Page 115 of Our Secret Moments

“How long ago did she leave? Did she take a car, or what?” I quiz. There’s always been unwritten rules in our friend group that we don’t just disappear when we go to a party together. We always need to know where each other are if it’s late. “She can’t walk alone in the dark.”

“Yeah,” Elle agrees, “Didn’t Ryan go with her?”

“No.”

“Okay, well, we’re going to see if we can catch up with her. She’s been off all night,” Cat says, linking her arm in Elle’s. Before I can tell them both to be safe and to call me if they need anything, they’re already walking out the door.

I turn back to face Wes who is still as slack jawed as he was when we first came in here. “What have you done?”

He gasps. “Me? I’ve not done anything. It’s her boyfriend you should be worried about.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” He shrugs. I run my hands across my face, tilting my head up to the ceiling. “Come on. Get your jacket. We’re going.”

“Going where?”

“Where do you think?”

She can try to run away from her problems all she wants and she can hate me for all I care, but I’m not going to leave her alone to sulk whilst the party she planned goes on without her.

FORTY-TWO

CAT

RUNAWAY SISTER

I’ve never seenNora go to the gym a day in my life, but she’s somehow managing to outrun meandElle. I’m not exactly fit either, but jeez she’s fast. Ryan’s house is only a ten minute walk from campus and we’re almost back to our dorm building. We’ve tried calling her, but she won’t answer. From what Wes said, she can’t be that far in front of us, but it’s dark and she’s not making any effort to contact either of us.

“How the hell is she so fast?” Elle pants when we push open the main doors to our building.

“I’ve got no clue,” I say, sighing when we get in from the chill. “It’s not like she’s got far to run now.”

We trudge up the stairs and my stomach churns. Does she already know about me and Connor? Is that why she’s running away? Did something else happen at the party that I can’t remember? Nora is the most sociable person I’ve ever met and she would not turn down a party – especially one that she planned – without a good enough reason.

I push open the door to our apartment and she’s standing there, headphones dangling from her phone and her keys in onehand. Her dark brown hair swishes as Elle and I step closer to her.

“Nor,” I say softly, resting my hand on her shoulder. Her eyes don’t lock with mine and she stares at the ground instead. “Talk to us. What’s going on?”

She takes a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. I’m fine.”

Elle steps in front of her, urging her to look at one of us. “You’re not fine.”

I peer over at her phone to see the song she’s been playing. “Seriously?Dear TheodosiafromHamilton? Babe, what’s going on?”

She sighs again and we move to the other side of the counter, Nora standing in front of the two of us. She finally meets our gaze and my stomach turns at the thought of me, or anyone, hurting her. She’s my lifeline. My best friend. One of the only people whogetsme.

“He cheated on me.” She whispers the four words so quietly that I almost don’t hear her. My heart breaks in two for her. “He’sbeencheating on me. I found out at the party. It’s why our chemistry has been so off on stage.”

“Oh, baby,” I murmur. Elle and I immediately wrap our arms around our friend, holding her tight to us. These are the kind of hugs that could last forever. The kind of hugs that hold the weight of a thousand ones, letting her know that we’ve always got her back. “He doesn’t deserve you, Nora. You’re too good for this world.”

“Am I?” she breathes, her voice muffled between the three of us. “Because sometimes, I feel like I’m barely scratching the surface of what it means to be ‘good.’ I’m just constantly missing that mark and he realised that and he doesn't want me anymore.”

“You’re so much more than that, Nor,” Elle says. “Anyone would be crazy to think you’re not the brightest star in their galaxy. You shine so bright, always. Ryan’s just got his head too far up his ass to notice that.”

“Exactly,” I whisper. “You’reourstar, Nora. You don’t need to be that for anyone else. You’re more than enough for us.”

She sniffles. “You guys get really poetic when I’m sad, you know that?”

We laugh and squeeze her tighter before we let go. “We know,” I sigh. “Now, what do you need from us? We kinda panicked about where you are, so the boys will probably be here any minute.”

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