restaurant sign that was only a few feet away. "Here we are," Noah turned her onto the pathway and led her up the steps.

"Thanks," Ella smiled up to the waiter who dropped off their pasta and left them with a small smile. She picked up her fork and turned her eyes back onto Noah. "Where were we?" She questioned rhetorically before chuckling. "Oh yes, the dog named Muffy." 

Noah stifled a laugh, chewing a fork full of noodles and swallowing before going on with his story. "Yeah, who would've guess she was the culprit the whole time! I swear, when everyone was blaming each other for eating that last piece of bacon, after seeing her oh so guilty face-" Noah cut off to laugh. "It was priceless." 

Ella giggled imagining how that would've gone in her mind. "It would've been great to blame a brother or something," she adds.

Noah's laughter subsided and his eyes flickered down from hers. "Actually," he cleared his throat. "I do have a brother."