One For All

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Standing Out

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Standing Out

            Noah sat in Darren’s office waiting for him to come. He looked around the office and noticed just how much Darren loved himself. The whole office seemed like a shrine for Darren; it was slightly disturbing. Darren had sent a notice for Noah to meet him in his office at noon and seeing as how it was fifteen minutes past the time he was growing fidgety and hungry. He was nervous and hungry. He was hungry because he was nervous although being hungry was like second nature for him and he was even more hungry than usual because of his nerves. By the end of the week they’d all have to face the fact one of them would leave the competition. It wasn’t something he was looking forward to. In fact it killed him to just think about saying goodbye to one of his friends or if he was the one to leave the competition.

            He looked down at his watch and sighed because Darren still hadn’t shown up yet. Sitting by himself made his nerves grow and he tried to avoid thinking about the impending results of the week and instead thought about his brother. He missed his brother but knowing that he was living happily with Aiden’s mom and sisters made him feel better. It truly seemed like it had been years ago when they’d been living with his parents.

            He thought back to his first day of school and meeting Aiden and Mason. It seemed like it had been a whole different life. A past life and now there he was. One of the five finalists of the competition. It was incredible to think about everything that had happened since then and although there had been tears along the way he had to admit he was happier. His brother was safe and loved and he was surrounded by four other guys who had quickly become more than his best friends. They were his brothers. He couldn’t help but smile at that. And there wasn’t anything that could take that away from him. Not Darren and certainly not his parents. Not anymore.

            The door to the office opened and Noah cleared his throat.

            “About time, I was just about to leave,” he spoke in a light tone and smirked as he turned around to see Darren, except it wasn’t Darren.

            His mother entered the room followed by his father. His father conveyed no emotion but his mother smiled in a way that sent chills down Noah’s back. He stood up and stared at them.

            “Well it’s certainly been a while son,” his father cleared his throat and Noah shook his head.

            “You don’t get to call me son,” he replied coldly and his mother giggled.

            “Ohh honey you can try to avoid it all you’d like but you’re our son.”

            “What do you want? What are you doing here?” he snapped.

            “Darren managed to contact us and he encouraged us to come here and wish you luck. Or break a leg is what they say in show biz isn’t it?” she asked and smiled.

            “Sit down we’re here to talk to you.”

            “And why would I want to sit and chat with you two?” he asked and this time his father smiled.

            “In one word? Benjamin,” his father replied and Noah’s eyes flickered to his mom. There was nothing they could do to his brother. But seeing their smug faces he wasn’t sure and so he sat down.

            “Where’s Darren?” he asked and his mother shrugged.

            “He’s busy at the moment,” she said and his father sat at Darren’s desk immediately looking like he belonged there. If Noah hadn’t known better he would have assumed that the office belonged to his father because of how comfortably he sat down like he owned the place and Noah’s mother stood behind his father placing her perfectly manicured hand on his father’s shoulder. They were the image of cold perfection and he hated it.