Fools

2- Noah

Noah

The first day of school was always ass. But, it was my senior year, so maybe it won't be too bad. I just had to get through this year and I could finally leave this shit hole town. I'd move to Chicago to be closer to my brother, and get my own apartment, and leave everything and everyone behind in this shit suburb.

But that's just a fantasy. Who would take care of my dad?

I sighed as I already felt irritated at the inevitability that I'll live here for the rest of my life. I put my toothbrush back in it's holder and spit the remaining paste out of my mouth. Turning on the faucet, I cup my hand and use it to gather the Sulfur smelling water to rinse my mouth out before wiping my face dry with the towel that's probably past ready to be washed.

Walking out into the quaint living room, I almost curse under my breath when I see my dad awake. "Hey, dad."

"Noah," he spoke my name in a raspy, disgruntled tone as he stood up, almost toppling over in the process. Still drunk from last night, I presumed. "Hey," he stepped close to me, a hand on my shoulder, and his potent, dad breath, reeking of alcohol, fanned my face as he asked me, "I'm a little late on bills, spent too much last night at Dev's," He chuckled even though it wasn't even remotely humorous. So that's why I had a cold shower this morning. Dev's was the infamous bar where my dad spent most of his evenings and then came stumbling home roughly past 1 AM. It was conveniently two blocks down the road. "Mind helpin' your old man out? Just two-forty."

Great, I had just saved up enough money for a new battery for my shit-hole car. I tried not to sigh too disappointedly. "Sure, dad." I fished out my wallet.

When I began pulling out cash- my dad doesn't believe in credit cards, said some shit about the government tracking them, so cash it is- my father adds, "uh, I meant three-forty."

God fucking dammit, you lying bastard! I knew the extra hundred was going into his pocket, not for any bills. But I didn't feel like getting hit that day, So I handed him three hundred and forty dollars anyway.

His hand tightened on my shoulder as he told me, "thanks, kid. So, uh, when you startin' school?"

I stepped out of his touch, hiking my backpack higher onto my shoulder, "today. I'll see you later," and I walked out of the house before he could ask me for any more money. Not that I had any more money after he cleaned my wallet. I sat in the front seat of my car, took a deep breath, then slammed my hands into my steering wheel, but I really want to punch something instead.

I reversed, and headed to my girlfriend, Kaitlyn's house. I already knew this year was going to suck, just like every year.

*

"I'm sorry, Noah," Kaitlyn said as we walked down the hallway before first period. I had told her what happened this morning with my dad. She's the only one I talked about my dad with. Her usual response to anything shitty my dad did was 'I'm sorry, Noah'. I wished she'd be a little more comforting.

"I'll just take more shifts." I shrugged. I worked at Subway and it was absolute dog shit to work there, but I worked with a good friend of mine, Jason, so he made it better. Plus, I actually got paid a decent amount for working fast food.

"Maybe I can help you out, you know my dad will-"

"No," I shut her offer down before she could even complete it. "I don't need your money," I snapped.

Kaitlyn sighed, "Noah-" but I wasn't able to find out the rest of my girlfriend's sentence, when someone bumps into my chest, catching me off guard. Not only did the person bump into me, but their iced coffee did as well!

My hands are flung up in the air at the splash of cold liquid on me. I heard Kaitlyn gasp beside me, her hand going to her mouth. All the while, the dumbass that ran into me, stepped back with a horrid look on their face and exclaimed in panic, "Oh my God! I'm so sorry!"

"What the fuck?!" I yelled, glaring at him. He was a good five or so inches shorter than me; I hoped looking down at him with my sharp expression made him scared.

But, he looked more frantic than scared as he started to ramble out a useless apology, "It was an accident! I tripped because of my stupid new shoes," he was patting my soaking wet shirt as if that would help dry me off. I was so fucking bewildered and fuming, I felt like punching him. But I couldn't get suspended again. "I- I was trying to see which classes I had, and I wasn't looking, and-"

"Clearly," I said through clenched teeth and shoved his hands off of me.

"Noah, it was an accident, relax," Kaitlyn said seeming appalled by my harsh tone. Was she fucking kidding me?

"Says the one who didn't get coffee splashed on them!"

"I'm so sorry," he apologized again. I really did contemplate hitting him, but then I felt Kaitlyn rub my arm and I remembered to take a deep breath.

"Watch where you're going next time," I warned him then bumped his shoulder before walking away. I knew my first day was going to be shit. I couldn't once get a fucking break.

I was still fuming when we got to Kaitlyn's first class of the day, she faced me, "Noah," she rubs both of my arms, "it's not the end of the world, okay? Chill out. Go to my locker, I have your hoodie in there, okay?"

My clenched fists unfolded, "Yeah, whatever," I muttered. My girlfriend gives me a soft, reassuring smile before kissing me and heading to class.

I never wanted to see that dumb, fuckhead again, but of course, I did. Later during Lunch period, my obnoxious friend, Emily invited him to sit with us. Supposedly, Sam- which is the coffee-spilling dumbass' name- has an older sister, Haven who already became friends with Emily. So yeah, I had to sit with Sam at my lunch table.

To top it off, I had last period with him.

**

Oh, Noah, such a hothead.

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-xoxo, Bert