Brooklyn Noelle Brankovich

Chapter Seventy-two: "on Wednesday's we vent"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I anxiously waited outside of Noah's apartment, hoping he was home and would let me in.

I heard laughter echo out as the door eased open. My eyebrows furrowed at the sight of Sky exiting.

She cut her laughter off and cleared her throat. "Hi. I was just leaving," Sky explained sheepishly as I stared her down, biting my tongue.

Noah appeared in the doorway and said bye to her.

"I was just trying to get him on board with my wedding plans. I don't know if he told you, but you can come if you want," she invited.

I just nodded and watched her wave to Noah again then walk down the hallway.

With my mouth twisted, I raised my eyes to land on Noah's disconcerted face.

Knowing I was going to ask, he said, "Wedding stuff," and left it at that.

I inhaled deeply and told myself not to assume anything.

O.K., I mouthed and clasped my hands together.

"Well I just came to talk, but if you're busy," I said quietly, almost like I didn't want to bring it up.

He shrugged and let me inside.

I hated small talk so I skipped it and got right into things.

Standing in the middle of a room, I started to say my piece. In fact, it probably came off robotic and rehearsed because I spent so much time already thinking of what to say.
"Will is my ex as you know and you can see how much my parents like him. Why? I don't know. They're good friends with his parents and that's just how things go. My dad's a plastic surgeon, and my mother's successful, too," I paused to flail my arms and then went on to say, "so naturally they want me with some arrogant asshole. My relationship with Will was just him telling me what to do and making me feel insecure so I couldn't feel like I deserved better and wouldn't leave him. I was younger then and didn't know any better. My parents and Will babied me for so long that there's still a childish kind of part of me. I'm honestly scared of Will, I'm scared of my mother. So, that's why I didn't introduce you to him. With his ignorance and your temper, it won't end good and I know my mom's just waiting for you - or me- to slip up so she can lock me away in a tower. I wanted to hear an apology from Will and I want him to see how much I've grown and that I'm happy here, like this, with you; that's why I went with them. If it makes you feel better, I can call him right now and I'll ask them all to leave and- are you listening to me right now?"

"Not really, no," Noah said.

My chest inflated and I shut my eyes, trying to contain myself.

"After all that and you- forget it. You're the fucking loser if you're going to keep acting like this and pushing me away when I'm trying to apologize and make things right," I fumed, storming to the door. "Just remember this when you come stomping over to three-eleven trying to get your dick wet. I'm over this, I fucking hate it here. Maybe I should go back to Texas."

"Maybe you should," he agreed in a growl.

I wanted to say "fuck you" but I wouldn't have been satisfied with leaving on that so I just crossed the threshold. Noah had slammed the door shut but I quickly pushed it back open and kept it like that as I walked off.

~~~

"Not too bad, Brooklyn," I boosted myself, shocked at the way the teriyaki noodles turned out.

Noah was serious about me learning how to cook so I told him at least once or twice a week I'd cook something instead of us going out or ordering in.

It was around seven o'clock and I was expecting him at eight-ish.

The increasing sound of a Kendrick Lamar made me curl my face, though.

I quickly threw away all the trash and acted like I'd been slaving away.

"Hey, baby," he said, pausing the music.

"Hey," I said awkwardly with a lot of airiness, "you're here early."

Noah dropped his gym bag and came over to kiss the top of my head.

He looked suspicious and said, "Yeah, Frank closed the gym early - family emergency. What, uh, what you got there?"

Caught redhanded, I started to laugh. "No, don't come closer!"

But he did inch forward and pushed me out of the way. When Noah saw the store-bought noodles he laughed at me. "Cheater!"

"Stoppp," I frowned, lightly embarrassed. "Okay I know I promised I'd try to cook but I burnt everything, and I was going to order out but you'd recognize any restaurants cooking! So I went to the store and this reminded me of our first date - you got the teriyaki chicken."

Noah's forehead wrinkled. "Our first date?" he asked.

I sucked my teeth, crossing the arms over my chest. "Panda Express, remember?" I jogged his memory. It was game day, I won and he took me out to eat after. I remember teaching him how to use chopsticks and we exchanged fortunes.

When it came back to him, Noah went "Oh. I don't count that, we weren't talking, that was just a friendly little dinner."

"Well I count it," I grumbled, straightening my face. "We can go to Red Lobster? I'll pay," I offered, my eyes aimlessly wandering over his veined arms.

"No," Noah laughed and rubbed his head, "we can try this. It smells good."

I put my face in my palms and mentally kicked myself. "Why are you so perfect?" I asked him. "Sorry I'm a fuck up." I started to pout.

Noah examined the hot bowl and chuckled as he put it back on the countertop.
"You'll make it up to me," he said, slapping my butt as I went to get the second dish out of the microwave.

I tilted my head and found myself biting down on my lip as I wandered my eyes over his sweat-stained muscles.

"Like what you see?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to see me.

I nodded with a lustful smirk. "Wanna skip dinner? I have something else you could eat instead," I flirted but wasn't all serious.

Noah ripped the shirt over his head and lunged forward, sweeping me off my feet.

He walked us to my room where I wrapped him in my arms and legs.

"In the shower?" I asked about my eager idea, breaking the kiss. Noah smiled against my lips and let me down so I could run the water.

~

"Oh my God," I panted. Felt like he was actually snatching my soul and the water was the perfect temperature, beading down our skin.

We didn't have a safe word but I wish there was one, I physically couldn't take anymore.

"N-Noah, please," I moaned, feeling my body get weaker. "I can't-"

He kissed my neck and said, "Shh. Yes you can."

Noah found my lips and my eyes flickered as I gasped.

When he thrusted another time, I came again and collapsed over his shoulder.

He stroked my soaking hair and chuckled in my ear, stopping the shower from running.

I was carried back into my bedroom and covered in a towel as I collected myself.

Noah went back to dry himself off and get dressed as I felt my eyes start to close, wanting me to fall asleep.

