The horn slams in both ears, causing him to almost face-splat while running out of the street. The car rushes by with a 'whoosh!' of the tires, leaving Noah
with a bored state of mind again.
Tonight is his brother's annual game with his buds, and he's never allowed to participate. He didn't know why, considering he's a very athletic kid and would incorporate good strategy into the game, but he figured it wasn't actually he who was the problem. Dimitri's ego exceeds even himself, and he wouldn't want his little brother schooling him in his own game.
Kicking his shoes against the barren ground, he continues to walk on the dead sidewalk. Won't even invite his own brother to play! That's ridiculous, even Reggie brings his "brother" along, and he hates him with a passion. But what trouble have I caused? Nothing. But because I'm related to you I'm suddenly "uncool"? Whatever...
Noah isn't surprised by these things anymore, because it's a common occurrence for him to be left in the dust. It's always funny to him when he watches a sitcom, because he can't help but realize how differently life is for him. In a sitcom, there's a cliche trope where a baby is born into the family and steals all the attention away from the other siblings. Hell, that's a great concept of the mind, but reality is far from it. His parents didn't give a shit about him—his mother didn't even bother to stop drinking tequila while she was preggers with him—and he was basically just another liability.
It isn't like he's an annoying 10 year old. That's another sitcom trope. But rather, Noah has the most mature thought process of his entire household.
When his mother will collapse after a night at the bar, he's the one who puts her to bed with a warm blanket to her chin—his father wouldn't do it, he'd be passed out on the couch already from a long day's work. When his father starts raging about the house looking a mess, he's the one who steps up and does the chores, despite the fact that they were Dimitri's to begin with.
Put ME on a reality show!, He thought to himself. They'd be in for a good time, cause the shit he sees on a daily should be featured for the world to see!
But no, he's left walking with no real purpose, except that he knows he's unwelcome anywhere. He couldn't go home, his mother would be getting her back blown out at home. Which, he figures, isn't something a kid his age should know. However, perhaps it isn't too bad, considering he was already introduced to pornography by his peers in 6th grade. He couldn't go to the cement plant—although he was actually the one who found it, and Dimitri only took credit—because his brother would surely make him regret showing up unannounced.
"Take this, and stay the fuck away from the plant! Go get some candy at the store or something!" That was Dimitri's last words to him before he left. Some brother he had—Noah scoffed while thinking about it.
Around this same time, Ian bursts out the house, jogging down the street towards Dimitri's house. He's wearing a white beanie and a white blanket over his shoulders, and as he jogs it flutters behind him in the wind. Noah is at the opposite end of the street, and neither notice the other, but simply go on with their particular duties.