Nothing Less

Chapter Ten.

Songs for this chapter are: 

Never Knock- Kevin Garrett 

Edge of Desire- John Mayer

War of Hearts- Ruelle 

...

My apartment is quiet. I've been watching episodes of Arrested Development on Netflix and staring at the clock on the t.v. since I got here. I remember when I was younger, I would have to find a clock on the wall to tell the time. I would have to go inside someone's house to find out what time it was. Unless I got lucky and found someone wearing a watch. I wonder if kids now a days are more or less dependent on time?

Does it mean the same thing to them now that they have a clock on their smart phones and t.v. screens? Hell, I even remember when I had to check the guide channel to see what was coming on next. I would sit and wait for the channels I watched to show on the screen and hope I didn't miss them. Missing the channel meant waiting at least another five minutes for it to come back around. The older I get, the more I understand why elderly people use the phrase, "back in my day".

No matter how many random thoughts I try to focus on, the time barely moves. Time is one of those inevitable forces that humans can't control. One of the few things, actually. As humans we are obsessed with time and the idea of manipulating it. Some of the most incredible stories focus on the idea of time. Usually the idea is that if someone had a time machine, they could change their past and their future. They could become rich and famous, or even rule the world. Right now, if I had one, I wouldn't even go all crazy and try to change my entire life, or the world, I would simply fast forward a few hours so I could see Nora. Well, if she still plans on coming, that is.

Jason Bateman is on my screen, trying to keep his dysfunctional family together and I'm trying to keep my mind off of Nora. She was more open today than her usual. She told me about her sister, Staussey and her family trips to Europe. It's weird to think about her family in Europe, sunbathing and eating strange foods and tiny black coffees while I was running around my plat, hanging out with Carter and Dakota, eating Mike-Sells potato chips and drinking water from our faucet. Sometimes I would get a Mountain Dew and it was a treat. Her reality was light years away from mine.

A tapping at my door has me on my feet in seconds. When the door opens, beautiful Nora is there, grocery bags in both her hands. Since she left me outside of Juliette, she changed into a black t-shirt and wiped some of her makeup off. Her shirt is so long that I can't tell if she's wearing shorts, not that that it would be a problem if she wasn't.

Her hair is braided now, draped over her shoulder. "You are so beautiful," my words come before I can stop them. I don't mind and she doesn't seem to either.

Nora's eyes fall to the floor and she smiles. For the first time since I've met her, her smile is unguarded. It's completely natural, like walking or speaking, and it's beautiful and I love her.

Well, I don't love her. I barely know her, but she has a smile that would make any man believe they love her.

"Hi," Nora walks past me and into the apartment. The energy inside my place changes with every step she takes. She makes things brighter. The ceiling even seems higher when she's around. I'm obsessed with her.

Instead of sharing that information, I respond with a simple, "Hi."

We are both quiet as I follow Nora into the kitchen and help her with the bags. She grabs one from me and puts it on the counter closest to the stove, a few feet away from me. I start pulling things out of the brown paper bags, an onion, a bottle of olive oil.