NOAH

Ch. 4

Chapter 4

The carrot smashes between my teeth, the sweet flavor melting into my tongue as Noah slides in beside me, a smile brightening his handsome features. He rips a ketchup packet between his teeth, squirting some onto his fries before popping a handful into his mouth. We eat our meals in silence, the life Dr. Marsh restored still fresh in our minds.

The shakiness in my hands was quelled by Noah's smile as he told the boy the great news about his dad. The way his face lit up as he hugged his worrisome mother. Her sigh of relief as the thought of losing her husband washed from her face.

I jerk as Camry smacks her tray against the table, sitting across from us with a grin. "Finally, a break."

Noah shakes his head. "I don't want a break. As awful as it sounds, I want to see another surgery."

"Why is that awful again?"

"Because, another human has to be sliced open."

Camry nods, scrunching up her face as she turns to me. "Umm.. Nicole."

I sit up, wiping around my mouth. "What? Is something on my face?"

"You smell of smoke."

"Not much I can do about that." I roll my eyes as I fall back into the chair.

She sips her bottle of water. "You could move out."

I scoff. "Where? To my imaginary apartment?"

She ignores me, pointing to Noah. "Don't you think she smells like smoke?"

"Not really."

I clench my teeth together. When will she realize that not everyone has money like her family does? I can't just pack up and go. I have nowhere to go.

I discreetly sniff my shirt as she rambles on to Noah about the effects of second hand smoke. It has a slight whiff of the cancerous perfume but not enough that she should smell it.

I shake my head, pulling my earphones from my pocket and slipping them into my ears. Her voice fills my ears just as I was about to drown it out.

"Hey, where's the Ipod I gave you?"

My fingers tighten around the device in my hand. "It broke."

"How?"

"Braylen smashed it."

A sour look comes over her face and she frowns at the table. I sigh, ready to offer her some money back for the 'gift', but she turns to Noah and continues her story about how she gave me the Ipod.

I rub my temple, stealing a fry from Noah's plate. He sends me a look but I nod in Camry's direction. Listen up or she'll start over. And this story is her favorite.

It was another birthday for me. I hadn't gotten a card from either parent, seeing as they were nowhere to be found. My aunt has never gotten me a gift in my fifteen years of living with her. She always said her gift to me was a roof over my head and air in my lungs. She told me I would be dead without her.

Work was all I looked forward to that day. Helping people and making them feel better is just something I love to do. When I came in, Camry wished me a happy birthday and handed me a something. A gift. An actual gift on my birthday.

I was undoubtedly ecstatic. I would've been happy even if it was a used lip gloss or hairbrush. I just wanted to be celebrated on my birthday. And she celebrated me.

But she pitied me more.

She didn't think I noticed the pout she sported when she handed me her cracked old Ipod that was on it's last leg. She probably didn't care. Camry was my friend and that meant I had to accept her pity. No matter if I wanted it or not. Sadly, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me.

Ever since that day, she's been telling anyone she can about how great her gift was and that she was the only one who got me something. I realized  that the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me was probably for show. And the pathetic part is, I still never say anything. I let her show off so I can feel an ounce of what I'm yearning for.

Noah taps my shoulder and I turn to him. I notice Camry is no longer at the table with us and I exhale a sigh of relief.

"This is gonna sound extremely awful and probably corny, but you probably smell of smoke because you're smoking hot."

I roll my eyes as he smirks, popping one of my carrots into his mouth. "You're right. It was awful."

***

A giggle sounds from the living room as I push the door open. I unzip my hoodie as I walk into the living room. Flower sits between three boys, giggling at every word that comes from their mouths.

Her eleven year old body is barely covered in her cropped tank and booty shorts. The boys, no younger than fifteen, sit and watch her every move. My stomach dips as one of the boys embraces her and kisses her cheek.

"Flo-" I start to say, but her mother interrupts me.

"Nicole."

"Danielle, who the hell are they?"

"Why are you all in her business?"

I glance over to Flower as she shows the boy something on her phone, then back to Danielle. "They look way older than her. Why aren't you in her business?"

She rolls her eyes. "Look, did you find a job yet?"

"No."

Flower smirks. "Well, you better hurry up or you'll be homeless just like your mother."

My heart drops to my feet as the boys laugh with Flower. She's homeless? Why didn't Danielle tell me? How the fuck does Flower know and not me? Why does she know?

I turn to my aunt, my hands clenching into fists. "How does she know that?"

"Nicole, I don't have time for this."

My eyes burn as my blood sears. I imagine myself tackling the little tramp to the ground and smacking the taste from her mouth. Teach her to never talk about my mother again. But, a warning from Danielle brings me back to reality and I remember that I need this place for a little while longer.

I speed up to my room, locking the door as it shuts behind me. I jump onto my bed, getting out a pen and notepad. I'm going to find my mother and get the hell out of this place. Once and for all.

I write 'CLUES' at the top in big capitalized letters. I make a bullet and first write down what I remember  my aunt calling her.  Then I bullet what else I know, determination coursing through my veins.

•Anne.

•Flower knows about her

•She may be homeless

I just need to hold on for a little while longer.