Sweetheart Boulevard

Chapter 2

The two ended up deciding to meet later that week in order to come up with some ideas for the project. The assignment was about re-envisioning a work of art in today's modern times. It would be the perfect opportunity for Noelle to do what she loves most, while also enjoying the company of Ray. On her way home, Noelle, or Elle as Ray called her, tried to get her mind off that smile and the icy blue eyes. She, unfortunately, did not succeed and kept daydreaming about her partner. It certainly seemed odd how fast Ray imprinted on Noelle. She usually finds it difficult to connect with people, but this time it was different. She felt like the universe meant for the two of them to meet, she felt like they had something special connecting them. Perhaps it was the way the blue-eyed mystery called her Elle. It was the way her mother used to call her.

Once she passed away, no one was calling Noelle by her nickname anymore. Noelle's mom was the most perfect woman you could ever imagine. Her name was Josephine Harding. She loved her child and husband with her entire existence. Josephine and Noelle had a magical bond. Jo always knew when Noelle needed her, she knew exactly what was wrong without even having to ask. They were best friends, the mother-daughter relationship everyone wishes to have. When Noelle was little and first started exploring drawing, she had an incident when she decided to use the walls as her canvas, allowing her creative spirit to run free all over the walls of her room. In such an instance, most parents would start shouting and punishing the kid for improper behavior, but Josephine was not like most parents. She sat down next to young Elle and joined her. Together they transformed Noelle's bedroom into a fairytale.

"Don't let anyone stop you from expressing yourself, Elle! You can create such beautiful  things with that mind of yours." it's what Josephine said to her daughter that day. Noelle did  not understand much of it then, but over time it ended up being the most meaningful memory  she had of her mother.

Soon after Noelle's thirteenth birthday, her mother started feeling ill and got diagnosed  with pancreatic cancer, leaving her with less than a year to live. Josephine's death destroyed  their family. She was the piece holding them together. Noelle's father, Mason, was not quite  the best parent. He spent most of his days, and nights, up to his wife's death, working, and when  left alone to take care of his daughter, he would choose to spend the nights drowning his sorrow  in alcohol, rather than being there for his child. Her mother's death and her father's absence  forced Noelle to become her own parent growing up. She had to help herself because the world  left her all alone. She grew up to be closed off and feeling like she could never be enough for  someone to stay in her life. The only constant in her life was Leeroy. Noelle got him as a last  present from her mom, right before she passed. Leeroy was always there for Elle growing up.  He would wiggle his little tail greeting her when she arrived home every single day and slept at  the end of her bed every single night. Dogs are such pure creatures, they ask no questions and  pass no criticism, they simply love you. 

As Noelle stepped up to unlock the front door, she could already hear Leeroy rushing to  see who's at the door. "Hey there buddy! How are you?" she greeted her pup as she walked in.  Her only constant. "Have you seen Mason today?" Elle asked Leeroy ironically "Yeah, that's  what I thought." Her dad was most likely at the office, pretending he's working, only to avoid  coming home before he goes out drinking again.

Sometimes she misses it, having an actual father, having someone to set an example and  hold her when the world gets tough. When Noelle feels like this, she just tries to remember who  her father really is and who he has become, an ice-cold monster who decided to abandon her.  There's a certain memory she goes back to when she needs to remember. It's frozen in time,  kept safely in Noelle's mind. She could hear the screams so vividly: "It's all your fault! You're  the reason your mother got sick! You know you disgusted her, right? You with your girls...  You're an abomination!" Noelle tries not to spend so much time in this memory. It brings too  much sorrow and sends her to a dark place in her mind. Nowadays, when she found herself in a dark place she would try to think about her partner, the blue-eyed mystery who would, without doubt, bring a smile to her face.

The week seemed never-ending. Noelle counted the days, hours, and minutes until she  would get to meet up with Ray. She hadn't seen the blue eyes in any of her classes, nor around  campus, she wondered if perhaps something was wrong. What if something happened to Ray?  To her delight, nothing wrong happened. There it was, that smile, greeting her at the exact time  they decided upon meeting. Noelle assessed Ray from head-to-toe as she was approaching her  partner. Black leather jacket and worn-out jeans, tattoos peeking out of the sleeve, all dressed  up with the most dashing smile. Just like the movies. 

"Elle! Hey, how've you been?" asked Ray as Noelle got closer. "Doing good?" Ray  added.

"Hello! I'm well, what about you? I haven't really seen you around." Noelle wondered  awkwardly as she reached Ray. "Yea, I had to deal with some personal stuff and I haven't been to all my classes." the  blue-eyed one responded with a nervous laugh and a hand through the hair.