N O E L
“I’m going to die, I’m going to die, and I’m going to die!” I mumble clutching Jesse harder and hiding my face— ok trying to hide my face on his body. “I’ve never ice skated, jumped off a cliff, sky dived, drew a bird, or even helped a lady delivered before. I’ll never do them. I won’t and now I’m going to die. I’m just Seventeen…”
Jesse does a wild zig zag turn then comes to a hard rough stop that sends the back of the motorcycle lifting up a bit, before coming back down. I scream at the top of my voice and hold him tighter.
I hear his laughter echoing loudly but I’m too scared to move or to let go of him. I think I’m even shaking, never in my life have I had such a ride like that. I think I’ve found someone I dislike more than Aaron, its Jesse.
“You know I’m really enjoying this,” Jesse says, “your little hands holding onto me, you enjoying the feel of my body?”
“Asshole,” I muttered slapping his back but still not getting the courage to move an inch. My whole body was shaking.
“Wait, were you really scared?” He asked turning slightly to look at me.
I nod, finally letting go of him, “I’ve never felt so close to death my either life.”
He stayed silent for a while, “need help getting down?”
I shake my head, “no I got it,” I come down and my legs shaking a bit, I feel like the earth is spinning and I almost fall before I steady myself and stand up right again. I see Jesse in an awkward position, his hands stretched out. I raise my brow at him.
He quickly retracts his hands and looks away, “I… I thought you were going to fall.”
I smile, “Thanks Jesse, even for the hellish ride.”
He smirks, “anytime Christmas and remember to tell Aaron that I dropped you off.”
“Why?” I asked confused.
He ignores my question, “see you around Christmas.” His bike roars to life and he speeds off, sending a rush of wind behind me.
I huff and sooth my hair down, if not for my beanie, my hair would be in a much pitiful situation. I rub my sweaty palms on my jeans, and then straighten out both visible and invisible creases on my shirt. I turn around to come face to face with a large gate. Ok not that large, but a taller, much wider than me gate.
The building inside is huge, really huge; it has to be bigger than a mansion. I look around and notice that I’m in another part of New York all together. Not a single trash around. Everywhere is neat and organized. I look at the gate again and hold on to the bars, shaking it– trying to shake it. But it’s too solid. So I remove my pen from my bag and hit it around the bars.
A man in uniforms shows up, looking at me from head to toe. I raise my hand up with a wave and smile at him. “Hi,” I’m about to say I’m looking for Aaron when he opens the gate and ushers me in. “Um, ok. Thanks.” I walked in confused. I thought he’d ask series of questions before letting me in, guess they aren’t big on security.
I walk to the big brown door; I lift my hand to knock but the door opens from the inside to reveal a well dressed woman. She’s searching for something in her bag so she doesn’t see me. Her dark brown hair is in curls falling around her shoulders. She suddenly looks up and I take a step back. She’s really pretty with beautiful brown eyes, only her hair relates her to Aaron though.
“Oh. Hi,” she says her voice really welcoming.
“Good afternoon Ma’am,” I greet her, not knowing what to say.
She slaps her forehead, “dumb me; I thought you were coming in an hour time.”
“Huh?” I ask confused. She’s expecting me; did she see me from the future? Is she a seer?
She smiles and stretches her hand forward to me, “I’m Megan Altamira.”
I take her hand choosing to go with the flow, she’s Aaron’s mum no wonder Aaron is so beautiful, “I’m Noel Atkins.”
“Oh that’s such a beautiful name”
“Thank you ma’am,” I say, I really like her now.
“Ok, Bella doesn’t need much Attention. You’re here for Maria Fernanda. She can be a headache so please be patient with her, the other girl, Andrea was getting a hang of it, but it’s ok that you’re here, I’m sure you’ll do much better.” She says coming out and ushering me in.
“Ma’am…” I try to say but she continues talking anyway.
“You can leave after she’s put to bed; her nap time is in the instruction booklet, shit. You’re new, you won’t know the booklet. Oh just ask Bella or Linda. My son’s in but he won’t trouble you.”
“Ma… Mrs. Megan,” I start saying, but I’m cut off when she holds my hand and drops wads of cash on it.
“I might not see you when I return so, keep this. Umm you were saying?” She looks at me expectantly.
