Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

S I X T E E N

I didn't know how to bring it up, but it felt like he chose this place to show off. I wasn't looking to be impressed, I just wanted to have a fun night out with him. This feels like a life for other people, not for two people attracted to one another but also wanted to kill each other. I should not have been given a knife around him. It was irresponsible. I laugh uneasily at his attempt at a joke. His eyebrows pull together and lines form on the skin between them. He looks like he's trying to figure something out.

"No, something else is bothering you," he says, "what is it?"

I shake my head, "no, Noah, everything is great."

"Delaney," he says my name the way he used to, the way I hate and I roll my eyes at him.

I pause and take a drink of my drink, "This is just..." I trail off, "I'm not used to places like this."

Noah nods thoughtfully, seeming to also be selecting his words carefully.

"I brought you here because it's one of my favorite places," he frowns, "I thought you would like it."

This whole thing already feels forced. I want to throw something at him or start a fight, but I saw the prices and I cannot afford to throw anything in this place. I feel like a huge asshole as soon as his words are out. This date is not going anything like I hoped.

"If you like it, I'm sure I will too. I haven't even given it a chance," I say, reaching across the table to touch his hand. I want to stop being so careful. Noah's being careful, I'm being careful, and this has been the tensest hour of my life.

Noah is still frowning at me, "we can go somewhere else.."

"No," I say firmly, "if this is a place you like I want to try it out." I try to reassure him, but the tone is completely different. This was a mistake, I should have never let him get under my skin. He and I were trying to force a circle into a square and it was never going to work.

The waiter comes back and Noah orders a couple of appetizers and I try to keep my eyes in my head when the word octopus leaves his lips. I can't choose a single thing on this menu and finally decide on a lamb dish.

"We just ordered so much food," I say when the waiter leaves the table.

"Yes, well, you eat like a horse," Noah smirks

"Hey!" I cry, and again the urge to throw something is back. Maybe I will throw the octopus at him when it arrives.

"Tell me something, something no one else knows," Noah prompts when the conversation dies.

"A bit profound for a first date don't you think?"

"No, not with a girl who wants to know my opinions on the secrets of the world," Noah smiles slyly.

"I don't know how to answer, you know a lot about me already."

"I know what you want me to know," he says as he shakes his head, "tell me something that you aren't so forthcoming with."

"I know I'm going to regret telling you this, but when I was younger I was really into big cats. Like all of them, leopards, lions, tigers. I was obsessed with them, and my mom who is just the best person in the world really leaned into the bit. She always made me these elaborate Halloween costumes and made me believe I could do anything if I really put my mind to it. Anyway, one night we are out to dinner and the waitress asked me what I wanted," I pause to contain myself and look at Noah, he's leaning forward a little, hanging onto my story, "I told her I wanted blood soup, because if I was going to be tiger I needed to start eating like one. My mother was so embarrassed and didn't take me anywhere with her for like 6 months."