Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Eleven: "I'll be the big spoon"

Brooklyn had me laughing the whole way to my room. I unlocked the door, grinning, and hoped Gael was out.

Brooks followed me inside and shut the door. She looked around at the messy room and put her things by the tv.

"Are you judging us?" I asked her, chuckling.

"Little bit," she replied honestly through a laugh.

It was just clothes and shoes everywhere, empty cups. Nothing too dirty where we looked like bums.

"Do your parents know where you are," I questioned, scratching my back under my hoodie. I let out a yawn and sat in the chair by the desk.

"Why do you keep worrying about them?" she asked. "I'm not."

When I didn't say anything, Brooklyn threw up her arms. "So, where's the alcohol?" she asked me.

Remembering why we were even there in the first place, I facepalmed. "Check that fridge. Is there any in there?"

Brooklyn checked and lit up when she saw a bottle of Bacardi.

"Are you okay?" Brooklyn randomly asked me. She gently rested on the pillow next to the one I was using.

I didn't answer, just revealed my face from the pillow and blinked at her. I let Brooklyn kill the bottle, but I tried not to drink too much because it was only a matter of time before Gael and I had to go to work.

"You haven't been yourself all night," Brooklyn soothed. "You wanna talk about it?"

"'Cause you know me so well, right?" I scoffed and turned the other way.

"No," she said after a hiccup, "I don't know you. That's why you can vent to me and it won't matter. Because in a few days, we'll get off this ship and forget each other exists."

A long moment of silence passed. Giving up, Brooks sighed deeply and rested her head in the middle of my upper back.

I wanted to ask what the fuck she was doing but something about it just felt right.

"There's a lot on my mind right now, I guess," I confessed after a while.

"Like what?" Brooklyn's voice was quiet and tired. I could tell her eyes were closing.

"Can I trust you?"

"D-don't force yourself to-"

I got frustrated and repeated myself. "Can I trust you, Brooklyn?"

"Sure, Noah; as much as you can trust any stranger, I guess."

I swallowed and pulled her arm around my body. Her body was practically on top of mine and I could feel her steady heart beat.

"It's my mom, I've been thinking about her lately. I miss her. And my Dad - my job." I talked quietly.

"What happened to her?"

"She died when I was ten and Rick - my father - didn't let me see her or go to the funeral. He said he was doing it to protect me, but protect me from what? They put her in the ground somewhere and I never even got to say goodbye."

"What was she like?"

"She was beautiful and had a heart of gold, there will never be another woman like her. Everyone called her Mom or their Aunt. She broke her back for us - for anyone. We were best friends, always joking around and being goofy."

"Is that how you're so funny?"

"I like to think so. My Dad used to be a good time, too, but after Mom died he just let himself go. He started doing drugs to cope and uh- I don't know if I should be saying any of this."

"Hey," Brooklyn cooed, "you don't have to. Talk about something else, like work - how is it?"

"I hate it, I wanna quit."

"So quit."

"I wish it was that easy." I said. Then there was a pause.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" I asked the first question that came to mind. I'd been wondering since I first laid eyes on her but either way, I didn't care.

"I wouldn't be here if I did," she snarled. I loved how she was tired but not tired enough to not get smart. She definitely always reciprocated my energy and I liked that about her, not many girls could keep up or deal with me - even Sky, she normally hates my guts.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"We were together for two years - four if you ask him - but he broke up right with me right before I came here, actually. He said I was too childish for him since he's a lawyer now and said he can't tell if I care about him."

"Did he break your heart?"

"What, no?!" She grumbled. "I mean, it sucked, but it happens."

"What was he like?"

"You wanna know?" The attitude was clear in her sleepy tone.

"I asked, didn't I?"

She sighed deeply and replied after some thought. "He's nothing like you, I'll say that."

I let my eyelids shut again and started dozing off when Brooklyn sat up and let out a yawn.

"Good night, Noah," she whispered, retracting her arm from under me.

