Carson sat in Noelle's bed turning over the postcard she shoved in his face, "Do you want to fill me in with the situation with your mom?" He asked as she laid her head on his chest. She listened to his beating heart.
"Honestly, no," She sighed. "It's nothing against you, it's just a long painful story I'd rather not get into right now." She said as she rested her chin on his chest looking into his eyes. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips softly. He kissed her back and moved his mouth skillfully against hers. He placed his hand against her warm cheek. Carson could feel her skin getting hot beneath his fingertips. His hand began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt.
Suddenly, a low knock interrupted them. Noelle turned her head, "Come in." She said as she sat up straighter. David came in with a green substance drenching the front side of his pajamas.
"Noe, I threw up." David said as he held his stomach.
Noelle patted Carson's shoulder and got up and held David's hand as she led him to the bathroom. She ran another bath for him and made him take off his clothes. Once David's bath was done and she gave him something to soothe his stomach. Carson witnessed Noelle lovingly take care of her little brother and thought she would make a great mother. She doesn't have a neglectful or abusive bone in her body.
She came back to her room after putting him back to bed. It was almost 10:00PM and her parents should be back soon. She laid back in bed with Carson and let her head rest on his chest. As she stroked the soft fabric of his shirt, Noelle thought about her mom. Her eyes zeroing in on her bookshelf as she thought about how much her mother must have changed and how much her mother didn't change.
Carson traced a pattern on her shoulder and thought about the shit Noelle gone through with her mom. He was so sure that her home life what better than his by a long shot. But, she's just as fucked up as him.
"Car?" She whispered to him.
"Yeah?" He answered.
"I know I'm being vague with my whole mom situation. But, thank you for being there for me." Noelle said genuinely.
"No problem. I'm here for you." He kissed her forehead.
***
"No, that's not a good idea." Noelle's dad said as he patted Baxter's fur and watched Divorce Court. His glasses were perched on his nose as he tried to pay attention to the case. Noelle was currently standing in the entrance of her parent's bedroom door.
"Dad, there was a return address on the postcard. This is the first time she's ever done this!" Noelle said as she ran a hand through her hair.
"I don't think that it's an invitation."
"But, what if it is? She's been sending me postcards for the last five years and this is the first time she's ever put a return address on it. It's gotta mean something." Noelle said exasperated.
"Going to Tennessee alone to chase your mother is not a good idea. End of conversation."
"I'm not going alone, dad."
Noelle's dad raised an eyebrow in her direction, "Well, I'm sure as hell not going to take you."
"Carson and I are going together." Noelle explained.
"First of all, over my dead body. I am not letting you go off with some random boy alone. And second of all, I've done this tango before with your mom and you'll just get hurt. She loves you, I know she does. But, her head is not always there, Noe."
Noelle's eyes began to well up with tears and she found it hard to breathe. She was so close. She just wanted to see her mom again and this was her only chance. She wanted to tell her mom about how great her family was. She wanted to tell her mom that she's made Dean's List her entire duration of school. She wanted to tell her mother about the sweetest boy she's ever met. And although he sucks in Biology, he made her happy.
"Dad...I miss her so much. I just want to tell her about all the wonderful things in my life. I want to include her in my life and tell her that I love her, no matter why she left. I just want to see her again. Why can't I have this?" She sniffled into her arm.
Her father sighed and patted for her to sit down on the edge of his bed. She sat down gently and Baxter got up and waddled next to her and rolled on his back. "Noe, if seeing your mom right now is really important to you, then I'll support you. However, under my conditions." Noelle nodded, "If you gotta bring that boy with you, take a third person. I don't want y'all alone. I don't care who you bring but, they stay with y'all at all times."
"Yes, sir." Noelle nodded and hugged her dad tightly."Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Baby. Now let's watch this Divorce Court." He said as he turned the volume up.
***
Carson was leaving the football field after practice. Players in sweaty jerseys and cleats were dapping him up as they all were headed to the locker room. Coach Graham cupped his hands and called out to Carson, "Holt!" Carson turned his head and jogged back to Coach Graham.
"Yeah, Coach?"
Coach Graham took out his cracked i-phone and pulled up a video. The video was grainy and you could barely see anything. There was music blaring and people yelling but in the midst of the commotion he heard his own voice.
"What did you do to Noelle?" He heard himself ask angrily. Someone must have shined a flashlight in the video because he could better see himself gripping Taylor Campbell. Taylor's feet were no longer touching the ground. He couldn't quite make out any of the other words but suddenly he saw himself deck Taylor Campbell in the face and leave him bleeding on the floor. The video stopped and Carson looked up at Coach Graham.
