My eyelids were heavy, heavier perhaps than they had ever been. My ribs still hurt when I moved, even shuddered, so I stayed as still as possible. The breeze was soothing. I could only just feel it, ruffling my hair. The sun was also gone, I could tell from the lack of light behind my eyelids. How long had I been knocked out? A few hours?
It wouldn't be the first time...
There was something cool dripping onto my forehead, something beyond a breeze. Water I supposed. I didn't even consider where it might be coming from until -
'Corey, you're so -'
I jumped and my eyes flung open. After a few seconds of confusion though, I found the owner of the voice kneeling above me.
'Noah?'
'Corey, just lay still.' Noah said, sounding deeply concerned, 'Far out, you took a few. What happened?'
I didn't answer immediately. I was still trying to get over the fact that Noah was kneeling over me in my backyard.
'Yeh, I'm fine.' I lied, wincing from the returning pain in my ribs, 'What are you doing here.'
Noah hesitated.
'I just came over to see if you wanted to kick the ball around or something but I found you like this. What happened?' Before I could even begin to wonder just how Noah knew where I lived, he continued, 'Where are your parents? They're not home.'
'I dunno.' I said, admittedly relieved that they weren't around.
After a few moments silence, I decided to try to sit up. I locked my elbows down and slowly lifted myself from the ground, wincing in pain. When he realised what I was doing, Noah placed his arm around my back and pulled me up. Something slid from my forehead as I finally managed to sit upright. Looking down, I saw that it was a white, soaking wet tee-shirt.
'Wha -?'
'I just thought you might need a bit of cooling down, it was pretty hot earlier.'
It was then that I realised that Noah wasn't wearing a shirt but instead sat only in his flared jeans and converse shoes. The way Noah was kneeling, I could make out clearly the fine V-line that disappeared down into Noah's pants, as well as the light, sparse hairs around his nipples which I never would have noticed unless I was that close.
A silence passed before Noah spoke again, 'What happened?'
'I - nothing, I just kind of - fell over.' I said, looking away from Noah quickly before I stared too long at his naked chest.
'Get out, how could you have bruised your cheek like that? You look terrible!'
I didn't answer straight away but instead looked towards the ball that rested inches to my right. 'I was trying to catch the ball and I fell -' I glanced to my left, '- on the sprinkler.'
Noah glared at the large mettle sprinkler which conveniently sat close by.
'Are you sure you're okay?'
'Yeh I'm fine.' I said to my knees.
Noah looked unconvinced but thankfully didn't press the subject.
'What are you doing this weekend anyway?'
'Um nothing, why?' I responded curiously.
'Because - because it's my birthday and I'm allowed to have a friend stay over. Mum doesn't like guests usually, I mainly go to other people's houses. Would you want to?' Noah said this all rather quickly.
The immediate answer should have been YES at the top of my lungs, but before I could (and luckily too perhaps) another word came to mind.
'Why?'
'Sorry?'
'Why would you invite me?' I spoke slowly.
'Why not?' Noah asked, but after a few seconds of looking at my blank face, he sighed, 'Well, to be honest, er, some of my other fiends can be well - kind of - dick heads sometimes and I know that you're - you're not one.'
I wasn't really sure what to make of this. Was Noah saying that his friends weren't really his friends? Or was he just trying to justify his behaviour towards me at school? Either way, something like euphoria was filling me even to the extent of outstripping the pain. Eventually, realising that I hadn't answered, I nodded slowly.
'Great. It's this weekend!' Noah said, standing and smiling down at me, 'I'll talk to you at school.'
I nodded again and said, 'Okay, see you then.'
Noah grabbed his wet shirt, threw it over his shoulder, gave a final wave and then left.
***
I hesitated a little. I seriously considered running away for a moment but knew that I couldn't. Drawing up all the courage I had (which seemed limited at that moment) I extended my hand and knocked on the polished wood of the front door. There was a small movement from within and moments later, a woman appeared.
'Hello Mrs Bennet, I'm Corey.' I said nervously.
The woman held a kind facet, with thick glasses and poorly dyed hair which failed to cover the grey streaks.
'Hello dear, Noah's told me all about you. Come in, come in.'
I followed Mrs Bennet into the neat house and down a hall.
'Noah, Corey's here.'
My heard did a summersault when I caught sight of Noah. He looked up from a comic he was reading on his bed. He was shirtless again.
'Hey Corey.'
'Ha-happy birthday.' I breathed, holding out the poorly-wrapped gift.
'Epic, thanks heaps!' Noah said, putting the comic down and taking the present.
'I'll leave you two to it.' Mrs Bennett said before walking off towards the living room.
Noah's room was far larger than mine yet oddly more crowded as well. Sci-fi posters hung across most of the walls, with the rest of the space being taken up by posters of famous rugby players.
'So what do you want to do?' Noah asked, placing his present down on his bed-side table with the obvious intention of opening it later.