Scars and Bruises

Letting Go

NOAH.

It was quarter to seven and Noah felt how more nervous he became with every passing minute. He couldn't remember when the last time when his nerves gave out like this was. It was just a dinner, like he had said in the morning, but even he didn't believed it anymore.

There was a knock on the door, and he felt how he released a breath he did not knew he was holding.

"Hi," he greeted opening door and smiling at Alex.

"Hi, I hope you don't mind that I am early," she smiled a little guilty. "I brought beer," and she held out a bag full of beers.

"Not at all," he took a bag from her and let her in the flat. He took out couple of beers, opened them and offered one to Alex.

"Thanks," she murmured accepting it.

Noah watched her; Alex slowly sipped her beer and strode across the living room, where just like yesterday, she studied his shelves. In Noah's flat everything was located in one big room, except bedroom and bathroom, so he could perfectly see what Alex did from the kitchen.

"To be honest, I didn't expected for you to actually show up," he said furrowing his brows. Alex turned to him and smiled sadly, Noah ascertained that he really did not liked that smile on Alex.

"Yeah, me neither," she said, "but now I am here."

Yes, she was here, in Noah's flat, and he liked it very much. He liked her company, maybe a little more than he dared to admit to himself.

"Can I help you?" Alex asked sitting down by the kitchen counter.

"You can cut up some vegetables for salad, if you really want to help," Noah pointed to vegetables and passed her knife and a cutting board.

"Okay," she accepted given things and started to cut some vegetables.

There was a silence for a brief moment, then Noah turned to ask her something, but Alex managed to ask her question first.

"So what are you doing with the rest of your time, when you are not entertaining girls with your dinner parties?" she smiled cunningly and sipped her beer. Noah was too surprised to answer immediately. Did Alex really thought that Noah was entertaining girls here?

"Emm..." he was confused. "What girls?"

"I don't believe that you spend your evenings alone, you are way too handsome and charming for that," Alex explained without looking at him while she cut up some tomatoes.

"There are no girls," Noah half smirked. He crossed his arms across his chest and studied Alex. "If you are so interested in my love life, than I can tell you that you are the first girl which I have brought here since I am living in this flat."

Alex shot a look at him, surprise written all over her face. She looked away, her brow furrowed, she thought about something for a moment. Then she looked at him once more, "Sorry, it was very out of line from me." She stood up, "This was a mistake, I better go," she put a knife down on the cutting board.

"No, stay," Noah instinctively reached out for her arm which still laid on the kitchen counter and grabbed it.

"I am actually not in a good mood, I will probably ruin this evening, it will be better if I leave," Alex looked at his hand which still covered hers.

"Just drink some beer, sit on the couch, relax, everything's going to be alright," Noah said casually, he did not wanted her to leave. "But please stay. If this evening will be ruined, I will live, don't worry about that," he smiled at her, winked his eye and handed Alex her half drank bottle of beer.