Chapter Eighteen: Talk to Me:

Moments later, Noiz and Mosh lied on the kitchen counter, looking at the ceiling. Noiz glanced over at her mouse.

�Your legs have healed nicely.�

�Hm?� He looked down at his lap. His legs had reappeared, good as new.

�Heh, so it has.� Then, the mouse looked confused.

�But how?� Noiz gave him a little smile.

�My secret.� She tapped her nose in emphasis.

�Speaking of which, you never tell me about yourself.�

Noiz looked at him, oddly. �Do too.�

�No, you don�t.�

�Okay, ask me anything. I�ll be more than happy to answer your questions.�

�Okay.� Mosh took a moment to think of a good question to ask. One question managed to find its way into his head. He turned to her with a grin on his face.

�How boyfriends have you had in the past?�

�Real ones or flings?�

�Both.�

�Hm, flings, too many to count. Real relationships, one.�

�Ooo. Who was that?�

Noiz gave him a little smile. �A really good man.�

�How good are we talking? Better than me?�

Noiz shook her head. �No, you and he are two different people.�

�So what is he like?�

Noiz smiled again. �He was kind, attractive, smart, and great in bed.� Noiz giggled a little bit. �Oh, those were good times.�

�So, what happened?�

The glow began to fade from her face. �It just went to ruin.�

�Why?�

�We wanted different things. I wanted a relationship and he wanted to just play around. In the end, well� here I am.�

�That�s so sad��

Noiz forced herself to smile as she shook her head at him. �Enough about me! What about you?�

Mosh blinked at her. �What about me?�

Noiz leaned in close to his face. The mouse tried to back up nervously.

The teacher smiled at him, wickedly. �I don�t get it.�

�Get what?�

�You have been making good grades through half of this semester. You are very bright in all of your classes.�

�So?�

�Why are you repeating some of your classes this semester?�

Mosh looked down at his lap. He knew it would be a matter of time before someone asked him that. He just didn�t think it would be this soon. Well, might as well go on and say it. The mouse balled his hands up into fists.

�During my last year in high school, I got sick and had to deal with the death of my mother. Because of my health and grief, I fell behind with my school work. Now, I�m just trying to catch up with my graduated classmates for the fall.� Noiz strangely felt herself moved by his words. She lightly touched him on the shoulder. Mosh looked up in surprised to see her smiling at him. Not in a dirty way, mind you. But in a kind, motherly way.

�You can do it,� she told him. �You�re smart enough to do it.�

Mosh blinked at her again. �You� really think� so?� Noiz only nodded at him. Mosh let his eyes wander down to his bare lap again.

�Wow,� he mouthed to himself. The teacher looked at him, smiling.

�So, what else do you want to know about me?� she asked. The student gave her a little smile.

�You know what?� he asked. �Let�s just not talk anymore.� Noiz raised an eyebrow at him.

�Okay,� she said. �What do you want to do?� The mouse gently took her by the hand.

�Nothing. I just want to sit here and do nothing,� he said. Noiz nodded at him a little bit, uncertain how to take that one.

�Okay,� the kitty said. �We�ll just sit here and do nothing.� Mosh smiled at her and gave her a small kiss on the lips.

�Thanks,� he whispered. Noiz only shrugged her shoulders at him and cuddled up closer to his naked body.