Midnight Love || ✔️

11:44 pm

vii | | seven

ELLA AND Noah ended up at Grandma's diner. They ordered the same as last time—chilli bowls with crackers—and sat in the cozy booth at the far corner of the diner. The place was much more crowded this time around, and the buzz of conversation, laughter, clicking of silverware against plates, and soft music from the speakers enveloped Ella and Noah, giving them enough privacy to speak.

They didn't at first—speak. They exchanged pleasantries and had some small talk. They ate their chilli. It wasn't until Ella was almost halfway through her bowl when Noah cleared his throat. He was still silent, but Ella knew what he was doing. He was gathering his courage to speak. Ella gave him his time.

"My parents, uh, my parents," he paused. Swallowed. "God. Why is this so hard? I want to tell you. I need to tell you, but the words aren't coming out," he clenched his jaw and shook his head. Ella reached out and placed her hand on top of his clenched fists on the table. He jumped a bit, and looked at her. She smiled softly.

"It's okay. You're so used to not saying anything, it'll take time to say what you need to say. It's foreign land. I get it."

Noah smiled and shook his head. "You're incredible."

Ella smiled. If her blushes showed, her face would have been as red as a tomato by now. But thankfully her darker skin was incapable of turning beet red.

Noah took another deep breath before saying, "My parents fight a lot," Well, more like blurted it out. Ella still had her hand on his, and didn't say anything, her expression schooled to show nothing of what she was feeling, just encouragement. "They have for as long as I can remember. I don't know why they won't get a divorce. When I called you, they were having a particularly bad one. I couldn't drown out the sound with music or a movie. He . . ." Noah paused Swallowed. Ella squeezed his hand, silently telling him she's here. Giving him a distraction. "Sometimes he gets aggressive. And then she gets aggressive. I'm left cowering in my room, feeling like I did every time they fought as a kid when I still didn't know how to deal with it."

Noah blew out a sigh, but continued. "Nothing was helping and then you popped into my head. At first, I didn't want to wake you up, but it got worse and worse that I just had to try. Hearing your voice is always nice, but lately it's become a favourite sound of mine," he shyly looked up at her. Her heart was beating faster, her breath shallow, but she smiled. A small, equally shy smile. "And you answered. You talked to me. You calmed me down. Their fighting calmed down, too but by that time I was so focused on you and our conversation I barely noticed," he bit his lip. The white teeth sinking into the soft pink flesh. "God, I can't remember the last time I've had such a conversation. I don't think I've ever had such a conversation."

"Me neither," she said. Her voice was soft. It didn't feel right to talk in a louder voice.

Noah smiled at her and she returned it. The air between them changed, his story hanging in between them. He flipped the hand under hers, interlacing their fingers. Ella stopped breathing for a second, her heart missing a beat. But she didn't break eye contact with him. His dark eyes were twinkling and warm, seeing right through to her soul and opening their gates to let her see through them. This feeling scared Ella. The last time she felt it . . .

No, she wouldn't think about that. Not now. Not here. Not with him.

She imagined a broom was sweeping the thoughts from her brain, dumping the memories in a nondescript closet. "I'm sorry your parents fight a lot. I'm sorry someone so good as you has to live such a life. If I had a magic wand, I would totally bibidi bobadi boo you better parents."

Noah laughed, his eyes squeezing shut and and his head thrown back. The sight was so cheerful it made Ella laugh as well. "No one has ever offered to do that for me. Thank you, Ella."

Her grin widened a bit at the sound of her name uttered by him. "No problem, Noah."