𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 - A Norman x Ray Story

The Playground

"You made it!" Emma shouted from afar, as she was atop the playground structure.

"How did you get up there?!" Norman shouted back to make sure she heard.

"I just climbed!!"

A brown-haired boy and a green-haired girl got there. The boy with the brown hair was laughing loudly as the girl with the green hair blushed. She hit his shoulder with her fist in clear embarrassment. It was an unexpected first impression to Norman, but at least it showed character. The boy was clearly teasing the girl with whatever he was saying before the two had gotten to the playground. Soon, they were standing right next to Norman, still continuing the same conversation from earlier.

Soon after those two got there, another pair arrived. A boy with red hair and a nose which stood out from the rest of his face and a girl with blonde hair, who had a rather calm smile. This was the only person who was completely familiar to Norman. She was his cousin after all.

"Norman?" She tilted her head.

"Yeah, it's me." He said nervously.

"It's nice to see you," she smiled.

"It's nice to see you too, Anna." Norman smiled back at the girl.

Emma jumped down from the structure, right in the middle of the small crowd which had formed unknowingly.

"Alrighty, guys! For those of you who don't know, this is Norman! He's gonna be hanging out with us from now on!"

"I am-?"

"YEAHH NEW PEOPLE!!" The boy with the brown hair cheered, earning a flinch from the green-haired girl.

"We should introduce ourselves before some of us get too excited!" The girl with the green hair spoke up.

"OHHH YEAHHH!!" Emma said loudly. "Alright guys! I'll start! My name is Emma, I am a high school senior, seventeen years old, and my pronouns are she, her!" Emma was definitely loud and happy. Anyone could hear it in her tone.

"I'll go next," said the green hair girl. "My name is Gilda, I am a high school junior, sixteen years old, and my pronouns are she and they." Gilda seemed a bit straightforward, but not exactly serious at the same time.

"Then I'll go next! My name is Don! I'm a junior, I'm sixteen, and I like to be called he and it!" Don had a cheeky smile and an enthusiastic tone.

"I can go next," spoke Anna. "My name is Anna, I am fifteen and a sophomore. My pronouns are she and they." Anna's introduction was short and sweet, just like her smile, and her entire person.

"My name is Nat, I'm a sophomore and I'm fifteen. My pronouns are they, he." Nat was straightforward as well, but definitely seemed more like he just wanted to get his introduction over-with rather than actually caring. He almost seemed like the diva of the group in a way.

"I'll go then." Norman smiled. "My name is Norman. I am a high school senior. My age is seventeen years old and.."

"I swear I find people so cool! Like too cool- why can't I be that cool?!"

"But you are cool, Ray! You're awesome!"

"You're just saying that 'cuz you're forced to."

"Forced? How so?"

"Because we're best friends and you're too scared to hurt my feelings."

"I would not lie to you to avoid hurting your feelings! I would tell you the truth! Now, tell me why you think you are not cool."

"There's this friend I have who goes by certain- uh- I think they were called neopronouns?"

"What did they go by?"

"They and arson."

"Ray-"

"No! It's not cool because I like fire! I just seriously find them cool!"

"If you want to go by those neopronouns, go ahead. I'm not judging, Ray."

"Norman?"

"Yes, Ray?"

"Norman."

"Hm?"

"Norman."

"What?"

"Norman!"

"What?!"

"Are you alright?!"

Suddenly, reality set in.

Remember, moron, Ray's gone.

"I-... I'm fine."

—

Norman treaded along home, Emma accompanying him. They were halfway to Norman's home, completely silent.

"Hey, are you.." Emma started. "Still fixated on Ray?"

"Fixated?"

"Yeah. He seems to be the only thing you think about. At least I think so. Ever since he disappeared-"

"Disappeared?"

"I feel like you haven't really been able to focus on anything but him. Before, you were so hard at work and could do anything you were asked and you were social-"

"Are you saying that because Ray is gone, I can't focus anymore? Because I think I can focus just fine." Norman began to raise his voice a little.

"No- I-"

"He was not everything to me. He wasn't all I was living for. I can live without him and I've been doing so for quite a while now, so maybe you should just keep your mouth shut and not assume because you don't know half of what I'm going through right now, Emma! And no matter how much you try to think you do or how much you say you understand, you don't! You never have and you never will, so don't bring up my feelings towards Ray and him being gone when you have no idea!"

"Norman, how long do people have to feel bad for you?! I understand that he was your best friend and that you miss him, but you don't have to take it out on everyone else when we're tip-toeing around, trying not to hurt your feelings! I'm trying to be nice and I'm trying to get your mind off of him, but you seriously are obsessed!" Emma shouted back, making tears well up in Norman's eyes. "He's gone, Norman! And no matter how much you hope for it, he's not coming back!"

Norman stood silently and stunned. His vision was going blurry as tears streamed down his face.

"You're right." His voice cracked. "He isn't coming back."

"Norman- I didn't mean that- of course there's always the possibility of him coming back-"

"No. He's. He's been gone for a year and I'm still holding onto the one in one million possibility that he could come back safe and alive." He took a shaky breath. "Ray is dead."

Norman's body was close to giving out as a new reality set into his brain. His best friend and first love, was gone.