Wednesday and Thursday were long gone and Friday was tumbling along quickly. I went offstage and grabbed my phone, the big numbers on my lock screen alerted me it was four o'clock.
I decided today I would go home early, usually I'll leave around four thirty, about one hour after singing practice with everyone was over. I liked working by myself in the auditorium, but it was getting darker outside more earlier and I didn't want to drive without the light of the sky.
I placed my phone down and ran out onto the stage, grabbing the microphone and stand I was borrowing. I carried the objects towards a small closet that was located near the wings.
The only sound spreading throughout was the sound of my brown boots stepping across the stage. I cautiously placed the objects in the closet and closed the door.
Then I stopped, my ears and other senses grew vigilant as the double doors to the auditorium clicked shut. That would only happen if someone came in.
I froze, my muscles stood still and my breathing was cut off as I searched for noises of footsteps. I waited for a couple of seconds and no noise gave away anyone's presence, so I made my way back to my phone.
I approached the round white table and halted, my iPhone wasn't there. I frantically bent down and inspected the floor underneath, only traces of dirt and dust were there.
I returned back on my feet and picked up my water bottle from the table, sipping the cool water and soothing the dryness of my throat. In the process, I examined my surroundings, stacked up black chairs were pushed into the corner of the wings and hidden by the red curtains on stage.
I set my water down, near my bag, and walked my way to the old dusty piano. Maybe I left it there and forgot. I raked my eyes over the top of the piano, only to find nothing.
I could've sworn I left it on the table.
I turned away, but before I could leave, two arms came on either side of me. The person placed their hands on the piano and trapped me between. I glanced up with dilated, fearful eyes, and shrieked in shock.
"Gotcha," Noah whispered huskily, a crafty smirk curling one side of his lip up.
I stared into his hazel brown eyes, a lock of his curly hair dripped down his forehead. His eyes were coated with dark humor and his face was pinched with deviousness, maybe it was just the shadow making him appear nefarious.
"Goodness, Noah. I haven't seen you for the whole week. Why are you here now? School's over," I breathed out, my voice thick with jitters.
"Eh, well, I've been busy... been up to no good," he laughed knowingly, looking to the side for a moment before adding, "And I'm just showing a friend around. He's going to attend here."
I brushed off his mysterious comment and smiled, "Who's the friend?" I asked.
His smirk broke into a wide smile and he dropped his arms to his side, "Aren't you missing something?"
At the mention, I remembered my phone. I left the imprisonment I was in and turned around, bending onto my knees and resuming my search.
"I am," I acknowledged, not spotting my phone under the piano.
"... wait, how do you know?" I said, perplexed by his right assumption.
I twisted my head his way as I rose up, seeing my phone screen light in his hands.
"What! How did you-" I yelled in surprise.
"You couldn't hear my steps because- just look down," Noah blatantly explained, a teasing grin slapped onto his face.
I raised one of my dark eyebrow, but nonetheless dropped my eyes. I spotted his bare feet that were only covered by green socks. Of course, that's why I couldn't hear him! He took his shoes off.
Clever one, isn't he? And sneaky... My deep inner self analyzed.
"Smart," I praised him, simpering.
"Not really, any person with a working brain should know to do that," he shrugged.
I gave him a little nod and reached for my bag and water bottle, approaching the stacked up chairs to grab my trench coat. I pivoted on my heels and faced Noah.
"Can I get my phone? I need to shut the lights off, and it goes pitch dark when everything is out," I informed him, shrugging my trench coat over my body and buttoning it up.
"Really? Damn," he held out my phone, but I was too busy shoving my water in my bag to get it.
"Hold it for a second. Come over here, this is where the control panels and switches are," I murmured, flinging on my bag and walking across the stage to get to the other side.
"Interesting," he nonchalantly responds.
I flipped open the little cover for the switches and position my finger to shut everything off.
"Phone," I say, holding my hand out.
Noah placed it in my hand, not yet releasing it as I gripped it. I pushed the switch down and one by one did the bright white and yellow lights go off. The last light flickering off above me and Noah, his face carrying a sly grin on his plump lips before the darkness swallowed us.
Before I could realize what was occurring, Noah wiggles my phone from my grasp and tightly wraps his hands around my wrists.
"Noah!" I screamed, my heart skipping a beat.
He pulled me away from the panel and further onto the stage. I attempted to squeeze my way out of his grip but failed as his strong hold increased.
"Live a little," he whispered against my ear, his warm breath tickling me as he put both my wrists against his chest to bring me closer.
"This is scary and we can get hurt! We can fall off stage!" I blurted, my little hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
"You'll be fine," he says, offering me little comfort. "Follow my voice," he commands, letting go of my wrists.
"What! Where are you going!" I shouted, flinging my arms out in front of me, hoping to grab Noah's shirt and bring him back.
