Nace {WATTY'S 2017}

Fourteen. Noah.

Sometimes you need one word to express what thousands can't

Senior Year.

"She isn't here." Lannie said to me as I walked through the front door. "I'll wait" I told her as I went to Nemmi's room. I sat on her bed and felt the odd sensation of comfort I usually do when I'm here. I decided that I'd take a shower since I had time to spare. I took off my clothes and placed them in Nemmi's hamper, then I went to her drawer and sifted through the clothes I leave at her house. Soon I heard the door creep open. "Nem--Oh, Oh my god I'm so sorry." Said a male voice. I guessed it was Ace. "Come on in." I replied. "Thats okay Noah." The male voice said. I realized it had to be someone I didn't recognize. "She isn't here." I called out. The person closed the door. I smiled slyly. I bet I could turn a straight man gay. I went into the shower, turned it on and let the rays of water caress my body in their soothing fashion. 

*Insert Song*

I stepped out of the shower to get my phone and almost slipped. Quickly I picked myself up again and took my slippery body towards the room, leaving puddles the size of my feet behind me. It was Nemmi. "H-Hello." I don't know why I felt nervous. "Hello, Hi. Its Noah. Its me. I mean-yeah, hi." I said. There was no reply from the other side, just the sound of loud music. "Nemmi?" I asked. No reply. She must have butt dialled me. The call suddenly ended and a car that had the same music drew near to Nemmi's house. I drew the blinds slightly to see who was outside, It was that boy again. "Bye Dan!" I heard Nemmi call as the car sped away, he replied with two honks from his dodge challenger. Show off.  I heard Nemmi talk to Jackie on her way in, I realized in that moment how it would look if I greeted her completely naked; especially if she was still quite angry at me . I went to the bathroom to put on my clothes. As I was fitting my  trousers on comfortably I heard the door open and shut. "I was just-" I began. "Having a shower. I know. I can tell. I can smell your soap all the way from the living room." She said with a smile. "Nemmi, do you want to talk?" I asked. "What about?" She replied with a jovial attitude. "The past few days have been a lot of mixed messages, emotions running around and I just-". I stammered. "I think we should talk about it." I could tell her mood slightly shifted. "How about tonight? The days still young, lets go out." She grabbed my hand and headed for the door. I gave her a look, asking her where we were going. She looked at me with a spark in her eyes I hadn't seen in a long time, "I don't know. Anywhere." 

*•*•*•*
Nemmi let me drive her car and we cruised down the streets o the city, with oddly not a lot of traffic in the way. The silence was healing, the wind was tranquil and everything was perfect for just a moment. Nemmi smiled at me and put her hand over mine, for a second it almost felt like everything was back to normal.

"Lets go see her." Nemmi said as we passed by the clinic my mother worked at. "Lets get them something to eat maybe, help clean up?" Nemmi asked. I stared at her, shocked by her usual consideration for my parents; more so than I could say for myself. I nodded and drove towards the nearest supermarket in sight.

*•*•*•*

We were here 30 seconds and I already felt very uneasy. I knew nothing old happen, they would never hurt her. Or would they? "Noah, we'll be fine." Nemmi said holding my hand, reading my obvious facial expression. As soon as we got out of the car my mother stepped out of the house and walked towards me with a smile.  "Estava tăo preocupada com vocę. Você está bem?" She whispered in my ear as she wrapped her arms around me. "I'm fine mama." I said reassuring her. I kissed her forehead and nodded towards Nemmi behind me. She went and hugged Nemmi tightly. "Oh Nemmi, thank God you take such good care of my son. Please, come in. " My mother said, pulling Nemmi towards the door.  Nemmi and her walked and talked as they always do and I stood there, as I always do, questioning how Nemmi managed to fit so perfectly into every aspect of my life. I heard a call from behind me. As I turned I realized how much trouble I was going to undergo because of this decision. It was him. "My son" He said, he murmured the rest, gurgled and struggled to stand as he approached the house. "Papa." I greeted. "Why didn't you win? Put--" He gagged. I moved away from him as not to get vomit on my clothes. "--our whole family to shame. Look at this, you can walk this off." He said poining to my cast. "When I--I was--I was young I never could afford this--this crap and I still made it." I gave him a once over and analysed him. He was a middle aged man, a drunk who couldn't give a damn about anything but the next bottle he was going to finish. He had no job, a son who detests him and a wife who sees something in him tat no one else sees. If this is what made it looks like then I'd rather not."You judge me son with your fancy looks and your fancy school. With your-your bandages and cars. But we're so alike. You have a black girl eh? Same as me. You are a Martinez, embrace it." He laughed as he stumbled towards the house. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. 

I stayed outside the house for a very long time, staring. Staring at the same spot where they had attacked me, still wondering why. "You left me in there for twenty five minutes!" I heard Nemmi shout as she ran towards me. She was still very chirpy. "What are you thinking about Noah?" She asked. I glanced at her. "Your mother told me everything." I nodded in response. "How is everyone?" I asked. "Well, your father hasn't changed, he still hit on me and made me fetch him liquor" She laughed. I stared at her silently. "Jorge wants to see you, so does Angie." She said. She looked at me and read my mind. "We can invite them over tomorrow, I'll come pick them up okay?" I nodded in response, again. "I'll go say bye, then we can head home." She walked into the house, somehow still maintaining a good attitude. I went to sit in the car. A slight glint shone blindingly through the wind shield. I stared at it before going to investigate. It was coming from a small space between ours and the neighbors' fence, it was my bike. I pulled it out of the wedge and saw that the Giorgio had done a good job of dismantling it. I scowled. I threw what was left of my bike to the ground and shouted in frustration. "You're not driving." Nemmi said as I approached the car, she was sitting on the drivers seat. "Why can't I drive?" I asked from the passengers seat, "You're a shitty driver anyway. Me driving while I'm pissed off is still better than you on a good day." She ignored me. "I'm not fucking pissed off, I'm frustrated and I want to drive!" She continue ignoring me as she put the key into the ignition. "Look" She said as she faced my house. I saw my mother, Jorge and Angie waving at us as we escaped. "Everyone thinks you're fine, Act like it." She snapped. "Fuck you." I snarled. "Not with that attitude" She giggled. 

*•*•*•

As we got into the house we noticed it was empty. "Looks like we have the place all to ourselves." Nemmi said as she went to the kitchen. "Your mother gave me specific instructions to give you bread and soup because when you were sev--" I interrupted her, "Tell me what happened."

"Okay." She said as she sat in front of me.

"Your father was stealing again. He.." She began. It was struggling go escape her mouth. "He stole something valuable from Giorgio, and it was worth a lot of money." I could already tell where this was going. "Your father panicked, he didn't know what to say and of course he didn't want to get himself in danger. He didn't know how much it meant to you Noah if--" I glared at her. "He...told them to ask you for help. He expected you to say no so that Giorgio and his gang could pretend to take everything from you forcibly. The truth is that he sold it to them in exchange for his life." She finished. "I wish he died, that selfish bastard." I rose and walked towards the room. "You don't mean that. You're just ups--" She began. "Would you shut up? You don't understand anything at all! That was the only thing I had on this earth that was mine! I worked and dreamt of that car since I was in fucking middle school! You're here with your money and your car, how would you know my struggles? You know nothing about me? Who are you to me?" I shouted. I slammed the door behind me and immediately regretted everything I said. I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed, letting out a frustrated cry.

"Fuck."