Paradox

Chapter Twenty-Four

N O A H

“No, sir.” I answered when the broad man asked if I was planning on breaking his daughters heart. Three faces beamed back at me with elation, I mimicked their action and smiled widely. “Victoria is a very special girl and I am lucky to even call her my girlfriend.”

“Wonderful!” Her mom glimmered as she clapped and turned to her daughter. The three faces before me varied tremendously, the mother’s features were fine and somewhat petite. While her dad was large and bulky, matched with his dark sun kissed skin and thicker lips. Victoria on the other hand had a honey complexion and wavy brunette hair. “I’m so happy my baby finally brought someone home!”

“Mom please!” Victoria whined as pink began to colour her cheeks. We all joined in with our laughter roaring through the large dining room.

“Noah if you don’t mind me asking.” A thundering voice earned my attention.“What happened to make you stay here?”

“Uh.” I stabbed a piece of bacon. “I had a disagreement with my uncle that escalated.” Some part of me knew I overreacted and needed to act like a rational person, but it hurt. When I hurt I make irrational decisions.

The man smiled with thin wrinkles pulling at his dark eyes, “Well you’re always welcome, especially now that you’re dating my daughter.”

I scratched my neck and pressed the fork in my mouth. Dating. It all happened so fast.

*

“King, where have you been? I've been trying to avoid Uncle Sam, but it’s not working.” I leaned on the doorframe, dropping my head in defeat, “come here.” Ocean stood on the tips of his school shoes and pulled me into a tight hug.

I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, but my body acted like it was in a drought. I could not rain.

“O-Ocean I fucked up." I struggled to talk as my throat started beating, “I don’t know what the fuck happened. Where do I even start?”

He lead me into the kitchen and started searching through the cupboards, after throwing a few cabinets shut, he pulled out a small cardboard box, “That’s okay, I will start. We heard Uncle Sam and stepdaddy right?” I nodded, “Then the next morning we went to Azra’s and she dropped me off at school. What happened after that?”

While I was pasting memories together, my best friend took out two cups and scooped brown powder from the box, “Um, after Azra dropped you off, she asked me why I didn’t go to school, but I did, I just went later.” He poured warm water in the cup and a bit of milk, “I obviously couldn’t tell her that I went to see my lawyer.”

“Understandable.” Ocean handed me the cup and frowned slightly. I continued to tell him about the investor the twins forced me to talk to and my lawyer with a random woman as we both sipped on the hot chocolate.

“Was she pretty?”

“Who?”

“The investor?”

“Ocean you motherfucker.” I pretended to be offended and slapped him on the wrist, “I am telling you my life story and you ask me shit like this. Unbelievable and yeah I guess, just not my type”

Wave giggled and rolled his eyes,  “your type is grandma’s, talk about no standards.”

“At least my type isn’t homophobic guys.” I laughed as he faked a gasp.

“Just continue.” I did as told and the story actually made him gasp for air, “wait you ended up on a roof? Noah are you okay?” I only smiled, since I didn’t even remember much of it, “I mean your lawyer was nice. Getting in the bath was just unnecessary. She’s definitely into you.”