"It'll be fun. Don't worry, I wouldn't do this if it meant you'll get hurt," he said, mollifying my anxiousness.
"You can't even see yourself. How do you know you're not gonna get hurt?" I pouted, known to the fact that he won't see my expression.
"I'm accustomed to finding my way in the dark," he voices out, his voice fading more away.
I took some steps forward, leading to the direction of his voice. It was quiet, but the tightening of shoelaces cracked the silent atmosphere.
I boldly ran to the noise, stopping short, just in case I was closer than I thought. I also didn't want to accidentally tumble down the stairs that go offstage.
"Over here," Noah mockingly chuckled.
I whipped my head to the right, smiling as I took small steps to his location.
This wasn't so bad.
Just wait until you die by cracking your head...
"This is cruel," I laughed, holding my arm out to block myself from bumping into anything.
But I was sure I was in the middle of the stage, facing the wing. "No, this isn't," he called out.
I moved more briskly and elegantly, confident that I was approaching the left side wing. That was until my phone went on, the led light from my phone flashed on and off as I was receiving a call.
I caught a few images of where I stood, "Noah! You're leading me more into the stage than out!" I chuckled, not mad in the slightest.
"Confession: I suck at this," he unashamedly disclosed.
With the chance I got, and the only glimpse of light exposing the stairs, I zoomed over to the steps and raced down them. I was halfway down the aisle until the light was consumed and the darkness gained power again.
Steps followed after me, positive that it was Noah. His body halted close behind mine and he plopped his chin on my shoulder, whispering, "Just a little more ahead."
I stiffened at his closeness and held my breath. My nerves went bonkers as his warm hand slid into my own and intertwined with my fingers.
My face burned and I knew blush stretched across my nose to my upper cheeks. I gulped as he tugged at my hand to bring me forward with him. He perfectly led me to the double doors, following into the bright hallway.
I squinted at the light pouring into my eyes and stared at the dimming light blue sky, it was already turning dark.
"Thanks," I said gazing into his hazel eyes. "Even though if you just gave me my phone I could've been out about five minutes ago."
He smiled playfully, "No problem."
"What are you doing for the rest of the night?" He asked, searching my face for any objection to where this was going.
"Nothing," I shrugged, a smile surfacing on my face.
"How about me, you, and my friend all hang?" He suggests, with an innocent grin.
I bit my lip and looked to the side, pondering until I met eyes with a familiar face. It was the girl, the girl with diva curls from Ricky's party. Her red hair was full of volume and her dark eyes latched onto... my hand.
I lowered my sight onto the hand interlocking with my own. I popped my eyes out, snatching my hand from his and settling it on my necklace.
Why didn't he let go?
Why didn't you let go? My inner self clapped back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" I started, guilt poking at my conscience.
"Totally fine. Hang with me and my friend and all will be forgotten," he interposed, not effected by my action.
"Ok, I guess. What are you guys doing tonight?" I wondered, hoping it won't be partying.
"Not sure," he responds back, taking my hand into his and placing my phone in my palm.
I shined him an appreciative grin, trailing after him as he headed towards the end of the hall. He discontinued his steps as he stopped at the corner of the deserted hallway, the location where I would take a left and go out to the parking lot.
"Yo, what's up," Noah greeted someone, his back the only perspective I had as the sound of two hands coming together, gave away a brotherly handshake.
"Bro, you took forever," the guy blocked from my view complained, but wasn't annoyed at the time that skipped by.
"I was with a friend," Noah explained, merely cocking his head my way, signifying me.
I don't know why, but I didn't move myself beside him to see the guy he was conversing with. An odd pang of a feeling unknown rattled inside my chest.
Noah's friend voice was invading my mind. My brain was working at flash speed, images going up and down my mind as I tried to slap an image to the voice. The main memories surfacing above all, like a bottle floating up and breaking through water, were hazy blurred features of all the people who surrounded me when I fell into the room with Ricky and Noah.
That image was swiped away quickly and tossed as a new memory came before my eyes, but it was of Alice this time. Her lips sucking a random party goer and the words 'buzz kill' running me off in an unknown location... to an unknown guy.
That's when it hit me.
Noah feet moved him to the side, making me vulnerable to the light green eyes falling to me. The guy's blond hair was short and straight, sprawled messily.
I took an instant step back, clutching the strap of my bag. He sent me the hugest, most deceitful, smirk that ever laid upon me. I could see his tongue poking at the side of his mouth, his arms crossing against his broad chest, and his eyes raking over me.
"I've seen you before," my voice losing volume. "At Hannah's party... the one Noah threw for her."
Noah and Annalise....
What guy at Hannah's party is she talking about?
Is it a good idea for Annalise to hang with Noah and his friend?
.... you'll just have to wait for chapter 16 to see how everything is going to go down.
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