{COMPLETED} ✔ December Bloom

twenty'three

Dante;

Fucking hell…

My mind was swimming, the image of Norah as I watched her hugging Braden filling my mind over and over like a dreaded nightmare that seemed to enjoy repeating itself just to watch me suffer through the torture.

When she had collapsed into my arms I was thinking, 'Score!'

Of course, any sane straight guy would be thinking that.

But, honestly, I just thought she was another hot babe, practically screaming to be screwed.

I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Promise.

But, I never expected that the girl, underneath all that make-up and awesome, tight clothes that showed off her curves and legs…to be Norah.

I knew though, Norah didn't like those clothes. She hated them, in fact and would be much more comfortable with wearing the same old ratty sweaters and big tracksuits. It was so obvious that she'd been forced into wearing these things, by whom I had no idea.

I sloshed around some of the beer in my red plastic cup, sighing.

How many had I drunk?

Four, five, six even?

I was only halfway drunk, still able to process things fairly clearly in one part of my mind but the other part was all fuzzy and stupid…

-Flashback-

"What the fuck?" I swore loudly, watching as Norah seemed to be laughing hysterically with this other girl, Claire McHale I think it was. I was shocked, not expecting it to be her.

Norah, I mean.

Hell, I thought it was just some other hot babe.

Not Norah Parker

After she had calmed down, I decided to try it again.

"Jesus, Parker, is that you?" I asked her, incredulity showing in my voice.

She nodded in response and winked at me whilst I just stared in disbelief at her.

My brain tuned out for a few minutes then, going all hazy and fuzzy, still reeling from the shock.

I really couldn't believe it, Norah Parker? Nerd? Freak? Loser? Ice-Bitch?

I shook my head and tuned back into the world to see Braden stepping forward and gathering Norah up and into his arms in a tight hug.

My stomach churned once more and I, unknowingly, clenched and unclenched my fists. A shadow passed over my features as I glared at my best friend for no reason.

I turned my gaze to Norah and felt it soften as I looked at her hugging Braden, one leg swept off the floor as she clung to him, her head resting lightly against his shoulder.

That one moment seemed to freeze in my mind.

She had let her hair down, letting it fall and tumble softly, cascading like a shimmering waterfall past her bare shoulders.

Her eyes were open and wide, beautiful hazel eyes mixed with flecks of green and gold, a liquid amber hidden beneath the ordinary brown which looked…just amazing.

She was smiling widely and happily, full soft lips just begging to be kissed, beckoning me. Yet I still stood, rigid as a statue.

Her cute nose with it's light trail of fading freckles sprinkled across the bridge in the most adorable, young and innocent way.