My eyes flung open, objecting to this.

"You're leaving me?" I hated how desperate I came off, but I felt too comfortable and wasn't ready to say goodbye, yet. Plus, Gael want back, yet, and I can refer fall asleep on my own.

She tilted her head. "I just thought you'd want me to go if you're sleeping?" Brooklyn lamented, pouting.

"No, stay; we're cuddling tonight." I rolled off the bed and peeled my hoodie off, not caring that the hat I wore went with it. I tossed it onto the floor and Brooklyn glared at me, crossing the arms over her chest.

I sucked my teeth and went, "What?!"

"Pick it up and fold it," she nagged me. Wow. I said it before, I'll say it again, she reminds me of my mom. . .

I folded it with sarcastic energy and threw it into the closet, making it come undone after all that work.

Brooklyn sucked her teeth and shook her head at me, both gestures I was used to receiving. For the first time in a half an hour, I chuckled.
I'd just been in a funk because I wasn't ready for this job assigned to Gael and I. You can never be ready for something like that. . .

After hitting 'send' on a message replying to Sky, I locked my phone - that I found under the bed - and put it on the charger I left plugged in the wall. I stepped out of my shorts and shoes just as Brooklyn came back over from using the bathroom.

"At least your bathroom is clean," she joked, humoring herself.

Brooks stepped out of her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, typing away at her phone.

I finished removing my watch and chain then cleared my throat for her to move.

"Oh. Sorry." Brooklyn giggled, sliding under the covers with me.

I beat my pillow in until it was comfortable enough for my head to lay on.

All of a sudden, Brooklyn whispered, "I've never cuddled with anyone before."

My face fell straight at the news. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to comprehend that. "You're twenty-two and you had a whole boyfriend, how have you never cuddled before? What did y'all do together, play patty-cake?"

She laughed. "I don't know, we just didn't do it?"

"That's weird. You're weird," I rasped.

I really did find it odd that she'd never been held before. Her boyfriend must be some type of dick or gay to not want to be all over her.
I sighed and rolled over on my back seeing as though I'd have to be the big spoon here.

"Come here," I instructed seriously, and pulled her body close. Brooklyn pulled my head to her soft, medium-sized breasts and put her chin on top of my head, consuming me in her hairless arms. I quickly wiped away the smile that tried creeping onto my tired face, and embraced her back.

***

I almost let myself trail off into sleep when Brooklyn kept moving.

Getting annoying, I smacked my lips and yelled at her. "If you're gonna do this, you better do it right." She knew I was just playing.

She giggled and apologized lightly. "Sorry, sorry. I'm comfortable now, hush." Good.

I shut my eyes.

Again, Brooklyn adjusted herself under me and laughed, knowing I was about to complain.

"You're killing me, Brooks," I exhaled.

"Sorry," she whispered once more. She slid down and aligned our bodies correctly, this time. Since she was shorter than me, her head was now leveled with my chest, both our feet at the edge of the bed.

I didn't mind Brooklyn's height; she's not even that tall, just taller than most girls around who average 5'4".
Besides, I'm 6'4" and shes at least 5'8", so we still had a good difference but it didn't look like a father/daughter thing unlike most couples with a distance greater than that. Short girls rarely appealed to me for that reason.
Tall women are just underrated, they're powerful and sexy. Plus, together you could make D1 babies.

Helping Brooklyn out, I squeezed her thigh and pulled it onto my body, not bothering afterwards to take my palm away from her smooth, warm flesh.

I heard a sweet, short laugh from her - not in a funny way, but more endearing this time.

She's really never been cuddled before? I kept pondering that. How adorably sad.

My thumb swiped her thigh in a routine motion.

All of a sudden, her soft lips planted themselves to my temple like she knew I needed that form of affection. I didn't know I needed it, but it felt right and I didn't mind the stranger doing something so sweet.

"Good night, Brooklyn."

"Good night, Noah."