Chapter Text
Norah Willians
Here I am watching the rain fall on my window... lost sleep and rapid breathing... dreams are just that, dreams aren't they? Yeah, it was still enough for me to lose sleep, and it's still 4:00 o'clock... I wanted to go back to sleep but I can't, I can't... the image of the 10-year-old boy dying is still stuck in my mind , and I know it was just a nightmare, a figment of my imagination but the excruciating pain in my chest wasn't, that's not normal... I'm starting to think I'm going crazy, that's it the finals affected me just that, nothing more...
This won't be bothering me soon, today I'll know my final grades and everything will pass... take a deep breath, Norah! Thinking about it too much only makes it worse...you know that...in that case I don't know what to think then, more than shit!
A nightmare that took my sleep, I run the risk of failing my senior year because of a single subject, I can't count on happy memories of my parents, they died in a car accident when I was only 10 months old, I lived moving from orphanage to orphanage where I was always seen as the ones who should stay away, I never knew why everyone just avoided me like the plague! And in a way there were days when I felt like I was one.
Maybe I could think of my boyfriend Ian, he always cheers me up when I feel smothered like that, and I think this is a good idea.
I remember his gentle smiles, our moments together, our hugs, our kisses, our promises...
Bingo! Who knew he could calm me down just by reminding me of our times together? I can add the list of why I'm the one who has to pay when we go out together, he helps me a lot and that's why this role should be on me. I'm not kidding, I have this list, sometimes it works with him making him laugh, thinking my gesture is cute, other times he comes out victorious, just with his charm that I love so much.
I start to feel my eyelids getting heavy, it feels like my sleep has returned.
I close mine allowing myself to rest.
...
- Wake up girls! Let's raise block 17! - I hear the housekeeper Samantha, or Sam as I call her, scream in the hallway.
I open my eyes angrily looking at my watch, 5:00 o'clock... damn it, I hate having to wake up so early!
I struggle to my feet, stretch before heading to my wardrobe in search of something cool for hopefully my last day of school, I can't even believe it...
I choose a black top, jeans, a black belt and a gray checkered jacket, summarizing my normal look.
I go to my bathroom in my room, brush my teeth and immediately turn on the shower going under the hot water, the only one here, the temperatures don't allow it, I don't know if I said that before but I live in Haines, Alaska there's not much to do talk about it, or what to do...
And who would have thought that being the hated one of the orphanage I live in would have its benefits, even if I have to wake up early I don't have to worry about morning fuss, that's because all the girls refused to share their rooms with me instead of me they sent me to another orphanage, the principal gave me a room just for me, which luckily was a suite, previously it belonged to a housekeeper, but she was transferred, so I was lucky when I got here I was already changed from orphanage for much less...
I turn off the shower getting my towel and drying myself, when I finish I put on my clothes and go hunting for a shoe and end up getting a black boot, I got my 18th birthday from Sam, she is almost a mother to me.
I roll up my pants, the bad part of being short all the pants are long, or tight if I try child-size...
I go to the bathroom with my few makeup, apply foundation, lipstick, blush, eyeliner and that's it. I go back to my room and get my hairbrush and comb my hair, finish it with a loose bun leaving two strands loose.
I grab my cell phone, headphones and put them in my backpack, reach for my glasses and put them on my face, leaving my room at last.
- Come on girls, come down soon for breakfast! - I hear Sam yell when I reach the lobby - And you, Nour? - Sam asks me, pleading with his gaze for me to say yes.
- No, Sam I'm not hungry now and I have to take the bus! - I tell her already knowing this speech by heart.
- Girl is always like that! Just please eat at school! - Sam asks giving me his morning scolding.
- I promise, Mammy! - I say smiling, I've called her like that since I was 9, she never seemed to be bothered about it, but today she looked different, she didn't smile or laugh at my jokes... am I in trouble? Did I do something stupid that I don't remember?
- Have a nice day, Norah..- I'm in trouble...
- You you too, Sam .. - I say leaving the orphanage.
