Behind The Storm

"I think I'm losing my grip"

Noeul POV:

"Noeul? Noeul!" I felt something shake my upper body and I felt dizzy. "Noeul my goodness, wake up!" "What?" I snapped my eyes open and stared directly into Peat's face.

"What are you doing?" I just mumbled, pointing my finger vaguely at Peat's raised hand. "Um nothing." He grinned apologetically at me and quickly hid his hand behind his back."I was wondering if you fell asleep on the toilet, but I didn't expect it to be real." Laughing, Peat pulled me up by the arm so I was on my feet again.

"Sorry, I guess that was too much alcohol after all." I grinned apologetically and had to brace myself on the edge of the sink. "Come on, I'll walk you home. It's late anyway and most everyone's gone." At that moment, I clung to Peat's arm as tightly as I could and pouted. "Can I stay with you naa?" I looked at him with wide eyes. I've always gotten P'Mon around with that look so far.

Peat looked at me with raised eyebrows and twisted his mouth into a line. "For once, though, stop pouting at me, is that clear?" Hastily, I nodded and grinned at him with satisfaction. He didn't ask why, wherefore, or wherefore. He just accepted it and for that I was more than grateful.

"You can sleep on the sofa here, I'll bring you some clothes to sleep in." While I was still in the process of taking off my shoes, I looked around his small apartment. The air outside, on the way here, had cleared my head a bit by now.

"Nice place. looks cozy." "Thanks, here. You should lie down, we have to get up early tomorrow." Gratefully, I took the shirt and shorts. "Good night Peat and thanks." Peat gave me just one more nod and then disappeared into his room.

- The next morning -

"I'm really sorry about yesterday, Peat." We were just on our way to the university campus and Peat had kindly given me a change of clothes. "Noeul, you don't have to keep apologizing." He put his arm around me and looked at me urgently. "That's what friends do for you, all right?" I couldn't help but smile. Friends.

Suddenly I stopped, frozen, when I saw my father's car in front of the university building. "Oh shit." "What's wrong?" "Peat, why don't you go on in and I'll be right there, okay?" He quickly realized I was serious and then nodded. "It's fine, but really!" He was concerned, and possibly rightfully so.

"Dad." "Oh how nice that you still call me that, son." My father smiled at me and came to meet me with open arms. He's not serious, is he? He hugged me, but I didn't move an inch.

"Noeul, where were you this morning? You seemed to be out of the house early." I raised an eyebrow and sighed. He hadn't even noticed that I hadn't spent the night in the same house as him.

"I'm fine and I ate too, is it that now? I have a lecture." I rattled off the usual things, hoping he would leave me alone and just go to his fucking office. "I'm glad you're okay but we still have some things to discuss. Come straight home today."

My gaze went to Fort for the first time, who was standing by the car like a dog in bondage. "Is good." Fort's gaze met mine for the first time, as if he hadn't expected me to give in. However, I knew perfectly well that there was no point in arguing with the old man. "I'm warn you, don't argue!"

The day at the university flew by incredibly fast, a little too fast for my taste, and I tried to convince Peat that I was taking him out to dinner as a 'thank you'.

"Didn't your dad tell you to come home right away?" I liked Peat but his accuracy strained my nerves a bit. I sighed and hung my head. "Well, you could come with me and-" "No, you have to go through that and I have other things to do Noeul. Don't hold it against me next time, will you?"