"You find me interesting?" Noelle couldn't quite understand as to why he would say something like that. They were practically in the same class up until high school until she took more AP classes and he continued to take regular classes. She always remembered seeing him and thinking nothing of him and honestly the experience was mutual on his end. He remembered she won academic awards every year, still without a smile gracing her face. And she remembered him continuing the legacy of him leading their high school to victory every year.

They both excelled, just in differing aspects.

Charlotte popped by to drop off their drinks and to ask what they would be eating.

"I'll have the All-American burger with fries, please." He looked up at the kind waitress. He was polite enough, she thought. Noelle couldn't help but, still visualize that sex-hungry beast he could be and that sent an uncomfortable shiver to cascade down her spine. How could he be so polite in one instance and inappropriate and reckless in the next?

"What can I get you, doll?"

"Can I just get the double-decker sundae?" She replied.

"Nuts or no nuts?"

"No nuts, please."

Carson frowned while the Charlotte buzzed off to deliver the order to the kitchen. "You gotta be kidding, no nuts? What's a sundae without them?" He chuckled carelessly. As he ripped his straw paper and aimed at her face and blew it. It hit her on the cheek. "Bull's eye!"

"Nuts are great until they cause my throat to close." She mentions lightly.

"Yikes," He had a surprised look on his face, "Sorry, that sucks."

"Not really," She replies, "It just means that if I wanna take myself out, I just gotta shove a handful of cashews into my mouth." She joked.

"Jesus, Noelle. That pretty fucking dark." He couldn't help but, laugh at the dark joke.

"It's just a joke." She said as she fiddled with her fingers. She didn't know why she felt nervous in the slightest sense. But, it felt like a barbell was settled at the bottom of her stomach. "Thanks by the way. For the treat."

"Anytime, you're not that bad actually." He smiled at her as he look into her eyes.

"Do you think that lowly of me?" She inquired.

"Actually, I was expecting you to be a robot." He replied as she flashed a small smile his way. He wasn't that bad either. He was funny and warm and he wasn't trying too hard. The conversation seemed smooth and she liked that. She was worried that she would clam up trying to break out of her shell. She knew that she could seem cold and robotic towards people she didn't know. "I was expecting to see exposed wires and shit." He said honestly.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. No exposed wires or anything." She wasn't offended, she tended to be 'over-professional' with people she worked with and kids her own age.

Charlotte cruised over with a metal tray and set down their food and sundae. "Here y'all go, holler if y'all need something, darlin. Y'all enjoy." She walked off again. While Carson dug in to his food, he looked up and saw a mountain of ice cream separating him from Noelle. The sundae had chocolate syrup, cherries, sprinkles, whipped cream and caramel. It was a diabetic nightmare. And she normally never finished it.

"Wow," He said, "That's fucking huge."

"I know right." She smiled softly. In his opinion, she was prettier when she smiled. She started to dig in with her spoon. It tasted heavenly. She looked back at Carson and could see he wanted some. She handed him her spoon. "Wanna bite?"

His smile widened, "Hell yeah," He said as he took a hearty scoop and shoveled it into his mouth. "Oh yeah, that fucking great." He said and handed Noelle a french fry as an even trade. She took it and bit it.

They spent the rest of their time at the diner laughing and enjoying their company. She came to the conclusion that he wasn't that bad. And he came to the conclusion that she wasn't as uptight as everyone seemed to think she was. He talked about Tyler's unhealthy obsessions with Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

"What! Beyonce isn't that bad." She reasoned as she laughed heartily.

"She's over-rated and I don't find her that attractive." He replied.

She gasped and put her hand over her mouth, "I'm a straight female and I have a crush on Beyonce. Are you blind?"

"No, I'm not blind." He replied as he looked down at the shining table. "She just not the type of woman I'm attracted to." He shrugged. Noelle crossed her arms across her chest.

"Oh I see..." She squinted her eyes, "You don't like black girls, is that it?" His eyes widened and he blushed a bit.

"What? I'm down with the swirl--if you know what I mean. But, I'm not into MILFs. I guess." He replied.

She choked on her drink and laughed as she coughed into her elbow, "I-I can't believe you just called Beyonce a MILF." She couldn't breathe. "Do you know that the Bee-Hive will skin you alive for even looking at Beyonce the wrong way." She cleared her throat more.

She didn't know much about him but, he was definitely funny.

***

After the tutor session with Noelle, Carson opened his front door to a dark home. No pets, No parents, No people. He closed the door slowly and dropped his keys in a bowl near the door and headed for the kitchen.

Carson Holt was usually an all-around happy-go-lucky guy, he got that from his mom. But, sometimes on days like this when he's all alone in a house as grand as this...he got sad, he got that shit from his dad. Holt boys never really dealt with feelings like anger and sadness. Holt boys were taught to vault that shit and forget it with a potent drink.

His father's liquor sat elegantly in a glass case in the basement. Carson's eyes slowly raked across every bottle that hosted a dark honey liquid or a sterile clear one. He picked the darkest shade of brown and watched himself pour until the glass was over flowing. He knew his dad would never notice and if he did, Carson didn't really care.

He let the brown burning liquid slide down his throat. He could feel the fire in the pit of his stomach.

Carson had a lot riding on these tutoring sessions. His future for one, he needed to pass Bio to get off the bench and to take his boys to victory. He also wanted to give those college scouts something to look at. He was gonna get a full-ride to UCLA if that was the last thing he was gonna do. He was gonna leave this shit town behind and finally control his life the way he wanted to. Freedom was a few months away.

After finishing the bottle, it took him 30 minutes to get from the basement to his room. Tripping on things that weren't there, slamming into walls and knocking shit over. He reached his soft bed and face-planted into the comforter.

He felt the sudden urge to call someone to talk, it didn't matter who it was.

Holding a shaky hand and slurring into his phone's mic, he said, "S-Siri?" He slurred slowly. "C-Call, Noelle." He hiccuped.

"...CALLING NOELLE..."

She repeated until she picked up.