Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

S E V E N

When Finn dropped Noah and I off at the house last night I had asked him how I should dress and he responded with workout clothes.  I knew immediately that I did not want to partake in whatever he was suggesting.  But, alas, I was standing next to his SUV in leggings and a crop top, waiting for him to come out.  He told me to meet him at 9 and it's 9:05 now and he's still not stirring.  I know he knows I'm out here, he's just not coming out to piss me off.

He has exactly 30 seconds to come out before I bail on this.  I'm just about to turn and crawl back in bed when he finally makes his way out of the front door.  He's wearing a dark hoodie and basketball shorts, his long hair tied at the base of his neck and out of his face. He's a sight, even if I don't want to admit it.  

"You look like you are going to a funeral," Noah tells me, his eyes perusing my outfit.

"Well, you haven't told me where we are going so I actually might be," I shoot back and climb into his car. I have to climb because he's driving a pretentious SUV, and it's all very cliche. Korn plays through the radio when he turns the car on. I roll my eyes. Noah stretches his arm to grip the back of my seat as he twists to back out of the driveway.

"Oh, come on!"

"What?" He asks me, genuinely confused.

I just shake my head at him, in his stupid car with his stupid expression.  And his long, tattooed fingers drumming the steering wheel.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Of what?"

"Staying so damn irritated with me all of the time."

I try to retort but we've pulled up in front of Climb Murfreesboro. I have friends who frequent places like this, my outdoorsy friends who aren't afraid of heights.

"Why would you bring me here?" I ask incredulously, whipping my head to look at him.

"Because it's fun, and I've read your blog. You've never covered this place," Noah tells me and gets out of the car. I stare at his back for a long time before I get out to follow him.

"You read my blog?"

"Of course, I wanted to see what mean things you said about my place so I wanted to check it out. Then, I went ahead and read all of the posts," he tells me, holding the glass door open for me.

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

Noah gives his name at the front desk and beautiful girl our age with ebony skin smiles shyly at Noah as she checks him in. He comes back to me and walks us over to a 15 foot wall. The handles are colored obnoxiously, the floor is padded and there are no ropes in this area.

"Where are the ropes, Noah?" I ask him nervously.

"Oh, there are no ropes over here," he tells me, giving me a cheeky grin.  Mischief dances in his dark eyes as he pushes a tendril of hair that escaped his bun out of his face.

"What happens if I fall?"

"Don't," he says simply. He pulls me over to the wall, and it's suddenly much taller than it actually is.

"Plant your strong hand first, you are left handed right?" I nod, "place your left hand first, then your right hand. Find a good foot hole for your feet, use the larger pegs."

I place my hands on the wall and pull myself up, when my feet are securely on the wall Noah starts speaking again. "Now that you are on the wall, you need to place your feet first. Don't try to reach too far and keep your feet close together," he says gently as of not to spook me. I can feel his hands gently on my back.