Recovery.
Chapter 3
"Norah!" called Ellen above the music as she squeezed through the crowd.
A few hours had passed and Norah and Gabe were back on the dance floor after some drinks.
"Norah!" she said, leaning towards her and Gabe to be heard. "I'm going with Carl back to his house. Is it okay if you get a taxi back with Gabe?"
I watched Norah nod wide-eyed and I didn't miss the wink that Ellen aimed at Gabe.
A few songs later, I watched as they decided to call it a night too. Stepping out into the cool night air, Norah began to shiver almost immediately. I reached out to wrap my arms around her but Gabe got there first. She snuggled into him.
"Do you mind if we walk? Instead of a taxi I mean."
"Walk?" she asked, bewildered.
"If we get a cab we'll be there quicker. I don't want to say goodnight just yet," he replied, quietly.
Her blush was clearly visible in the light of the street lamps; he chuckled. They'd only taken a few steps when two girls came running towards them shouting Gabe's name.
"Shit," he mumbled.
Norah stared up at him, confused, as the girls reached them.
"Can we have a picture?!" they exclaimed, excitedly.
Gabe removed his arm from around Norah's shoulders and gave her an apologetic look.
Norah and I watched, still baffled, as Gabe put his arm around one girl for a photo before the girls switched places.
"Thank you!" they practically shouted, before running, screaming, down the sidewalk.
Norah stared at him. "So you really are famous?"
"Kind of," he replied, uncomfortably.
"Kind of?" asked Norah, raising her eyebrow.
"I didn't want you to know for awhile so you could get to know me without wanting to know me because of what I am," he answered, quietly.
"I'm not that shallow."
"I know," he replied, nodding.
He put his arm back around her shoulders and they carried on walking.
"Do you actually know where I live?"
He laughed and nodded. "Ellen told me."
They walked the rest of the way ina comfortable silence.
"I was wondering..." Gabe began as they faced each other outside her house. "Are you free next Friday?"
"N-Next Friday?" stuttered Norah. Her heart seemed to be blocking her throat.
"Yeah. Maybe... I could take you out. To dinner." He looked hopeful.
"I... I... I... I have to go," she breathed faintly, swinging round and unlocking the door with lightning speed. She dived inside and slammed the door in Gabe's face, leaving him standing bewildered on her porch.
I stepped into the house and watched her slide down the door, her face in her hands, her breathing irregular and her hands shaking madly. Strangled sobs escaped her mouth and I was sure Gabe would be able to hear them from outside. I wanted to comfort her but I knew that if she felt my presence it would make everything ten times worse.
About fifteen minutes later, she staggered to her feet and stumbled up the stairs into our room. When I entered, I saw her clutching a photo frame to her chest, her body rocking as she continued to sob.
She stayed in that position all night.
A few hours had passed and Norah and Gabe were back on the dance floor after some drinks.
"Norah!" she said, leaning towards her and Gabe to be heard. "I'm going with Carl back to his house. Is it okay if you get a taxi back with Gabe?"
I watched Norah nod wide-eyed and I didn't miss the wink that Ellen aimed at Gabe.
A few songs later, I watched as they decided to call it a night too. Stepping out into the cool night air, Norah began to shiver almost immediately. I reached out to wrap my arms around her but Gabe got there first. She snuggled into him.
"Do you mind if we walk? Instead of a taxi I mean."
"Walk?" she asked, bewildered.
"If we get a cab we'll be there quicker. I don't want to say goodnight just yet," he replied, quietly.
Her blush was clearly visible in the light of the street lamps; he chuckled. They'd only taken a few steps when two girls came running towards them shouting Gabe's name.
"Shit," he mumbled.
Norah stared up at him, confused, as the girls reached them.
"Can we have a picture?!" they exclaimed, excitedly.
Gabe removed his arm from around Norah's shoulders and gave her an apologetic look.
Norah and I watched, still baffled, as Gabe put his arm around one girl for a photo before the girls switched places.
"Thank you!" they practically shouted, before running, screaming, down the sidewalk.
Norah stared at him. "So you really are famous?"
"Kind of," he replied, uncomfortably.
"Kind of?" asked Norah, raising her eyebrow.
"I didn't want you to know for awhile so you could get to know me without wanting to know me because of what I am," he answered, quietly.
"I'm not that shallow."
"I know," he replied, nodding.
He put his arm back around her shoulders and they carried on walking.
"Do you actually know where I live?"
He laughed and nodded. "Ellen told me."
They walked the rest of the way ina comfortable silence.
"I was wondering..." Gabe began as they faced each other outside her house. "Are you free next Friday?"
"N-Next Friday?" stuttered Norah. Her heart seemed to be blocking her throat.
"Yeah. Maybe... I could take you out. To dinner." He looked hopeful.
"I... I... I... I have to go," she breathed faintly, swinging round and unlocking the door with lightning speed. She dived inside and slammed the door in Gabe's face, leaving him standing bewildered on her porch.
I stepped into the house and watched her slide down the door, her face in her hands, her breathing irregular and her hands shaking madly. Strangled sobs escaped her mouth and I was sure Gabe would be able to hear them from outside. I wanted to comfort her but I knew that if she felt my presence it would make everything ten times worse.
About fifteen minutes later, she staggered to her feet and stumbled up the stairs into our room. When I entered, I saw her clutching a photo frame to her chest, her body rocking as she continued to sob.
She stayed in that position all night.