unrequited love.

18.

EUPHORIA.

some time had passed.

before marco left with his family for the holidays, he and norah went to the police department to report the assault. she ended up telling her mother that night, forcing her secrecy because she knew her father would lose his mind if he knew. unfortunately, it was nothing but the priority for the police.

norahs entire family had come over for christmas and she definitely took advantage of the indian dishes she and her elder sister helped cook up with her fathers sister.

she'd also spent the past two weeks messaging a certain curly-haired boy constantly. every time her phone would ring her heart fluttered and she would silently plead it was him. if you couldn't tell, she was missing him badly.

but tonight was new year's eve and norahs parents were taking a trip down to the city to ring in the new year in the big apple with her sister. they tried to convince norah to join them, but she told them that she had already had plans with nessa.

which was a lie.

you see, marco was flying into boston early tonight. it would have seemed that his family had finally had enough of their relatives back in puerto rico after two weeks and were rushing back home. but of course, their son was rushing back for other reasons.

"if you don't buy that, i'm buying it for you," nessa threatens as they pass by a victoria secret store in their snow-covered outlet mall. in the display was a mannequin wearing a lacey white bra and what was most likely a matching thong. but you couldn't tell from the outside.

norahs eyes lingered at the clothing-or well, lack off, and her stomach drops, turns, rumbles-lets just say, her insides set on fire at the mere thought of marco seeing her in such a set. she shakes her head, snapping out of her daze. "what do i need something like that for?"

nessa looks at her knowingly. "you know exactly what you need them for. which reminds me, we need to get you some condoms--"

"nessa! will you stop it? we're just gonna be eating ice cream and watching the ball drop on tv. y'know? family friendly stuff?"

she narrows her eyes at norah. "yeah? then why didn't you tell your parents the real reason you weren't going to new york with them, hm?"

"because you know how my dad can be!" she defends weakly.

nessa shrugs before pulling her friend into the store with, in her words, 'slutty lingerie' and successfully convinces norah to buy the white set. she seemed very excited to have corrupted her embarrassed friend, it was almost questionable.

after a day of shopping that included norah going against her comfort and forced to buy a bra, a thong, and a box of condoms, norah was really fucking nervous.

norah was a virgin. she knew she wanted her first time to be with the boy she loved and she had found him long ago, but that somehow made things even scarier.

"norah!" she exclaimed loudly, causing the wavy-haired girl to flinch and focus on her best friend. "as i was saying, the pop of the cherry hurts like hell," norah gulps, "but i swear, after the worst is over, it feels amazing. you should definitely take an advil or two before the deed to help with discomfort, y'know?"

while norah knew this was sincere advice, she was relived to see nessa stop in front of her house. "thanks nessa, for all the advice. i'll see you next year," she jokes.

"i want all the slutty details!" she replied just before the door closed.

norah shook her head and walked along her lawn to see that her dads car was parked in the driveway. she thought they had already left. norah puts a tissue she usually keeps stashed in her purse to cover the condom and panty filled bag.