9

In other to be happy with oneself it is necessary to a make at least one person truly happy.

Chapter Nine

N O E L

"One, two, three, four, I declare thumb war," I say to myself as I bring my two thumbs together. "Come on Lefty, come on righty. Grab his hand nail, grab his hand nail. Aish. And the winner is lefty!"

I burst out laughing, "You did this to me Alex Russo." I would forever miss wizards of Waverley.

"Someone seems to be in a good mood," my mum said her head peeking into my room.

"Hi mom," I greet her pulling my legs to me as I sit upright.

"Hello," she sings coming in and sitting on my bed. "You're laughing."

I roll my eyes playfully, "yea mum, it's a thing people do."

"What's making you laugh?" She asks eying me suspiciously.

Well, for starters. I can't stop imaging what Aaron's face will look like when he realize I didn't come to homecoming and let's just say I'm feeling giddy. "Nothing mum, I'm just not sad this evening." I say.

"Hmm, ok." She gets up to leave then looks at me again. "Isn't today homecoming?"

I nod, "how did you know?"

"I'm friends with the neighbors. Why didn't you go?" She asked frowning.

"I didn't want to mum, I didn't feel like it. Moreover, you know I have two left feet when it comes to dancing," I say to her hoping she drops it.

"Noel, you can dance." She says sadness clouding her eyes.

"Yea, with dad." I say slowly my eyes becoming like mum's own. I'm the worst dancer the planet has ever seen. I can't even twirl without making a fool of myself and landing flat down on my ass.

At my 12 year old birthday, the theme of the birthday was swan princess. My mum knew I couldn't dance yet she planned the party that way, she wanted it to be the biggest celebration of all time. Everybody was invited, when I say everybody, I mean everybody. We had hundreds of guest. Mum enrolled me in a dancing school, I failed but yet she falsely believed in me.

I was called to dance the usual 'Barbie' dance and my escort was one very cute Californian boy, my crush at that age. We started dancing and it didn't take long before I fall ass down to the ground, it was so humiliating. I could hear Karen’s laughter from the crowd. I got off the ground and ran away crying. I locked myself up in my room and cried my eyes out. My dad came and I let him in.

"What's wrong my little Odet?" He’d asked sitting on the bed beside me.

"I'm no Odet. I'm a clown." I said wiping the falling tears with the back of my palm.

My dad shrugged, "you're what you say you are."

"I can't dance. I made a fool of myself." I’d complained.

He opened his arms to me and I sunk myself into his embrace. "I'm so sorry darling but this is just one of the many falls you'll encounter in life. You can't dance, so what. Wait that's not right... Who told you can't dance?"

"Nobody told me dad, I'm a living proof." I’d said.

"Well tell Nobody that your father can dance so you can too." I giggled, he was referring to 'nobody' as a person. "Shall we my little princess?"

I shake my head at him. "I'll fall again."

"Well then be sure that I won't laugh, it's alright to fall in front of me." He says, then I took his hand and we started dancing in my room. "Think with your feet."

From that day onward, I only danced with my dad. I wasn't humiliated or shy or nervous in front of him. I was comfortable. "Mum just drop it ok?"

She nodded, "ok, but you have to go to other school events."

I nod, "I'll try". She gave a nod before leaving. I sigh, I wonder if Nadine and Peyton have arrived the school gym. Their dresses were beautiful. They sent me a picture since I refused to go shopping with them. Pete didn't ask Nadine out after all, she ended up asking him out herself and he said yes. Raymond took my advice and was going with Peyton.

"Psst...Christmas," I hear someone whisper throw my window. I roll my eyes. Isn't Jesse going for homecoming? "Psst, Christmas."

I don't answer him and soon a pebble hits my window, "Christmas, I know you're in there." I groan and get off my bed. I pull my curtain apart then open up my window.

"What?!" I shout at him, before noticing that he is shirtless, standing in just his boxers. "You better have a good reason for calling me."

He eyes me, "why aren't you dressed?"

I cross my arms across my chest. "I could ask you the same thing."

He smirked, "don't tell me, simpleton ditched you."

"It’s Templeton. What's wrong with you guys?" I asked not really getting why they were giving him a name change.

"Whatever did he ditch you?"

"No," I paused a little thinking of a lie, "I'm just going to be fashionably late. Why the hell are you even concerned about my date?"

