Rhythm of Love

Nora’s Point of View

Sweat poured down my brow as I sat up in the bunk bed. My breaths came out as choked gasps as I anxiously darted my eyes around the room, expecting to see something that wasn’t there. In the darkness, I could hear faint snores from the guys and next to me Nicolette hugged one of the pillows and murmured to herself. Hesitantly, I reached out one of my hands and pet the top of her head before slipping out of the bunk. My grey and white night gown hung off me, going down just above my knees. I focused my attention to the clock on the wall; it was two o’ clock in the morning. Without bothering to grab my slippers, I snuck out the trailer door and peered around cautiously for another hidden pair of eyes. But, there was none of course. It had all been in my head, just a dream, but my blood ran cold as I nervously continued forward. To my far right, I could see Alex’s car. Immediately, I looked away, seeing the face of the Devil laying there with him. When I turned back to the lot, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I caught sight of another person far ahead of me, sitting on the side of the road. While I cowered in fear of the stranger, I began to realize this person looked familiar. Just as I began to put the pieces together, he took a drag of his cigarette and watched me out of the corner of his eyes.

“Xavier…” I whispered, inching toward him. My feet hurt from the abusive asphalt but I ignored it like I had yesterday. He nodded to me and I sat down next to him. “What are you still doing up?”

He took another drag of his cig. “I could ask you the same thing.” A small smile was placed on my lips as I nodded in agreement. He was right of course, what was I doing awake? Nightmares, a voice moaned in my ear and I shivered. Xavier noticed this and nodded in my direction again. “Are you cold?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s just…” I shook my head again and smiled at him. “It’s nothing.” He flicked his cigarette and took another drag of it.

“You have something with getting dirty?” At first, I took what he said the wrong way and sent him a confused and probably a disgusted look and he let out a roaring laughter. He explained, “No, I mean every time I see you, your dirty. When you were outside your house, when you came back yesterday from who knows where, and right now you’re sitting in the dirt probably ruining yet another dress.” I let out a laugh, throwing my head back and letting my blonde hair fall back behind my shoulders. We stayed there, me laughing and him grinning as he took a few more drags of his cig before stomping it out. He added, “So, what are you doing out here so late?”

“I asked you first.” I countered, point at his face. He snorted and shook his head incredulously.

“It’s probably not as interesting as your story,” he answered, leaning back on his hands. “Alex and… what’s her name? Addy? Well, I woke up and had a clear image of the two of them in his truck doing whatever it was they were doing. Like, no fucking joke, I didn’t even look to see them because that’d be hella awkward for all of us if they saw me sitting up in bad looking at them. Then, I decided, ‘what the hell?’ and came out here to smoke a cig and wait until they were finished.” He was eyeing me as I listened contentedly before adding, “…Are you going to say anything about that?” I snorted back at him and looked away with pursed lips. There was no telling now if what he was saying was true, he was just trying to get a reaction out of me. Good luck with that, Xavier. I thought.

“None of my business,” I retorted bitterly. “He said it himself; he wants me to leave him alone and that he hates me.” Before he could retaliate to that, I held my finger up and continued, “I don’t really care right now if you think there’s anything between us, because obviously there’s not. And even if he was lying, it wouldn’t matter because he obviously would rather fuck that chick. And…and even if I was lying and really did care, it wouldn’t matter because nothing good seems to come from this. He has Adele now, and I should be perfectly happy with Eli.” I gulped down a wad of saliva that was building in my throat. “And that’s that.”

Xavier stared me down, reading into me and what I was saying before he sighed. The two of us stood up, staring at the cars flying by us and the lights flickering in our eyes. Before we went our separate way, I whispered, “And I’m out here because I had a bad dream and I’m afraid if I go back to sleep it’ll come back.” He nodded and I felt obliged to tell him even though he didn’t seem to care about the details. I explained, “I was confined somewhere, and it was really dark. I couldn’t see two feet in front of me, let alone where the exit was. But, there was another person in there with me and that’s what began to worry me. I didn’t have to see them to know they were there, I just felt it, you know? They were watching me, and before I woke up, I saw their eyes just staring at me completely monotonously. Like they couldn’t feel anything at all and that’s what really scared me, not knowing what was going on in their mind.” Sinking to my knees, I tried to get those eyes out of my head. Next to me, Xavier sat back down and offered to stay up with me. I never gave him an actual answer, but he did stay there for the rest of the night and we talked until I finally did fall asleep.

What I didn’t dare say was whose eyes they belong to; I knew very well whose they were.

They were mine.



When I reawakened, I was laying in Mitchell’s fan again. Sitting up, I inspected myself and noticed my feet were clean and my gown free from dirt. It was like everything with Xavier, our whole talk, had never happened. However, once I dressed and walked out, I caught his eye and he sent me a smile and I knew we really had talked. It was odd though, he was the least likely of me to talk to because to be quite frank, I knew nothing about him at all besides what you learned from being in the same school. Suddenly, two pairs of arms were around me and my attention flickered between Nicolette and Eli. I said, “Uh, good morning?”

“More like good afternoon, missy!” Nicolette said, glaring playfully at Eli. “And this is my baby! Let go of her before I bite your face off!”

Eli laughed, and pulled me closer to him. “Yeah right, little girl. What are you, seven? I could take you down easy.” Nicolette burst in to laughs and let go of me before skipping over to Damien. I eyed them, noting how close they seemed and wondered if she’d found a new crush. He fit her idea of a perfect male to a T but the idea of the being together got me worried. Not because I didn’t trust them or disliked the idea of my best friend and cousin together, but I was worried Adele would try for Damien. If she did that, I’d probably join Nicolette in a silent killing.

Eli’s lips were at my ear, “You okay? You seem tense.” I lifted my head so I was staring at his jaw line and taking in his smell of cologne and smoke.

I shook my head, smiling up at him. “I’m fine, just had a bad dream last night. I feel better now though.” Upon looking down again, my eyes caught sight of Alex and Adele. Pretending I hadn’t just seen them, I focused on Damien and asked, “So what song are we doing first?”

Mitchell answered, the wonderful manager he was. “We decided after you fell asleep that we’d do some fun songs.” My eyes sparkled.

“What? Really?!” I sprang from Eli’s grasped and bounced around. “I get to dress up? And dance? Woohoo! To the wardrobe!” I never let anyone say anything to me, because I was already in the dressing room portion of the trailer, trying on as much clothing as possible and figuring out what songs I’d like to do. As I put different clothes in front of me as I looked in the mirror, I murmured, “With a shiny new beginning we cordially invite you to, into the dressing room! Into the dressing room!” Bouncing around the room, I caught sight of an outfit and a devious grin grew on my lips.

I know exactly what song we’re going to do.