Before the Fireworks

The only thing Norah knew about him was that his name was well...actually, she doesn't know his name at all–the most that she knows is that he's a he and he...loves her. At least, Norah assumes with the thousands of texts and the constant flirting ceaseless to end, he did. She doesn't have a clue how he managed to keep such a timeless interest in her; every day ended with a text from him, every day started with a glorious morning message and the fact that it has happened all year says something in comparison to Norah's sleuthing skills.

But the New Year was just around the corner; she could see the glowing lights of '2016' flashing on the wall. Quite literally, actually, the lake-house party she had been invited to went over-the-top with their decorations. She knew around ten to twelve, they'll all pool on the deck and watch as a boat sets fireworks into the sky for all of them to see.

Norah, for sure, had no clue why she was here other than the fact that he told her to come. They've talked for eleven months straight and she needs a name, she needs a face to match the personality and the words written to her. So, in requisite of his invite, Norah broke her family's tradition to surround herself in a house full of people she hates; everyone from school who didn't have plans on New Years. There were over three hundred people in her grade, nonetheless, at least over a thousand in her high school alone; the lake house was packed with people and Norah supposedly promised to not drink, but also take a taxi home.

Apparently, though, the host was planning to give out free complimentary taxis for those who need it.

So Norah can be here all night long because the right now, on the top of her new years resolution/wish list/bucket list was to discover the person behind the flattering messages. At first, she pictured him as an Internet friend. Norah was one of those people who had quite the shapely amount of Internet friends, more than she did in real life, which was pretty sad, but also a reason why she kept talking to the person who sent her messages.

She leans against the wall, clad in a pretty, white lace dress tight around the bust but stopping mid-thigh, her arms are covered in a jean jacket but there wasn't much need for her to cover up; for New Years in Australia meant summertime remedies. Norah's eyes, the brilliant blue shade like the oceans she new he was afraid of would capture the dancing of light from the literal disco ball hanging from the ceiling. At least, against the wall amongst several other texting loners, she had some privacy and space from the grinding bodies before her.

Norah looks to her left–two boys and a girl. At least two of them could be her mystery man; except she knows them, the both of them. They're quiet boys who by the looks of their frivolous phone shaking, they're probably playing a game. To her right, there's more of a line, two girls, two boys once more. It made Norah feel a little pathetic to be stood against the wall in a line of people on their phones like the loner she is. Norah swears up and down, left and right that she has friends; the young sandy-haired girl was nothing of a loser of sorts. But standing out from the crowd, she really does go rather unnoticed.

Perhaps that's why she likes her 'admirer' so much. He likes her for who she is–she's opened up a whole part of her that she hasn't been given the opportunity to.

Her entire expression lights like the fireworks set to go off in just over an hour; the vibration of her phone nearly startling her to the point it's close from slipping out from her fingers, but she clasps onto it at the right moment. There are his words, fading off to an endless dot dot dot and the smile on her cheeks on do so much to hide how she's feeling.

From; monkeybread

To; Norah

'I swear, if they don't play auld lang syne the moment this clock strikes twelve, I'm leaving the party.'