Page 6 of Keeping Noelle

“Let’s go out to dinner,”Ansel says as I close his laptop and lean back on the couch.

“Okay, where did you have in mind?” I ask easily.

I expect him to say one of our old favorites like Nosh Diner or maybe to grab tacos or a burger, but he surprises me.

“How about Palmer’s Steakhouse?”

“The fancy place?” I ask in surprise, and he grins.

“Yeah. Have you been before?”

“No, I mean… that’s a date place,” I tell him, and I wonder why I’m whispering.

“Yeah, let’s go there.”

He stands, and I stare up at him.

Wait. Does that mean that this is a date?

No, it can’t be. I mean, he’s never once treated me like he’s wanted more. Must just be my fantasy.

Still, I can’t help but hope.

I want to ask him, but he’s already headed upstairs to get ready and I have to hurry after him. It’s probably a good thing.If it wasn’t, then things would be so awkward between us, and if it is…well, I’d probably get too nervous and end up messing it all up.

He heads into his room, and I pause before I head into my room. I run through all of the clothes that I brought and realize that I might be severely underdressed.

“Um, Ansel?” I call, and he pokes his head back out.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t think that I have anything to wear for something as fancy as Palmer’s.”

“We can stop by your house,” he offers.

“No!” I shout, then wince. “No, I don’t want to go back home. Lord knows who is there and what they would make me do while I was back home.”

“I’d be there. We could be in and out,” he says, and I smile.

He’s right. The only time that I’ve ever seen my stepdad afraid was when Ansel stood up for me. Ansel is tall and towers over everyone, my stepdad included. I’m not sure if it was the height thing that had Paul scared, or the look in Ansel’s eyes. It was like he had been pushed to the edge, like he would do anything to keep me safe, and that scared my stepdad.

It made me fall even more in love with Ansel. No one has ever stood up for me. Not that I can remember, anyway. Ansel has always had my back. He’s always looked out for me and taken care of me. He’s always wanted what was best for me.

“I…I just don’t want to risk it. I don’t want to have to go back home so soon,” I tell him softly, and I can see the anger and sadness swirling in his eyes.

Ansel is the only one who knows how bad my home life is. My friends, Ginger, Cora, and Lilou, they all might assume it’s bad, but Ansel is the only one who has met my parents and Kevin. He’s the only one who has seen how they really treat me, what they really think of me.

“Alright. Manci’s or Toasty Buns?” He asks me, and I smile.

“I’m good with either. Thanks,” I say as I reach out and wrap my arms around his waist.

I lean my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as Ansel hugs me back.

“We’ll take care of your family,” he promises me. “You don’t have to stay with them.”

I want to believe him, but I don’t have many options. I’ve been trying to save up for years to move out of their house and get away from them. Every time I’m close, something happens. My car breaks down, the roommate that I found falls through, or most likely, my family finds my money and steals it.

I’ve tried banks and like a hundred different hiding spots, but it doesn’t matter. They always manage to get their hands on it.

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