Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Sixty-one: "Mano y Mano"

It was hard enough to sleep without Brooklyn for a few nights, then I stayed awake and watched her frequent Snapchat story updates. Seemed like she was having the time of her life, drinking with her "brother" and that guy. I didn't even get his name, he's just forgettable. Ned, I think?
I hadn't spent much time with them because she was busy being a good host and I was breaking my back to spread the word about Venus's business.

I know Daniel's just visiting for a couple weeks so I should let Brooklyn catch up with him and support it without trying to steal the spotlight.

In fact, I should take the time to get to know Daniel myself.

I knocked on door 311 the next morning and waited for Brooklyn to answer. Instead, Ned opened it. He looked like a mess, glitter all over his face, one sock on, and a hole in it. Looking past his appearance, I smelled buttermilk pancakes or waffles - probably waffles knowing Brooklyn - and cappuccinos.

"You gonna let me in, or?" I spoke, breaking the ice. Ned shook his head, snapping out of it, and backed up so I could enter finally.

My eyes scanned the floors and walls as I walked through the hallway. "The fuck happened in here?" I asked aloud but meant it for myself.

Ned laughed and resurfaced from hitting his bong. "You're smoking in here?" I questioned, whipping my neck to see him choking.

"Dude, did we meet? I'm Ned, call me Nuddy," he stuck his hand out.

I cut my eyes from him and said, "What's up, Ned?"

"Well, do you always come creeping around here in the morning? Should Ned and I wake up after noon?" Daniel spoke, walking up behind me. He tied his robe and checked the waffle maker once the 'ready' lit up.

"Waffles?" I stepped over the pile of clothes on the floor and reached in the fridge for a water bottle.

"Yeah, Brooklyn's recipe. Although, it's really not a big secret, it's nothing special," he talked, "just-"

I interjected. "Brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Yeah, I know. She told me. Where is she? She hungover?"

Daniel sipped his cappuccino and nodded his head towards the master bedroom.

I pushed off the counter and made my way there.

The door opened and I remained in the doorway until I gathered it was safe to go in.

It was 9:34 AM and she was surprisingly dressed already. Usually, she's up after ten if she didn't have volleyball practice - which her league was traveling and she couldn't because of work.

"Damn, girl. You look good," I complimented her first thing. She put her phone down and smiled. I bent down to kiss her and she flipped her hair, sighing.

"This is for you," I said, tossing the water bottle, "thought you'd be hungover."

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm fine. Thanks, though."

I paced around her bedroom and stopped to stare out of the window.

"You know, that, uh, quiz I was studying for the other day?" I led. Brooklyn looked at me with high expectations.

"I aced it," I let her know. She lit up, proud, and told me she knew I would.

"You never cook for me, but they get your recipe and cappuccinos, huh?" I popped my eyebrows.

Brooklyn rolled her eyes. "They're my guest, they get special treatment. Besides, you got the recipe by accident and I never cook for you because we're always at your place and you should cook for me." She childishly climbed onto my back and wrapped her legs around my torso.

I rotated and fell back on the platform bed, staying in between her legs. Brooklyn started massaging my scalps with her fingertips until my eyes started to close in pleasure. I ran my hand up and down her thigh and leg as she did so.

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me," she said softly, "like you're holding back, or- I don't know."

"Where'd that come from?" I asked.

"Just a thought. Am I right?"

"Yeah. I haven't told you how much I like you."

"Yes you have."

"Not in a while, and I know you need reassurance. I want to hang out with Daniel later, talk to him."

"Okay, when we get back that'll be good-"

"Back?" I interjected, sitting up. "Where are you going?"

Brooklyn sat up, too, and rolled her neck. "I'm taking the guys out for the day; probably eat, shop, and be tourists."

"And you can do all of that before twelve?"

She drew a blank. "What's at twelve?"

My face fell, realizing she forgot. "My game, Brooklyn. Remember, me and Gael are playing later?"

The corner of her lips pulled down and she gritted her teeth. "Ooo, yeah, I forgot. Sorry."

"It's fine," I said dryly and stood from the bed.

"'It's fine,' like, if I don't make it you'll be mad? Or 'it's fine,' like, I can do what I want?" she asked nervously.

