Pink Umbrella's

Nora

Nora knows it was childish. She knows that she was raised with good manners. She knows this kind of behaviour is socially unacceptable.

However Nora also knows this guy infuriates her in a way she never thought possible so when she sees him just walking away from that girl without even saying goodbye and when she sees that girl's crestfallen face and when she sees the girl not even realise how fortunate she is that he walked away because she liked him so and when she sees him scowling at her... well... Nora sees red.

And she flips him the bird. And she mouths for him to go fuck himself. And the boy doesn't look happy.

Then before Nora knows it she is standing up and tugging her dress down which had ridden up while she was seated, and the white converse she is wearing are leading her around the bar. Her eyes are locked in a steely gaze with his as he marches towards her and they meet half way, standing in the middle of the floor surrounded by people. Their fists are clenched, their feet are slightly apart in a sturdy stance and although Nora has to look up at him - because he is really rather tall which she has never noticed looking at him from afar - she still faces him headstrong.

It is laughable really, Nora thinks, seeing such a petite girl and a tall boy staring at each other with fire in their eyes.

Nora also wonders how it got to this. Not once did she ever think that she would ever come face to face with him after she decided she disliked him and his womanising ways nearly a year ago.

Yet here they were, breathing heavily and neither one looking away. They weren't even blinking and it had been twenty seconds already. Nora's eyes were hurting. But she couldn't blink first, she couldn't let him win. She was too prideful and stubborn.

Fortunately, he blinks first and Nora smirks, acknowledging her win. Then she blinks too because as much as she would like to think she is, Nora is not invincible.

"What is your problem?" he finally speaks and the silence is broken but the tension only builds. Nora splutters.

"Me? ME!"

"Yes you!"

"I looked over and you were giving me a dirty look. I think the real question here is what's your problem?"

"Me? ME!" he seems to be bewildered. She can't imagine why.

"Yes you!"

"You told me to fuck off."

"No I didn't." she crosses her arms defiantly.

"Uh... yes you did." He persists.

"I didn't."

"You told me to fuck off! I clearly saw you."

"Well then you clearly saw incorrectly."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did." Nora sighs exasperatedly; they were just going round in circles here and she would really appreciate just getting to the point.

"Then what did you say?" he throws his hands up in the air and growls angrily.

"I told you to go fuck yourself." She replies nonchalantly regarding him with distaste. His eyes widen and his jaw drops slightly before clenching shut and then he glares daggers at her. Through forced breath he mutters,

"That's pretty much the same thing."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not. If it was do you really think humans would need to make up two different phrases just to say the same thing?"

"They could and they have."

"No they haven't."

"Yes they have."

"Like what?"

"Strange and weird." There's a pause as Nora thinks about this, frowning.

"What?"

"Strange and weird."

"Those are words!"

"That mean the same thing!"

"You are a fucking moron. I can feel my brain cells deteriorating."

"I could say the same thing, talking to you is a nightmare. I've already got a headache."

"Good."

"God you're frustrating."

"GOOD."

"You're lucky you're a girl otherwise I would've punched you so fucking hard already."

"Geez, you're like a caveman. Is that the only way to solve problems? Through violence? Use what little intellect you have for God's sake!"

"And you're a stubborn bitch who can't admit she's in the wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"It's girls like you that are the cause of women not having all the same rights as men." Nora was shocked. Never had she been so offended in her life.

"How so?"

"Because you're so fucking ignorant and you won't own up to your mistakes."

"You are way out of fucking order." Nora snarls through clenched teeth, pointing an accusatory finger in his face.

"Just admit you're in the wrong."

"I'm not! You glared at me so I did what any rational person who doesn't want to be glared at would do."

"Oh my god, you told me to fuck off!"

"For fucks sake, I told you to go fuck yourself, we've already been over this!" At this point, their flared nostrils were nearly in each other's flushed faces and people were starting to turn and take notice of the two young adults arguing stupidly. A group of deliriously drunk boys in the corner had already started to jeer at them.

"Um, excuse me?"

"WHAT?!" they simultaneously yell, turning to stare at the swaying girl to the right of them. Her eyes widen and she holds her hands up slightly in surrender. They both ignore her though and turn back to each other, pointing fingers in each other's faces.

"She was talking to me!" they both say again before pausing and narrowing their eyes, "are you copying me?" And just like that their shouting starts, and once again they're oblivious to the stares and scowls around them.

"Nor?" the girl who had previously interrupted slurs uncertainly. She stumbles on her feet slightly and grabs onto her friend's arm for balance, before shaking it briefly, "Nora?"

"What?" Nora cries out in exasperation, turning to face her once more. When she takes in Cloe's appearance, her eyes soften and she takes the girl's arm to keep her still.

"Can we go?" Cloe hiccups and behind her two other giggling girls stumble up, their arms linked and beers hanging precariously from their hands. Amanda's shawl had dropped off her shoulder and was hanging around her elbow. Meanwhile Holly had a suspicious stain on the collar of her brand new Peter Pan dress. Nora takes in her friends' appearances and decides it's definitely time to get them to bed before they throw up in her car.

"Sure we can." And with that she grabs the girls' hands and tows them towards the exit without a second glance at the boy she had been arguing with. He gapes after her, stunned by her ignorance.

"This is not over!" he calls over to her, raising his head so he has a better view of her over the crowd of people. Nora turns slightly, before flipping him the bird and mouthing for him to go fuck himself again.