Apartment 311

Ch | 17

Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Seventeen: "Modern day Robin Hood"

I thought Brooks would appreciate my little prank. She didn't look too into me when her parents were around so I hoped it would cheer her up.
I paid for a handle of Jameson and asked the employees to sing Brooklyn "Happy Birthday."

Brooklyn looked the opposite of what I expected. She was embarrassed, and her parents were fuming.

I can't do nothing right, I mentally beat myself up.

The crowd dispersed after giving Brooklyn the red velvet cake and alcohol. Seeing the threatening look she shot me, I trudged back to my table where Gael left me alone. He was most likely chasing after Cassie who was playing hard-to-get.

I wasn't the only one to hear arguing, everyone else around stared at the scene the Brankovich family created. It looked pretty bad.

I should go over and say something, I thought. No, I can't. Brooklyn will probably cuss me out in three languages, kick me in the nuts, and then squish them. With her bare hands.

That's when Brooklyn blew right by me. Naturally I got up to follow and ask if she was alright, but she ignored me all the way to the ladies room where she shut me out. The door slammed in my face and I sighed, dropping my head.

Discouraged, I walked down a long hall as I loosened the tie around my neck. I hated wearing ties to any event, I wasn't that type of guy. If it were up to me, I'd wear shorts or joggers, plain white tees, long Nike socks, and Vans - or sneakers - everyday, all day.

My shoulder hit someone's who walked past going the opposite way.

"Watch it," the man grumbled. He had a close shave and was pretty bulky.

"Vince?"

"Ah, Noah," he called my name.

We stopped and stared each other down, only a few feet apart.

"Where's Ronnie?" I asked him.

"Don't know, we don't like to be seen together on these types of jobs." I nodded because what he said made sense.

I noticed the watch on his wrist as he adjusted the buttons to his cufflinks.

"That's a nice watch," I rasped, scratching the stubble under my chin.

Vince looked at it proudly. "Thanks, it was a gift."

"Must've been expensive," I said after a long pause, not letting Vince get very far in his attempt to walk away.

"Heh. Yeah, something like that," he uttered.

Dumb ass. I knew it was Brooklyn's father's. The whole ship was buzzing about a "jewel thief" on board since it happened.

"Vince, give me the watch," I swallowed, finally getting my tie undone.

He stopped walking but kept his back turned to me. "What're you talking about, punk?"