Norah [H. S.]

chapter three

chapter three

harry

I place one foot in front of the other walking through the thick, soft snow. I don't feel the cold. Instead, I feel weirdly warm inside.

I look up. The dark green forest lies before me in all its beauty and mystery. Step after step, I walk towards it. Slowly, the cold starts catching up to me. I feel like someone – or something – is behind me but I don't turn back. A weird, melancholy feeling creeps its way into my stomach.

"Excuse me, sir, I need you to leave our property."

I'd recognize her voice everywhere. It never left my mind, It was always there, in the back of my head – though she was dead, she never really left me. I guess that's what love does to you.

I turn around. All of a sudden the forest is gone, and in front of me I see a large white house, covered in Christmas lights and decoration, a thick layer of snow on its roof. I'm still standing in the snow, but wearing a suit and a tie now.

"Faith?" I say. I cough. Faith... Faith... That was her name, wasn't it? I remember us kissing... her body under my hands... her laugh... her smile... the way she smelled, she kissed, she hugged, she smiled, the dimples in her cheeks, the way she looked with no makeup on, the face she made when she woke up – everything about her.

She frowns, her dark brown hair falling into her face and almost covering her eyes. It seems like she's trying to suppress some kind of feeling. She doesn't look at me. Does she still know me? Or did she forget? "Who's Faith?"

"You – you're Faith, aren't you?" I ask quietly, urging her to dig deeper, go through her memories. Please remember me, Faith. Remember me. I love you.

"I'm Norah", she says, obviously confused but there's still something in her eyes telling me that she knows something, at least. Maybe it's just a blurry memory for her, maybe she has forgotten me already, after all this time. But can you forget someone you hurt so much? "What is going on?"

I stare at her for a while and suddenly her eyes widen in recognition. "Ha—"

A man steps out behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. "Norah, who is that?" He places a soft kiss on her neck. Shivers run down my spine. This is supposed to be me, not him.

"I don't know", she whispers. I can see in her eyes that she knows, however. She uncomfortably shifts in his arms. "Sir, are you okay?" Her voice is shaking now.

I feel the hot tears run down my cheeks. "Faith", I repeat. "Faith, you know it's me. It's me – Harry. Don't you remember me?"

"After all those years", she whispers. "Colton, go back inside, I'll be right there. Tell mom and dad I'll be right there."

"Norah, who is this?" the guy behind her asks again. She places her left hand on his, and something flashes in the light – a ring. An engagement ring.

I turn around to leave. I can't see her like this – with another guy, after all this time I thought she was dead but she wasn't.

"Harry, wait!"

I wake up, my cheeks stained with tears.

All those years I thought she was dead – all those years that she wasn't actually dead. But she didn't call. She didn't text. To keep me safe? Because she loves me?

How can you leave someone broken whom you supposedly love? I reach for my phone and dial her number. I don't care that it's four in the morning.

norah