"Do what you want," I chuckled, "I don't care."

She smacked her lips and rolled off the bed to exit the room and I followed.

"That was fast," Daniel said to us. "You ready to go, Lynn?"

"No. Sorry, there's a change in plans. Hope y'all like football," Brooklyn told them. Both Daniel and Ned groaned, complaining about how they weren't into sports which came as no surprise to me from either of them.

Brooklyn turned to face me. "Happy?"

***

After the win, the boys and I celebrated off-field.

Gael and I, laughing, finally found Cassie and Brooklyn in the stands at the local high school where the game was held.

"Good game, boy!" Brooklyn congratulated me, clapping her hands. "You looked so good out there!"

The smile wouldn't leave my face even after she kissed me and offered to go grab a bottle of water.

"I'll take one too, please!" Daniel hummed. "Thanks, sis."

Brooklyn flipped the hair over her shoulder and it swept the skin exposed from the cutout in her grey two piece.
"Anyone else want anything?" She flailed her arms, addressing the whole group. Gael and Cassie were good while Ned opted for a bag of Cheetos and a Reese's cup. Annoyed at the stoner tag-along, Brooklyn nodded and adjusted her attitude before squatting to Emereigh's level. "Do you want anything, cutie?"

"Hm! Do they have donuts?" Emereigh asked Brooklyn, tapping the foam finger on her chin like she was thinking hard.

Brooklyn laughed, squinting her eyes from the sun, and told Em, "I don't know. Want to come with me and look? You can get anything you want!" So Emereigh popped up from Cassie's side and took Brooklyn's hand, making me smile.

"Here," Daniel coughed, giving Brooklyn some money. She snatched the dollar Daniel offered her and stomped down the bleachers. When Emereigh looked up at her, Brooklyn put on a smile and they held a conversation down the path.

Connor, a boy we just played against, approached the stands and talked to Gael and I.
"I know you just played but how about another game? We could use extra players," he suggested, darting his eyes between G and myself.

"Yeah," Gael agreed first.

I followed. "Sure."

Connor went "cool" and ran to tell his diverse team that was already on the field, ready to play.

Gael and I joined their huddle and they tried thinking of how to do the teams for the impromptu game. Connor did a head count then realized he was still two men short.

I jogged away and stood under Daniel and Ned, having to look and talk to them through the railing. Meanwhile, the girls were taking pictures and in their own world.

"Put me in, Coach!" Daniel cheered when he noticed me.

I laughed at the fact he said that, not knowing that's exactly what I had in mind to do.

"Really?" I asked him.

"No, it's just an expression. I don't do sports," he scoffed. Ned laughed and continued digging in the bag of chips.

"You do today, let's go," I clapped. Daniel and Ned looked at each other, dumbfounded, and shuffled down the bleachers. They followed closely behind as I stepped on the turf.

Gael held back his laughter when he saw me come back with probably the two most unathletic guys in the crowd.

Connor looked them over, unsure, and then glared at me. I clenched my jaw and snatched the ball from his hands.

"Who's team are they on?" I grumbled impatiently.

Having already assembled the two teams in the brief minute I was gone, Connor told me they were with Gael and I.

"You're on my team, take your shirts off," I said while chewing gum. I flicked the pigskin to G, the quarterback.

***

"-but other than getting sacked in the nuts, it was fun!" Daniel told Brooklyn over the phone. She FaceTimed me and he completely took over.

After the game - we lost, by the way - I decided to hang out with Daniel. Brooklyn didn't mind, she was just confused and mad she got stuck with Ned, but he was about to pass out anyway.

Brooklyn laughed in the screen and said, "Want me to kiss them and make it feel better?" She puckered her lips close to the camera, making Daniel crack up. He went "ew" and pushed my phone back to my chest.

"Okay, Brooklyn, that's enough," I laughed through my nose.

She came down from laughing and showed us Ned asleep on the couch. "Hurry back, okay?"

"Me, or Daniel?" I asked, just making fun.

"Surprise me," she joked, ending the call.

"She's crazy, right?" Daniel smiled, sipping the Long Island Iced Tea he ordered at The Pub - a local restaurant where we chose to dine last minute.

"Yeah," I sniggered, tapping my knuckles on the tabletop, "she's something."

