Break the Distance

Chapter 8

Saturday 20th of August

Toronto, Canada

Noah William's pov

"Sophie?" Max suggests. "Nope," I say. "Anne? Kim? Laura?" he continues hopeful. "No no nope," I say and sigh.

We're both scrolling through on one of those sites with thousands of names on our phones.

"It's hopeless," I say, "we're doomed." "Correction," Max says, "you're doomed." "Dude I'm depending on you!" I say. "Bad decision," he says and he shakes his head.

I turn my attention back to my phone and continue scrolling. The thing is, all those names are nice, the one a little more than the other, but it are pretty common names. And I'm sure I'm not going to find the perfect name on one of those site's.

"Thought you said it was your little sister's birthday today," a girls' voice says and I look up to see Jacquie. " Jacquie," I say surprised, "yea she is, but I don't have to be home all the time. And right now I've something important to do so I would really appreciate it if you would go." "I'm disappointed in you," Jacquie says, gives me a bitchy look and walks away with her head held high. I roll my eyes and look back on my phone.

"Maybe this is the end," Max chuckles and I look up at him. "What do you mean? " I ask. "Well," Max says, "Maybe her crush on you is finally over." "Would be nice," I say and smile sarcastically. It would be pretty nice if she stops stalking me!

Then someone sits down. "Seriously Jacquie go away," I say assuming it's her. "Oh I'm sorry," someone says in with a faked high pitch voice. I look up and see Eldon instead.

"Why so grumpy?" he asks. "I thought you were Jacquie," I say. "Yea," Eldon says, "yea I heard that, but when I walked towards here you weren't smiling either." " Noah here has to find the perfect name for his little sister's doll," Max says mockingly.

"What have you done this time?" Eldon laughs. "Nothing!" I say defensive, "I just gave her this doll for her birthday and now she expects me to come up with a good name." "So?" Eldon asks, "she needs to like the name, you don't have to like the name. She's five right? That shouldn't be too hard. Congratulate her by the way from me."

"No, it literally feels like this became my goal in life," I say, "it's not like I've really anything else to do." Eldon laughs. "What kind of name are you looking for?" he asks. "A special one," I say, "a not very common one." Eldon grabs his phone. "Has the name to an English one?" he asks. "Eh I don't think so," I say. "Give me a few minutes," he says and starts scrolling.

"Aha," he says after a while and he smiles. "What?" I ask and look up from my phone. "No nothing," he says, "just a few more minutes." I look confused at Max and he just shrugs.

"Yea totally," Eldon says a little later. "What?!" I snap. "Nothing, nothing," Eldon says without looking up. This is getting ridiculous, he better has a name or something.

"Okay," Eldon says then laying his phone down. "I've the perfect name," he says and looks mysterious for a few seconds before he continues.

" Richelle," he says and bangs his fist on the table.

" Richelle?" I ask, that doesn't even sound like a name, it sounds like Michelle, but then just a bit different. " Richelle..." Max says, you can see he isn't exactly liking the name either. "Yea!" Eldon says cheerful. "I'm not so sure," I say, "it sounds weird." "Well I'm sure your little sister will love it," Eldon says, "and the name isn't common at all."

"Ok he has some good points," Max says, "and after thinking about it for a while the name starts to sound better." I look at Max, then at Eldon, back at Max and again at Eldon.

"Okay," I say and take a deep breath, "I'm gonna go with it, I'll see if she likes it." Eldon smiles. "I told you I could find something," he says. "Thanks bro," I say and fist bump him. I really hope Marylou likes the name. What do I say, I hope she loves the name.

I come home and lay down on the couch with my eyes closed, the day started pretty early and practice was exhausting. "NOAH," I hear Marylou squeal in her cute high pitched voice through the house, "is that you?!" "Yes," I say loud back.

Soon I hear little footsteps run down the stairs. "And??" she asks. I open my eyes and see her stand beside the couch with the doll in her little hands. I sit up and lift her on my lap. "First I want you to know that I've thought about this all day," I say emphasizing the last part of the sentence.

Marylou nods impatient. I quickly overthink my decision and take a deep breath. Yes, saying I'm nervous is an underestimation. Richelle. Is this the perfect name for her doll? Max was right, every time I think about the name it sounds better and better.

"What's the name??" Marylou asks curious.

" Richelle," I finally say.

" Richelle?" she asks. "Yes," I say. You can't even imagine how nervous I am, what if she doesn't like it? She furrows her eyebrows. After a while a smile appears and her eyes twinkle. "I love it," she exclaims and wraps her little arms around my neck.

My mom walks into the living room. "Hi Noah," she asks, "how was rehearsal?" "Goo-," I say but Marylou cuts me off. "Her name is Richelle mom!" she says happily, "I love the name, it's perfect."

My mother smiles. "It's a beautiful name," she says. "Did you came up with it?" she asks me. "Kind of," I say and smile slightly. Marylou jumps off my lap. "I've to tell dad," she says, "I've to tell everyone!" She runs away with her doll and my mom and I laugh slightly.

"Well," my mom continues, "I'm going to finish supper, will be ready in 10 minutes." "Okay," I say and grab my phone out to text Eldon. I have to know where he found that name.

'He dude, she LOVED the name!' I text him. 'I told you,' he sends back. 'Where did you found it?' I ask him. 'Actually I was just scrolling through i********: and then I saw the picture you posted, so I scrolled through the comments and this one comment stuck out, so I read the name and it said Richelle,' he says. 'You're a genius,' I say. 'I know,' he texts and I laugh as I read it.

"What?" Matthew asks and he plumps down beside me on the couch. "Oh nothing," I say, "just something Eldon said." "You sure?" he asks. "100%," I say. "Well then I'm going to go," he says, "I thought you would have a funny story or something." I grin a little as he walks away into the kitchen, weird little brother.

‘Richelle,' I say again in my head. It's weird how a name can start to sound more perfect everything you think about it. The curious person I am I go to i********:, I kind of want to see the name with my own eyes even though I kind of know that I'll probably never find it because I get hundreds of comments and likes.

I quickly scroll through the comments not really reading them or the names until I scroll past one which catches my eye. I scroll back and read the name. Richellesmith. I smile, it really is a name that sticks out.

" Noah," my mother then interrupt my thoughts, "supper." I stand up and walk to the dining table. "Lasagna!" I say as I sit down. Marylou nods excited and I give her a high five. Lasagna is by far my favorite food and luckily also Marylou's.

Supper is pretty casual, Marylou mostly talks and the rest just says something now and then. I go to my room afterwards, take a quick shower and put some comfortable clothes on. When I look on my phone again I see that I've some new i********: messages. Even though I get them a lot, a lot of times I'm busy and I forget to read them. Maybe tonight I should take some time to read them all, in the end I love my fans and they deserve to know that.

I tap on the first one and start reading, it honestly makes me smile. 'Thank you for all the support,' I simply send back and go on to the next one. Like that I continue for a while before that one name comes up.

Richellesmith. That's that name again, what a coincident. I have to scroll up a little since she's sent me a few messages over time. It are all quotes and not those popular ones which make you cringe because they're so cliché. Those quotes are beautiful. Some quotes even more beautiful than others and all about life. It doesn't sound like words of a 10 year old, she really is a mature kid. 'What a beautiful quotes! Thank you so much,' I send and go to the next one.

Time flies actually since it's fun to read them all, why haven't I done this before? It's kind of addicting, every time I think one more, and after that one more I just repeat myself.