Until Them...

Chapter Four

GABRIEL

The only hope I have left is that I might see those blue green eyes. Eyes which I dream about, and the only thing that is keeping this void from overtaking me. It's been three day, three fucking days...and I still don't where is she. Norah hasn't come back to the dorms, because I'd waited and waited for her but she never showed. Avery's not spoken or seen her, and it's not liked she'd tell me if she had. I've even tried to get Eli to talk to me, but I should know better than to ask him. I'm thankful for Eli, even if he hates my guts, because he fights so fiercely for Norah. And I know that as long as he's around she's safe. But sometimes I wish he wasn't so loyal, because I'd know where she is right now if he wasn't. I didn't want to leave her dorms just incase she shoes up, but I couldn't say in there anymore. I was sitting there aimlessly when I could got back out and find her. I even called Xavier, that's how desperate I am. I figured if she'd go to anyone it would be him, but he said he hasn't seen her. And I don't think he'd lie cause he usually jumps at the chance to throw her close bond with him, and I'm sure he wouldn't pass up the fat that he's the one consoling and making my Norah feel better. But it should be me, I should be the one to make sure that she is all right, and the one fixing her heart. Jiggling comes from inside of the apartment, and it takes me a moment to realise it's the lock on the front door.
"Norah?" I race to the door, only to find disappointment as it is Eli that walks in. Using a key that was most likely given to him by Norah, but at least that means he's seen her.
"Oh, I... I thought you were Norah" I sigh at Eli, and he notices me standing in the hallway staring at him.
"You really think she's going to show up here after everything?" he snaps at me. At least I know he's still pissed at me.
"No" But I did hope. That maybe after she got some time and space, she'd realise she belongs with me and come back home. "Why are you here?"
"I came to get her things" he says storming past me and into my bedroom. No, he can't take her stuff. It's the only things I have left of her, the only think that's keeping me breathing throughout this emptiness.
"You're not touching her stuff" I yell as I follow close behind him. Eli ignores me and begins to pile her belongings into a bag. I snatch her NYU sweatshirt out of his hands to stop him from taking it. And I can smell her as I bring it close to my chest.
This is too much and too painful, "Stop. Stop it" I shout at him because he keeps taking her from me, again and again.
Eli starts looking around the room for something, "Where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"Her sketchbook, where is it?" he asks. No, he's not talking that. He can take everything else but that. I won't tell him and he won't find it as it's hidden under my bed. I've been looking at it every night since she left along with all the photos I've taken of her while she's not looking, and I wish I'd taken more. More to fill the hours at night as I try desperately not to smash down every door in the city looking for her. Norah's always been so self concious and shy, and she hate me taking picture of her, but the ones I've taken without her knowing are my favourites. How perfectly imperfect, and beautiful Norah is without her even trying.
"It's not here" I lie.
"Gabriel I know it's here, she told me so herself now where is it?" he doesn't want to deal with my bullshit today, and honesty neither do I.
"So you've seen her? Is she okay?" I frantically ask her. When he doesn't answer I step towards him, tensing my shoulders in a threatening way so he'll tell me. I've fought him before, and I holding back last time, but if I have to beat it out of him I will.
"Yes, this morning, and of course she's not okay" he looks at me judgmentally before he goes back to grabbing all her things. I didn't realise how much stuff she had here until it's all laid out in front of me.
"Where has she been? I've looked for her everywhere"
"I'm not telling you that. Now give me her book and her room key" Eli dismisses me.
"No, if she wants them then she can come here and get them herself" I tell him. Knowing that this is my best leverage to get her to me.
"Gabriel come on man. You really need to give her space" Space? That's all I've been giving her for the last five days. I can't give her anymore space, if I do I think I might explode. I need to talk to her. To hear her voice and see her face.
"No, she needs to come back to me. She can finally move in and we can go back to our life together"
"That's never going to happen" Stop saying that. Stop telling me that she'll never forgive me. I get that he's her friend and he's trying to stick up for her, but he doesn't have to tear me down to do so.
"I get it Elijah, you hate me. But I don't care what you think. I know Norah, I know her better than you. Better than anyone. She will come around and come back to me"
"You're seriously going to force her to come back here to get her stuff from you?"
"Yes" Eli wants to say something to me, but he decides against it. Good choice, I'm riled up and happy for a fight. He piles the rest of her clothes into a bag and goes to leave, not before he tries to grab the sweatshirt from my hands but I pull it back from him. He moans but choses not to push it so I let him walk out with the rest of her stuff. I immediately grab the sketchbook from under my bed, making sure that its still there. I look through it for the hundredth time, until I fall asleep for the first time in three days, still clutching onto her jumper. To any fragment of her I still have.