Nora Johannes
(Four weeks later)
You know that really bad feeling in your gut you get whenever you know something is going to happen? Like, you can't put your finger on the future but you can anticipate it and the feeling is not good. It's not reassuring, nor is it comforting or motivating.
It's terrifying. That's how I was feeling right now. And the feeling just wouldn't go away. Not even after I munched away at Cliff's bag of chips, or after the hug Mason gave me once I told him how I was feeling, not even when Aj managed to give me an actual smile. A gesture of acknowledgement which was more than just a nod. None of that was comforting me.
The boys and I, excluding Hero who was downstairs preparing himself, were sat in one of the rooms we were directed to where we had a perfect view of the racecourse. If I thought our own tracks back home were impressive, this was on a whole other level: the lights were brighter and taller, the tracks were clean and professional, you even had guards and important-looking people occupying the booths in front and around us. It was beyond intimidating.
On the drive here, Hero was calm. Like usual. He had trained and done everything right and he wasn't nervous. But I was. I had been since I put my first piece of clothing into my suitcase when I was packing for this 'trip'. I was glad that I persuaded Hero to let me come here but now I felt almost regret: I didn't want to be here. I wanted Hero at home, with me, snuggling in either one of our beds as we watched a movie on Netflix. Like we did every other day.
"Still worrying?" A voice asked me. It was Aj. I was staring out the window at everyone, trying to find a peek at Hero, but he was nowhere to be seen.
I nodded. "I don't feel good about this, Aj. This whole thing is terrible and sketchy a-and not a good idea."
"Hero will be fine." He insisted. He didn't look at me when he spoke and instead stared right out the window at everyone busily preparing. "He isn't worried and neither should you be worried. You know him, he'll pull through with this. He always does." I gulped. I hoped he was right.
Aj walked back to where the others were, probably making himself comfortable with a can of beer, but I stayed put where I was with my hands crossed on my chest and one hand supporting my chin. I remained there, spacing out then blinking myself back to reality when I finally turned around and sat down next to Declan. I sighed and tried looking at the television to distract myself.
The distraction worked. I managed to get in a laugh too, until Aj's phone rang and he answered it by the door. He talked into the phone for a few minutes before hanging up, turning back around to face all of us. "That was Hero. He said the race is starting in fifteen-ish minutes so we can go down there to see him for a bit."
We all got up immediately and piled out of the room, following Aj as he directed everyone to the downstairs area where Hero was. It only took another minute before I saw him, stood next to his car as he looked at the tracks. The boys all cheered loudly and obnoxiously when they saw him and successfully caught his attention.
"There's the man!" Cliff cheered, laughing as he jumped on an unprepared Hero. Even he cracked a smile then told him to get off, shoving him playfully as one by one everyone greeted him.
"How you feeling?" Maddox asked him. Hero shrugged.
"Pretty good." Too confident for his own good. "Bigger crowd than usual though." That was his way of saying he had a tiny bit of nerves. There was the human Hero I knew; even if he didn't exactly admit it.
Aj nodded. "That's normal. The nerves will help though."
Hero shrugged again. "Guess so. Where's Nora?" I raised my hand jokingly and walked up to him, smiling when he reached for my hand and tugged me to his chest. We shared a gentle kiss until he pulled away slowly, staring at my eyes once he had opened them and gave me the cutest grin.
"'Aight, that's our cue to leave. We'll be back in a few." Mason announced, saluting us both playfully as I smiled and watched as the boys left from the way we came from and probably went to look around for a bit to avoid us. I turned back around to Hero and sighed, biting my lip as I looked up at him.
"What's wrong?" He demanded, cupping both my cheeks with his calloused hands. I gulped.
"I'm just... it's nothing. I know I'm just worried and now I'm overthinking things like usual." I told him, trying to make sure my voice wouldn't waver. I knew if it did it would just worry Hero and he didn't need that on his chest. Especially not now. "I know you'll do great out there."
He studied my eyes carefully with his own. "Tell me the truth, baby. I know something's bothering you."
"I just..." I sighed again, "I just don't have a good feeling about this and I'm worried sick for you. This is huge, Hero, I don't know how you're not freaking out or having a panic attack."
"I can't let myself think like that. I know it looks scary, baby, but just think of this as another practise at home. Only it'll take a little longer than my usual practises, okay? Think of it like that. I'm gonna be fine." He reassured. The softness and sincerity from his voice managed to actually calm me down and I nodded, trying to smile at him.
"You're right. You will be fine." I nodded in agreement, mostly to myself.
"But–," My eyes shot right up to his in a panic. Hero quickly ran his thumbs over my cheek in reassurance. "Not like anything will even happen– but in the slim chance it does– I have to get this off my chest." I frowned, already panicking, and nodded slowly. Hero never moved eye contact once.
"I love you."
I stared at him wide eyed, my mouth opening slowly. "W-What?"
"I've loved you for a while now. Ever since I saw how compassionate and caring you were and still are for Alma and how strong you've remained even past every thing you've been through. You are everything I never knew I needed and I'm so fucking grateful to have you in my life. You don't need to say anything now but I needed you to hear this. I love you more than life itself."
My eyes teared up and I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him in for a tight hug as I released a sob and squeezed his body. "I love you too." I said through my tears, pulling away with a giant smile as Hero quickly worked away my tears. "I love you so freaking much, Hero, I'm surprised I didn't say it earlier. You've brought nothing but good into my life and I appreciate you every single day. You really do complete me."
Hero grinned at me, his eyes glossing as my mouth gaped open once again. Was he... crying?
"Don't cry!" I said quickly, embracing him into another hug. He squeezes my back tightly.
"I just really fucking love you, Nora." I laughed at his words and nodded along, telling hi, that I agreed and that I love him infinite amounts. We soon pulled away and Hero was quick to capture my lips in a breathtaking kiss, his palms finding their way back to my cheeks as we shared what was probably the most passionate kiss yet.
We only pulled away minutes later when a cough interrupted us as I turned my head to see Aj standing there with raised eyebrows. "Some guy just told us we had to wrap things up here and get back upstairs. You both done?"
Hero groaned and moved my head so I faced him again, trapping me in yet another kiss which was slightly shorter than the other before letting me pull away from him. I held his hand tightly as I looked up at his eyes with a smile. "Come back to me safely, okay?" I ordered. Hero smirked and nodded.
