Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze

“This one is from Jennifer,” Nora nodded and wrote down Jennifer Seeling’s name and waited for Val to open the gift.

She shifted on her plush chair, and adjusted the light green dress. Her feet were killing her, thanks to the nude colored heels Val gave her. Her hair was falling down, she should learn by now not to curl her hair. She had a nagging headache, and she couldn’t get Isaac Wright out of her head.

“Oh, I love this set, thank you Jenn!” Val said holding up the plate set she fawned over in the store. Nora wrote down the gift and looked at the pile they still needed to go through.

The wedding was two weeks away and the bridal shower had gone smoothly, so far. They still had cake and coffee to distribute, but she doubted a room full of ladies would cause a catastrophe, especially at Valerie Hughes’ bridal shower.

Since the chat Isaac and Nora had, she had yet to run into him. They only spoke a couple of times through email or text messaging to discuss wedding matters. He didn’t go out when the group went to Jo’s on Friday night, and she avoided the “family” dinner on Sundays. Throwing out the excuse she needed to do store stuff.

Valerie knew she was bluffing, and Nora was waiting for the day she called her out on it. But until then, she and Isaac kept playing this game. A game she desperately wanted to end.

“This is fantastic, thank you!” She wrote down plate and silverware set next to the Susan Jacobson’s name and it continued on for another hour.

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“This was beautiful Nor, thank you.” Val hugged Nora and smiled. “I never have even been here but it was great. I liked that it was elegant and classy, like us.” She winked.

“I’m glad you liked it. About tonight, I think I’m going to pass.” Nora said as she piled the last gifts in Valerie’s car.

Val slammed the trunk door down and spun on her cousin.

“You skipped out the last two times, c’mon. You have to see him soon enough. Might as well as make it now. This is getting a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?”

“Thanks, but I’m good. I have to open the store in the morning, plus your favors aren’t done. I have to put all your notes together for the jars. And he made it clear, there won’t be anything between us.”

Nora scuffed her shoe on the ground and waited for Val to continue to lecture her.

“The wedding stuff can wait, seriously,” she said to Nora quietly. “That’s the only time you’ll hear it. But he’s not sitting around wasting away so you shouldn’t be either. And screw him if he doesn’t want to date my hot cousin.”

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At 8 a knock at Nora’s door stopped her from scooping noodles into her mouth. Taking the Chinese take out box with her, she opened the door to reveal Val, Rachel, Claire, and Brianna. They all smiled and Val’s lips pulled down a little bit.

“Why aren’t you dressed?” Nora stuck the chopsticks back into the box. Val crossed her arms over her chest, and began to tap her foot.

Nora knew she was agitated, but she told her three times over text she wasn’t going out that night.

“What do you mean? I told you I was staying home.” She stepped back and let everyone come into the apartment. “I’m fine with it, you guys should go and have fun.”

Her legging clad legs carried her up the stairs and into her living room. She sat on an ottoman and allowed the group to sit on her couch. Her white tee shirt hung off her shoulder and her bun was falling down.

The girls in front of her had on their jeans, boots and all adorable shirts she wanted to steal.

Val had on her famous wedges rather than her boots. Her wavy hair fell down her back, and she flicked it out of the way and starred down her cousin.

“Not without you sugar, let’s go!” Claire yelled pulling on Nora’s hand.

“Yeah we want to hang out with you,” Rachel pouted. “Just come out for a couple of drinks, dance with me, and then we can go.”

She looked at all of their faces and sighed. “You guys suck.” They all cheered and Nora could feel herself smiling. They all went into her room and began to pick out outfits for her to wear.

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“I told you, she’s not coming tonight.” Brian said before he took a sip of his beer. Isaac nodded and finished off his. He pushed up the shirtsleeve and looked at his watch.

He promised he’d stay for a couple of hours, and pretty soon he could head out. He kept glancing at the door, although he knew Nora wouldn’t be there, he kept waiting to see her brown hair come through the door.

“Want another one?” Isaac asked, Brian nodded and smiled.

Isaac pushed his way through the crowd and made a spot for himself at the bar. He nodded at the bartender and mentioned for another round, when a laugh filled in through the door, and caught multiple guys’ attentions.

Looking up, he found Nora laughing at something Rachel said. He sighed and shook his head. She wrapped an arm around Claire and Brianna and they all headed to the bar, directly opposite of him.

Her brown hair was longer from the beginning of the summer, reaching closer to the middle of her back. Her white shirt made her skin glow, the tank top straps were thin, and one seemed too loose. She had on her tight fitting dark colored jeans that made her legs look long. Her dark brown boots matched her belt, and she looked great.

Her eyes were glossy, like she had already had a couple shots, and knowing Val she probably did. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips had a nude colored lipstick on.

Isaac gulped and cursed himself.

Nora looked up and stopped her sentence as caught eyes with her; he nodded at her. She waved back to him, smiling slightly. Brianna whispered into Nora’s ear, and Isaac looked down.

Grabbing a bill from his wallet, he threw it down on the wooden table, grabbed his beers and headed back to Brian.

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“Let’s do another one!” Claire yelled. Nora smiled and jumped up and down.

“Another one!” Nora agreed, she smiled and danced around at the bar as the bartender poured them more shots.

“Honey, last one and then time to go.” Val said into Nora’s ear. Nora turned with the shot, and pouted.

“Please, I’m not ready to go yet.” She drowned the glass that was handed to her and looked at her cousin. “You wanted me to come out, I’m finally having fun and now you want me to leave?”

“I can take her home Val.” Nora leaned around Val and shook her head.

“No, you aren’t taking me Isaac. You don’t want anything to do with me remember? You made that clear when you kissed me, then told me it would never happen again.”

He looked at her and shook his head. “That’s not true Nora. Please let me take you home.”

“No thanks; Alex or Nicholas can take me. I’m good.” She said as she turned to face the bar again.

He reached around Val and pulled Nora's hand. He pulled her out of the bar and into the parking lot.

“God damnit Nora, you’re so frustrating.” He yelled.

She stopped and looked at him. She had never seen Isaac get angry before, especially at her. He was always so lively, and always cracking a joke.

“Me? What about you? You’re the one who kisses me then decides we aren’t going to even be friends or talk or anything after. Don’t tell me you wanted to kiss me then be an asshole! And, you didn’t even ask me if that’s what I wanted. Who does that? I thought you liked me?”

“I’m the asshole? You pretend to not like me for months then we get close and you push me away. And I do like you Nora, but I’m not going to keep playing a game with you. I told you how I felt.”

Nora could feel her heart beating so hard it felt like it could tear through her skin. She felt the moisture building in her eyes; she took a deep breath and willed the tears not to spill in front of him.

“I did that because I was scared! I don’t want to be those other girls that come and go through your life, if I am going to be with you I’m here to stay!”

“Nora, you’re not like them.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you tell every girl that. Save it, I’ll walk home.” She turned away from him and headed back to the bar. “And for the record if you had asked me out I would’ve said yes.”