Leuthold Preparatory | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Two: Part I

"I'm getting another," Hannil said as he stood up from the table.

He ruffled Noah's hair, the motion alone made him groan and he could vaguely hear Tipp call to him to get her whatever he was getting. Noah smiled vaguely at the contact, his eyes moved back to his amber drink rather than remind himself that he was at a table alone with strangers. 

"That road doesn't go very far," Tipp said and it brought Noah's attention to her. He realized, by the way she looked at him, that she had talked to him for a while but he hadn't responded.

"Sorry," Noah said, "Been traveling all day, I'm tired." 

"Where did you two come from?" Aneish asked.

"Um," Noah scratched his forehead, "Switzerland."

"Switzerland?" Aneish replied. "Surely I thought you came from um," he snapped his fingers, "Paris."

"Oh, no," Noah swayed a bit and shook his head, "That's where we're heading."

"Oh, good luck up there," Tipp laughed loudly, "Then again if you're coming from Switzerland I imagine you just left a big mess."

Noah nodded, his eyes closing on the image of Hanna's body falling into the roof of the car, he flinched at the noise inside of his head. Mi Na's scream haunted his ears, he didn't think he'd ever forget it. He rubbed his forehead, feeling achy at the memory. He felt they were as blurry as the table. 

"Can you believe what they're doing?" Tipp said to Aneish, "Fucking unbelievable, innit?"

Aneish didn't respond but Noah could hear him hum in agreement. Noah felt himself zoning back out and wondered if he could convince Hannil to either party on without him or go to bed. He'd much prefer to seep, he didn't know if he could sleep without being drunk or all alone with his hoard of new memories.  

"Did you come from Leuthold?" Tipp called out to Noah. 

Immediately, Noah's hand moved from his face; he held it only an inch or so away from him in place. He felt the dizziness go away when he looked back to her, her attention turned to him. He felt the world focus, she was in perfect view. 

"Wh..what?" He stammered.

"Leuthold? You heard of it, yeah?"

Noah felt his mouth run dry as he stared at her; his drunkenness threatened to tell the truth and his sobriety kept him from speaking, it left Noah in a standstill with nothing to say. He had lied once and he didn't feel as though he could do so again. He tried to speak but choked on the words that wanted to come out. He stared at her; oh god, he thought, she knows. 

"Guess not," Tipp shrugged and leaned back into her chair, "They're just making such a big deal out of it I assumed everyone knew. Berg's got us all running around, looking everywhere for some kid. Who gives a shit about 'em?"

Noah's fingers fit easily into the rings of the cast iron table and he grasped it more and more tightly. He swallowed thickly after he heard her bring up more details he knew she shouldn't know. He had to get away, even if she believed his blank stare to be ignorance, he didn't know how long he could lie about it. Hannil could though, he decided, Hannil had to come back. 

"Excuse me," he managed to choke out before he got up from the table.

Inside of the bar was louder and brighter; the crowd was packed into the bar and dancefloor. Noah felt as though he were swimming in people as he weaved his way. He wasn't very short, but he felt small and insignificant in the crowd, bounced from person to person. He tried not to bump into any of them; in avoiding one man's swinging arm and a girl's back, Noah stumbled backward into yet another person that caught him. He was more than thankful when the person he bumped into was Hannil.