𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲

Chapter 30

— Chapter 30 —
It's Not a Date (I Swear)

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E L L I O T

"Where are we even going?" I asked Noah, following behind him in a slow-paced stroll.

We'd parked the truck in an empty parking lot somewhere. The two of us had been walking along city streets for a little while, our feet trekking through the thin layers of slow on the road. The infrequent barking from dogs and squeals of tires in the distance would break the gentle silence, but the city was peaceful nonetheless. And the night seemed to be aglow with lights. They shone brightly, almost like diamonds, from tall skyscrapers and office buildings. And the best part was that, aside from the occasional pedestrian or lone car passing us by, it was just Noah and I alone... enjoying each other's company.

Noah had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his leather jacket, which now hung comfortably off his shoulders. Peering beneath the black baseball cap on his head, he gave me a lopsided smile.

"Does it really matter?" He shrugged in response. "I mean, that's all part of the excitement, right? Just doing things with no plan?"

"I guess?"

"See? There you go."

I pursed my lips in hesitation for a moment. "You said I could get to know you better. I figure I should... if we're really going to keep living together. There's a lot of things I want to know."

"Mm. Tell you what—" Noah paused, bouncing on his heel slightly to turn around and face me. Walking backward a few steps while adjusting his cap, he said, "—a one-time offer. I'll let you ask me any questions you want tonight."

"Anything?"

"Within reason, of course."

I frowned. What does he mean by that?

Noah turned back around, ruffling the back of his hair as I followed not far behind him.

"Alright, then, um..." I mumbled, feeling slightly put on the spot. "What's your favorite color?"

Noah passed me a look—not long before bursting out into laughter.

Heat rushed to my cheeks from embarrassment as he asked, "I'm the twenty-three-year-old VP of a biker gang and you want to ask me what my favorite color is?"

Well... I guess I can see his point.

"You're twenty-three, too?" I asked instead, though, furrowing my brows. I thought he would've been older.

"Mhm. December 22nd," he elaborated. "You?"

There was a small pull on the side of my lip.

"April 18th," I answered, amused by the bewilderment that flashed in his gaze at my words. "I'm older than you."

"Heh, you don't say," he said, nudging my arm with a chuckle. "And, for the record... my favorite color is black."

I teased him. "Black isn't a color. It's a shade."

"Oh," he said, "you're one of those people."