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PART OF THE UPSIDE OF DATING NOELANI WAS THAT YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE HOW SHE WAS FEELING.
The downside was that no matter how clear the emotion was in her expression at that moment, she refused to speak up about it.
Jalen knew that something had occurred between Noelani and her parents when he had picked her up hours ago from the front of a doctor's office.
The couple were sitting on Jalen's couch and Noelani was focused on the homework and the math textbook in front of her.
Her eyes were rimmed red with, what Jalen guessed to be anger, and the hand resting on Jalen's thigh was shaking, her long olive green and gold dragon print acrylic nails pulling back and forth furiously against the material of his black joggers.
Jalen reached his hand over to seize hers but as soon as his fingertips made contact, Noelani pulled her hand back in alarm.
"What are you doing?" She asked in a low tone.
"Holding your hand or I'm trying to." Jalen made another attempt but Noelani rested her hand in her lap, not looking at him.
"Sorry, I just don't feel like being touched right now. I need to focus on this. It's due tomorrow." Noelani was still avoiding his gaze.
Jalen looked around the corner to check if his family was anywhere downstairs then stood and put two fingers underneath her chin to force Noelani to look up at him, "Take a break."
"What's going on, Lani?" He asked softly.
"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it. Now come on, you have homework too." Noelani responded.
"I'm not takin' that as an answer. What's going on?"
Noelani gazed up at him, her eyes narrowed and Jalen stared back, not blinking.
"I uh, I went off on Erin and my dad today. Erin tried to spazz on me, Dad tried to defend her and I kinda blacked out on both of them. I'm not even sure I can stay in my own room tonight. If I see either of them, I'm probably gonna go fucking crazy." Noelani started to blink rapidly then stopped as a couple of tears came out, rolling out of her tear ducts and off of her face.
Jalen sighed, lifting his other hand to wipe her tears with his thumb.
"The worst part is right after you got me, my mom texted asking if I think my dad will split a plane ticket home for me because that's the only way she's gonna be able to afford it. And now I can basically kiss Christmas with her goodbye. He's not gonna give me that money. Ain't no way in hell he's giving me that money." Noelani sniffled.
