A Pirate's Life for Me

Chapter 4: What a Horrible Way to Live

Nora didn't know what to make of Levi. He was obviously a loner with some sort of stigma towards people, which she found ironic because he worked at a place so populated with people.      Most Disney things depicted not only the guests as happy, but the Cast Members. All your CM friends always together, hanging out. One giant family. But Levi wasn't like that. He had the obvious Disney vibe and a face that looked like it could be so sincere and happy, but when she'd been around him, he'd seemed pretty torn up about something.

She wondered what it was and if she could help bring a smile to his face. It did make sense that Levi would be a behind the scenes sort of Cast Member though. The sort that didn't have much guest interaction, but a person with enough awesomeness to be able to call themselves a CM. She saw that awesomeness in him, though from the looks of it he didn't think he was all that great. That needed to change.

Nora had wanted to take a selfie with him, but had been too embarrassed to ask. There was something about his face that made the gears of her mind whir, but she couldn't put her finger on why. He was cute and all, but there had to be another reason. Maybe they had gone to the same high school or something, which sounded like a pretty likely possibility since she'd moved here right before graduation and hadn't had time to get to know anyone. She'd ask next time they got together.

Nora dreamed of Jack Sparrow that night. They were on the Black Pearl and he, in all his Jack glory, had his perfect eyes on her, as poised and confident as ever.

"You have my utmost thanks," he murmured, taking her hand, kissing it, his eyes remaining on her.

She wasn't sure if it was from the rock of the ship or swooning, but she stumbled, only to be caught in his arms.

"Nora." She gripped him tighter, blocking the high pitch sound that wanted to escape her throat at the sound of her name on his lips. "My compass points to you."

Nora woke up with what she assumed was a heat flash. Hades probably felt cooler than she did when she remembered her dream. She grabbed a pillow, hiding her face into it. How could she dream that!? Oh, God, what if Jack knew? But of course he wouldn't know. He couldn't read thoughts...Could he?

Of course he couldn't. He was an actor, not a super hero.

She flung herself onto her back again. He was her super hero, though. He was perfect. She'd always admired Jack Sparrow as a character. He was so complicated. He kept people on their toes. He was constantly scheming such glorious schemes, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. He was funny. Cunning. Rough around the edges—but good. No matter what anyone else said, she knew he was good.

But the Jack Sparrow she'd dreamed about hadn't been the Jack Sparrow. It'd been her Jack Sparrow. The one she'd visited a dozen times now that she really had no business having a crush on. She'd thought she'd been keeping it very low key, but obviously her brain was telling her otherwise.

Nora took a deep breath. She could be rational about this. He was just some guy. He wasn't even real, he was acting. Most girls had weird crushes like this on fictional characters. It just so happened she could interact with hers in person. She could avoid seeing him. She didn't have to make this worse. She'd get over it.

Right?

Nora sat up, bringing her knees to her chest. He may know her name and appreciate her, but that was it. Nothing else was going to happen.

She blinked at the mountain of fur at her side, still asleep. Her family's Border Collie, Daisy, always seemed to find a way into her room, even with the door closed.

It drove Brook crazy, especially since she was the one who wanted a dog in the first place.

To get her mind off of Jack, Nora texted Levi a gif from the Jungle Book—Company March! And then asked a very dire question: When are you doing Disney with me?

Voices echoed from the living room. Nora perked up, listening. Daisy stirred, sitting up, licking Nora's hand for pets.

"I don't get it. Why do you let her go play pretend? She should be focused on school."

"You know Nora had a harder time adjusting to living here than you did, Brook," their mother said. "The only reason she wanted to come live here at all is because of Disney."

"You two always talk about how we have to grow up, then you bought her a ticket to the place that is the least like a reality check in the whole world."

"It's not the worst thing that can happen, Brook. She gets good grades, she comes home on time, and she's happy."

"Unlike me. I get it."

"We offered to get you a pass, but you didn't want one."

"Right. Because that would solve everything." A chair screeched against the kitchen floor. "I better get going to school. Otherwise I might end up doing drugs and end up in jail."

"Brooklyn—"

"As if Brook isn't a bad enough name—"
            
The front door slammed.

Nora cautiously made her way out to the living room, Daisy following her before going to her food bowl, finding her parents grimly staring at each other.

"Why don't you guys ever do something about her?" Nora asked.

"You know teenagers can't really be swayed, dear," her mother said, running a few fingers through Nora's short, wavy hair. "Think about how badly you wanted to go to Disneyland."

"World," Nora said instantly, trying to keep her eye from twitching.

Her mother paid her no mind as her father said, "Maybe you should take Brook with you. I'm sure you'd have fun."

"That's a wonderful idea!"

"Are you kidding?" Nora placed a hand on the counter to steady herself. She almost pinched herself, in case this was a dream. She'd take the humiliating Jack Sparrow one any day over this nightmare. "She eats me alive when all I do is wear a Mickey shirt or, you know, exist."

"She's a teenager, honey."

"That's no excuse for bad behavior. Besides, I'm nineteen," Nora seethed. "It's not like I ever acted stuck up like that."

"They do say the eldest is typically more mature," her father mused.

She didn't want how she was treated to be some sort of social experiment, or brushed aside. "I know you guys do a lot for me, more than I can imagine, and that's why we're here in the first place, but I'd really appreciate some backup."

"We can't make Brook change, Nor," her mom said.

No, but you're her parents. She's sixteen. You can punish her and guide her. You can, you know, be her parents.

Nora said nothing, instead looking at her phone, keeping her screen hidden so her parents couldn't see her Jack screensaver. "I have to get ready for school."

"Wonderful," her dad said. "You'll be the brightest architect this side of the Mississippi in no time."

Nora grimaced, heading back to her room to change, purposefully choosing a non-Disney outfit. A mask for another day of pretending.

That didn't stop her from packing Disney clothes in her bag, just in case Levi texted back.

Oof. Parents and siblings, am I right?

Question of the Chapter: Who would your Disney World buddy be, that you'd love to go there with? Why?

-Flips