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"I've got it!" Jezebeth jumped up from her spot on the floor and took the boxes out of his hand before he could speak. "Nice to see you again, Noah. You still owe me half your breakfast from the Corner Diner, you know."
"Ah." He chuckled, and his eyes shifted away from her as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll try to remember that in the future."
Jezebeth giggle and walked away from the door. "Come help me, Dex."
Dexter sent Noah a quick glance before he got up off the floor and grabbed the two top items from Jezebeth's hands. He and Jezebeth then went towards the kitchen so they could set the food down.
"What's the matter?" Mykie asked quietly when the two others left the room. Noah was bent over, trying to toe his shoes off before he tracked the snow from outside into the apartment.
"I didn't think she was going to be here," he said quietly. He glanced at the hallway where Dexter and Jezebeth went.
"It's Jezebeth and my apartment. Why did you think she would be absent? Especially when Dexter was here?"
"I... I don't know." He shook his head. "Dexter only said that he was here and that I should stop by with pizza and wings to hang out. I wasn't thinking about what coming here actually would mean."
Dexter and Jezebeth's laughter resonated down the hallway. Mykie saw Noah visibly tense up at the sound and had an unidentifiable emotion written across his face. Mykie wasn’t sure if his pink cheeks were from the weather outside or the sounds in the kitchen.
"It was Jezebeth's idea to invite you for a game night. I thought it was a good idea but if you want to go--" She started to explain herself, but Noah cut her off.
"No. I'll stay. I was under a different impression when I came, and I didn't want to intrude if Dexter already made up his mind. I'm fine, though. I can do this." He sounded like he was more trying to convince himself than Mykie, and it made Mykie's chest tighten. She didn't think he would assume that Dexter already made up his mind. Or, worse, that this was a date.
This was already a disaster, and the dinner barely started.
"All right, if you're sure..." she trailed off.
"I'm sure," he said with a nod.
She led him through the living room, down the hall, and into the kitchen. Her apartment felt a little strange now that there were multiple people there. She couldn't help but frown at the weird feeling in her chest. It took her a moment to realize that she was missing Ryker a little. She had grown used to his company and the silent relaxation sessions with each other. Now that things were back to normal, she wasn't sure if she liked it that way.
Jezebeth and Dexter were grabbing plates from the cupboard next to the microwave. The two of them were giggling and laughing with each other as Noah and Mykie entered the kitchen.
"Did we miss out on something?" Mykie jested.
"No, I'm just in a giggly mood, and Dexter's doing nothing to stop it," Jezebeth said with an accusing tone. It wasn't taken too seriously, though, since she couldn't speak without giggling halfway through it.
Dexter turned around and Mykie caught the moment when Noah and Dexter's eyes met.
"Hi," Noah said in a small voice.
"Hey." Dexter sent him a small smile. "How have you been?"
Noah cleared his throat and broke eye contact. "I've been good. Totally busy this last week. Swamped, actually."
"Oh," Dexter's smile lessened. "I was a little distracted this week. I was going to call you, but I assumed you'd be busy. Guess I was right."
"Well, I wasn't that busy. I would have made time if you wanted to hang out or something," Noah explained with flushed cheeks.
"Who wants wings and who wants pizza?" Mykie said with a clap of her hands, diverting the conversation to something safer.
"What kind of wings did you get?" Dexter asked over his shoulder after he turned around and opened up the container of wings.
"Nothing too spicy," Noah said as he stepped further into the kitchen. "I know you don't like anything over-the-top spicy."
Dexter's eyes widened, but he didn't say a word.
"Well, that's a shame," Jezebeth sighed. "I love spicy things, and I was hoping to bring you to this new Mexican restaurant I saw on Nineth Street that I heard had great food."
It was a little mean to want to see Dexter in such an uncomfortable position, but this was the only way she could keep everyone around her happy. Jezebeth wanted Noah around, and Noah wanted to see Dexter. It was a little hypercritical, too, that she was pushing him to choose between the two when he wasn't telling her to be choosy with her boys.
