Quarterback's Study Buddy

Chapter Thirteen

Carson sat in Noelle's bed turning over the postcard she shoved in his face, "Do you want to fill me in with the situation with your mom?" He asked as she laid her head on his chest. She listened to his beating heart.

"Honestly, no," She sighed. "It's nothing against you, it's just a long painful story I'd rather not get into right now." She said as she rested her chin on his chest looking into his eyes. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips softly. He kissed her back and moved his mouth skillfully against hers. He placed his hand against her warm cheek. Carson could feel her skin getting hot beneath his fingertips. His hand began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt.

Suddenly, a low knock interrupted them. Noelle turned her head, "Come in." She said as she sat up straighter. David came in with a green substance drenching the front side of his pajamas.

"Noe, I threw up." David said as he held his stomach.

Noelle patted Carson's shoulder and got up and held David's hand as she led him to the bathroom. She ran another bath for him and made him take off his clothes. Once David's bath was done and she gave him something to soothe his stomach. Carson witnessed Noelle lovingly take care of her little brother and thought she would make a great mother. She doesn't have a neglectful or abusive bone in her body. 

She came back to her room after putting him back to bed. It was almost 10:00PM and her parents should be back soon. She laid back in bed with Carson and let her head rest on his chest. As she stroked the soft fabric of his shirt, Noelle thought about her mom. Her eyes zeroing in on her bookshelf as she thought about how much her mother must have changed and how much her mother didn't change. 

Carson traced a pattern on her shoulder and thought about the shit Noelle gone through with her mom. He was so sure that her home life what better than his by a long shot. But, she's just as fucked up as him.

"Car?" She whispered to him.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"I know I'm being vague with my whole mom situation. But, thank you for being there for me." Noelle said genuinely.

"No problem. I'm here for you." He kissed her forehead.

***

"No, that's not a good idea." Noelle's dad said as he patted Baxter's fur and watched Divorce Court. His glasses were perched on his nose as he tried to pay attention to the case. Noelle was currently standing in the entrance of her parent's bedroom door.

"Dad, there was a return address on the postcard. This is the first time she's ever done this!" Noelle said as she ran a hand through her hair.

"I don't think that it's an invitation."

"But, what if it is? She's been sending me postcards for the last five years and this is the first time she's ever put a return address on it. It's gotta mean something." Noelle said exasperated. 

"Going to Tennessee alone to chase your mother is not a good idea. End of conversation."

"I'm not going alone, dad."

Noelle's dad raised an eyebrow in her direction, "Well, I'm sure as hell not going to take you."

"Carson and I are going together." Noelle explained.

"First of all, over my dead body. I am not letting you go off with some random boy alone. And second of all, I've done this tango before with your mom and you'll just get hurt. She loves you, I know she does. But, her head is not always there, Noe."

Noelle's eyes began to well up with tears and she found it hard to breathe. She was so close. She just wanted to see her mom again and this was her only chance. She wanted to tell her mom about how great her family was. She wanted to tell her mom that she's made Dean's List her entire duration of school. She wanted to tell her mother about the sweetest boy she's ever met. And although he sucks in Biology, he made her happy.