Chapter 12
Nora sat on the floor of the office on the verge of tears.
Granted she was naturally a very messy person. But she knew exactly where everything was in her mess. Just like she knew she had left her watch on her desk right before Clare and Hayden took her to Florida to fight killer mutant on sinking ships.
But the spot where she had left her watch right beside her half eaten almond bar was empty. As soon as her eyes had landed on that spot, her heart did a dangerous flip off the tallest building she could think of in the heat of the moment. Rushing forward, Nora had pulled open all the drawers and searched through the papers and random objects. However, there was no sign of her watch.
Her frustration began to turn into anger and then to sorrow. She couldn't lose that watch. It was the last thing she had left of her mother. God only knew her father sold everything else to pay off his debts.
"Why didn't you pack it away in your bag, you idiot?" Nora asked herself as she laid back on the floor and stared up at the ceiling. "You dumb piece of shit!"
Slowly, as if to mock her, tears started to roll down Nora's eyes. She felt them escape through the corners of her eyes and slid down her face and then into her ears. She groaned and let out a childish sob before going back to contemplating why her life was such a mess. Just then, the door to the office opened and Hayden walked in. He paused immediately with his hand still on the doorknob and stared at Nora laying on the floor. Tilting his head slightly, Hayden raised a brow, not knowing what he had walked into.
"I'm not dead," Nora said, her voice defeated and heavy.
"Good to know," Hayden took a step into the room. "Imagine the paperwork I would have to fill out with HR."
"You really are the worst."
"What can I say?" Hayden shrugged. "I have to live up to being a dickwad."
Nora suddenly lifted her head and stared at Hayden for a second before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
"What?" Hayden asked, finding himself chuckling along with her.
"Dickwad?" Nora couldn't stop her laughter. "I haven't heard that word in years."
"Pia used to say it, right?" Hayden watched as Nora slowly sat up and crossed her legs. She wiped the tears in her eyes as her laugh slowly came to a smooth stop.
"You remember Pia?" She asked, rubbing her eyes a little too hard.
Hayden wanted to walk over to her and pin her wrist down. She would be seeing stars and colors if she kept rubbing her eyes like that.
"Yeah," he nodded instead from where he stood. "Short Indian girl with black hair."
"Yep," Nora said. "That's Pia."
"How is she?"
"She's fine," Nora shrugged. "She'll be thrilled to know you remember her, let alone know her name."
"She did have a crush on me, right?"
"Everyone had a crush on you," Nora rolled her eyes.
"Did you?"
Nora snorted, "You wish, wonder boy."
"That's fine," the corner of Hayden's mouth turned up. "You're not my type anyways, right?"
"As if you're my type," Nora shook her head.
"What is your type?"
"Nice," Nora said, looking up and putting her hands on her lap. "My type is nice."
