The Summer Deal

Thirteen - Last night wasn't so bad.

"... just a tiny little... Come on, Sarah. Steady hands. It's all about steady hands..."

The tiny brush dipped with peach nail paint touched the base of my thumbnail. One perfect sweep and I'll master having the perfect manicure without going to a nail salon.

Crap! Double friggin crap! My hands cannot stop shaking!

I was about to move my brush forward when suddenly, I heard knocking on my door.

I spared a look at the digital clock beside me and focused on applying my nail polish. Huh. Right on time. "It's open!"

The door opened, and I beamed at the person. "Top of the morning to you, Noah. Sleep well?"

The man grunted in response and headed straight to my mini fridge. After grabbing a handful of chocolates and a bottle of beer, he kicked off his shoes, then made himself comfortable on my couch and turned on the television to a sports channel.

"Make yourself at home," I mumbled. Second visit to my suite, the man's acting as if he's the one who's paying for it.

I couldn't concentrate properly due to the loud anchoring going on in the cricket match. "Noah?" He didn't budge. "Noah? Noah! NOAH!"

Nothing. To spite me more, he casually tore the wrapper open of the chocolate and took a bite after increasing the volume to max.

Bastard. I sneered. My mood of doing some self-salon care was long gone now, so I quickly painted my nails with uneven surfaces, some going out of the corner, and got up from the dining chair.

I stood in front of the television with my hands on my waist, being careful of my wet nails. Dark, sullen cobalt eyes met my gaze. "Turn the volume down." He flipped me off in response. "That's a bit harsh now, isn't it? A bit childish too."

He changed the channel to loud, rock music. I screamed.

"God bloody dammit, NOAH!"

"Fuck off."

"You're in my room. I should be saying that to you!" I yelled. "Give me the remote."

"No."

"Noah... I said, give me the remote."

"No."

The remote was lying peacefully on his chest. Oblivious to the two grown-ups fighting for it. One grown-up adult actually. The other was acting like a child.

"Last warning," I gritted out. "Give. Me. The. Remote."

One can never imagine what he gave me as an answer.

"No." Casually, he ate another chocolate and took a swig of his beer. I watched him play with the remote before he changed the channel from music to back to sports. "You can fuck off."

"You do know that I can easily switch it off by pulling the main plug?"

"Be my guest."

"I'm just asking you to turn the volume low."

He ignored me and continued eating the chocolates. It's an easy task, Sarah. I told myself. Just take the remote from his chest. He'll obviously see it coming. What's the worst that can happen?

Slowly, I came towards him. Noah's gaze was fixed on the TV. I just had to snatch it off his chest. He tried to adjust himself in the small space. His legs were already out of the couch, and it looked uncomfortable. I froze when he saw me stretching my arm out to grab the remote.

So he stuffed the remote inside his pants.

It took me a good minute to register his actions and my jaw dropped in shock. "You... did not just...! That's disgusting!" I shrieked. I'm never touching that remote ever again. "Why would you do that?"