Brooklyn Noelle Brankovich

Chapter 7: "Need a place to stay"

"That was amazing, you're amazing," John exclaimed, squaring my shoulders once I returned to him from my performance.

I stopped grinning and my eyes subconsciously fell to his swollen lips. I swallowed hard and felt myself leaning in towards him.

"Oh look, Gael, a bottle," a loud voice interrupted John and I.

I opened my eyes and snapped out of it only to see Noah hand MY bottle of Absolut to his blonde friend, Gael.

"For me," Gael sang sarcastically, "you shouldn't have?"

I sucked my teeth at them like a little girl and felt embarrassed. I'm not even sure why, since I don't know these guys.

"Who are you?" asked John with worry as he stood under the two guys.

"Her brother. And you're just leaving," Noah ridiculed John.

"Thanks for the vodka, though!" Gael hollered as John scampered away.

Both Noah and Gael wore these goofy smirks as they looked down at me. I made a face at them and reached for the bottle but Gael, who's as tall as Noah, extended his arm in the air so I had to jump for it.

"Noah, let your friend know that I kick people," I teased, crossing my arms over my medium-sized chest.

Noah just chuckled and nodded while Gael shot me an I-wish-she-would look.

"What're you, stalking me now?" I redirected my energy to Noah, the tall brunette with dark features, chin stubble, and sunburnt sand-colored skin. His eyes were an electrifying green.

"Uh, no," he rolled his neck to mock me and made Gael laugh who trailed behind. Noah threw his arm over my shoulder and when I tried to pull away he forced my right arm around his waist.

"We saw you dancing out there," Gael said to me. I instantly wondered what they thought of my impromptu performance.

"I don't know why I did that, it just happened," I gloated and spun in a circle on my toes. I stumbled and Noah caught me, laughing. Honestly, I didn't think it was funny. I was way too disciplined to find humor in any mistake, but I laughed it off for them. My cheek burned as I remembered how Mother would slap me there whenever I fucked up.

Gael wiped his mouth and hissed after taking a shot. He handed the bottle to Noah. They did this complicated handshake and then Gael disappeared into the night.

"I know you think you're like, this funny, approachable guy, but can I have my bottle back so we can go our separate ways already," I begged of him.

"Awh. You think I'm funny?" Noah put his hand to his heart and tried sounding sweet.

"What do you want from me," I asked him.

"We're gonna finish this bottle, k? Come on," Noah insisted, taking me by the hand. He was so insane I couldn't even say no.

"Wait," Noah huffed and turned to face me. "Tell me your name. Right now."

I looked taken aback at how stern he was. "Are you putting your foot down, Noah?"

"Just tell me, or I'll call you Gretchen."

"Ew," I objected, my face curling at the ugly name.

Seeing how serious he was, I decided to confess. "It's Brooklyn."

"Hm," he sounded as he looked me over thoroughly, "Brooklyn what?" Noah then handed over the bottle and I drank from it. My face turned up as the alcohol burned my throat.

"Brooklyn Noelle Brankovich," I answered as best I could through a coughing fit.

"I'm not mad at it," he replied, hunching his shoulders.

My mouth twisted. "It... wasn't really.. up for debate," I countered.

"Anyway. My room or yours?"

"Huh?" My mouth opened and Noah chuckled.

He's so hot, I'm starting to love that little laugh, I thought in my head.

"We're not just going to get fucked up out here, it's not safe. Come on, let's go my room," Noah suggested, taking my hand, "I'm sure Gael's out cheating on me anyway."

"-Your voice is different than I thought," Noah randomly said to me.

"How am I supposed to talk?" I asked with a curled face.

Noah handed the bottle over but I pushed it away. Being tipsy was enough, we were at a good level. He burped and agreed to chill on the drinking for now.

Maybe we can save it for next time, I thought. Who am I kidding, we're only here for another five days, there won't be a "next time."

"I dunno," he spoke lowly, "it's just that you look so innocent and girly-"

"Don't judge a book by it's cover, Noah. You should've learned in the closet that I'm not some delicate, little flower," I responded.

We sat on his bed opposite of Gael's in their suite. It was nicer than the one I shared with my parents, I'm jealous. Perhaps I should take him up on the offer to spend the night.

