The Kiss of the Blade

Chapter Five.

Noah:

Noah sat on the bed in his room at home. He had a dorm where he normally stayed to get away from the drama at home, but today, he felt like it would be better than being close to Zee.

    It wasn’t that he despised zee or anything, he just couldn’t get rid of that cold feeling. It was bearable before, but now that the warm, fuzzy feeling inside him died down, it was absolutely unbearable.  

He threw a pillow at the door as yet another shout came from below. His parents were getting divorced, but they were living together until the formalities were completed. But it was living hell at Noah's home. Literally. Things were being thrown, doors being slammed, and they slept in different rooms at night too.  

At that moment a round of shouting was going on, which would be followed by the door slamming, and then more shouting over the phone.  

Noah sighed. Was it really worth going through all this just to avoid Zee? And then he sighed. Not that it mattered now anyways. He made his choice. He couldn’t go back to his dorm now. Or could he? It was only 5 o'clock... 

He walked out of his room and made his way down the hallway to his fourteen year old brother, Nigel's room.  
Nigel had dark hair which he inherited from their mother, and green eyes, just like Noah. He opened the door just a crack and peered in to make sure that Nigel's girlfriend wasn't over. She wasn’t.     

Yeah. Noah's annoying, moody, fourteen year old brother had a girlfriend, and Noah was still forever alone. Great. Just great. 

Noah opened the door wider and stood on the threshold, waiting for Nigel to notice him. But Nigel had his headphones on, so it was unlikely that he would see Noah. Surprisingly, though, he turned towards Noah.  

"What?" Nigel asked his voice wavering. Then he sniffed, "Go away." 

"Are you - Have you been crying?" Noah asked, astonished.  

Nigel turned away, revealing the one strand of blonde hair he had from birth. "No." 

"Nigel! What happened! You can tell me!"  

"Its all your fault!" Nigel shouted, and ran to the bathroom to hide his tears.  

Noah reached the bathroom just as the lock clicked. "Open up Nigel!" He said banging on the door, "Tell me what happened?"  

"Lily broke up with me! And its all your fault!" Nigel shouted between sobs. "I loved Lily, and now she's gone!"  

"Nigel, first of all, you weren't in love. You enjoyed her company. And also probably making out with her." Noah shuddered at the thought, "And secondly, how is that possibly my fault?" 

The lock clicked again. The door creaked open and Nigel poked his head through. "When you were out, earlier today? Well your girlfriend came over. She introduced herself as Zee." He began, then paused, "She's really sexy you know."  

 "Zee?" Noah asked in bewilderment. "Zee isn't my girlfriend. She's...She's not even a friend." 

"Whatever," Nigel said, "My point is she came here asking for you, and when I said you weren't there, she asked me to pass on a message for you. Then she thanked me, kissed me on the cheek and walked out, but at that very moment, Lily walked in." Nigel stopped to take a breath. "Well, Lily thought Zee was my girlfriend, and that I was cheating on her. Lily that is. She broke up with me, then ran outside."

"Oh my god Nigel! I am so sorry! But how is that my fault?"

"If you were at home none of that would have happened! And you're never at home! Do you know how bad it is when you're not there? How do you think I cope with them 24/7, when you cant -" Nigel said, his voice cracking. he cleared his throat and continued, "When you can't even bear them for a few hours? Don’t lie to me. I know you came here to ask me to tell them that you're staying at a friends house. What kind of brother are you that's never there for me?" Then Nigel slammed the door.  "Go away" he said, his voice muffled by the door.