Noah didn’t take long in his showering. A new, freshly scrubbed Noah rounded the corner to the waiting room, and damn was it an improvement!

Before he was just a good looking grungy dude, now he looked like a clean dude that was kind of hot. His white hair that used to have a grubby gray tinge with clumps of matted dark filth, now looked snowy white, and fluffy as a cloud. The charcoal colored water marks that striped his face and arms were gone to reveal healthy, clear skin. Seriously, how did he get such nicely moisturized skin? Was it that good looking before he died? His gray hoodie sleeves were very slightly too long, but that just upped the cuteness factor. The black T-shirt with the happy vampires was a little tight across the shoulders, but that just showed off his nicely fit chest. The slightly baggy jogging pants and foam sandals finished off the outfit to give him a whole spa-vacation vibe. He looked like he had just stepped out of a hot springs resort commercial.

Definitely the distraction I needed right now.

“Oh hey, how was your bath?”

I quickly brushed my eyes dry as I climbed out of the over stuffed chair.

Noah looked honestly worried about me.

“Are you okay?”

I shrugged and shook my head.

“Yeah, totally fine. The message chair just jiggled me so hard it knocked some eye juice out, that’s all.”

Noah nodded, but he was still checking my face. I don’t think he really believed me.

“Okay.”

I scrubbed my face with the cuffs of my dad’s coat sleeves.

I really hated it when strangers stared at me after I’d been crying.

Let’s get back to those awesome distractions.

“I’m starving. You hungry? Let’s eat.”

I scurried out the door and down the alley. I could hear the “Fwop, fwop, fwop” of Noah’s sandalled feet hurrying after me, so I didn’t bother slowing down to wait for him.

Thankfully there was a special little place I knew and loved not too far away. It was also down an alley, and this place didn’t even have a door. In fact, I’m not sure that it was completely legal where it was, but it sure did have great food.

The little taqueria was tucked into what looked like an exterior closet on a back wall of a building. There was only one tiny counter crammed into the doorway opening, just big enough for money and food to be exchanged. There was no place to sit down, there wasn’t even a whole lot of space to stand in.

I held up two fingers.

“Carne misteriosa, dos, por favor.”

I put a few coins on the counter and waited for the lone lady in colorful clothing to make up our order.

“Hola.”

The chubby little middle aged lady greeted me like she always did. She usually barely gave me a quick glance before getting to my order, but this time she gave Naoh a double take.

Yeah, he definitely had a face worth getting an extra look or two.

She raised her eyebrows and fanned herself, clearly impressed.

“Tu novio? Muy guapo.”

What? No! He’s definitely not my boyfriend.

I frantically waved my hands at her.

“No, no, no.”

The burrito lady looked confused.

Ah, crap. Languages are hard.

“I mean, Si’ guapo, muy muy guapo.”

The lady giggled and nodded with me, we were both eyeing Noah.

Noah eyes darted between us, looking very confused.

“What? What’s she saying? Why are you two looking at me like that?”

I turned back to the burrito lady.

“Pero, no novio. Mi amigo.”

“Ah.”

The lady nodded sadly, and patted my shoulder.

Yeah, just about anyone would assume Noah would turn me down. I never wanted a boyfriend in the first place, but I don’t really take insult to someone pointing out the obvious fact that Noah was totally out of my league even if I was interested.

Noah leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear.

“Kari, what’s she saying?”

I shrugged.

“She’s just saying hello.”

Noah grumbled half under his breath.

“It seemed like a lot more than hello.”

The burrito lady had already started on our order and busied herself with our food.

“Salsa?”

She held up a little ladle of red sauce.

I wasn’t going to be fooled by that wimpy stuff.

“Verde, verde.”

She looked a little doubtful, but held up a different ladle with bright green sauce.

I nodded and gave the thumbs up.

She put a tiny drizzle of sauce onto our burritos that hadn’t been folded yet.

“Mas, mas.”

I nodded to encourage her.

She doused our grilled meat with another spoonful.

“Mas, mas.”

And another.

“Mas, mas, mas.”

And another.

Once the burrito filling started to look a little soupy, I gave her the thumbs up that she could stop.

She kept checking my face, as she wrapped up the burritos in foil and handed them over.

I handed Noah one of the burritos.

“You are going to love this!”

And then chomped into my own.

Seriously, I needed this! The garlicky, spicy sauce oozed over every bite and warmed my mouth. The chewy grilled meat had just a hint of crispiness around the edges. And there was that smokiness from the grilled peppers and onions. And then you had the mellow rice and tortilla to balance everything out. This was heaven.

I lifted my head from my lunch munching to ask Noah what he thought of this masterpiece in burrito form. He was literally in tears. . .

And wheezing a bit.

I talked around a mouthful of burrito.

“Do you like it?”

Noah’s eyes looked blood shot and his cheeks were red.

(cough, cough) “It’s so, so hot.”

I frowned at him.

“What do you mean?”

I took another bite of my lunch. Yeah, it tasted great.

Noah wiped some of the tears and sweat off of his face with the back of his hoodie sleeve.

“My face is on fire.”

I nodded.

“Mm, that’s how you know it’s good!”

Noah shook his head and turned towards a nearby dumpster.

I snapped at him before he could take a step in that direction.

“Mm, mm! You’re not going to waste my hard earned coins. Eat it, eat it!”

Noah was panting as he talked.

“B-but Kari, I can’t feel my mouth anymore, everything burns.”

Hmm, Noah’s lips were looking a little red and puffy.

Feeling some sympathy, I shrugged.

“Just eat it slowly then.”

I took another chomp of my burrito. Yeah, I seriously had no clue what he was talking about. It wasn’t spicy hot, it was just well seasoned.

Noah daintily nibbled on his lunch as I polished off the last juicy tendrils of the bottom of my burrito. Mmm, the last bit was always messy, but so good!

Noah was coughing a bit as he ate, but he seemed to still be able to talk.

“So, where are we going next?”

I wiped my saucy mouth with the back of my hand

“Next stop is up to you.”

Noah tilted his head to one side like a fluffy puppy.

“Hmm?”

I clapped my hands together.

“We’re taking you home to talk to you’re family, so where’s home?”

Noah’s voice lowered with disappointment.

“Oh, my family lives in Orchard Hills.”

He looked less than excited about going there, but this was part of the whole being dead package.