19 The note

"Will you let go of my hand." Nora said.

"No, can't take any risks." George said looking behind at Nora who was walking slower as ever. The rage made her forget the pain but when it extinguished the pain came rushing back.

"Let go of my hand." She jerked her hand free from his grip and slumped down on the ground clutching onto her foot.

"I can't take it anymore. It hurts like hell." She cried.

"Shall I pick you up in my arms." George said innocently. She gave him a cold look and smiled, "It's alright. I just need some rest."

"In the middle of the corridor?" He asked. She looked around and then nodded. George settled down beside her, "So, mind telling me what was that all about."

"It's a long story." Nora sighed.

"I have a lot of time." He smiled. She sighed and then narrated him the whole incident, omitting out some of the parts while he listened intently to her.

"So, she actually did something like that?" He asked surprised. "As far as I know her she wasn't like that."

"Wasn't, you know her?" Nora questioned.

"Yes, she's been with us since high school."

"Us?"

"Me and Luke. All three of us went to the same high school even attended the university together, and now we all are up for our master's. Had no idea she would do something like that."

"Didn't see that coming." Nora shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah. Hey, you stayed over at Luke's last night, did something happen?" He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"What do you mean?" She questioned.

"Like, between you two. Anything, something." He said nervously. She looked at him confused, "I really don't understand. But I would say no, nothing happened."

"Cool, now you better get up." He got on his feet and helped her up. He accompanied her till the dormitory, helping her walk.

"I think this is where we should part." Nora said with a smile. George looked down at her. "You're not planning on coming in are you?" She smirked.

The words sank in and he realized, "Yeah, of course. Here you go." He handed the bag to Nora. "Take care of yourself. I'll get going." He stopped in the middle and turned around, "You sure? I can help you get to your room, you know."

"Yes, I am sure. You better leave." Nora smiled, "Bye." She waved her hand at George and he left reluctantly.

She turned and made her way into the dormitory. Walking was a task, but climbing the stairs scared her and out of all the days the elevator was under maintenance. She cursed her luck and started climbing the stairs, one step at a time.

After what seemed forever, she finally made it to her room on the third floor. She turned the key and entered, threw the bag on the floor and went directly for her bed.

She just laid there on her belly, face nuzzled into the pillow, thinking about the morning. It happened all too fast. The event of the past night kept playing in her mind.

"That's it. Enough, stop it Nora. Stop thinking about it, concentrate on something else, anything." She muttered, "Concentrate on your foot. Yes the foot." She got up.

She was still wearing the slippers, "Are these too big or are my feet too small." She thought examining them. Then she shook her head and her eyes fell on the bag on the floor.

Her sneakers were now peeping out and along with them was a paper. She got up and moved towards the bag, picked up the paper and unfolded it, there was something written on it.

It read -

"Don't know how much you remember about last night but I'm sorry for what happened to you, it was my fault. Take care of yourself and your foot."

She read and re-read it. She traced the written words with her fingers, then picked up her sneakers and placed them in the shoe rack. She folded the paper and put it in the drawer next to her bed and headed out of her room.

Standing at railing she looked down in the lawn. Her mind was too occupied to process anything.

She was already dumbfounded at what she had read and now she couldn't decipher anything. It was too frustrating.

"I have to talk to him, settle these things, thank him and everything will be fine. Yes that's it, I'll do that and everything will be okay." She smiled triumphantly and went back inside the room.

The rest of the afternoon, Nora just stayed in bed. She had brushed her teeth and freshened up, all the time trying to clear up her mind. Then she gave up, it was useless, her brain won't listen, so she just laid down and waited for it to stop.

It was around five when Tina returned, "Geez Nora, you look like a sixty year old man fed up of his life." She yelled.

"I know." She said lazily.

"Get up now, old man. I got pizza." Tina shouted.

"Okay sir." Nora got up and sat on the bed cross legged, her foot was much better now, it was bandaged efficiently and she need not change it. Tina put the pizza box in the middle and settled down on the bed. Without any further discussion they both dug in.

"Tell me Nora. I want to know everything." Tina glared at her. Nora stopped and swallowed, she put down her slice and looked at Tina.

"No, your puppy face's not gonna work. Tell me." Tina said. She sighed and narrated the whole incident yet again to her.

Tina, unlike George wasn't quiet, she was quite responsive, gave her own advises and curses during the narration which made Nora laugh.

"You just wait Nora, I'll rip apart every limb of that Rachel." Tina said, motioning with her hands.

"Of course you will. But drop the idea for now, I don't want to get involved with her it affects my brain." She took a bite of her pizza slice.

"Is that so? Fine, just tell me when you're ready." They looked at each other and started laughing.

"Enough of mine. How was your date?" Nora asked.

"It was great, better than I expected. He looked so handsome. We had dinner and watched a movie, it was a beautiful night and," She trailed off.

"And?" Nora repeated.

"We were having fun, then we went over to his house and we did it." She said burying her face in her hands.

"You what?! Were you freaking out of your mind." Nora shouted.

"Keep it down, it's not like my first time Nora. Don't get hyped up."

"Hyped up? You just met him, I mean you guys barely know each other." Nora stammered.

"But now we know everything about each other." Tina licked her lips. "Anyway someone like you won't understand, who hasn't even dated anyone let alone getting intimate someone." She said with smirk.

Nora flushed, "Fuck you Tina Miles."

"It already happened Nora." She smiled.

Nora opened her mouth and closed it but nothing came out, she was speechless and flushed even more.

"Don't kill my appetite now." She shouted and took a huge bite from her slice. Tina looked at her amused, this was the only way to shut Nora and it always gave the best results.