Friday evening, early June
It had taken me less than ten minutes to walk to the towns only food establishment and yet I still managed to arrive looking a sticky mess - a sheen of perspiration coating my chest, and the nape of my neck.
I hoped, as I crossed sidewalks, that we wouldn't be going anywhere that required me to remove my footwear because the soles of my feet had stuck to the thick inners and I worried removing them could, be potentially hazardous.
My body really did not cope well with Pesmo's sweltering, nightly temperature.
Noah's didn't seem to either, because when I greeted him by the doorway he was busy fanning himself with one of the outside table menus. His light hair swept back and the creases of his forehead filled with sweat.
However hot, and uncomfortable he must have felt, Noah still greeted me once again with a warm, yet bashful smile.
"Hey." he said first, holding up the fan as if to say you caught me.
I replied with a polite hello, and let him lead me inside, feeling noticeably small behind his tall frame.
Even though it hadn't been that long since I'd last seen him, outside by my lawn I was still taken back by how oddly handsome he was, in such a way I could never be ready for.
His messy blonde hair, full lips and rosy cheeks didn't help to dispel my gaze away from him.
The diner was quiet, with only a few tables occupied by families and kids slurping shaved ice cones. Our waitress, with flame red hair and tired eyes walked us to a small booth by the large window that looked out onto the boardwalk, and the still, illuminated ocean.
My decision to wear a dress, for the first time in months had in hindsight not been my smartest move because as I slid onto the cream leather space, the backs of my thighs created a loud, cutting squeak. Loud enough to make me blush when a couple behind us put down their forks and spun their heads around, to see if their ears had deceived them into believing it was something else.
Noah laughed, and slid onto his side without any hassle, placing his brown satchel beside him before unbuttoning the cuffs on his flannel shirt.
When the heat from my face had subsided, I thanked him for meeting me.
Pondering over the menu, he replied. "You don't have to thank me Scarlett, in all honesty I thought you might have lost my number or thought better than to wanna hang out with someone like me."
I wasn't quite sure what to say to the last part, even if he had said it with humour because I didn't understand why he'd think he wasn't someone worthy of wanting to spend time with. Was he blind or just being modest?
"I didn't loose it." I smiled back, scanning the starters, trying to find something that was relatively cheap and easy to eat in his company. "I've just been busy helping out my sister, and I thought it would be nice to do something on a Friday, for a change." The lie came out so quick, it didn't even register until Noah nodded and said that's cool, I've been busy too. If I was to start this first, arranged encounter right I needed to stop with the white lies and try to be more honest.
"You seem very different from her," Noah remarked, pulling out a napkin. "your sister I mean." Carefully he began to fold in each side delicately whilst maintaining eye contact, still engaged in conversation.
Mentally I rolled my eyes, because I knew how this usually went: Most people, my mother included had always thought Poppy to be the beauty of the family, blessed with long legs and high cheekbones. Yet, what no one seemed to mention was that she was actually uptight and highly strung.
It had always annoyed me, so I tried to nip it in the bud with Noah. "I get that a lot."
"She seems quite... uptight, edgy." he paused, thinking he'd probably said the wrong thing. "No offence."
If only I could have lifted my body to hug him, without creating another unpleasant, squeak or looking like a crazy person. The beam spread across my face must have let him know at least, that this had made me happy and with no offence taken.
"She is." I grinned. "I've always thought that about her, most people only see her looks."
"Well, you're much friendlier and you have a kinder face." Noah proclaimed, folding the last piece of white napkin. "If you don't mind me saying."
Struck by his compliment, I looked down to his cupped hands that rested on the shiny table and in them was a delicate and marvellous flower. It resembled a pond lily, the edges fanned out with a hollow middle.
Watching the fascination in my eyes, he passed it over and placed it gently before me. I was amazed at how intricate it was, and I wanted to carry it all the way home in my own, careful hands and keep it permanently.
What I couldn't keep though, was my mouth from saying inappropriate and non-appreciative words:
"I bet you make them for all the girls." I teased, not thinking.
Noah raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by my comment until his low laugh filled the silence I'd invited with careless speech.
