Early in the morning, by 5am, which was quite unusual for Noah, he woke up and realised he was still at Eric's house. He had slept overnight in his friend's place which Mr. Cooper might not find well, with him, not tolerate.
Hastily, Noah took his bath, and walked up to Eric's room. He patted him. "Eric, good morning! Wake up, it's time for me to leave!" Noah gently removed the pillow Eric had under his head, and he lifted him. "Sorry for waking you up this early." Noah said. "But why did you sleep in the sitting room?"
"Oh, Noah!" Eric replied, as he cleaned dirt off his eye socket. "I never knew I slept here… the stress was too much for me yesterday. Are you ready to leave now?"
"Yes." Noah responded confidently, and appreciated him. "Thank you for your care, Eric…" Noah continued, explaining why he was leaving his friend so early, as he sat lightly on the tip of a sofa. "Mr. Cooper has to be aware of where I had gone to, and if not that — he ought to know when I left the house, at least."
"Oh, no!" Eric interrupted, feeling disgusted at Noah's response, as he raised his head and rushed closer to him. "Don't allow such a thing again. You are a man — you are not meant to be controlled anyhow, by anybody…" Eric calmed down and reduced the frown that changed his face. "Anyways, have you secured any job yet." He asked Noah. "Did you do anything about what I told you to work on?"
"Not really yet, Eric…" Noah replied, his voice sounding very low, a sign that he felt ashamed of the response he gave. Noah expected to have gotten at least more of what he received from his friend, Eric, but he hadn't gotten a job, not to mention profit. "I am seriously working on that, and it is being processed, Eric."
"Alright, later then!" Eric interposed, bidding Noah bye. His eyes kept blinking slightly but uncontrollably, showing he still needed to sleep again — perhaps he would have a nap. "Leave the door open, I am going to shut it."
"And, thanks for the other day!" Noah returned an appreciation, not waiting for a response as he walked out of the house.
Noah's mind was all on what Mr. Cooper would say; how the man would challenge him, whenever he reached the Harris' house. Eric's house was quite distant from there, but he chose to walk, since waiting for a taxi might be a waste of time.
"It is not new to walk and tread the paths of New York!" He mumbled to himself, sounding like a poet. Sarah saw him on the way and waved. She was on a bike, and she was the rider. Noah laughed at her, and later covered his mouth. "Well, I wonder why people like staring at me when I do something strange…"
Thirty minutes later, Noah got close to Harris' house. He looked at his watch again, winked at the main door, and smiled.
Noah's soliloquy lasted as long as his walk to Harris' house. He reached the entrance finally, and breathed so heavily. He texted Lily on the phone, making her understand why he didn't arrive home the previous night.
Lily didn't waste time. She came out quickly after seeing Noah's text, and called him in. "Welcome dear. You must be tired by now." She patted him at his back, and held onto him till he entered.
"Where…" Mr. Cooper wanted to shout at him, but reserved it, his voice slowly becoming low. "Where have you been since?"
"I went out to search for a job. I never even knew I would be there overnight." Noah answered him calmly, and sat down, not minding what Mr. Cooper would say next.
"A job?" Mr. Cooper questioned him.
"Don't I need a job?" Noah returned angrily, but a bit humbly. "I guess you've been the one pressuring me to look for something reasonable to do!"
"Noah, be calm…" Lily moved close to him, and signalled to him. "Sorry for the stress." After that she had eased Noah, she walked into her room stylishly, with her headsets on.
"Thank you, my darling." Noah appreciated Lily, as he stood up to leave for his room as well.
"You both will walk out on me?" Mr. Cooper shouted, almost standing up too, his mind shuffled with worry and confusion. "I think I have to leave you to yourself, Noah. You're old enough to think for yourself…" he coughed, but Noah walked away, taking his reaction for pretence.
"The cough is back again…" Mr. Cooper lamented, as he coughed two more times, but not loudly enough that anyone else in the house would hear.
"Whatever though…" Noah mumbled, keeping his voice inaudible as he opened the door and rushed into his bed.
Noah raised his pillow up and picked up his pen. Immediately, a notification popped up on his phone, and he grabbed it to check, dropping his pen on the floor. "Oh, its Lily. Hey, how's it going over there?" He said staring at his phone, as if Lily was right there with him, in the room.
When Noah saw her message, he raised a shout. "Yay!" He jumped up, and unconsciously scattered his room.
Lily, his lover, had just passed an interview she went for, and had received the job of a financial secretary. It was one of the best billionaire companies that accepted and honored her application.
Noah didn't know this before, but he shunned the fact that Lily didn't tell him; he kept rejoicing and jubilating about her new job. "Congratulations, my dear!" Noah exclaimed again, making his right and left fists firm, showing a sign of celebrating Lily's success. After that, he received a call from her to see her in her room.
"Hello, come over." Lily called him, and hung the call straight away.
Noah hurried out of his room, but slowly walked, calling himself to order, to prevent Mr. Cooper from overhearing him.