Chapter 10

As soon as I was done with work, I went to MCs’. She let me in and sat in the living room. 
“MC, there is going to be a Christmas party tomorrow night at work and I get to bring a plus one. Do you want to come?” 
“Sure. It would be nice to get out of this house. I just can’t stand it anymore, mom with her secret boy friend and Noah with New York.” 
“Why doesn’t he just go? I mean your mom has a boy friend now. She might not need both of you.” MC didn’t give me any answer. So I assumed “You didn’t tell him that your mom is dating, did you?” 
“No, he doesn’t need to know. Plus we are not sure either if she is really dating” 
“Oh come on MC. Noah is throwing his life away so that your mom wouldn’t be lonely. She is not lonely anymore.” 
Noah walked in while we were debating this matter. He said hi to me and made his way to his room. 
“Noah” I called out to him. He came down. “There is going to be a Christmas party tomorrow night at my work. Do you want to come?” 
“No. Its fine I’m just going to stay in.” he declined but I don’t take no for an answer. “Come on it will be fun. Please. Do it as a favor to me.” 
“Ok sure.” he went back up stairs. 
“You betrayer, How could you leave me hanging?” MC complained. 
“Relax; Oliver doesn’t have anyone he is going to bring so he gave me his extra.” 
I went home and washed the third mug he gave me. I put it next to the two mugs on the middle shelf ‘Worlds best apple lady!’, ‘Worlds best lunch box lady!’, ‘Worlds best power suit lady!’ he makes me smile all on my own. 
The next night I went over at MCs’ to go to the office party with them. The whole way there neither MC nor Noah said a word. We went in and the office was crazy decorated. I don’t even know when they had time to do this but it was beautiful. I grabbed a soft drink but MC and Noah grabbed alcohol and went in separated directions. Oliver stood next to me and asked who I brought. I told him I brought my friends but they are not even talking to each other. I looked across the room and saw Noah standing alone. I went close to him “Come on Noah it’s a party. Go crazy with the others.” 
“I am just not feeling it.” 
“Then at least talk to your sister.” 
“No!” That was a short answer. So I went to MC to try and convince her to talk to her brother. Her answer just like Noah was no. I got angry. I told MC to sit and wait for me. While she was sitting I went to get Noah. Once I brought him and they saw each other they tried to escape. I forced both of them to sit down and gave them a piece of my mind. 
I said to them “Do me a favor and talk to each other. Noah hit me with “Hu, coming to the party was the favor.” 
I got mad “What is wrong with you two? You guys are brother and sister and you have the best relationship I had ever seen. You have to be there for each other. Now I am going to go over there so you two can talk. Talk” I gave an order and went to a short distance to listen to their conversation. They stayed silent for a while then Noah said to MC “Listen, you don’t have to feel guilty. She is my mom too. I will never leave her alone.” when he stood up to leave MC burst the truth out. 
“Mom is dating.” Noah sat down with widely opened eyes and said “What?” 
“Ya I know. She is dating someone. I don’t know who yet but I am pretty sure that she has a boy friend.” 
“Since when and how do you know that?” 
“I think they have been together for about three to four month. And Princi and I heard mom on the phone when she was talking to him.” 
“Wait so if you knew this, why didn’t you tell me?” he asked her a question she hadn’t been able to answer to me. 
“Because if you found out that mom was dating, you would have left.” 
“Exactly” he said. 
“Exactly, Listen Noah after dad left, mom and you were all I had. And I have been using not Leaving mom to stay at home but it was because I really don’t want to loss you guys. When you told me you got in to NYU I thought I could keep you here because of mom. But now mom doesn’t need us, you have no reason to stay. I already fell like I am losing mom to whoever her boy friend is. I just didn’t want to loss you as well. You are my little brother.” MC answer not only shocked Noah but it shocked me too. 
“You can never loss me. Not even if you want too. And I am sorry I was being selfish, I should have known how you felt. And I love you too” 
“I never said I love you. It’s fine. Hey Noah I want to give you an early Christmas present.” 
“What is it?” he gets exited. 
“New York.” 
“What?” 
“Go to New York. I saw the essay you send to NYU and it was actually pretty good so I really think that you should go. I mean it just four years and you can see us on Christmas.” 
He stood up and hugged MC repeating the same word ‘Thank you’ over and over. 
“Ok, ok get off me.” she smiled at him. Then Noah said “Wait so does this mean that you are not going to give me Christmas present?”She answers “Boy I just gave you your freedom. What else could you possibly need?” 
They laughed and MC warned him not to tell their mom that they know she is dating someone until they find out who he really is. They agreed and Noah went home to tell his mom he is going to New York. 
MC walked towards me and when she saw a look on my face that said ‘I told you so.’ she hit quickly with “Don’t say ‘I told you so’.” 
“Oh but you had it coming.” I clicked my tongue. She shook her head at me and started another subject. 
