unrequited love.

6.

BAD INFLUENCE.

they weren't fighting. fighting had to require some sort of communication. and marco and norah haven't uttered a word to each other since lunch on thursday.

now, i'm sure you can understand how much this effected norah. despite her being hopelessly in love with the guy, he was still her best friend. she told him everything-- well except one tiny little detail, but you know what i mean. he was her other half, and knowing how he felt towards her at that moment made her stomach knot.

it was currently saturday and norah was meant to be getting ready for this stupid party nessa dragged her to. on the other hand she knew she had to somehow take her mind off of things, but the antisocial introvert within her wanted to stay home and have a euphoria marathon until she questioned her mental stability. lexi may or may not have a special place in her heart.

she scouted through her closet, having already finished blow-drying her hair and applying her makeup earlier. she decides on a simple white top tucked into a pair of high-rise jeans and a denim jacket that cut off at her waist. as she finishes putting on an earring, her phone rings.

she walks over to where her cell laid charging to find a picture of a familair congolese girl flashing across her screen. she swipes her phone, instantly putting it on speaker so she can grab her other earring. "i'm pulling up to your neighborhood, have you finished getting ready?" nessa 'greets'.

"well hello to you too," norah sarcastically responds. "yeah, i'm ready. just putting on my shoes now." she adds with a mopey tone, slipping on her converse.

nessa pauses before demanding, "norah, i swear to god, you better not be frowning. we're gonna be having fun tonight. you hear me? fun." norah unplugs her phone, wondering what this 'fun' thing felt like since she hasn't recognized the feeling for a while now. just disappointment after disappointment after-- well, you get it by now.

"you know i'm not exactly a party animal, nessa. i'm only going for you." she claims, flipping off the lights of her house since her parents were out visiting a friends house. "are you here yet?"

"yeah, hurry up," a loud honk is heard as vanessa hangs up the phone.

** **

"here, drink this." vanessa offers, shoving a red solo cup in norahs hands. her eyes bulge at her because vanessa knew she wasn't a big drinker. "calm down, it's just beer. not hard liquor!" nessa exaggerates, handing her friend the cup.

she stares down at the fizzy yellowish drink within the cup while nessa makes herself a drink. slowly, norah tests the drink but her tastebuds reject as she makes a sour face. "how the hell do you drink these things? its potent."

nessa rolls her eye, while pushing her faux locs off her shoulder, "you'll build up a tolerance eventually, now c'mon, lets go find everyone else," she pulls her out the kitchen and begins her quest to find their friends.

nearly half an hour later, nessa and zhang had run off to 'talk' in some undisclosed area, leaving norah to cope unaided. with the beer finally growing on her, she decides to grab a refill. her eyes examine the beverages, trying to find the beer. "looking for something?" a voice asks, catching her attention. she spins around to find none other than ricardo alves with a smug smile.

"oh, yeah, i was just looking for some beer," she replies, diverting her gaze back to the table.

the quarterback takes a spot beside her. "well, i think the guys took the keg to the backyard, but lemme make you something else." he grabs her a new cup from the stack. "any preferences m'lady?"