School had felt normal the next day or as normal as it could be with Axel walking around like he hadn't rattled everyone's expectations the day before. A few people watched him differently now, especially after he'd matched Noah's quiz answers without even trying. Axel didn't say much about it. He never did. Later that afternoon, his childhood friend caught up to him near the lockers. "You're coming tonight," she said, already tugging at his sleeve. "It's just a house party. Chill, nothing crazy." "I don't do house parties," Axel said. She rolled her eyes. "You do now. Come on you've already got people curious." And just like that, Axel ended up in the passenger seat of her friend's car, heading toward the kind of Friday night he didn't usually care for. The party was alive, music bouncing through the house. Axel leaned back against the wall near the kitchen, arms crossed, scanning the crowd like he was measuring the room. He wasn't hiding he didn't hide but he wasn't exactly throwing himself into the chaos either.
Some people noticed him. Some didn't. That was fine. Across the room, Noah moved between people, a red cup in hand. His shirt was a little wrinkled now, his hair less controlled than usual. No glasses tonight, but his posture was still straight as if even tipsy, he couldn't stop being disciplined. For a second, Axel didn't even think it was him. But then he caught the way Noah smiled too polite, too stiff and knew. He watched as Noah grabbed another drink, laughed at something someone said, and then slipped out the back door. Alone. Axel followed. Outside, the air was cooler. Noah was sitting on the porch steps, hunched over with his elbows on his knees. "You good?" Axel asked, keeping his voice neutral as he approached. Noah didn't look up at first. "Yeah, I'm" He turned his head paused. Then squinted. "...Wait. Axel?" Axel gave him a small nod and sat beside him, not too close. "Didn't think you partied." "I don't," Noah admitted, blinking slowly. "But... I had to get out of my head tonight."
Axel raised an eyebrow. "And alcohol was the best route for that?" Noah smirked, or tried to. "Seemed like a good idea an hour ago." They sat in silence for a bit, the music dull behind them. "You didn't have to follow me," Noah mumbled eventually. "You didn't have to drink like that," Axel countered. Then, after a second, "I'm not babysitting you. Just... checking." Noah glanced at him sideways. "Why do you pretend like you're not smart?" Axel blinked. "What?" "In class. The quiz. You answered the question same time I did maybe faster. But you acted like it was a fluke." Noah stared ahead. "Why hide it?" Axel shrugged. "People expect less from me. It's easier." "That's dumb," Noah said flatly. "Yeah. Maybe." Another pause. "You need a ride home?" Axel asked. Noah blinked at him, caught off guard. "You offering?" "Don't make it weird. Just get in the car." The cab ride was quiet. Noah leaned against the window, the night softening his edges. Axel sat back, watching the streetlights flicker past. "You ever think about how much of yourself you're hiding?" Axel asked suddenly. "Like, for what? Who's it helping?"
Noah didn't answer right away. "I could ask you the same thing." When the cab stopped outside Noah's house, Axel stayed in the seat, door open. Noah stepped out slowly, standing still on the sidewalk for a second. He turned around. "Thanks." Axel just nodded. As the cab pulled away, Axel stared out at the streetlights. We're more alike than I thought. And that... bothered him more than he expected.