Noah
Noah got into his car and took a deep breath before turning the key and fixing his CD in the car.
So, she was an alien. And she knew he was too. That made it easier on him really, because he didn't have to hide anything from her. The only hiding they were doing now was from their parents. His own father, he knew, probably wouldn't mind, but AJ's father seemed to be a bit paranoid after her ordeal at the airport.
As he drove along, he was singing along to his CD. It was refreshing being able to drive himself, rather than take a cab over. It made it more convenient to do... everything really. He pulled up outside her hotel and went inside, feeling more nervous than he had about an hour ago. He stepped into the elevator and went to her floor, walked down her hallway and knocked on her door.
AJ
AJ had been bored ever since she'd woken up that morning. At the moment she was lazing on the couch with the TV remote and repeating everything the actors on TV said - trying to copy the accent.
Then she heard the knock on the door. At first she thought it was just room service or something similar, so she ignored it for a moment. Then she checked her watch. Realizing Noah was supposed to be back about then, she threw her pillow away and finally lifted herself from the couch.
With a groan and rubbing her eyes, she went to answer the door. She grinned as soon as she saw him.
"Hey. Forget somethin'?"
Noah
"Hey there, yeah I think I left my watch here last night. Do you mind if I come in and look for it?"
Noah grinned at AJ cheekily, taking in the sight of her. She looked better than he remembered.
AJ
"Hmm..." AJ rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"Well, I guess I could let you."
She stood aside to let him in, then closed the door behind him.
"Where do you think you put it?" she looked at him sideways.
Noah
Noah scratched his head as though he couldn't remember.
"Um... I'm not sure. You mind if I just have a little look around? I might be here for awhile though. Watches are sometimes hard to find. Being so small and all."
AJ
"No, no, I don't mind. I know what a pain it can be to close your watch..." she chuckled.
"I hate not knowing the time. I think I'll just sit and watch you look for it."
She turned the TV off, then sat over the other side of the room. Her eyes on Noah.
Noah
"That's good, coz I might be here for a large amount of time."
Noah pretended to search under some cushions and looked around the hotel room before he 'found' his watch again.
"Oh you know what, I found it!"
He paused, smiling before saying "Hey you know, it seems like such a waste to drive up here for just my watch. How about we go see a movie or something?"
AJ
AJ tapped her finger on her chin, a sly grin appearing on her face.
"Yeah sure, why not?"
She stood and grabbed her wallet, then grabbed a jacket to tie around her waist.
"As long as you know what's on cos you know... I'm not from around here," she raised her eyebrows.
Noah
"Yeah, come on, we'll decide when we get there, I don't wanna make you see a movie you might not like."
Noah put his watch on, grinning. "I have my car downstairs. You ready?"
AJ
"Yep," AJ patted her pocket with her wallet, slipping her mobile phone in her other.
"If Dad wants me, stuff him. I'll put the phone on silent once we're in."
She took one last look around the apartment, then followed Noah out the door and locked it behind them.
"Lead the way," she insisted.
Noah
Noah led her down to his car and unlocked it. They both clambered in and Noah paused before driving.
"I think it's around this way."
He indicated and drove, relieved when they pulled up outside the movies.
"Come on."
They both got out of the car and Noah led AJ to the ticket booth.
"So, what do you think? What do you wanna see?"
AJ
"Hmm..."
AJ regarded the boards thoughtfully.
"Depends... horror or comedy. I haven't been to the movies in months."
She stood biting her fingernails for a moment.
"Ok, I need a laugh. That one," she pointed at the movie poster.
Noah
"Yeah sounds good."
Noah strode over to the ticket box and bought the two tickets. He came back and held one out for AJ, also extending his arm for her to take.
"Shall we?"
AJ
"We shall," AJ grinned, taking his arm.
Then she leant over into his ear.
"Don't bother buying junk, you can always make it. It's dark in the cinemas after all."
Then she stood back and grinned as they made their way in.
Noah
"I never buy it. I mean, yes, I do. I don't use my powers for evil."
Noah laughed and they went through into their cinema and found some seats. As soon as it started getting darker, Noah turned to AJ.
"You hungry? If so, what do you feel like?"
AJ
"Need a drink first. Lemonade and popcorn?"
She flashed him a grin as the lights faded into nothing and the advertisements were about to end.
"And of course after that, I'll need chocolate."
Noah
Noah grinned and created the food bit by bit. He created what AJ wanted, then a drink for himself.
He handed the popcorn and lemonade to AJ then paused before making some chocolate and throwing that at her.
"There ya go."
AJ
AJ got into her drink the moment he handed it to her, and dug her hand in the popcorn. She had a never-ending supply after all...
She caught the chocolate neatly and kept it in her lap until she was ready to eat it.
And the movie began.