My eyes pop out at the amount of money on my hand. I shake my head, “nothing ma’am, thank you ma’am.”
“You’re welcome,” she pecks my cheek and walks off shutting the door, “bye.”
“Bye,” I say to myself as I turn away counting the money, “cool.” I stuff in into my bag and look up, my eyes almost pop out at the beautiful house. It’s so beautiful, and there’s a chandelier. “Wow,” I say walking in.
“Uh uh, you don’t want to do that. Linda’s big on cleanliness,” a blond girl says, her bright blue eyes on me, “you know, it being next to Godliness and all.”
I look at her confused and her eyes drop to my converse, “oh, I’m so sorry.” I quickly pull off my converse.
“No problem, I forget all the time. I’m Bella,” she stretched her hand at me. I took it in mine, she was little but not that little. I had a few years on her, but she really beautiful, way more than me. Well, with eyes like Aaron who wouldn’t be pretty?
“I’m Noel,” I say. She looks at me from head to toe. Then walked in, I followed her looking around in awe.
“So what happened to Andrea finally got fired?” She asked.
“Umm she got hit by a… tricycle?” I said unsure of what to say, who the hell is Andrea?
Bella turns to look at me, and then burst out laughing, “I knew it, that’s what happens when you let boys occupy ninety percent of your brain.”
I chuckle, “let’s make that ninety nine.”
“Right? I like you already. I think we’re going to get along just right,” she says.
“I was hoping on that,” I say commending my acting skills.
“Well I’m not the real nut to crack, Ma-fe is, my four year old sister who you’re babysitting.”
“Oh,” finally my fake job here is clear. I’m a babysitter.
“Ma-Fe!” She shouts suddenly startling me.
“Oh Bella, would you stop shouting, that’s unladylike.” A round middle aged woman wearing an apron says coming into view.
“Good afternoon Ma’am,” I greeted.
“Oh hello dear, I’ll get her out for you now,” She says then turns to the stairs, “Maria Fernanda!”
I close my mouth to suppress my laughter; just at the same time Bella rolls her eyes, “thanks for clearing up the fact that you’re no lady Linda.”
Linda turns to glare at her and I choke on my laugh.
“She’s here, she here,” a very familiar voice says coming from upstairs as my stomach turns weirdly and I look up at the stairs expectantly. I hear Aaron’s smooth laughter and a little girl’s giggle. Slowly Aaron’s figure appears descending from the spiral stairs. There’s a little girl running around on his shoulders, I can see his maroon sweatpants and his bare chest. Abs… Six packs?
I think I froze looking at Aaron, my eyes don’t leave his beautiful body at all, and his skin is so shiny and spotless except for a birthmark at the top of his right arm. I think I’m drooling.
“There you go fuzz ball, ” Aaron says bringing the little girl down from on top him, a smile is still on his face as his eyes land on me, his brow furrow as he stares at me, my mouth run dry and suddenly everywhere is hot. Bella groans beside me.
“Aaron! Mummy said you should stop seducing the babysitters!” Bella says stomping her foot.
That breaks me out of my daze and Aaron’s too as a both turn to Bella, “What?”
She groans rolling her eyes, “Stop seducing the babysitter.”
I look away turning red, I touch my cheek. No drools thank God. Ok its official, I’m attracted to Aaron.
“What? I’m not… Wait, babysi… What?” Aaron shutters confused. His eyes rest on me once more, “you’re a babysitter?”
“Mmm,” I nod and I see the little kid go hide behind him. I start walking towards her and it looks as if I’m walking to Aaron, when I’m standing close to him, our eyes meet before I crouch down and look at the pretty little girl, she looks just like her mum, brown eyes, brown hair. “Hello beautiful.”
“Me?” Her little voice asks me.
“Yes, who else is the most beautiful girl in the room?” I ask smiling at her.
She comes out from hiding behind Aaron, “More than Bellie and Linda?”
“Much more, you’re like a princess fairy,” I say at her.
She brightens up and jump into my arms, “I’m a princess fairy Leelee.”
“Of course you are,” Aaron says ruffling her hair up.
I laugh, “Leelee?” He glares at me and I laugh turning away from him and going downstairs with Maria Fernanda, “so what do you want to watch?”
