Nora (1)
Ugh, another voicemail…
I pull my phone out of my pocket. I decide to listen to this one. Its from my brother Grayson.
“Nora, please come back home. Please, Norbit. Mom and Dad have calmed down and I promise I won’t let them lay a finger on you. I love you.”
I sigh and stop walking. I debate going back or not. I look down at my arms. They’re covered in cuts and bruises. I look down at my legs next. Trembling and weak.
I look at my phone again. Grayson wouldn’t stop texting me. I sigh again and look back. My house is too far away to be seen. I cant walk or I’ll collapse.
I unlock my phone and call Grayson. It doesn’t even get to one ring before Grayson picks up.
“Norbit?!”
I sigh before I start talking in a shaky voice, “Hey…”
“Are you okay?! Why is your location off?! Please tell me you’re okay. Do you want-“
“Calm down, Gray. Please. Im okay. Can you please pick me up? I can’t walk that well anymore…”
“Yes! Yes, of cour-“
He was cut off by screaming. I tense up. “Gray…? What are they saying..?”
He groans before answering in a sad voice, “Mom won’t let me leave to come get you…”
I can feel the tears forming in my eyes. “W-what..?”
I can tell Grayson was also fighting back tears when he answered me, “I’m sorry, Norbit… I’ll call my friend to pick you up, okay? He’s nice and he won’t do anything back, promise.”
I choke on a sob and nod. “Okay, thank you… I’ll send you my location…”
“I love you, okay? You’re going to be okay.”
I nod, knowing he can’t see me. “Love you too…”
He hangs up.
———————————————————————
It’s been about 20 minutes since I was on the phone with Grayson. I was sitting on the sidewalk now.
I was just about to pull out my phone to text Grayson asking for an ETA when it started pouring rain.
I groaned and hid my phone under my shirt. The phone screen was cold against my stomach and I gasped. I turned the phone so the case was against my stomach and not the screen.
Nearly thirty minutes later, I was starting to shiver. I get sick easily, so I started sneezing and coughing. I hid my face in my arms and tried to stop the shivering.
A car pulls up. I look up, but don’t move. I can’t get up. My legs are too weak. The passenger window rolls down. There was a guy inside that looked Grayson’s age. I hoped it was his friend.
I open my mouth to speak, but I was shaking too damn much. I cover my face with my arm to stop the sneeze that I knew was coming.
“Uh… this is awkward…” the guy from the car says as he turns to see me better. I look up. I guess he can see how sick I looked, so he got out of The car. He handed me a jacket. I couldn’t hold it. He sighed and picked me up. He opened the passenger door and placed me in the seat.
“I’m gonna put the jacket on you, ‘kay?” He says softly. I try to nod, but fail. He puts it on me with gentle hands. He buckled me up, shut the car door, and walked to the other side. He got in the car and buckled before he started the car and backed up. He placed his hand on the back of my seat and looked behind him. I brought my knees to my chest and stared out the window. Once he turns around, he places one hand on the steering wheel and held a beer with the other.
I manage a shaky question, “Isn’t that… illegal..?” He looks at me and chuckles. “Yeah, but I don’t give a shit. I’m not gonna get drunk from one beer, ‘Norbit’.” He smirks once he says the nickname my brother gave me.
“Don’t say my nickname… It’s weird,” I mumble. I sneeze.
“Bless you. Also, I never told you my name. It’s Nico. I’m Gray’s best friend,” he says with a proud smile.
His smile is pretty…
I cough and cover my face. He frowns. “So, Gray’s told me you get sick easily. How do you feel?” He says with a concerned glint in his eyes. I shrug.
“My head hurts…”
He sighs. “Okay, I’ll get you home in a few minutes. You can go to sleep, you’re okay.”
I nod. My eyes start getting droopy.
I hope Nico keeps that promise…
