Evanescent

34 | L U X U R Y

"Calm down babydoll, a failed quiz is not the end of the world," Noah said quietly as he wrote out an email to a business partner. Rosa was sat opposite him, tucked up into the corner of his desk and tears forming in her eyes as she studied though she kept her bangs in her face to hide the fact that her homework was bringing her near to tears.

Unfortunately, Rosa had not had the best day at school. And usually, spending time with Noah later in the afternoon made her feel much better. So much better, in fact. He always found a way to cheer her up even though he did not need to try in any way. All he had to do was be there; and he always was.

"I missed out on so much.. everyone got over ninety percent on the test except me. I got a sixty," she muttered and looked up at him, pouting when he seemed to be paying no mind to her. "I-"

His dark eyes flickered up to hers and he gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, give me a quick minute." His eyes went back towards his computer and he clicked a few keys on the keyboard before looking up again and sitting back in his seat. "Rosa.. I think you forget that you didn't start school until just this year. You didn't attend school, since twelve! And yet you're way ahead of where you should be. Don't be discouraged."

Her face stayed the way it was and that's when he noticed she was looking at him with teary eyes. He tilted his head and his eyes softened as he gazed at her.

Noah slid his chair back and he pinched the fabric of his suit pants between his fingers so he could bunch them up a bit before he spread his legs open wide, inviting her to sit in his lap. She got up out of her chair, making her way over to him but he quickly directed her back into the direction of her notebook. She quickly grabbed her pen and notebook before practically throwing herself into his lap.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and gave the side of her head a kiss, her notebook trapped between their chests as she wrapped her arms around the back of Noah's neck.

"Babydoll.. don't forget who are. I know for a fact that even without a high school education, you do well for yourself. Just because you don't know how to spell a few words doesn't make you any less than any of your classmates. In fact, while they were stuck inside a classroom learning about pointless math and equations; you were educated on life itself. I value that knowledge far more than I do division, understand?" he asked quietly into her ear and slowly Rosa nodded. "You're quite capable of speaking, darling.."

"I do understand, Noah. But-" she trailed off, knowing Noah was not too big a fan of buts. Well, he was, clearly by one of the hands planted firmly under her school skirt, a thumb stroking over the soft material of her high-waisted underwear in soothing strokes. It traced delicate patterns on the baby soft skin of her curved back.

"Go ahead, Rosalina," he reassured her, giving her bum a light pat as she lifted her head from his neck to look at him. She slid her slim hands up and over his broad shoulders slowly. "Speak your mind. I want to hear whatever it is you're thinking."