"Only when I'm hungry." he teased back whilst searching for the waitress to take our order, the menu tight in his grasp. When she signalled she'd be over in five, Noah put it down and sat back.
"I'm so thirsty." I confessed, trying to navigate the chat back to acceptable territory. "I wonder if they'll serve us in here, I could really do with a cold beer."
"I wouldn't know, I don't drink." He casually replied. "But you can if you like."
"Oh." I stammered, not thinking for one second that I might be the only one with a penchant for alcohol. Memories of finishing off the bottle of red wine Poppy left out on the side counter last night, flashing accusingly in my mind. It wasn't the first time either; because a glass of the good stuff often took the edge off watching, grown men fight with swords on the television, at three o'clock in the morning. Something I definitely did not want to confess Noah.
"Don't let me stop you." He offered. "It's just something I haven't done for a while, trying to live a bit better, be healthier, and eat more of my greens."
As Noah explained that he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol for the past year, our waitress approached the table, with her notepad ready to take our order.
I should have known better than to try and impress him, and even through I'd promised myself earlier that I was to leave the lies, and half truths behind, I couldn't help but take his declaration about healthy living seriously.
The waitress looked down at me, and asked what I was having, even though I was still eyeing up the prices, noting that most of the options were beyond my budget of fifteen dollars. Glancing up at Noah again, hoping he would order first I saw him trace the vegetarian section with his finger and begrudgingly I made up my mind.
"I'll take the Insalata Caprese please, and a regular soda." I requested politely, noting that it contained only two ingredients that I could stomach and precisely no meat, which was something I'd been craving since we walked in to the smell of grilled burgers.
Noah bobbed his head enthusiastically at my choice and I felt relieved he'd probably be ordering the same.
"And for you sir?"
"Just the Surf & Turf burger, with onion rings and a vanilla milkshake, thank you." Noah answered, flashing his wide eyes at the waitress. She scribbled it all down on the pad, and gave him a large, lingering smile.
Laying out cutlery for us - Noah first, she then filed away our order. "Sure thing, I'll bring your drinks over in just a few."
As I was about to compliment him on his food and how nice it sounded because I was secretly, jealous of it, he started to gently tap his index fingers on the edge of the table, in sync with the music playing above us.
When he noticed me staring, he stopped and sheepishly said. "Sorry, it's just such a good song."
I strained to listen to the faint melody, the singer's voice muffled and jumbled. I didn't recognise it at all.
"What song is it?" I asked, slowly swaying my shoulders to the unfamiliar rhythm.
"It's by The Zep." Noah proudly answered. "My mom, she used to play this song a lot when I was younger."
"Cool."
"Yeah, it's not their usual style but the song title is a clever play on this old, not very funny joke or at least that's what she told me because I could never pronounce the name of it." He explained helpfully.
Pushing a tuff of blonde hair away from his forehead Noah lent forward, arms rested out in front of him, and asked me if I knew it.
"No, I don't think I've heard this before." I mumbled, shaking my head and peering up at the small speaker transmitting the sound of guitars and drums around us, as if it could give me the answer.
"It's from my Mom's era, she was a bit of a free spirit and she would play their record over and over in the kitchen." Noah's face had lit up in elation, confident to tell me a memory from his past. "Although she'd only ever play it when she was bitterly sad, that's how I knew if she'd been arguing with my Father."
The last part caught me by surprise; it felt personal, maybe a little too much even though he had been smiling as he said it.
Rolling up his shirt sleeves just below his biceps, Noah shuffled in his seat and looked at me straight. "Not long after that, they divorced, so I'm not sure why this song makes me smile but it just does." he finished.
"I'm sorry to hear that." I said quietly, my feelings of sympathy genuine and relatable.
"It's ok." He replied, stretching out his arms and taking a deep breath. "That got a little deep, didn't it?"
"Usually does when it comes to family." I sighed, to assure him, because I could relate completely.
"Bless her though, for all her faults she did have good taste in music." Noah laughed, fiddling with his shirt cuffs.
"Does she live down here?"
"No, she lives in San Marcos," Noah said. "Where I grew up until I went to live with my father."
"You live here with your father then?" I asked, firing off questions without hesitation. I wanted to know more about the brown eyed, blonde haired timid enigma sat across from me.
