Noana

Noana is almost definitely the most constantly irritable person you can meet. She's very particular about the things she doesn't like, and very pushy about distancing herself from them whenever confronted. Her list of peeves is long and always growing: dragging feet, nail biting, annoying laughs, people who are too loud, people who don't speak up, people who talk too much, people who avoid the question, people who walk too slow or chew with their mouths open, hyperactive children and their spineless parents, loud breathing, and so on...


Noana doesn't smile too often. She squints her eyes into a glare whenever her attention hits the face of one of her bugaboos, all of which pale and crumble in comparison to her most hated quark. She sees it every morning and it renews her disgust every single time. She doesn't understand how these people can live with such a terrible and rude habit. She cannot stand to watch it or to look at the person after catching just half a glimpse of them yawning without covering their mouths. Most of all, she can't comprehend how no one else seems to have a problem with this rampant defect in tired or sleepy people. Noana always covers her mouth when she yawns, alone or in the company of others. She doesn't want to run the risk of getting caught mid-way through, mouth wide open and face stretched beyond recognition... things would never feel the same between her and that person again. 


It's hard to believe that Noana has any friends at all, but she has managed to keep a few close ones for years now. She hasn't seen any of them in an unprotected yawn, which allows her to let some things go with them. The group is held together by their shared love of clay-mation films and board games. Each takes turns hosting one or the other event, at least once a week.


Noana grew up before she turned fifteen; she felt that her parents were the ones in need a guardian and that the responsibility fell solely on her. Her younger brother could not handle such an undertaking and held no authority in the household anyway. And he was more interested in playing outside than cleaning the house. He didn't start listening to his sister until the day both of his parents went on an a spontaneous road trip and Noana, then only twelve, arranged for him to be picked up from his after school green club meeting. She had called their babysitter and asked for a favor. 


Noana moved out of her parent's house as soon as she was old enough to leave for college. She doesn't talk to them anymore unless she has to. She is awaiting the phone call that will inform her that her childhood home has burned to the ground due to neglect.