The incessant knocking at the door pulled Nora Rose from her sleep. With a weary sigh, she slowly dragged herself out of bed and made her way across the hotel room to answer the persistent summons.
Nora's eyes were heavy with fatigue as she pulled open the door, only to be greeted by the sight of her elder sister Trish standing there. A sigh of relief escaped Nora's lips at the familiar face, and she posed the question, "What on earth could be so pressing that you had to wake me from my sleep at this hour?"
Trish watched as Nora oriented herself to the waking world, and then commented, "You had given me your word last night that you would be present for my match today, which is why I felt compelled to disturb your rest."
Nora's eyes fell upon the clock on her bedside table, and she cried out, "Trish, it is six o'clock in the morning!" This was a most unreasonable hour, as Nora typically did not rouse herself from slumber until the more reasonable times of nine or ten.
Trish then declared, "I shall be present at the arena for the entirety of the day, and thus you must accompany me. Ensure you are prepared to meet me downstairs so that we may depart together." With that, she turned and made her way back to her own room. Left alone at her door, Nora shut it with a frustrated huff before setting off to ready herself. She was displeased at the prospect of being required to spend the full day at the athletic facility.
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As Nora emerged from the elevator, she muttered the words, "The sacrifices I make for the sake of my sibling." Immediately thereafter, she collided forcefully with another individual, causing them to stagger backwards and emit a groan as Nora regarded the person she had struck.
The moment she discerned the identity of the individual, Nora's eyes widened with recognition.
As he assisted Nora in regaining her footing, Jeff Hardy apologized for his lack of attentiveness while doing so. He sat with a countenance of concern upon his features as he inquired, "Are you okay?"
Jeff lifted Nora from the ground, and she bashfully uttered, "I was the one who ran into you." She graced him with a smile and self-consciously rubbed the back of her neck, a flush of embarrassment creeping into her cheeks.
Jeff proposed that they put the matter behind them, admitting that they had both played a role in the situation. Nora supported his suggestion with a warm smile. "Alright," she responded cheerfully, and she and Jeff commenced their stroll towards the hotel lobby.
"So, where are you off to?" Jeff inquired
"I am currently searching for my sister," Nora explained to Jeff, accompanied by a light laugh. "You should already be acquainted with her identity - she is Trish Stratus. I am accompanying her to her competition this evening." Nora then cast a brief glance in his direction, remarking, "I am Nora Stratus, though I am more commonly known as Nora Rose."
"I thought I recognized you, but I didn't know you were Trish's sister. Nice to meet you," Jeff said with a smile.
"Not many people know I'm her younger sister. Most just see me as the girl who goes to the ring with her," Nora said with a shrug.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they headed to the hotel lobby, each quietly taking in the other's presence.
Suddenly, they heard Trish's cheerful voice ringing out, "Nora! Jeff! Over here!" Nora and Jeff turned to see Trish standing by the entrance, her gaze fixed on them as they made their way towards her.
"Nora! What took you so long?" Trish questioned, a smirk forming on her lips, as Nora and Jeff drew near, the inquiry prompting an embarrassed blush to rise in Nora's cheeks.
"I, uh, ran into Jeff as I was leaving the elevator," Nora mumbled, drawing a snort from him. "More like collided with," he quipped.
"Well, now that you've arrived, we can get going," Trish said, then looked to Jeff. "I heard Lita and Matt left earlier today. If you'd like to join us, you're more than welcome," she added, with a glance towards Nora.
With a groan, Jeff followed the two sisters out the hotel doors, muttering, "I figured they wouldn't wait up for me."
