12-Year-Old Norah
"Papa, do you love your job?" George is driving him and his daughter Norah to the set that he's acting on, Norah has been going to her father and mother's jobs since she was six.
George stops at the stoplight and glances in the rearview mirror, his hand grips the steering wheel as he thought about the question his daughter asked.
"Yes, of course, sweetheart. Why are you asking me something like that now?"
Norah stared out the window, "Lately you've been... different." She shrugged.
"And I'm not the only one who noticed, mom can see it to." She revealed to him, "Papa, did something happen?"
George sighed, he can hide nothing from his family.
"It's nothing you have to worry about, Norah." The light turned green signaling him to go.
"Okay, how about mom?" She questioned.
"She doesn't have to worry either." He reassures.
Norah walks in the building with her father and the director smiled seeing them.
"George! Nice of you to finally show up." Richard hugged his friend and smiled down at the little girl who smiled back.
"Sorry, Richard, next time I'll try to be early."
Richard shook his head laughing it off, "Don't worry about it."
As the two adults talked Norah kinda fell into a daze waiting for her father to be done.
"Hey, George." A very familiar voice made her awareness return. She turned her head to see Alezander walking up toward them.
Norah sunk back behind her father not wanting to be too close the man. George didn't notice this, but Richard the director did with a raised eyebrow.
George grinned when he saw his best friend. "Zander, what's up?"
Norah zoned their conversation out and finally sneaked over to the snack bar.
The twelve-year-old was snacking on a chocolate bar when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up to a smiling Alezander, "Norah, how are you doing? How's dancing going for you? You walked off before I could greet you."
Norah finished chewing the candy and swallowed it before speaking. "Umm, dancing is going well and I'm doing just fine." She tried to smile to not come off as rude.
The blonde chuckled, "Well, I can see that." He said eyeing the chocolate bar in her hand, "Did you pay for that chocolate bar?"
Her eyes widened and looked at the small chocolate bar in her hand, "I- I- uh, didn't know-" she started stuttering, the food and snacks at her dad's jobs are usually free.
Alezander smiled, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He pats her head gently then walked away laughing.
Norah stood frozen, some of the people surrounding her started laughing.
Her face flushed.
____
"And cut!" Richard the director yelled.
George smiled walking over to his daughter, "How'd I do?"
Norah jumped up in excitement, "Papa, you were amazing. Someday I wanna act too, you look like you're having so much fun!" His face turned serious.
"Norah, there's something important you need to know." He sat them down.
Her nervousness kicked in at the change of tone in his voice.
YOU ARE READING
The Stage Is Set
General FictionNorah has been dancing for as long as she can remember, the first time she started dancing was beside her mother on the big stage. She was three years old and Samantha saw potential in her daughter. Norah first took interest in dancing at the age of...