~~~

"CASSIE!" I yelled walking right into apartment 306.

I grabbed a couple wine glasses between my fingers and kicked the door shut.

A girl-on-girl vent session was exactly what I needed and Cassie knows Noah, too, so I figure she'd offer helpful advice. Besides, there was something she'd been meaning to tell me and I was curious.

Cassie's place is so cute, it's very her, and I couldn't stand being cooped up in my room having all those steamy flashbacks anymore.

Looking up, I saw Cassie had ran to the overhead railing. "Brooke?" She came downstairs.

"I brought wine, we need to talk," I groaned, laying across her oh so comfortable couch.

Cassie took a seat at my feet. She wore a robe and wet hair so I figured I disturbed her shower, but it was a girl-mergency.

"I take it as if your day was as bad as mine?" she asked me in her little voice.

"Worse." I huffed, crossing my ankles.

"Maybe we should open the wine before I ask you what's wrong?" Cassie suggested, dropping her shoulders.

I nodded my head in agreement then rolled over on my stomach to grab the glasses for us. I poured for us both and then sat back after a prolonged sip.

Cassie took a sip, making a face. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"My parents are here and so is my ex, everything is far from okay. And Noah is pissed at me, I mean pissed! I don't want to make him mad but I can't go against my mom, you know?"

"Noah's jealous, isn't he? I saw it in his face at your game and I just knew it wouldn't be good. Your parents will always be your parents no matter what choices you make, but Noah can leave. If you really like him, it's up to you to talk with your mom about that."

I flailed my arms. "But he's so mean! I went over there to talk to him and apologize and he literally said I should go back to Texas. Twice! I hate it here. I wish Will would go back to Texas," I said, mumbling the last part.

Cassie vibrated her lips. "He's probably speaking out of anger because he'd be lost if you went back to Texas. Noah seems like the type to just want your attention, so maybe put him first sometimes, you know?" She continued. "And no, I'm not the friend that tells you what you want to hear, but for your best interests." I appreciate that.

What Cassie said was all true, it was nice hearing advice that didn't agree with my ego.

"Eh, sounds like too much work. But thank you Cassie, I'll try." I sat up to gulp the rest down and poured some more. "What's up with you, boo? If it's Gail, I say we go beat them both up."

Cassie slowly finished her wine and laughed. "Girl, I had a really bad day yesterday. Like, I shut down, bad and I may have taken my anger out on Gael and I think we're done."

My eyes grew wide in shock at her statements. "Done?! You guys can't be done, you're my favorite non-couple.What happened?"

Perhaps she, like me, was just being dramatic, but I really hoped they weren't through. I love Gael and Cassie together, anyone with eyes can see how perfect they are as individuals, and as a couple.

Cassie threw her body back on the couch. "What didn't happen? Zane pissed me off and killed my entire mood. It was a slow night at work and Gael went off on one of my regulars and I just went off. We both said some pretty bad things and he said fuck it and left."

"Have you talked since, you and Gael?"

Her head shook then she answered me. "Nope. I think we may need the space. We've been together everyday for months. Like we live by each other, work together, and I'm just tired, Brooke. But I don't want to just not talk things out first."

"I guess we all do spend a lot of time together. You don't think that's why he's freaking out, do you?"

"Maybe. We're both new to this, the relationship thing. And I never had to deal with this before."

"That's probably it," I let out. "I hope you guys talk sooner rather than later, though. What about Zane, what did he do?"

