DANCING WITH THE DEVIL ᵖʳᵉᵗᵗʸ ˡⁱᵗᵗˡᵉ ˡⁱᵃʳˢ

𝐬𝐢𝐱.

"Nice going, mom." Brandon rolled his eyes, letting out a small sniff before turning to the mayor. Mrs. Call looked flustered at the comment that Jessica had made, sitting there frozen in the middle of lifting her cup to her lips. "Mrs. Call? Is it alright if I use your bathroom?"

Mrs. Call let out a sputter as she placed her tea cup down onto the wood table, the cup rattling gently as it was placed down. Letting out a small cough and fixing her posture, Naomi nodded. "Yes, of course." Naomi looked over to her daughter who looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but there at that moment. "Noelle? Will you please show our guest where the bathroom is." 

Noelle turned to her mother as if she was a deer in headlights. While she had wanted an excuse to leave the awkward atmosphere, certainly didn't mean she wanted to be left alone with her ex-boyfriend . . . not that her mother knew that. "I- what?" 

Naomi nodded as Brandon shook his head. "It's alright. I'm sure I can find it on my own." Brandon insisted, but Naomi was a stubborn woman. 

"Noelle, please show our guest where the bathroom is." This time Naomi's voice was as sweet as it was before. It was slightly deeper, with a cold edge to it. It wasn't a ask, it was a demand. It was a tone that Noelle knew too well. 

Noelle sighed as she stood up, her dark brown eyes meeting Brandon's ocean blues. "Come on, I guess I can show you where the bathroom is." Noelle's entire body was as stiff as a board as the two walked, Noelle in front to avoid both looking and touching the guy who broke her heart. "Here it is." Her voice was stiff as she let her eyes roam around the gray colored walls. 

"Thanks." Brandon mumbled back beginning to walk into the bathroom, though he paused, his body freezing for a moment as his eyes caught onto a picture a few feet down from the bathroom. It was of Noelle and Alison, with large smiles painted across their faces. "I didn't even know you still had this picture." His voice was nostalgic, longing for the days when he still had his sister by his side. 

Noelle followed his gaze, her heart stilling at the smiles on the young faces. "Oh." Her voice somber. "I didn't even know that was still up." Noelle could remember the day as if it was yesterday. It was the last day of school for the fifth graders. It was the first picture that had been taken of the two, the happiness shining on their faces. 

Brandon nodded, before turning away from her, to walk towards Noelle, but he stopped in his tracks. "Do you even miss her?"

Noelle froze for a second, her heart clenching in pain. She glared at him with water rimming at her eyes.  "Don't ever ask me that question again." She hissed, furious at him for even thinking it. "Fuck you, Brandon." She sneered, before stomping away.

Noelle didn't say anything to her mother as she walked out of the house, only taking her keys and wallet. She just needed a break from everything. 

AFTER A WHILE, WALKING around town got more and more boring. Once it was nighttime, Noelle knew she had to go home. So as an apology for leaving so abruptly earlier, Noelle made her way to the Grille. "Aria!" She shouted, spotting her short friend from across the street. Aria's eyes lit up once she spotted who called out her name. 

"Noelle, hey." Aria greeted as she ran across the street. Aria wrapped her hand around Noelle's arm, giving it a light squeeze in greeting. "How are you? You look sad."

Noelle let out a small breathy laugh as they walked up the Grille. She shrugged as she opened the door, letting her friend go in first. "You've always been so observant, Aria."

Aria's cheeks turned red as Noelle laughed once more. "Montgomery." Aria spoke to the lady once they got to the counter. "And Call." The lady nodded before going into the back to grab their food. "Hey!" Aria smiled as Spencer came up to them.