"Because I think Simpleton's arms are the last place you'll want to be in this night," he winked at me.

I frowned, "is this some kind of booty call talk?"

He smirked relaxing on the window frame, "depends on the kind of talk you want to here. I can deliver all."

I tsked at him, "You’re disgusting."

He suddenly stands up straight, "wait, what are thinking?"

"I'm thinking you're trying to lure me into your bed," I say seriously.

"Woah, I didn't say that. Please don't let Aaron hear you say that." Jesse defends.

I stand up straight curious, "why? Is he against sex before marriage?" Jesse looks at me for about a minute before he burst out laughing, he is laughing so hard, and he almost stumbles over. I shake my head, "something is clearly wrong with you," I make to enter back inside when he stops me.

"Wait...please Christmas wait up," he wheezes out as he stops his laughing fit. "I'm sorry that was just too hilarious."

"Why did you call me out Jesse, I have a dance to prepare for." I ask tired of discussing through the window.

"Ok so I have a fashion emergency, choo choo" he walks away sounding like a train then returns with four shirts, "Blue, black, grey or red?"

"It’s now you want to choose what to wear?" I ask surprised.

"Yep, I thought my mum would buy just one but she bought four so...pick one."

"Your mum shops for you?" I ask laughing.

He frowns, "yeah something wrong with that?"

I stop laughing and instead feigned coughing, "no no, not at all."

"Good, so pick fast the girls at the party would be waiting for me," Jesse says, I roll my eyes at him.

"Umm, why don't you match with your date?" I suggested, all the shirts looked really good.

"I don't have any date; I'm the ladies man, La-dies." He says wiggling his brow at me.

I make a gag motion at him, "ok, the red one is prom material or any sophisticated event material, not this dance, too classy," He nods and throws the shirt to his bed. "The blue one is good but being a ladies’ man, it might clash with some dresses." He threw it to the bed too.

"Black and grey however are perfect," I say.

"Aw come on choose one already," Jesse says stomping his foot cutely.

I laughed, "Ok ok, go with black."

He smiles, "thanks Christmas."

"You're welcome," I say feeling quite pleased with me as I turn to get back to my bed.

"Christmas?" He called again. I turn to see him already putting on the shirts, his abs on full display. I look away from his body meeting his green eyes, "what's your favorite color?"

"Hmm," I place my hand on my chin, "Red."

He chuckled, "go figures."

"And Mint... not to be the Christmas fairy or anything," I add. "Have fun at the dance... I'll... I'll be there before you know it."

He nods, "have fun in your bedroom too." I gape at him and he winks before leaving his bedroom.

I close my curtain going back to my bed. I guess Jesse isn't bad, that is when he is not teasing you.

*

"Wow, go chase... Go chase don't let Diego meet you," I shout at the TV moving on the chair like I'm actually on a racing track.

"Keep it down Noel; I'm studying for an interview!" My mum shouts from her room.

"Sorry mum!" I shout back and watch as my red racing car becomes second place, "Dang it."

I hear my phone vibrate on the table before Shawn Mendes and Camilla’s I know what you did last summer comes blaring out. I groan and pause my game. I pick up my phone. Nobody ever calls me so I'm curious. I see the ID and it says. 'Soul mate' I pick it up curiously.

"Hi Noel," a voice comes from the other side, I roll my eyes.

"Aaron? How the hell...oh," he put in his number while he was with my phone. "Soul mate, really?"

"I'm shrugging right now, just so you know. Yea soul mates it sounds cool. You know like you traveled round the world looking for me only to arrive in New York and find me, your one and only soul mate." He says and I can tell he is smiling.

"I'm cringing right now just so you know," I repeat his line to him. He starts laughing and the sound is oddly melodious... Like the perfect sound of laughter. I catch myself smiling and I shake it off. "Why are you calling me?"

"Yeah so Simpleton is here with glasses girl. That nerd you walk around with, big backstabber. Should I beat up Simpleton for you?" He asked seriously.

My hand covers my mouth to stop me from laughing. "You want to beat up a guy for me?"

"Yea, why aren't you here?" He pauses. "Are you at home crying?"

I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. "I'm at home but I'm not crying." He's about to say something but something interrupts him. I hear a noise from the other side but I can't get what's being said.

"I’ll be right back; I've to go accept my crown. I'm King of the world." The line dies and I drop my phone on my bed side.