"Thankfully, no but he did help me find a place to stay here, make a bit of money over the summer and work out what I want to do with the rest of my life." He trailed off during the last part, a nervous laugh escaping as he did.
"That's cool."
"I hadn't been keen on the idea but the family who've put me up are pretty awesome, Gabe and Anna are really welcoming and their kids are like the siblings I never had."
Spinning the napkin lily on the table I asked him what he did as a job here, seeing as the local paper didn't even have an unemployment directory - seemingly everyone either worked from home or in the neighbouring towns.
Watching me spin his creation Noah told me that he tutored the youngest children, to keep their brains ticking over until school resumed. "Just the basics really, I've got some great books to help me." He laughed. "I've actually learnt a lot myself teaching them, plus The Allen's pay me weekly and I've got my own room."
"Seems good." I nodded.
"My father knew Gabe from their days running church many years ago."
A lump of concern caught in my throat, as he spoke the word church. I remembered from our first encounter, at the beach that he'd briefly mentioned he went to church but I'd never really thought much about the actual weight it held.
My mind wandered back to the times I'd seen intimidating groups of protesters stood outside the clinic, that was down the street from my old childhood home. I remembered them brandishing large plackets with hurtful words and quotes that made no logical sense. I thought about all the girls back in high school with their silver promise rings and holier-than-thou attitudes, the preachers at the mall howling about sins, raptures and fiery eternal damnation.
All of it left a bad taste in my mouth.
And Noah's casual remark had made the rational part of my brain want to run a mile, but I stayed, glued in my seat with my eyes focused on him, trying not to make the same assumptions.
"Gabe and his wife are involved in running a church, just outside of Pesmo and are away quite a bit, visiting other congregations so I'm usually the one tasked with holding down the fort." he smiled.
"Sounds interesting." I said, letting the lump act a barrier against words I shouldn't say.
Noah must have sensed my reluctant reply because he sat forwards again and grinned. "You're probably freaking out right now aren't you?"
With suspiciously flushing cheeks I stuttered back. "Uh, no - why would I be?"
"Because I can see you think I'm 'one of those' religious types! Don't worry I'm not that involved with it all now although it was a big part of my life growing up and I at least try to go to church for old times sake, once a week..." he confessed. "Well not this week, or the last... but ah well, you've caught me out - I don't actually go as much as I should."
"Are the family your staying with ok about that?" I couldn't imagine they would be, if everything he'd said about them were true.
"They have a moan every now and again but they know I'm quite hard to convince and coax out of bed on a Sunday." Noah remarked. "But don't worry their quite liberal in their beliefs and it's not as scary as it may sound, I know how it can sometimes come across, especially when its coming from some random guy you've just met." he quipped, pointing at himself.
"It's fine, I just don't believe in all of that if you know what I mean, too many rules to abide by." I said finally speaking up a little. "It's just not for me really, I like too many things that are probably deemed wicked or sinful."
"There's no problem in that, if anything you've probably got the right idea." Noah admitted, with a encouraging smile. "So long as you're not hurting anybody, I say do or believe in whatever you want."
"Amen." I said, jokingly.
"Wow - I really can't stay away from the deep conversations tonight can I?" Noah chuckled, placing his arm across the edge of the booth, his eyes searching for the waitress and our missing drinks. "I promise you I'm not usually like this, you just seem to ask the right questions to get me talking."
His dimpled grin lifted the lingering feeling of awkwardness I'd initially felt and I laughed with him, as he pretended to die of thirst, tongue out and head thrown back.
"I think she's doing it on purpose, to test us." I joked, as we both rolled our eyes at the waitress, strolling past with a pitcher of soda for another table.
"We're going to be waiting a while." Noah conceded with a frown.
My thirst and I sighed back in agreement.
Running his hand across his stubble framed, jaw and tucking a strand of hair behind one ear, he said "So, I think we've talked long enough about me for one night, I want to know more about you, why a girl such as yourself is here in this strange, little town."
Noah locked his eyes with mine, an eyebrow raised above a wide, expectant grin, ready to ask questions of his own.
. . .
A/N: For those interested in listening to the song Noah loves, you can find it to the left, ready to be played loudly on repeat <3