Our waitress presented us with appetizers and made sure we were all set before walking away again.

Daniel ate onion rings while I had quesadillas. He offered me some but I declined at first.
They do look good, though, I thought in my head.

"Nevermind, yeah," I laughed, scooping a couple big ones off his saucer.

Daniel finished laughing and sipped his drink. Once his glass was back on the table he rubbed the back of his neck and stared me down.

"You're not like what I thought you'd be," Dan admitted, removing his elbow from the table.

"No?" I asked, sarcastically shocked. "What'd you expect? Someone like Will?"

Daniel's eyes grew like he saw a ghost. "She told you about Will?"

"Yeah, her ex? Said he's a lawyer, or something."

"He's a weirdo, she's too good for him. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's cute, has money, but he was like a slave-owner; telling her how to dress when they went out, lying about sleeping with his ex, and what have you. I was so happy when she said they finally broke up. Four years together, and she was happy it ended, too."

"Wait," I swallowed, "it was that bad?"

"Yeah, did she tell you otherwise?" he asked me.

I sat back and tried to think, but couldn't remember any mention of such a bad relationship.

"Huh," I sounded, blinking.

"Don't tell her I told you, though, she's very denial about it. Tea: her parents, like, set them up. One night, Lynn called me-"

"She doesn't like Lynn," I corrected him.

"What?"

"Brooklyn," I said, "she goes by Brooklyn, Brooke, or anything else."

"K, noted," Daniel said with a mouthful. His finger curled over his closed lips while he chewed, pausing the conversation. "Well anyway, she called me and she was just like 'we broke up.' There was no emotion, or anything."

"Why you telling me this?"

Daniel hunched his shoulders. "Guess I like you. You're different. Granted, she's only been with one other person, but I don't know, I can tell this might be a good thing for her."

I was shocked to hear that but not mad. It actually made me kind of happy and feel assured. "I'm glad you said that. It makes me feel a little better about us. Has she said anything to you about me?"

"Just girl talk," he said, smiling.

I waved my hand for him to go on. "Andddd?"

Daniel laughed aloud. "And it's going to stay between us girls," he insisted.

"That's messed up," I sneered, balling the napkin in my hand up.

"Honestly, I'm full and the food here isn't that good," Daniel whispered, slurping his drink until all I heard was the ice at the bottom.

"Yeah," I agreed, "these onion rings are nasty but I didn't wanna say anything."

Daniel gasped and pushed his plate away.

We waited until the waitress was back with the check.

Daniel offered to pay but I pulled my wallet out first. It's the least I could do for Brooklyn's brother, plus I ate most of the food and all he had really was the drink.

"Fine," he settled, "you pay and I'll tell my sister how good of a guy you are."

"Deal."

***

"G'night, Coach," Daniel slurred, entering Brooklyn's apartment.

"Get up, fat ass, I'm home!" I couldn't see him, but I heard Daniel bother Ned when he got in the living room. Brooklyn shook her head while I laughed at them.

"Did you two have fun?" she asked me, whipping her ponytail.

"He's cool," I told her.

Brooklyn's lips turned up into a smile. "I'm glad you think so. Thanks for taking him out, I know it means a lot to him. He's drinking so much because he's nervous," she let me know, shutting the door to step into the hallway so he could no longer hear us. "He got hate-crimed in New York, so he's kind of..."

"Yeah, I get it," I stopped her there. I wish I didn't know that, it kind of made me mad. I understand how people can be raised close-minded but going out of your way and being angry about someone's preference - that has nothing to do with you - is weird and plain wrong, I'll never get it.

"Thanks for being so cool about this - about everything. I know I haven't been-"

"You don't have to do that. Good night, Brooklyn," I said.

"Wait," she called after me.

I turned and stopped from walking to see what she wanted. "They'll be fine without me for a night. You don't mind a little bed bug, do you?" she asked, pulling on my arm.

"A bed bug, Brooklyn? Ew," I laughed, "go get your stuff."

She squealed happily and ran inside.

I was only waiting at my door a few minutes before she ran down the hallway, tripped on the carpeted flooring, and tried playing it off. We laughed together and she linked her arm with mine as I put the key in the lock.