"You wanna explain to me what the hell happened?"
"Uh...Coach I-"
"Shut the hell up, Holt! Why did I find this on Instabook or Facegram?"
"You mean Instagram?"
"I know what the hell I meant, Holt! Scouts are looking for unproblematic players to recruit! Cuz it doesn't matter how good you play, boy! Nobody likes an asshole! Fix this behavior or you'll never step foot on my fucking field again, Holt! Just because regionals is two weeks away doesn't mean I won't snatch you off this damn field. We clear?" He yelled. Carson nodded.
"Yes, Coach."
"Good. Consider this a warning, Holt. And you only get one. Now get the hell off my field."
Carson headed back to the locker room when a girl he used to mess with approached him from the entrance. Her name was Daisy something--he honestly didn't remember her last name--she wore cut-off jean shorts and she had cascading blonde hair and light blue eyes. She was a real country girl; she was definitely his favorite when he was looking for a hookup. Her personality wasn't bad either. Her hands were shoved into her pockets as she walked towards him.
"Hey, Holt." She flashed him that dazzling smile. "Long time no see."
"You know how it is, busy-bee." He said as he let his helmet dangle in his hand.
"Just thought I'd check up on ya. I haven't heard from ya in a while." She said sweetly.
"Thanks, Daisy."
"My parents aren't gonna be home tonight. You wanna chill?" She asked.
"Uh...I'm kinda seeing someone right now."
"Well..." Daisy looked around and saw no one, "I don't see her." She placed her hand on his chest. "Like I said, my parents aren't going to be home tonight." She kissed his flushed cheek and sauntered off. Daisy made him hot but he couldn't help thinking about the gorgeous girl he was with now. And then he asked himself:
Are we even dating? What is this? Is she my girlfriend now?
He wasn't even sure about the status of his relationship with Noelle. Did that mean he had a green light to have fun with Daisy?
He shook his head and swung open the door for the locker room.
***
"So, is he like your boyfriend now?" Margo asked as adjusted the thin strap of her dress and fixed her makeup in her full-length mirror. Margo was getting ready for a date with her "friend" from France. Noelle was laying on Margo's bed looking up at the ceiling and listening to the music that bumped through Margo's portable speaker. Margo was playing Caroline by Amine. It was one of Noelle's favorite songs.
"I don't know, I feel like we're something. We just haven't defined it yet, ya'know?" Noelle said as she placed her hands on her stomach.
"Been there done that." Margo said as she traced her eyeliner along her waterline. "You guys should define that shit though. Nothing is worse than thinking you're seeing someone exclusively and then catching them with some other bitch. Talkin' bout 'i DiDn'T EvEn KnOw We WeRe In a ReLaTiOnShIp.' Then you both look stupid." Margo said as she touched up her mascara.
"Yeah...you're right. Because I feel like his girlfriend but, maybe he doesn't want me to be? Or maybe he's just waiting to fuck me then he's gonna dip? What if I'm nothing but a number to him?" Noelle started to over-think.
"Jesus, Noe. I didn't say to hyperventilate til you shit yourself, I said define the relationship so you're not confused on where you stand." Margo explained. "Cuz bitch, you're a catch. And if Carson can't identify a bad bitch when he sees one, fuck him." Margo giggled as her phone vibrated on her dresser. Margo looked down at the white glow of her phone and smiled to herself.
"Is that your date already?"
"Yeah." Margo said as her thumbs sent out a quick text.
"What's his name?"
"Actually, her name is Kelsey and we met while I was in France, she was in the same study abroad session. Turns out she lives about an hour from me. In France, we hit it off and we decided to go steady." Margo said as she showed Noelle a picture of Kelsey on her phone. Kelsey had glowing brown skin and a illuminating smile. Her hair was dyed a golden blonde that suit her well. She was slim and thin and super pretty. Then Margo showed her a picture of them in front of the Eiffel Tower. Margo was smiling super big and so was Kelsey. Noelle was glad Margo was happy.
"Aw y'all look so cute in that picture. She's so pretty." Noelle exclaimed.
"I know, she's so sweet too. I really got lucky." Margo said as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse and jacket. "Alright dude, I'll see you later, don't wait up for me." She winked as she closed her door.
Noelle sighed as she picked up her phone and unlocked it. She opened up her messages and saw Carson's name with heart emojis next to it. She began to type a message.
What are we?
It was cryptic but she'll explain once she thought it out.