Noah
Halfway through the movie, Noah felt himself getting bored. It wasn't very funny, not as funny as it had claimed to be. Silently, he created a handful of popcorn and threw it at AJ, grinning, his eyes shining mischievously as she looked at him.
"That was someone behind us."
AJ
AJ faked a glare, then grinned.
Lifting her hand slightly, she lifted him so he was sitting just about an inch above his seat.
Then she threw a bit of melted chocolate into his face.
"Now who's in trouble, huh?" she chuckled.
Lucky they were in the back row...
Noah
Noah grinned and created a handful of whipped cream and smeared it into her face.
"If I go down, you're going with me."
AJ
AJ spat some of the cream out, then licked the rest around her mouth wiping it from her eyes.
"You are so asking for it. You should have seen my cousin last month."
She grinned.
"You wanna end up like her? Keep going."
She lifted him a little higher, then let go so he fell into his seat with a hard thud.
Noah
Noah created a balloon and smacked her on the head with it. The people on front of them turned around and shooshed them, and Noah responded by trying to stifle his laughter.
"You're dead, AJ."
AJ
"You wouldn't hurt me," AJ pouted, lifting him up and down again.
Anyone who saw would just think he was standing up and sitting down. She chuckled.
"I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve mate," she raised her eyebrows.
Noah
Noah laughed at her. "AJ, come here." He created some napkins and leaned over to wipe some cream off her face.
AJ
AJ felt weird.
This was a guy that she just met the day before and he was being so... flirty? Heh. Typical guy.
She waited until he was done, then caught sight of the chocolate on his face. She chuckled, then grabbed the back of his neck.
"I don't wanna waste that chocolate," she grinned, before wiping it with her other hand then licking it off her fingers.
Noah
Noah was taken aback. He didn't think AJ would do that. To break what could've been an awkward situation, he picked up some more popcorn and threw it at her.
"HA!"
AJ
AJ collected most of it and threw it back before grabbing a bottle of water she'd asked him for when her drink had run out. Unscrewing the top, she tipped it over his head with a grin, then set up a sort of 'gravity barrier' above her head which would send anything he tried to put on her to the roof.
But of course, it was invisible.
Noah
Noah created a towel and wiped himself with it. He put his hands up as though calling a truce.
"Alright, alright." Noah stopped and locked around. "Maybe we should leave. People are getting kinda mad at us. Feel like lunch or just wanna drive round some?"
AJ
AJ cocked her head to the side. She guessed the movie was just about finished, even though it was pretty boring.
"Ok. Drive. Sounds good ta' me."
They stood and began to make their way outside the theatre.
"Question though... If I trust you to drive me somewhere you're gonna know where ya goin', right?"
Noah
Noah paused. "Ok... well... I know of a few places around here. I now know how to get to here and back to Tulsa, I know where your hotel is, where the movies are and where the music shop is. So take your pick."
AJ
"Aww man, I so wanna go to Tulsa one day. Knowing Dad it probably isn't going to happen..."
She suddenly checked her watch for the date and grinned.
"But hey, when you're getting days off school..." she chuckled, "I think I was supposed to start a few days ago."
Noah
"What time does that meeting finish today? Dad said he'd be back pretty late."
Noah looked at his watch. "Do you think we'd have time to get to Tulsa and back?"
AJ
AJ snorted.
"I seriously doubt it. It'd take half a freakin' day to get there..."
Then she hesitated.
"Unless you broke the speed limit gettin' 'ere," she grinned.
Noah
"Hmmm." Noah stopped thoughtfully for a minute. Until his cell phone rang.
"Hello... oh hi Dad. No, I'm at... oh you're with AJ's dad? Oh, well, then I'm at Brad's house for band stuff... how late? Tomorrow? Why so late?" Noah gave AJ a thumbs up, grinning. "Meeting in where? Ok... so you want me to go and keep AJ company for the night? Yeah, I guess I can do that. I spose. I'll go home now and go over. Bye dad."
Noah hung up and looked at AJ. "Hey, good news... wanna go to Tulsa?"
AJ
AJ's eyes lit up.
"Hell yeah!" she exclaimed, and starting jumping up and down on the spot.
"Sorry, lotta energy to burn."
Noah
"Should I take you to the hotel to get some stuff, or do you want me to create it once we're in Tulsa?" Noah laughed, leading AJ towards the car. They got in and Noah started the ignition.
"Hotel, or Tulsa?"
AJ
"Eh, you can create it. All my stuff's in a little suitcase anyway... Dad has enough crap for four people," she waved him off.
"So... Tulsa," she grinned.
Noah
"Here we come." He finished for her and pulled the car into drive. His CD started and he turned to AJ.
"You can change that if you don't like it."
AJ
"No way!"
She turned it up louder.
