Leuthold Preparatory | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Two: Part I

The Brokers 

The summer night was warm; the cool air from the mountains came in refreshing waves while Noah sat with the three of them at a small patio set outside of some kind of bar that was much fuller inside than out. It had turned to night; Tipp and Aneish had stayed with them even after checking into the inn. Tipp had insisted on going to the bar and then starting a drinking competition with Hannil and Hannil had easily out-drank her in minutes; he laughed at how she nearly hissed at him and smacked the table at his notable sobriety. 

"Who taught you to drink?" Tipp asked after their sixth shot, she quickly followed up: "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," Hannil answered with a smile, "My family drinks socially. It's expected that I know how."

"Is this not social?" Aneish asked. He had refused to drink which had made Noah feel better about having water instead of the drink that sat next to it. 

Hannil nodded, "We're not alcoholics by any means...well, some people would say that we are, but it's all a lie. A front! I tell you!" He chuckled and raised his drink back to his lips. 

Tipp leaned back in her chair and waved her hand dismissively, saying that she did not believe him. Hannil chuckled at her motion before he set his drink down in favor for his cigarette. 

"You don't really seem like the normal ones," Tipp said after a minute. "What do you do? Both of you. Neither of you said anything about it." 

"Squeak doesn't really talk," Hannil replied. 

Tipp began to laugh uncontrollably. "'Squeak'?!" She said. 

Noah straightened his back, his ears turned red with embarrassment. "Don't tell them that!" He hissed to Hannil.

"Oh, I get it. He's squeaky," Tipp snickered.

Hannil nodded to her before he looked back at a dejected Noah and winked.

"I want to be an actor," Hannil answered finally, "Stage. Not really into movies and the sort."

"Doing the family business before you go to your dream?" Tipp asked.

Hannil nodded.

"What a catch you are," Tipp replied sarcastically.

Noah tried to keep in mind that Hannil had managed to tell them that they were merely traveling for work. That it was the only reason they were moving at all, why they wouldn't go sightseeing with them. What that work was, Hannil hadn't divulged but Tipp and Aneish seemed to believe them. 

"You ever do plays before?" Aneish asked.

Hannil looked over to him.

"You look familiar," he explained. 

"I've done a few," Hannil replied.

"Look, you've already got fans," Tipp jeered before she looked back to Hannil, "Or are you the type that wants to be climbed all over?" 

Hannil snorted a laugh, "God, no. That's what you've got security for. I'm rather picky about who I fawn over and I suppose that's all that really matters."

"How bold," Tipp sarcastically replied.

Noah snickered and put his elbow on the table, looking down into his first alcoholic drink that he had still yet to finish. He felt as though he had had all of Hannil's shots, the table was blurred and he felt he had to keep ahold of it or he'd fall down. When he felt as though a lot of time had passed in his staring into nothing, he jolted himself back and quietly sipped his water again.