Chapter 96: Chapter Eighteen.-2

She sighs. Then licks her lips. "It's fine. I mean," she stares up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. "I guess when I really think about it, I did want attention. My sister, Stausey, she has always been the center of my parent's universe and I was just a little speck in the abyss, not even a star." Her voice is sad now, full of longing. Not even a star? I look at her closely. I memorize her face, the little freckles on her forehead and the small scar near her chin. It's so light that I've barely noticed it before. I thumb over it, wondering where it came from. My eyes follow up to hers and back down to her mouth. I think about her bright laughter. Her fiery sass. Her blazing confidence. She's certainly a star. If people were stars, she would be the North. "And what about you?" Nora asks me, snuggling closer to me. "How were you as a teen? Wild as a boar?" She giggles and I shake my head. "Hardly," I laugh. "I read a lot and hung out with my friends." Nora's fingers feel so good on me. "Did you have a lot of friends?" "Nope. Like two." "Well everyone at your school must have been too stupid to realize how great of a friend you are," she says like it's the most sure thing in the world. I chuckle. "That's one way to look at it." Nora's fingers climb up my neck to my chin. "It's the only way. If I had a friend like you in high school, my life would have been easier. That reminds me," she looks up at me while brushing over my facial hair. "You've been such a rock for Tessa these last few months. I'm so glad she has you." When I look away from her praise, she turns my chin back to her. "Seriously, you're such a rare kind of person. I don't think you realize how special you are. It sounds stupid and weird and corny but, special is too light of a word for you." My cheeks are on fire. "I would do just about anything for Tessa," I tell Nora, because it's true, I would. "I know you would." This time it's Nora who looks away. "Anyway, what kind of books did you read?" Back to the superficial subjects. I'm okay with this. I can only take so many compliments and sex within a one-hour period. "Mostly fantasy. I loved all of The Lord of the Rings books, Harry Potter. I liked some dystopian too. I mean, I'll read just about anything." "I hate dystopian books," Nora says with a groan. I gently shove at her shoulder. "What? How could you?" I smile at her. She rolls her eyes and props herself up on her elbows. She tucks her hair behind her ear and licks her lips. "Because, let me tell you why. In nearly every single one of them there's some warrior chick who's like fifteen and saves the world. They've always got amazing friends and they are strong enough to save the world. Let me tell you, at fifteen I had no fucking idea who I was and I sure as hell couldn't have saved the world." "I disagree," I interject. "You could totally save the world." She nods, "Yeah, now I could. But not when I was a teenager. I felt weak and confused and sometimes I made shitty decisions. Where are those books?" Her passion and ferocity makes me like her even more. "I don't know. Maybe you should write one." I've thought about this myself, many, many times. She smiles at me and my breath gets caught in my throat. "Yeah. I should. I bet it would be a hit." I don't doubt that it would. I would love to read anything she wrote. "Are you hungry?" Nora sits up before I answer and her heavy breasts fall, taking my eyes with them. God, she's fucking hot and I can't believe I just had sex with her. "I'm always hungry." She grabs my hand and pulls me up. "Let's go, I'll make us some food." "I would rather do something else," I bravely remark. Nora's brows raise in surprise, "We can do both," she gives me a mischievous smile and drags me out of my bed.