“So, which one of these handsome but poorly dressed men: Shawn.” I looked around and when I found him I said “That one, the guy in the black shirt.” 
“Oh. You didn’t tell me he was this handsome.” She looks at his direction again “Wait, who is the tall glass of milk next to him?” I looked over to see who she was talking about. 
“I don’t know. I have never seen him before. I think he is Shawn’s plus.” 
“Really” she looked pretty interested “Ok, I need you to do me a favor. Go over there and take Shawn away from him so I can go in.” 
“What? No.” I refused. 
“Come on Princi. I’m not only asking for a favor but I’m also doing you a favor.” 
“How”? 
“I know you like Shawn and it is pretty obvious that he likes you too. So if you go over there it might send him a signal that you like him.” 
“I am so sorry MC but I am not going over there. Over my dead body” 
Just then Shawn walks up to me and said “Hey boss, can I talk to you for a minute?” I blushed. I don’t know why because all he said is ‘Can I talk to you for a minute’ How can someone blush over that. “Sure” I said and followed him few walks away from MC. “What is it?” I asked hopping to hear something sweet. 
“Oh; nothing. It’s just that my friend Chris wanted to talk to your friend. So he asked me to come take you away from her so that he can go in.” 
For some reason, I got disappointed. But to hide my disappointment I said “Wow, those too are made for each other.” 
“Excuse me”? He asked so I explained with a forced smile on my face. “MC was asking me to take you away from him so that she can get in.” 
“Seriously” He asked in disbelief. I nod my head. I was no longer able to hide my disappointment so I excused myself and took the stairs to the roof top. 
I am thinking to myself; I must really like this man. But why and how, these days I feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I see him. I smile just when I think about him. The only reason I said no when MC asked me to help her was because I was afraid I wouldn’t know what to say to him if I really talk to him face to face. But he had no worries. All he did was rush to me to help his friend. He could have at least made up something rather that just saying that the only reason he wanted to talk to me alone was to be a good wing man to his friend. 
But then I think about what I am thinking and I freak out even more. When did I become that girl who is already obsessed with a man that she doesn’t know much about? But then again I pop back in to the crush bobble and think next chance I get I should know more about him. 
I shook my head to knock out what I was thinking about and then I heard his voice. 
“Why do you keep disappearing?” 
“I wanted to get some air.” I made no eye contact “So are you enjoying the party?” I asked. 
“Wait, who exactly are you talking to? Your boss or the ignorant jerk?” he asked. 
“I don’t know. Who would you want it to be?” that was me. 
He hesitated a bit then he gave me his answer. “The ignorant jerk” 
I smiled, looked over to him and said “Me too.” and I turned back to the view. 
He came closer and stood next to me and leaned forward while looking at the magnificent night view. “Is there something wrong?” he asked me. In my head I was like “yes” but what I said to him was “No” 
“Are you sure?” he asked again. In my head I was like “No” but what I said was “Yes” 
“Well I was thinking about what you said about how your dad pushed you to business. And I wanted to tell you that I can relate.” 
“How” I asked and in my head I was thinking I am about to know more about him. I shook my head and paid attention. 
“My father pushed me to business too.” 
“Really” 
“Ya, I was more of a music man.” 
“A music man” 
“Yap, I was even in a band in high school. We called ourselves ‘Next generation ladies man’ or in short ‘NG1M’ The ‘1’ was supposed to stand as ‘L’ for ladies.” 
“Ok, now you are making things up.” I started laughing and so did he. 
“I wish I was.” I cracked up. He continued “We were supper cool.” 
“I highly doubt that.” I said sarcastically. 
“Any way my dad made sure I would never get close to music again.” 
“Don’t you regret it? I mean having your dream snatched away from you.” 
“No not at all. I know he only wanted what was best for me. He wanted me to take over his business. Plus I was so close to getting a tattoo of our bands name. It’s good he stopped me.” 
“So what were you in charge of?” I asked with a big smile in my face. 
“I was the lead vocalist and guitarist.” 
“Were you guys any good?” 
“Yes that I am proud of. But we weren’t good enough to be on a big stage. Our level was performing for our girl friends. And they loved it.” 
“Wait if you were dating your audience then even if you guys sucked they will still tell you that you are better that any singer in the world.” 
With a sarcastic shock on his face he said “That is exactly what my girl friend used to tell me when I performed to her.” I cracked up again. 
While we were laughing he got a phone call. He looked at his phone and it looked important. He picked it up and he said “Ok. I will be right there.” Then he turns to me and said “I have to go. Something came up.” I nod my head. He smiled “Merry Christmas” he said so I as well wished him “Merry Christmas”. He turned around to walk away but then he turned back at me “You know, I am really grateful that you father pushed you to business.” 
Confused I asked “Why” 
With a gentle smile and looking right in to my eyes he said “Because if he hadn’t, I would have never met you in that elevator”…