“Boss baby or Moana, or Barbie or the loud house, or…” She rambles on.
I laugh, “Okay, we’ll pick one using rock paper scissors.”
“What’s rock paper scishores?”
*
I had fun with Maria Fernanda and Bella, Aaron went back to his room and I didn’t see him again. And no my secret wasn’t kept, Andrea showed up one hour later and I had to confess to Bella. She kept my secret and ushered Andrea out. I stole her job but I don’t feel bad… Sue me.
When Ma-fe slept up, Bella showed me to her room and also showed me Aaron’s room too. After I tucked her in, I tiptoed to Aaron’s room. I knocked twice but no one came to open up, so I opened the door and let myself in. Almost immediately, I was grabbed by the wrist and pushed by the wall.
I gasped, and opened my eyes to see Aaron squinting at me. “What are you doing here?”
“Uh,” I gulp; he was so close and still shirtless, “babysitting?”
He scoffed releasing his hold on me, “you just happened to be babysitting in my house?”
“Yep, coincidence happens.” I say.
He sits on his bed, his muscle back facing me, “um are you ok?”
“Did you miss me that much?” He asked and I rolled my eyes ignoring him.
“Jesse said you were sick with a cold, true?”
“Were you worried about me?”
“Why did you leave without saying anything?” I ask again.
“Did you want to see a note?”
I groaned realizing that he won’t answer me, “Yes, Yes and Yes.”
He turns to look at me, and then squeezes his lips turning away, “Liar.”
“Whatever I’m going home, I can see you’re okay,” I say moving to the door, then remembering I don’t have a ride. “I’m going home now, without a car.”
He lies on his bed, “yeah, bye.”
“Gosh, this place is far from home and I don’t have a car,” I say hoping that Aaron would get the hint and offer a ride to me. He doesn’t say anything. I groan, “Aaron would you come give me a ride home… please?”
“Why? You brought yourself here, take yourself out.” He says not looking.
“But my ride’s gone.”
“I’m sure my mum paid you, call a cab.”
“Fine,” I leave the room banging the door behind me. I stomp downstairs angrily. “He’s doing nothing yet he can’t just offer me a ride home,” I was already close to the door and it’s surprising how fast I can walk when I’m angry, “I came here for him yet…”
“Wait up,” I turn to see Aaron coming down the stairs now with a shirt on, “before you blow up like a volcano.” I glare at him as he walks past me, once I’m facing his back a smile spreads on my face.
We enter into his really cool car and he starts driving me home, the car is silent and I use the opportunity to look around at the beautiful neighborhood. I can feel Aaron’s presence but I try as much as possible not to turn and look at him. I just stay still satisfied with the scent of the call which smells just like him and fine leather.
“I was not sick,” he said suddenly, I turn to look at him, “it’ll take more than that to bring me down.”
I nod, “good to know.”
After a while he speaks again, “Thanks for coming to the house,” he turns to look at me, “someone would think you’re falling for me.”
I look away blushing, “I’m not.”
He smirked, “and all it took was one night on the same bed with me. Damn I’m good.”
“I’m not!” I shout at him and he starts laughing, I like hearing him laugh. Just like he was before, since last night he seemed angry at me, but now it’s like we’re back to normal. I turn away smiling, “jerk.”
We exchange small talk until we reach my home, Aaron trying to piss me off. He stops in front of my house, “you know you shouldn’t come to my house.” He says and I frown.
“Why?”
“Well, because I might introduce you to my parents,” His blue eyes hold me like magnet.
“And that’s a bad thing?”
He moves closer to me, our face almost you touching, I back away until I’m resting on the fine leather chair. He unhooks my seatbelt, “No it would just officially make you mine,” He moves back to his seat and I release the breath I was holding, “Goodnight Noel.”
I scramble out of the car and rush to my door, finally I can think again. I smile at him, “goodnight Leelee.”
He groans and drives away but then his car starts coming back, I look at him raising a brow in askance, “Oh and Noel?” He smiles, “Next time I’ll leave a note.”
He winks at me and drives off.
There’ll be a next time?
————-
Dreaming of you keeps me asleep, thinking of you keeps me awake, and being with you keeps me alive