A Boy Called Noah

Chapter Thirty-One

Noah James

Noah's chest swells with pride as Thea walks around his room gaping at his trophies. "Y-you won all of these?" He eagerly nods his head when she turns her amazed gaze to him. "Look I knew you were good but I didn't know- YOU PLAY THE GUITAR?!" Thea's yell startles Noah so much he nearly falls from his seat on the bed. He nods his head a tiny little bit scared. "How did I not know this?" Noah shrugs his shoulders in nonchalance and a slow smile grazes his lips. "I'm guessing you like guitars?" Thea eagerly nods her head and a light laugh bursts from Noah's lips from her eager expression. "I promise to play for you some other time." She nearly flips them both onto the floor with her bone-crushing hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Oh, sorry. Noah, are you okay?" 

Noah bends forward to try and catch his breath. His breaths come out sputtered and uneven. Dark spots dance in his vision and an excruciating pain emits from his shoulder. "Shoulder...pain...help me..." Thea's frozen form moves into quick action and she helps Noah to gently remove his shirt and she gasps at the sight of his shoulder. Big black and blue bruises color his bony shoulder. She snaps herself out of the shock and helps him to ease back into a stack of feather-soft cushions. 

She gently drags her fingers across his heaving chest, "That's it. In. Out. And in. And out." His breaths slowly return to normal and he fights off a sudden wave of nausea. "Bathroom. Quickly." Thea quickly but gently eases her shoulder under his arm socket, "Hold on, Noah. Just a few more steps." Noah's mouth stays clamped shut and he focuses all of his attention on not vomiting his breakfast out all over his bedroom floor. 

Thea throws the bathroom door open and Noah sinks down in front of the toilet with nanoseconds to spare. Dark foul-smelling liquid spurts from his mouth and she fights the urge to flee from the scene. She lowers onto her knees next to him and gently rubs her hand up and down his back in a soothing manner. "You'll feel better after this. I'm sure of it." 

After a few more disgusting heaves Noah gently rests his throbbing head on the toilet seat. Humiliation washes over him in waves and he wishes that the earth will tear open and swallow him whole. Thea's hand does not cease it's calming motions and she gently rests her head against his exposed and unbruised shoulder. 

"Let's get you to bed. You need to rest." Thea gently eases most of Noah's weight onto her shoulder again and they both together limp back into Noah's room and to his bed. He stops a few steps from the bed and switches his direction to his closet. "Need pajamas." Thea helps him to his closet and eases him against the wall for support. "What do you sleep in?" She opens the doors and Noah points to his colored loose boxers. 

She gulps loudly and picks a bright red and green pair, "Are these okay?" Noah swallows his laugh and nods his head, "Perfect." She tosses the pair in his head's general direction and quickly swings her back to him, "Please, hurry." He laughs and makes the effort to slip into his comfortable pajamas. 

"Okay, I'm done." Thea slowly turns around with a bright red face. "That was the most awkward three minutes and twenty-three seconds of my life. How long does it take you to get dressed?" Noah snorts in amusement, "You were counting?" "I-I didn't know what else to do. Just stand there and listen to you getting changed?" "That's what a normal person does." Noah bursts out laughing and Thea smiles a very embarrassed smile, "Oh, shut up." This only makes him laugh harder.