"Reel Big Fish man. Wait..."
She took her hair tie out and shook her long hair around.
"Gotta have long hair to do this," she grinned, before beginning to head bang to 'Take On Me'.
Noah
"You seen them live? I missed it last time around, but as soon as school's over for good, me and a bunch of mates are going to follow them round on tour. Hah."
Noah drummed on the wheel to the beat. "Reel Big Fish, my first love of ska."
AJ
"The only band I've ever seen live is Lash, which you wouldn't know cos they're from my city. They're only domestic."
She groaned a little.
"Aussies should really introduce Yanks to stuff like Taxiride, Lash, John Farnham, Human Nature... not that I really like Lash, just that I hate it when no one knows who they are."
She frowned a little.
"I confused myself saying that."
Noah
"I know of One Dollar Short. Does that get me points?"
Noah looked to his side and indicated. "So I do know some Aussie stuff. One Dollar Short... um, Frenzal Rhomb. See, I'm pretty good."
"Aussie music rocks."
AJ
"Now, One Dollar Short rock. You have good taste there," she insisted, eyebrows raised.
"You know, RBF did a cover of..." she stopped herself and shook her head.
"Yeah, I think you might get points for that. But I so have to get you into Taxiride."
Noah
"Still waiting for ODE to do a tour over here. Still waiting."
Noah paused. "Taxiride?"
AJ
"Only the best Australian band out mate," AJ stretched her arms out in front of her.
"Jason Singh and the two Tims... hell yeah. Up in my top five. Can't you at least download some of their stuff? Assuming you do have the net, considering we just told Dad we knew each other over it."
She grinned.
Noah
"I'll give it a go later. What else do you like?"
Noah turned down the stereo, considering that they might talk for a bit.
AJ
"I told you I was eclectic," AJ attempted to remind him.
"But my top few bands are definately..." she hesitated, not mentioning Hanson, "Taxiride, Matchbox Twenty, Bon Jovi, Nickelback, Linkin Park, Bee Gees, U2, Creed..."
Noah
"That's fairly accurate then, to say you're eclectic." Noah turned to her and smiled before returning his eyes to the road.
"I'm into Reel Big Fish, One Dollar Short, Reunion Show, Allister, Vandals, stuff like that."
AJ
"And I've... never heard of any of those except RBF and ODS."
She rolled her eyes and looked out the window at the trees flying by. She could stare at a road for a whole day and not get bored. Actually a few days... she'd done it before.
She grinned at the memory.
Noah
Noah let out a chuckle. "American punk/ska bands. Mostly unknown."
He paused for a second. "Do you like Hanson? Coz they live near me, and I'm friends with them."
AJ
AJ's heart skipped a beat.
Then she coughed, realizing she'd stopped breathing.
"Um, yeah. They're... my favourite actually," she frowned, "I refrain from mentioning 'em at home, cos it's like makin' a death wish."
Noah
"Ah you should know better. I'm a Tulsa boy, born and raised. Generally no haters around us. Plus, I've gorwn up knowing them really. I'm not so much into that sorta music, but I still respect them and stuff."
Noah grinned. "Did you stop breathing?"
AJ
"It's a problem I have," she spoke the truth, "sometimes I dunno it happens and all of a sudden I'm stuck with no air in my lungs."
She grinned.
"No biggie though. Heart keeps pumpin', so as long as that happens and I'm alive, no problem," she tried to get off the subject.
Noah
Noah smiled but then groaned as his cell started to ring.
"Sorry. Excuse me." He picked it up and flipped it open. "Yo yo ma? Oh... hey Alli, what's doing? Oh... with Bella. Tonight? I don't know, why, what's happening? Party? I have a friend with me and she's never been to Tulsa, so I might show her around."
Noah held up his finger as if to say one minute and apologised to AJ with his eyes. "Well, I'll talk to her and give you a call if we're coming. It doesn't matter what Bella wants. Ok... see ya Alli."
Noah hung up and put his cell back into his pocket. "Sorry about that, where were we?"
AJ
"I dunno, you're drivin'," AJ grinned, her eyes returning to the road.
"Who was that?"
Noah
"Ha. You're clever, AJ, real clever. I oughta get out and let you drive."
Noah paused, thinking about how he could answer her next question. "Oh just a friend from school, Alli. She sometimes comes to band practice with Bella, another girl from school. They're having a party tonight and wanted to know if we wanted to go."
"It's up to you though. I'm happy either way."
AJ
"I'm not a big party-goer," AJ admitted, "but when it gets late at night I also need time to myself to 'space out' or whatever you call it. So... if you let me crash at your place or whatever you can go if ya want."
Noah
"Nah, it's cool. I don't feel like going anyway. We can just watch some vids and hang out or something if you want."
Noah pulled into his driveway.
"Here we are."