The Stories of Latia, Vol. 2: Demon's Curse

Chapter 11: Nor

Chapter 11: Nor

Jayme Tuffin

I have no idea where to go. I can't go back to Avery's, not for a little while, anyways. Not until...

Well, y'know.

I want to see Alex, but... I wouldn't be able to act like everything was fine. I mean, I'm good at that, it's just I don't think I could hide it from them. Then I'd have to tell them about Cassidy and... I've already told Avery, and it really shouldn't come from me.

Ding! My phone, previously resting in my front left pocket, chimes. I look at it, and I'm met with a lengthy text from Nor.

-Hey, J.

I know it's been a while since we last talked, but I'm in town with my partner for the next few days, and I was wondering if you'd want to grab some lunch? It's totally cool if not, I just thought it would be cool for we Tuffin brothers to catch up a bit haha

Him calling me his brother made me smile a bit for the first time in a few days.

-Hey Nor!

Yeah, that'd be cool. Where were you thinking?

-I saw this cute little diner on 32nd. Does that work?

-Yeah! See you there.

This is kinda bad timing, but what else am I supposed to do?

I think I'm here?

I'm on 32nd street, and it's the only diner here, or at least the only building with the word "diner" in big, purple letters on the side of it. When I walk in, there's hardly anyone there. Just me, a handful of diner patrons, and the barista standing behind the counter.

"Hi! Welcome to the Moss Diner, are you Jayme?" They asked after I'd walked up to the counter. The white nametag she had pinned to their apron read "Robin," in a typed font, and "any pronouns" scrawled in handwriting right below it, surrounded by a few peeling star stickers.

"Uhh, yeah. Yeah, I am," I awkwardly responded after I was done reading his nametag.

"Okay, cool! Your brother is waiting over... there," she begins, surveying the diner until he lands on a booth in the back corner with one person in it, who I quickly recognise as Nor. He's dyed his hair a pretty dark blue since I last saw him.

"Okay. Thanks." I made my way over, Nor noticing me and waving me over as I was walking.

"J! Hi!" He warmly greets as I slide into the seat across from him.

"Hey Nor!" I'm trying to sound as unbothered as possible.

"You look good. Have you been eating?" He lowers his voice a bit from his announcing greeting.

"Yeah, actually. Way better now," I say softly, trying to convey how proud I am of that.

"But what about you? I noticed you've dyed your hair, and I'm sure Mom wasn't happy about that," I laugh.

He laughs, too "yeah, she wasn't. I did it right after I moved in with Quinn, so it's not like she could kick me out or anything."

"Quinn?"

His gaze shifts to the empty table between us, but his face couldn't contain a wide smile.

"Oh, uhm... they're the partner I'm in town with. We're checking out a new place on the south side. Something a little bigger than our current place, for the... the kids." His voice lowers for the last part, but his smile is the widest I've ever seen on him.