Page 23 of In the Middle of No(ah)where
How do I tell him I know Caleb's friend, Noah?
"Who's the friend? He's freakin' adorable, too." I could pretend I didn't know him. Since it's been so long, I would need to get reacquainted with him.
The more I stare, the more Caleb gives off little vibes, and maybe that's how they know each other. Perhaps they met at one of the meetups. Caleb looks defeated at something Noah says, and my heart breaks for him.
"I'm not sure, but be my wingman and let's find out." Barrett heads over to the edge of the crowd, where Kaitlyn is selling stuffed elephants. She waves at us before coming over. I get caught up in a conversation with a few kids who ask some questions about the elephants. When I turn back around, Barrett is holding two stuffed elephants.
"What do you think you're doing?" I ask in a no-nonsense tone.
"Flirting." He deadpans before saying goodbye to Kaitlyn and handing over one of the elephants to me.
When Barrett walks toward the boys with purpose, I'm on his heels, talking under my breath. "I hope you know what you're doing. Did you just steal these stuffed animals, and am I an accomplice? Please don't make me look like a total jackass."
Barrett looks over his shoulder and just grins. The ass.
"What's the baby's name?" A female voice yells from the crowd.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" A man's voice joins her.
Barrett excels at commanding the audience and effectively answers the barrage of questions from the guests. As he talks, his hand absentmindedly strokes the stuffed elephant in his hand."Once the calf has been examined and cleared of any health issues, we will make the formal announcement," he tells them.
"When will that be?" We both turn to the sound of a small voice. Caleb is standing next to the fence, fidgeting. Noah isn't fairing much better. It's a long process, and who knows how long they've already been here.
"It won't be much longer," Barrett says, offering Caleb a small smile. Turning to the rest of the crowd, he thanks them for coming out before stepping closer to the fence.
"Are you getting impatient?" Barrett asks, but my eyes are glued to Noah. He is offering me a shy smile with widened eyes.
"This one is probably the most impatient when–" Noah cuts off when Caleb gives him a death look. It's far from intimidating and only makes Noah giggle. Caleb looks embarrassed with his pinked cheeks. I want to grab Noah and run away. Ask him where he's been and what he's been up to.
"It's okay. I'd be impatient, too, if I were on that side of the fence. It's a long process, but you won't have to wait much longer, Caleb."Barrett reassures.
Caleb meets Barrett's eyes. "You remembered my name?"
"He hasn't stopped talking about you since yesterday," I laugh. Knowing it will make Barrett uncomfortable, as it puts him on the spot.
The blush returns on Caleb's cheeks. He is really precious, and I can see why Barrett likes him. He ticks all the boxes for him. "We need to get back, but I saw you standing over here with your friend and wanted to say hello and give you this." Barrett hands the stuffed elephant to Caleb, and his mouth drops.
"Y-you g-got this for me?" When his eyes glass over, it's clear he wants to cry. There is a moment of awkward silence, but they need to work out their own shit.
Finally, I break the silence.
"And this one's for you. Barrett said we can't give Caleb one and not hisfriend." I hold out the one for Noah. When he reaches for it, our hands brush, and that small contact sends an electrical current through my body that I haven't felt since the night at the aquarium years ago.
Noah takes the elephant and hugs it to his chest, just as Caleb is clutching his."That was very generous of you. Thank you so much." He, too, is blushing. But I don't think it's because of the elephant.
Keeping up with the charade, I hold my hand out. "I'm Marcus, by the way." My voice is low and melodic. I see a slight quiver in his body at the tone of my voice.
Noah's brows knit, and I'm sure he can't figure out why I'm introducing myself. Then his facial expression softens as if he understands that Barrett and Caleb don't know that we know each other. Orhowwe know each other. "Hi," he says softly. "I'm Noah. I work with Caleb at the coffee shop, and he's my bestfriend."His words are simple but carry the weight of unspoken emotions.
Barrett's radio goes off, interrupting the moment to notify us that we're needed back to the enclosed area.
"We need to go. If you guys can stick around for a while, we'll give you both a private viewing and tour of the habitat at five o'clock if you want." Barrett tells the boys as he walks backward.
Caleb looks up at Noah with pleading eyes and nods.
"Looks like we'll be sticking around," Noah responds to Barrett, but his eyes haven't left mine.
I check my watch, and it's only noon. Five more hours until I can spend some time with Noah. It's been two years. I can last five more hours. Especially since seeing him again has made my heart the lightest it's been in a long time.
