C.R.E.W

Chapter 23 ~ You Need A Bystander

I ran up to Noelle's doorstep, life repeating itself. One day we are at school, and the following hour I am waiting at her doorstep. This was all I could think about lately, my mom and I had a few brief conversations but she seemed like she wasn't herself lately. She had gray eye bags, was always moping, and tried to avoid conversation. She wasn't up and making breakfast, or asking me how school was, she seemed upset, really upset. We don't communicate much out of the house, if I am going somewhere, she just stands there against the counter or couch and nods. Nothing to say, just a gesture. I tried to ignore it and forget about her sadness, push it away, but it felt like I was pushing her away, too. I wanted to cheer her up but I was always busy, and didn't know how. After all the time I have spent with her, after all the time my dad has been on business trips or out of the house...it's just been her and I, no siblings, no aunts or uncles interfering. It has just been us two, nothing more.

I snapped, I was still standing out in the breezy air, waiting on a brushed up door mat, standing in front of a blue painted door. I rose my eyebrows in amusement and quickly brought them back down. I was biting on my right cheek as I pushed my upper body forward and knocked. I looked down and back up, the door was red. Had it always been this color? I looked around the door for scuff marks or any blue paint left over, but found none. The door appeared red, but it was once a bright blue...it had just been bright blue. Why was it only red now? Noelle opened the door smiling, her dimples shining. I nearly tripped over the small and jacked up step, a gray concrete block scratching my shoe.

I stumbled and felt my heart race, "whoa," she laughed, "you alright?"

I laughed a little inside and placed my foot upon the breaking point between the outside and the inside of her house, "yeah, I'm fine." I smiled.

"Come on," she said, and led me upstairs.

I kicked off my shoes and ran up the gray carpeted stairs. I walked in, I was shocked. She had already made a bulletin board with pins shrouded all around it. She had a box clipped to the side of the board, it was filled with numerous and various amounts of colors, fabrics, and specifically different colored strings.

I was shocked and my mouth dropped open as I smiled. It was something only she would have, unexpected but not surprising. It was something straight out of her brain.

I laughed in astonishment and Noelle started speaking, "I thought you might like it in our investigation." She smiled as she leaned against the wooden part of her wall.

I kept stifling a laugh and was just amused, "It's...but how did you...?"

"As a 'nerd' I just used what I had around my house and pieced some things together," she shrugged, "as if crime and mystery podcasts haven't taught us anything." She crossed her arms smiling.

I looked at her, keeping my smile wide across my face, "when do we get started?'

"Right now, I would hope." She suggested as she took her stance right next to the bulletin board.

"You don't want to do any extra planning? Like, go over a few things?" I asked, surprised.

"What is there to go over? You showed me your notes and they were pretty self-explanatory." She twisted her wrist to push her hand out in obviousness.

I scoffed, "at least someone thinks so."

"Well, we should get started, shall we?" She asked, cupping her hands together by her neck and underneath her chin.

She stared at the bulletin board and didn't look away. I wanted to get started too, but even I know you need something to work off of.

It was silent. I stood there watching as I leaned against the end of her bed, I walked forward to the board with nothing but a dark forest green staring right back at me. There was pretty much nothing on it, nothing showing, just stuff stowed away for the blank canvas.