The Breaking Of Nora Adams

Lucas's POV

(Pic in media box is Chloe Grace Moretz, my imaginary Nora. Oh, and by the way, the accident happened on Sunday and this is the next day, Monday.)

~Lucas's Point Of View~
Ava's ringtone wakes me up. She set it to some pop song by Katy Perry. Something about fireworks. I yawn and search around on my desk until I find my phone. Unfortunately, I knock it off my desk onto my carpeted floor. Not wanting to get out of bed, I twist so that my chest and head reach the floor, but my hips and below stay in bed. Then I grab my phone and press it to my ear.
"What's up, babe?" I murmur, yawning afterward.
"Just making sure you were up. You're driving me to school today, remember?" Ava's chirpy voice responds.
"Yeah. How could I forget?" To be honest, I had forgotten. Nora wouldn't text me back yesterday, and it left me worried and preoccupied. But I won't tell Ava that. She doesn't like Nora for some reason.
"Just checking. See you at 8:00!" She hangs up. I groan and topple out of bed.

An hour later, it's 7:45 and I'm about to leave. I grab an apple and a lemon cookie for Ava. Then I hop in my car, a red, old Mercedes. The drive to Ava's house is short. She is waiting outside.
In her pajamas. Which would happen to be Victoria's Secret.
She looks hot. Obviously. But why the hell is she wearing pajamas?

"Ava? Babe, why are you in your pajamas?" I ask. Ava motions for me to get out of the car. I jog over to her.

She pulls me too her and starts kissing me passionately. I enjoy the kiss for couple of seconds, but then my mind starts to come back and I tear away.

Ava looks at me, and I see nothing in her eyes. No pain, no joy. She just stares unblinkingly at me. I sigh and point to her door. "Go get dressed." I say. I see a tiny flash of pain in her eyes, but then she shoves me away and runs to her house.
She comes out after about 10 minutes. She just opens my car door. I pull myself in also and start the drive to school. It is a quiet ride.

I break the silence. "What was that about?"
Ava just pulls her arms around herself and sinks down in the seat.
"Ava." I say. I look over at her. "What the hell was that?"
"Is it Nora?" She asks sharply. "Do you like her more than me?"
"What?"
"You heard me." By now we're in the school parking lot. I've stopped the car. Ava still won't look at me.
"You're my girlfriend, Ava. I'm not dating Nora."
"That's not what I asked." She runs a hand through her hair, and suddenly she looks stressed and upset. "I-I think I need a break, Lucas." She says.
"What? Babe, I--"
"Just stop." She cuts me off, with tears in her eyes. She grabs her bag and opens the car door. Suddenly, she stops and turns around, halfway out of my vehicle.
"Do you love her?"
A million memories flood through me. Of Nora smiling. Of her cute laugh. Of her screaming when we rode some big roller coaster when we were 13. Of her hair falling in front of her face. Of her trying to help me with my homework. Of when we were five, and I kissed her hand in a play. Of her blush. Of her dreams. Of her awful but hilarious singing voice. And, for whatever reason, when I answer Ava's question I'm compelled to say---
"Yes."
Ava nods and slams my car door.
I sigh and set my head down in the steering wheel.
And jolt up as it honks and almost deafens me.

I make it to my locker as the bell announcing first period is ringing. Sighing, I grab my books and head off to Mr. Giovanni's history class. He's my homeroom. He's also Ava's, which will be hard to deal with. As I rush into the room, I hear him in the middle of the sentence:
"---awful accident yesterday. 7 cars piled up on the road. They found her mom and her sister at the very heart of the pile. Sadly, her mom and sister died. She was on the street several feet away, holding her father's hand. As far as we know, she's in the hospital right now. I hope that you all have Nora in your hearts--"
My books fall out of my hands on to the floor and stop Mr. Giovanni in his tracks.
"Did you say Nora?"
"Yes, Mr. Kane. Is there a problem?"
I sway a little. Someone shouts, "He's going to pass out!" He is? I mean, I am?
"Damn right there is!" I yell in response to Mr. Giovanni's question.
"Mr. Kane--"
I run out of the room. In the hallway, I panic and look around, then I run toward the exit. I have no idea what I am doing. The edge of my vision is tinged with black. The walls spin around me and I fall to the floor. The black inches in until it covers up all of my vision. I feel an overwhelming wave of dizziness.
And I black out.

Nora. Nora everything. Nora smiling, Nora laughing, Nora crying, Nora tucking her hair behind her ear. Nora's soft voice, calling me, calling me, I can just hear her---
"Lucas. Lucas, wake up."
"Nora?" I murmur.
"What? No, this is me."
"Who's me?"
"Nurse Alison."
Everything comes rushing back at once. I gasp and rocket up.
I'm in the school nurse's office on a cot.
I attempt to stand up.
"Nora. I have to get to Nora."
Nurse Alison gently but firmly presses me down on to the cot.
"No."
"What?"
"No. You just had a panic attack. You're staying here until your guardian comes to pick you up."
"What?" I say again. "No. No! You have to let me leave!"
"No."
I huff in frustration, sit down, and start to eavesdrop on other's conversations. Apparently all the can talk about is Nora.
"----hear her dad's in surgery, bone coming through his skin---"
"Poor girl. Good student."
"---mom was a good friend of mine, I can't believe she's gone--"
"Remember her sister! Such a cute little girl! She was 13."
"10 other's dead, 7 cars! Wonder she survived."
"The bitch deserved it. Just wished she would've done us all a favor and died. Frickin' boyfriend stealer."
Anger rises in me almost immediately, and I dart out to the main office and look for who said the comment. My eyes rest on one person popping their gum and smirking.
Ava.
"What the fuck, Ava?"
"Oh, you heard?" She asks with an innocent expression. "I won't take it back. Speaking the truth."
"Shut the actual fuck up! You don't know Nora! You don't know the fuck she's been through!"
"And I honestly don't give a damn. Bitch needs to learn the rules. Just a pity she didn't go to hell with her slutty mom and her shit excuse for a sister."
The teachers and faculty watch us with gaping mouths. Fury fills me, and for a moment all I can see is red. I wish I could hit Ava, but even that wouldn't suffice for the pain I would like to inflict on her. The pain that Nora has felt.

Instead, I clench my fists and turn around. This takes great self control, believe me.

When my mom picks me up and I'm at home, I finally do what I've been waiting for since I heard the news.

I sob.

I take big, jagged breaths in between the tears.

I mourn for Nora, and all she has lost.