Noah got up to grab something from the shelf. He returned with a bag of chips he opened on the walk over, and popped one in his mouth. I watched his strong jaw clench as he did so. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol, but I was extremely attracted to him in that moment.

Thinking back on the talk we just had, I added on. "Sorry I don't sound like a little girl and call you Daddy, is that what you meant? Yeah, your standards are rooted in pedophilia, but I don't blame you. It's society's fault," I lectured him. I was leaning back on the bed on my elbows.

Noah stopped chewing for a second and blinked at me. "And now you sound like you got that straight from a Huffington Post article," he bagged on me. I smacked my lips and let my eyes roll as he laid down beside my warm, tingling body.

When he didn't offer to share, I got agitated and argued, "you're always eating!" Literally every time I saw him, there was food in his mouth.

So I snatched the back but he quickly took it back.

"Well you don't eat enough," he replied with a mouthful.

"I'm a dancer, I have to watch what I eat. Or else-"

"Or else what?"

I hesitated to say anything else. After a long silence, Noah spoke up. That's what I liked about him, there's never a boring moment and he can keep any conversation going.

He asked me, "Why'd you do that earlier, dance in front of everyone? Don't get me wrong, you did your thing, but why?"

I turned on my side so I could look at him from that angle. His head turned slightly and we met eyes.

"When I dance, I'm not myself. I feel the music and I'm light as a feather. When I perform at my recitals, I'm nothing but the character of whatever story I'm trying to tell," I admitted with a dazed smile. When I looked down at him, Noah started to laugh.

"Wow. Not only was that corny, it was boring as shit," he joked.

"Wow, you sure know how to make a lady feel special," I scoffed.

"Eh. I don't see any ladies, just you and me," he rasped.

I held off on the laughter but Noah took that as me being upset. "Don't get offended - I'm just joking, Brooks," he swore, trying to put a smile on my face.

I appreciated the nickname he gave me. Everyone else calls me "Lynn" and I hate it. Brooks is much better.

"No, it's okay," I gushed, lying down on my back right next to Noah's long, lean frame. "My whole life my mom's been trying to get me to act like a lady. She says I have to talk like this, wear this, sit and walk like this. It's fucking exhausting. Not to mention, completely humiliating, because I'm nothing like that! All she wants is for me to be just like her: a dancer and then a housewife. I wanna wear dirty Converse and crease my AirForces. I want to go out and get drunk, like, like this! Is it too much to ask to have a one night stand? Even if I regret it after. You know?"

Noah, for the first time since we've been hanging out, didn't know what to say. Feeling bad for killing the mood, I made the first move. I tickled Noah's abs and rib cage.

He laughed but not hysterically. "I'm not ticklish," he told me, "it's just funny that you would try and tickle me."

"I wanted to see you smile," I whispered and then bit down on my lip as I walked my fingers over his chiseled six-pac.

He did a crunch to look up at his lower half and I felt his muscles flex.

Feeling awkward, I pulled away and pat my thighs as I looked around the room.

"I should go," I said in a rush.

Just as I stood from the bed, Noah grabbed my hand.

"You don't have to," he told me, his voice became deeper than usual.

I looked down at the grip he had on me but he didn't release it. Nervous, I gulped and left my lips parted.

"Yeah I do," I tried joking back and giggled faintly, "good night."

"Let me walk you to your room," he offered.

A smile came onto my blushing face before I said anything else. "Sure," I agreed, "I'd like that."

So I waited for Noah to stand up. When he did, we held hands again but it seemed more organic this time. As we approached the door, Noah reached for the doorknob around my body and pulled it open. Only, I turned from Noah to face forward and the door smacked me in the forehead.

"Aghh!" I cried out upon impact.

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Noah keened. He rotated my body to check the damage. It was nothing more than a red print that would go away in no time.

"That's three times I've been hit in the head today - twice because of you," I grumbled, elbowing his side.

He was relieved I wasn't angry and finally let out a snicker.

"Good night, Noah," I affirmed.

Noah watched me step over the threshold and waited until I was three rooms down to say, "Good night, Brooks!"