I stay staring at my phone but he doesn't call back. I fall asleep staring at my phone. I'm awoken by an annoying sound. I check the time and 40 minutes have already gone by. "Damn Aaron, he said he’ll be right back."

I get up to go grab something to eat when I hear the annoying sound again. Its Peebles hitting on my window glass. I wonder if Jesse is back already. I go and I see nobody at his window.

"Down here," I hear someone say, and I look down and see Aaron, there is a shining crown on top his head.

My lips part in surprise, "what are you doing here?"

"Obviously waiting for you, come down." He says demonstrating with his hand.

"No way," I say back, leave my bedroom. Nope.

"Come down Noel!" He shouts.

"Shush, you'll wake my mum and the whole neighborhood," I say frowning at him.

"Then come down."

"I'm coming," I say stomping away from the window. Stupid Aaron coming over here and ruining my plans, I change out of my pajama shorts and into a jean with a big sweatshirt, my milky beanie and vans. I manage to sneak out of my house. "What?" I say stomping angrily to Aaron.

His eyes wonder up and down my body and he smirks. "Cute."

I roll my eyes. "It's no homecoming dress so keep the flattery to you."

"It’s no... just forget it. Come with me." He says moving forward.

"Come with you where?" I ask skeptically.

"You'll see," he says.

"I'm not going anywhere with you Aaron." I say not moving an inch.

"Noel!” he starts shouting, “Please come with..." I run to him and cover his mouth with my hand fearfully, and then I look up to see if my mum's bedroom light would come on. It doesn't.

I glare at him, "jerk." He just smirks and I end up following him to God knows where.

We walk in silence for a while and we finally stop in front of school.

"School?" I ask.

"Yea, you come here every week. Come on." He says entering in. I start mumbling cusses at him and he just starts laughing. We enter into the school and go to the gym. It’s deserted, everybody is gone leaving behind balloons and shining lights with sparkles.

"It’s beautiful," I say looking around.

"See what you missed? Or wanted to miss?" He asks gesturing around.

I look at him, he looked really handsome. In his black button down fitted shirt and blazer with cool jeans. His hair was sticking out everywhere and with the crown on top he just looked perfect. "Why did you bring me hear Aaron?"

"You owe me a dance, remember?" He says going up to the speakers and DJ instrument.

My eyes widen, "no I can't dance Aaron I'll crash." I confess panicking.

"You don't have to dance, just move your body?" He says.

"Huh?" I ask confused.

"Slow dancing is boring if you're not into me. Are you into me?" He asks moving closer to me.

"Um...no obviously" I awkwardly reply, wondering how he can just throw that out like that.

"Ouch. See it's romantic. We'll dance that when you fall for me," he says.

"You say that as if it’s a given that I'll fall for you."

"It’s a given," He replied cockily. I roll my eyes. And I'm about to say something when he moves to me, so close it’s almost uncomfortable. He removes his crown and places it on my head. "Shake your body princess. Shut up and dance with me."

Just immediately shut up and dance with me from walk the moon starts playing. Aaron stretches his hand forward opening his blazer and standing like Michel Jackson with his head angled one side. He wiggles his brows at me and I burst out laughing.

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me 

I said you're holding back 

She said shut up and dance with me 

This woman is my destiny 

She said oh oh oh 

Shut up and dance with me

He shrugs off his jacket doing some really crazy dance moves. I can't stop laughing and then he points at me.

We were victims of the night 

The chemical, physical, kryptonite 

Helpless to the bass and the fading light 

Oh we were bound to get together 

Bound to get together 

She took my arm

I don't know how it happened

We took the floor and she said

I don't feel shy. It’s like I'm high on adrenaline and sugar. I close my eyes doing crazy moves than any sane girl would probably only do in the confines of her bathroom. When I open my eyes, I see Aaron looking at me laughing, his eyes sparkling in the night. It's not a mocking laugh, it’s a laugh that says "we're all crazy."

Oh don't you dare look back

Just keep your eyes on me

I said you're holding back 

She said shut up and dance with me 

This woman is my destiny

She said oh oh oh 

Shut up and dance with me

By now we're jumping around, gyrating on the gym floor doing all kinds of crazy dance. And I can't proudly say that in all my seventeen years on earth, this is my most crazy fun night ever.

--------------