Hurt her feelings

"Finally done with the formalities." Nora stretched herself.

"No Nora, you're not done yet, wait till we get back. You built a virus! What were you planning to do with it?!" Mr. James yelled.

"Nothing professor, I was just challenging myself, nothing else." She laughed nervously.

"That's for me to decide. Don't think I'll let you off, we'll have a long conversation about this when we get back. Let's get to the hall first." He said.

The presentations were done and everyone was waiting for the results. Also the news of the disqualification had spread like wildfire, everybody knew. Rachel, Joseph and Luke were standing near the stage with Edward's team.

They approached them, "How did the presentation go?" Mr. James asked.

"It was great Mr. James." Joseph said.

"Let's wait for the results then, you all enjoy the free time. I'll leave you alone." He said.

"Oh Nora, thank you so much for what you did." Rachel said hugging her.

"We owe you this time Nora." Joseph said.

"Lady Nora, you are something, I bow down to you." Edward teased.

"Sure you do." Nora rolled her eyes. She looked at Luke, he was standing at a distance from everybody. He was not even looking at her, completely ignoring her. She moved to him, "You're not gonna thank me?" She said.

"I'm sorry, I don't thank idiots for taking idiotic decisions." He snapped.

"Hey, you hurt my feelings!" She said playfully.

"Did I? But guess what, I don't care because the decision you took was fucking stupid, stop acting like goody two shoes." He looked at her.

She was taken aback by his reply, "I was not trying to act like goody two shoes, I just couldn't see our hard work go down the drain for nothing. At that time it wasn't about me, it was about the team, and you yourself said that we are a team. If thinking about the team makes me an idiot, then be it." She moved away from him to leave but stopped, "Also what you said really did hurt me." And she left.

Looking at her leave the hall, he soon realized his mistake, "Oh shit. What the heck is wrong with me?!" He muttered to himself and followed her out.

She was strolling in the corridor and was on the end and turned the corner. He rushed over and heard her talk to herself.

"Nora, you're an idiot, complete idiot. Why did you even go to him? What took over you? Stupid. But he is also a jerk, a full fledged jerk. Huh, I don't need his thanks, damn that asshole. I really want to punch him in the face. Nah, that'd be too much, and he totally has a sick attitude, huh, Nora go tell him that! No I can't, I can't do that, he did help me though, and guess what I will not thank me. Oh man, what am I kid? Seriously what the heck am I speaking? Nora you're useless." She let out a small frustrated cry.

Luke stood there looking at her trying to stifle his laugh, "No, you're not useless Nora." He stepped forward, she froze, "Oh, you... You heard what I said?"

"Yes, every bit of it." He nodded, Nora's face became hot and she flushed.

"Oh, so.. you. I am sorry." She managed to get the words out.

He let out a big laugh, "Oh Nora, what exactly are you?" She looked at him in awe, confused at his reaction.

"Anyway, I should be the one apologizing, I am sorry." He calmed himself. "I should have thought about your feelings too."

"Oh.." She looked at him amazed. "It's fine, you pissed me, I cursed you, we're even." She waved her hand.

"So let's go inside, for the results." He said.

"Yes sure." She walked back.

When they reached there, the crowd was settling down as the results were about to be declared. They found Rachel and Joseph sitting at the same spot. "Just at the moment." Rachel said. "They're announcing the results in a few minutes."

"What's the time?" Nora asked.

"Quarter past 9." Rachel said.

"May I have everybody's attention, after a lot of deliberation, the judges have finally handed over the results. Students please maintain silence." The anchor was on the stage. Silence swept across the hall. "So, for the second runner up we have the Sovereign University." The crowd applauded and Edward's team stepped on the stage. They were handed a huge cheque and each was given a medal.

"For the first runner up we have the St Laurel University." The crowd applauded again and the team stepped up.

"So for the moment we've all been waiting for, the winner of National Tech Fare Hackathon is...the University of Nuezelea." This time the applause was louder; Rachel, Luke, Joseph and Nora got up. "We won, we actually won." Rachel shouted. "We did it!" Joseph joined in.

"Now go ahead, bring me that cheque." Nora said playfully.

"Sure." Rachel said.

They started towards the stage, Rachel first followed by Joseph and then Luke. Luke stopped in the middle and started back to the seats, "What are you doing?" Nora asked. "Something right." He smiled and held her by the wrist and started to walk towards the stage, "You're supposed to be there too." He looked back at her.

Before she could react, she was already on the stage, standing with her team. Two persons came up, one of them was Mr. Campbell, he smiled at her and handed her a bouquet. Then he gave the cheque and put medals around their necks. All the while Nora stood there with a huge smile on her face.

Then there was a group photograph with all the winners and the judges. They walked up to Edward's team, "Hey man you guys actually won. Got promoted again Luke!" He said as he caught their sight.

"Told ya, don't doubt me." Luke said.

Edward laughed, "So congratulations guys, to all of us." He shouted.

They got down from the stage and Mr. James came running towards them, "Oh my, you guys won. I am so proud of you." He was elated.

"We are proud of you too." Nora handed him the bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you Nora, but I'm not letting you off the hook." He accepted the bouquet.

"Of course you wouldn't." Nora muttered. "Still congratulations we won."

"Yes, but I am sorry children, I have to leave, some family problem just came up." He said.

"Anything serious professor?" Luke asked.

"Not anything serious, but quite urgent." He smiled. "But don't worry we'll celebrate it once we get back, and all of you better be careful on your way back. Understand?"

"Certainly Mr. James. You should be careful too." Rachel said.

"Of course, but I got to go now, once again congratulations and I am proud of everyone." He smiled and made his way through the crowd.

After what seemed forever of congratulations, questions, they finally made their way out of the hall and into the auditorium. Not many students were there, and most of them were busy packing their stuff. They made their way to the table.

"I've got to tell my parents ASAP." Joseph said.

"I have to make some calls too." Rachel left with Joseph.They both stood at the french windows busy on their phones, laughing and shouting excitedly.

"This is huge." Nora muttered taking Luke's medal in her hand. He took it off and put it around her neck, "Looks better on you." He smiled at her, once again showing his teeth.

"Wow, thank you." She looked at the medal and took it in her hands, "It's heavy."

"Of course it will be." He smirked.

"You just wait, next year this is going to be mine." She took it in her hand and held it up.

"I am quite confident of that. But seriously Nora, without you this wouldn't have been possible." He looked at her.

"Oh, somebody's thanking me." Nora gave him a dorky smile.

He smiled and shook his head. She took off the medal and gave it back to him, he stuffed it in his bag.

Rachel and Joseph were back a few minutes later, "So we stay here or leave?" Luke asked.

"You're the one driving, what do you want?" Rachel said.

"Then pack up the stuff we're leaving right now." He said.