"You should brace yourself for this one, but please don't say anything," She tightened her pouty lips and let out a sarcastic laugh. "I just found that Zane is my uncle. My birth fathers brother and I fucking hate him. Ever since, he's been saying the most disrespectful things to me and picking on me for no reason," Cassie told me.

It took me second to process that. My eyes flicked as I replayed the words in my head.

I had to stop drinking. I moved the glass from my lips and tilted my head. "Zane... is your uncle? Our boss? Your uncle? I'm so sorry, Cass. I wish we could just quit."

"I'm sorry too. I can't believe I share the same blood with that asshole. But that doesn't mean anything." She shrugged. "I'm planning on quitting soon. I just can't take that place anymore. Yeah, it was fine at first, but I'm over it."

Hey, I'm just glad she doesn't like him either because I hate that guy and will continue to, I thought in my head.

"What are you gonna do if you quit, will you leave here?" I grew visibly upset at the thought of her no longer being with us. Even if she were to stay at The Beach Plaza, work wouldn't be the same without my favorite bartender.

"I'm going to find another job first because I cannot afford to just not work. But I won't leave. I have a life here and I'm going to make it work. I always do." Cassie smiled at me.

I smiled back, remembering something. "My mom told me what you said; I love you too."

Cassie cheered. "Always!"

"You know what we should do?" I suggested, springing up with an idea.

"What is that?" Cassie wondered.

"You talk to Noah, I'll talk to Gael."

Cassie agreed unlike what I expected. "If he says something smart, I will kill him. Just saying, but okay."

I laughed. "I'll help you hide the body, okay?"

The next day, I planned on confronting Gael about his shit with Cassie. Of course, I aimed to be neutral, but naturally I gravitated more towards the woman's side.

I intended to go into it like Cassie told me nothing but she's my best friend, he's gotta know she spilled something.

I hopped out of my Porsche after backing in a space and locking the doors. With my Adidas bag on my back, I crossed the lot.

My post-practice falling ponytail swept my sweaty neck, shoulders, and mid-back as I stepped in my slides towards the building.

Gael was walking before me, but stuck in his phone.

"Gael!" I called his name, trying to catch up.

He stopped in his tracks to turn and look up from his screen. "What's up, Brooke?"

Again, small talk isn't my thing. And on behalf of Cassie, I'm mad at him.

"You tell me," I whipped my neck. Because he was tall, I had to look up but the one PM sun was blinding so I squinted.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Gael asked, sipping his water bottle.

"You know I mean you and Cassie," I replied plainly.

Gael sucked his teeth. "Let me guess. She told you about how she went off on me? For no reason?"

For no reason, hm? Men.

I nodded at the first part. "But I'd like to hear it from you."

"Women," Gael shook his head. "I saw someone touching her at work and I got mad. I didn't think anything of it really, but she said she's done. I get that I fucked up, but I don't know where it came from."

"Well why'd you get so mad?"

"Because he shouldn't have touched her like that. Why else?"

"Is that jealousy?" I quickly fired another question at him.

Gael's tattooed hand wiped down his face. "Maybe, I guess. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Why?" I asked as I approached a bench to sit on during the conversation.

Gael, still standing, said, "Isn't it obvious? What? You want me to admit it?"

"I want you to say what's on your mind. I mean, you did what you felt was right and what's done is done, but Cassie's going through a lot right now and you didn't exactly help the situation."

"I know that, Brooke. I wasn't trying to make it worse, but I'm at a loss here. I never allow myself to get into situations like this and I try not to hurt her, but I do the opposite. Relationships are overrated and I know that it's bothering her." Gael confided in me. I felt like we had a breakthrough, that's all I wanted to hear. My stance began swaying more towards the middle now.

"They're not overrated. You know what's overrated? Being single. You guys like each other, make it work. You don't want to lose her, do you? Don't tell her I told you, but she's thinking about leaving the club. I'm scared to lose her, too. The only way you can hurt her is by not trying, Gael. Can you try and make things work?"

"You're weirdly good at this," Gael joked, easing some of the tension. "No, I don't. You won't lose her, Brooke. But I'll fix it, if she talks to me. Honestly, I think I'm against wanting a relationship because I feel like I won't be what she wants me to be." That made me sad, reminding me of a familiar situation I'm facing currently.
Maybe this is my wake up call to tell my mother that Noah is good enough as is, I figured.

I sighed and looked up at Gael. "You know my parents are in town and how they are, right? I had the same fear about Noah. But it's not about being who someone wants you to be. Cassie likes you for you. You can't just keep coasting like this forever, something's gonna come of it. I mean, you don't want her with anyone else, right?"

Gael laughed and looked at her blanky. "No, I'll kill them. But you have a point. I know, I'm too fucking old for this shit."

"Yeah, make things right before you pop a hip." I ended with a joke.

Gael laughed through his nose. "Alright boss."