9 Chapter 9 - King of Romance (1/2)

Tring

I tilt my head, a tall man with army green hoodie with white nike logo on his chest appeared from the entrance. He looks like having a good mood today, his perfect mouth with its perfect corners turned up, smiling at me, in spite of everything, Noah smiling. He usually drinks Americano in the morning, so I tend to booked his order before he come approaches me.

”Steffi ! help me with this” Cara yelled, asking for my help while Noah's standing in front of the counter, his smile changed at the same time. Noah looks surprised, what's so surprising ? I lift my palm asking him to wait. His gaze follows the way I walk towards Cara and help her holding the big plate from her hand. When I came back to the cashier, he narrowed his eyes towards me and stares Cara as Cara froze and shocked at the same time.

”Stef.. what?” he asked, eyes towards Cara without a blink. In that moment, I realize I haven't told Noah about faking my name.

”Steffi?” Cara repeated, her jaw stiffened.

”So...” Noah tilted his head looking at me, his gaze is prosecuting me like a child caught cheating by her teacher. ”Steffi...” he rubs his chin and narrowed his eyes, nodding his head slowly. I bit my lips, can't hide a smile.

Noah pushed his face towards me, we are only 5 -7 inches away, my heart jumped off almost ribbed my chest, I froze but trying to stay cool and calm looking at him at the eyes. I know he was trying tease me, so I give him a thin smile, ”MS.STEFFI” he pressed his voice on my name.

James clears his throat, both of us were surprised, Noah stood back. ”Americano” James mentioned, holding a cup of Americano. The packed atmosphere ceased, like I finally could breath properly in open space. Noah took his Americano and left, disappeared by the entrance. And thus, Cara were standing there watching us like Korean Drama, then she came approaches me.

”What happen between you and him?” wearing a fishy expression.

”friends? nothing happen between us” I shrug my shoulder, trying to look as innocent as I could. Jane peeped from the back kitchen ”Hey, let me join the conversation. What's going on? I heard the celebrity's voice just now”

”Nothing” Cara grinned at me, she seems like a good secret –keeper.

The café closed. I walk home alone like usually, when I arrived in front of my apartment, touching the arched –grip about to push the front door, Noah yelled from the far ”Hey Miss Steffi” and run towards me. He found out before I tell him the truth, Sorry Noah.

Noah acts like nothing happened at the café earlier. ”A movie?” he pulled a cute panda flashdisk from his pocket. Ah, I just remember Noah promised me Horror Movies, he came back after 3 days. But, Ms.Potts is the one I am worrying right now, ”Are you sure? Does Ms.Potts gonna freak out if I bring you in?” since I assume Ms. Potts knows Noah Hoskins.

”Um...Let's try it?” he lifts his eyebrow, looking unsure. Without long consideration, I and Noah walk into the main lobby while Ms. Potts lifts her head looking at both of us, but looks like she doesn't care about Noah, not even surprised or –freaked out, she gazes back at her laptop and continue watching her Soap Opera. Maybe Ms.Potts know severals only from the 70s like Bob Marley, Al Pacino or Jack Nicholson. I can understand that. My mom used to mentioned their name like 20 years ago.

”She doesn't know me” Noah whispered, he looks more excited.

I tap the elevator panel and the door is wide open, we walk in and the elevator closed itself, it brought us up to the 5th floor.

Ting

The elevator's door open, we walk through the hallway. Noah is looking left and right enjoying the designs of the old building. He nods his head slowly, like he finally figured out the meaning of the designs.

”antique right ?” I asked

Noah smiles. ”cozy”

I pulled my keys out from my coat, plug it inside the knob, twist it and brought us in. I hang my coat and Noah takes off his sneakers, arrange them by the wall near the entrance. I close the door and plug the lock. Noah moved himself and sat on the bed, throwing his body to the mattress. ”Oh so cozy” he swipes his arms up and down on the bed, like playing snow during winter. Then he touched something weird on the bed, he was looking at the long pillow with eyebrow lifted.

”What is this thing?” he asks. Stood up, holding my bolster. Noah looks like in a mystery he wanted to solve so badly.

”Oh that's a bolster” can't hide a chuckle.

”for?” he strokes his chin like he's in a deep thought.

”AH ! is this what I saw from the youtube?” he raised his tone, now hugging the bolster very tight. ”the typical Asians can't sleep without?” he continued.

”That's right, and that's me” I laughed heartily and walks to the kitchen to prepare some dinner.

”pregnant women use this a lot here in America, different design of course” he tweeted

”I brought that since 4 years ago far from Indonesia” I explained

Noah threw his body to the bed with his arms wrapping the bolster tightly, ”borrow me a while, it's pretty comfortable” he added

There's a silence between us which makes me think he is probably asleep. I peeped him from the kitchen, he was laying on the bed with eyes closed. I turn my back and continue cooking. For a moment, he stood up and walks towards the kitchen. He stood by the side of the kitchen's door, observing my small kitchen. ”smells good” he implied, watching me cooking omelet.

”Of course, I am a good cook” I pass him the omelet complete with the fork and spoon.

”means I'm gonna sit on your bed?” he asked, since he found no dining table/ chair inside my small apartment.

”Yes” I walked past him and sit down by the edge of the bed.

The old mattress sagged under his weight as he sat next to me. ”you are a great cook” he praised, munching a spoonful of omelet in his mouth.

”thanks”

”by the way” Noah started, I tilted my head waiting for him to continue.

”You said you brought that bolster since 4 years ago from Indonesia”

I mumbled, ”Yes”

”means you've been here for 4 years?” he asked.

”Nope” I shook my head, ”California to be exact”

”Means you've been in California for 4 years? That's quiet a long time” he implied.

”Yes I am” I nodded. ”But why?” he asked with curiosity tone from his voice.

I sighed, ”it's complicated”

”what so complicated ?”

I take a deep breath, eyes looking at him. He seems like learning through my expressions. ”Tell me.. well or when you are ready” he said, changing his mind.

”Alright” I threw my face away from him, looking down at my plate of half –eaten –omelet on my laps.

”No need..” Noah said. ”Don't say anything while you aren't ready” he added.

Silence expanded for a few minutes..

”what movie do you bring ?” I started a conversation since I was curious from the start. ”Annabelle, Conjuring, The Haunting in Connecticut, Get Out, Insidious, IT, The Boy, and else. I download a lot of Horror Movies” he took the last bite and walk towards the kitchen, I heard the water poured, he is washing his own plate, what a great attitude.

”may I have a glass of water please?” he asked.

”Sure, take the glass from the cupboard by yourself” I answered. Then I heard some glass clinking, and a water poured from the water dispenser, he showed up with another glass and pass it to me.

”Thankyou” I said, his kind attitude gives me another heart –throb. He lays his body on the bed with the bolster in his arm and soon I realized that I used to drool on that bolster, did he smell it ? my eyes were straightly looking at him comfortably hugging the bolster. I think he didn't smell anything. I finish the last bite and clean my own dishes. Come back with 2 cans of cold coke from my fridge.

”Should we start now?” I said, showing him 2 cans of coke in my hands.

He sits straight and says ”Alright let's go”.

”is this your laptop?” he plugs his flashdisk in and start touching the touchpad. I drag a table and place it beside the bed, then Noah moves the laptop and put it on the table.