The Last of the Pure

Thirteen

Sam and I had been driving for about thirty minutes when I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out preparing to either speak with my mother or Serena, but was pleasantly surprised when I saw that it was my Aunt.

“Sorry, I need to take this!” I said to Samuel, answering the phone without trying to hid my excitement. “Lonnie!”

“Noodle!” she screeched back, sharing my enthusiasm. “What’s up, am I bothering you? Can you talk for a second?”

“I would have pressed ignore otherwise, speak woman!”

“Well,” she began, her excitement dying down just a bit, but speaking just as quickly as she always did. “My plan was to come see you this weekend, but I got called into work. Dude, right? I was so excited, I haven’t seen my big brother in weeks, my favorite niece in what? Months? You need to work on your visiting skills by the way—so I was all like, ‘Boss man, gotta go see the fam!’ but then he was all like, ‘Lenora, the schedule has been posted for three weeks,’” her rapid speaking slowed down and became deep when she imitated her boss which made me laugh out loud, gaining a curious but amused look from Samuel.

“Wait,” I said once I’d stopped laughing. “So, you’re not coming?”

“Not this weekend, but I’m off next weekend for three days, not just two! So, ha-ha! I shall prevail and see my sweet Noodle for more allotted time!”

“But next weekend is the Homecoming dance and—”

“Wait! You’re going? Noodle, that’s fantastic!”

“If you’re going to be here, I don’t have to go…”

“You’re going. I’ll help you get ready and we can take lots of pictures and oh! I’m excited, this is even better. You’re going, missy.”

“Fine, fine, I’m going. I’ve already got a dress and every—”

“I love you, Noodle, but I have got to go. Boss man is coming and we’re not exactly supposed to have cellphones on the sales floor!”

The line disconnected before I got a chance to say goodbye, but I just laughed, tucking it back into my pocket when Samuel looked over at me.

“My aunt,” I told him.

“Got it,” he smiled at me, a real genuine dimply smile.

We were quiet for a minute and he kept smirking and looking my way when I finally couldn’t take it anymore.

“What?” I said, half laughing.

“Nothing, Noodle,” he said, shrugging.

I buried my face in my palms, embarrassed, but he just laughed more.

“She’s always called me that, okay? That does not mean I give you permission!”

“Oh, come on! It’s cute.”

“Shut up,” I mumbled, not pulling my face out of my palms just yet. My cheeks were red and I didn’t want him to see me blushing.

His fingers locked around my wrist, trying to tug my hand from my face, but I resisted, opening my fingers enough to glare at him on the driver’s side.

“I’m sorry, okay! No more Noodle, I promise.”

I sighed heavily, pulling my hands back and Sam’s fingers that had been locked around my wrist slid between my fingers.

And then I realized what he had done. He’d done it so naturally that I didn’t even think about it when my fingers twined with his, but he was holding my hand on the center console like it was the most normal thing.