...
I hurry off the bus, again this, I don't have a minute of peace anymore! I enter the school at fast, frantic steps, walk down the halls in search of my boyfriend, find him near my locker and hug him tightly, feeling tears form in my eyes.
-Hey, it's okay, I'm here for you... -I hear Ian say softly, I feel better in his arms, it's almost a calming effect.
- Happened again? It was not? - Ian asks me kissing my forehead, and lifting my head slightly.
- Yes... I fell asleep on the bus and it happened all over again... but it doesn't make sense... - I vent, it's just that happening and everything comes back, and worst of all I feel like it's not just a nightmare... and then I feel silly for thinking that way.
- What does not make sense? -Ian questions me lightly stroking my arms.
- They are not repeated and they are not unrelated, they seem to complete each other! Dreams are meaningless! " dreams".
- When we're on vacation we can do some research about it if you want! - Ian suggests cheering me up a little, I smile at him.
- This will be on my list, you know? - I play with him who laughs and gives me a peck.
...
Guess who graduated high school? Me! I can hardly believe it, even though it's been a long time since I got my degree. Now I'm in my room doing the research my boyfriend promised, we're always meeting up to find out what we can about these enigmatic dreams, but so far to no avail...
- The principal is calling you in her office, Norah! - Sam announces entering the room.
- Now? - I ask grumbling, Ian laughs at me and I throw my pillow at him who laughs even harder.
- Yes, now stop being lazy and go! -Sam sends, upset I get up and leave the room.
I'd be lying if I said I'm not scared to death, Principal Morris never calls me into her office much.
Arriving at my destination, I knock on the door, hearing a "come in!" in return, I open the door and walk over to his desk and sit in the chair across from him.
- During these years I was very flexible with you, and you know it! You are now 18 and graduated! If it were any other orphanage you would have already been expelled on your birthday, before you even graduated! So I ask you to start planning where you will be going from now on! Director Morris cuts to the chase, surprising me with her frankness.
- All right... I'll take care of it! - I say getting up from my chair.
- Have a nice day, Williams! - Morris declares when he sees me leave his room.
- I'm sorry, I tried my best to delay this... - I hear Sam say, I turn to face her with tears on her face, I feel my heart break. Now her behavior makes sense ... she didn't want to get attached anymore, she knew I would have to leave the orphanage soon .. I hug her letting her cry and I feel my tears joining hers ..
...
I walk quietly into my room, still feeling shaken.
- Hey what happened, tell me rose - He asks making me laugh lightly, he nicknamed me rose for looking like a delicate little flower, but he often had thorns to protect me from attacks, I always loved when he called me that, things little ones like that don't get lost, they stay in your memory with affection.
- The principal gave me the ultimatum of eighteen years .. - I say rubbing my arms discouraged.
- If you want you can stay at my house for a while, my parents wouldn't mind! - Ian suggests making me smile, I ponder the decision a little but before I say anything I hear my cell phone beep, indicating a new notification.
Curious I see it to be an E-Mail from such a... Harquea University. a local college in Harquea, Alaska... How? I don't remember contacting this college, nor did I know it existed, nor did I know there was a city here in Alaska with this name...
I feel in shock, Harquea the city of my dreams... does it exist? I ponder for a few seconds before opening the E-Mail...
"It is with great congratulations that we accept Norah Leah Williams into our college, she will reply as soon as she can so that we can officially register her and show her our campus.
Sincerely, Direction of Harquea University"
- This is impossible .. - I mutter in disbelief, my boyfriend looks at me confused and approaches worried.
- What was Nour? - Ian asks me.
- I was accepted at a college... - I say in a whisper, I don't even know if he could hear me...
- And that's good... isn't it? - Ian asks me confused with my reaction, he knew he was running after a vacancy.
- It's in Harquea .. - I say feeling a chill down my spine, causing me shivers, Ian knew what I was referring to and he looks at me in surprise.
TO BE CONTINUED...
KISSES AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME!