Nora woke up feeling a slight headache. She looked around and was surprised to see herself in a room that didn't look familiar to her at all. She wondered how she got into the room when her phone rang. The sound from her phone made her head ache more as she quickly stood up to receive the call hoping it would reduce the pain. Without looking at the caller, she picked up the call and an angry baritone voice erupted from the phone. "Where are you?" The voice asked. Nora took the phone away from her ear glancing at the phone with her half-shot eyes, she found out that the caller was her brother. Shakily, she placed the phone back to her ear as she stuttered.
"I.... am so.... sorry. I will come home immediately." Nora said. She noticed her brother was going to yell at her so she hung up the call, she was surprised to see she has so many missed calls and text messages. She didn't bother about them because her main concern was her brother and the lies she was going to tell him.
She board a taxi which took her straight to the house. Arriving at the house, she saw her brother sitting in his wheelchair waiting outside for her with his arms crossed across her chest. Nora cleared her throat as she walked up to her brother. The look on her brother's face made her start confessing, all the lies she had spent time formulating all went to the drain when her eyes met her brother's angry one. "I went to...um...We..." Andrew looked at his sister, waiting for her to stutter and give him the answer he wants to hear. When Nora saw her brother wasn't going to back down easily, she frowned and continued. "Sara and I had an issue so we decided to talk it out. We went into a guesthouse but later..." She paused a bit. "Sara left me all alone. I woke up this morning and I...."
"You what?" Andrew asked.
"Andrew, I am sorry for coming home just now." Nora apologized. She knew Andrew would freak out if she tells him she found herself in a bedroom when she woke up, In fact, Andrew would stop her from going anywhere.
"Do you know you are late for work?" Her brother asked. Nora checked her time and saw it was already 9:30 when she is to resume work by 9. Nora left Andrew's presence at full speed as she got ready for work. Within ten minutes, Nora was done preparing for work. She got everything she needed and left the house pecking her brother on his cheeks before leaving.
"Thank you, Andy! You are the best." She said waving at her brother who couldn't help but shake his head as he watched his little sister.
"Be careful Nora." He whispered to himself. Nora is the only family he has and he isn't ready to lose her. Although Nora is naïve and can't see the truth for what it is, he's scared she is going to be hurt. If he had his way, he would love to be with her every day, every time, and everywhere but he knew that's impossible because everyone is being given a chance to explore their world and his sister isn't any different.
~~~
At Oak and Honey, Mrs. Wade- the director of the company where Sara and Nora works was having a meeting with some executives of the company a matter was brought up concerning some videos and pictures that were sent to their site which has been concerning so many controversies, especially from the customers. The executives were debating on what actions should be taken concerning the incident.
Mrs. Wade was fond of Nora because she is a sweet girl but this was something she couldn't handle all alone and it was too much for her to bear. All the pictures and videos were so real that she couldn't help but believe Nora was hiding her true self behind those sheep's clothing. "Who would ever have thought that a girl like Eleanora Bell would do such a thing?" One of the male executives said with disgust written all over his face.
"If anyone had told me Nora would do such a thing, I would have probably beaten that person to a pulp." One of the female executives said shaking her head in disappointment.
"Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Theresa, you both have spoken my mind but the evidence is visible here. What do we intend to do because our customers are awaiting our response." A man called Mr. Hanson said.
"Some of our customers have withdrawn themselves from our service. What do you intend to do?" Mrs. Theresa asked Mrs. Wade. "We all know how fond you are of her," she added.
Mrs. Wade placed her elbow on the desk as she placed her chin on her knuckles. She wasn't ready for a conversation like this but since it has come, she has to say something. "I want to hear things from the horse's mouth, I will get back to you." She told them as all the executives took their documents and left. Mrs. Wade was left all alone with her thoughts.
Nora arrived at the office but the stares she met the moment she entered the company and when she came into the office weren't friendly. Those stares felt like the ones she got from her brother earlier today. Did I do anything to get anyone angry? She asked herself when she felt a hand hugging her by the shoulders. She turned and saw it was her friend Sara.
"Where have you been?" Sara asked. "Didn't you see my missed calls?"
Nora brought out her phone to check, and she saw twenty missed calls from Sara. She turned the phone off, turning to her friend, "I am sorry. I had a massive headache this morning. And how could you leave me all alone knowing how sacred I am to be at places like that and you just ditched me." Nora poured out her mind letting Sara know she was hurt because she couldn't keep her word.
"I am sorry. I later checked up on you but I saw that you were gone." Sara said.
"I wasn't. I was in...." She paused when a girl passed beside looking at her with bad eyes. Nora couldn't take it anymore, she needs to find out why all the hateful stares so she decided to ask Sara. "Girl.." she tapped Sara and when Sara looked at her, she asked, "Do you know why I am being stared at today? it's scaring me." Nora was expecting a quick response from Sara but the silence she received from the talkative Sara made her know something. She folded her arms and looked at Sara. "Is there something I should know?"
Sara sighed. "Nora, I don't think it is something you should bother yourself with besides, I know you didn't do it."
Didn't do it?? What's she talking about. Nora thought. "Didn't do what?" she asked trying to suppress the fear she was feeling within herself. What are they accusing her of that she didn't know about?
Sara debated for a while whether or not to tell but when she noticed how scared Nora was feeling, she decided to let the cat out of the bag. "You...You were caught..."
"Miss Bell." Mrs. Wade called walking towards the direction Sara and Nora were standing, and the two of them stopped their discussion.
"Yes Mrs. Wade," Nora answered. Her voice sounded a little shaky because Mrs. Wade only calls a person by herself when the person has done something but she doesn't remember doing anything wrong. Why then would she come to call her? Nora thought staring at Mrs. Wade.
"In my office, now!" Mrs. Wade left as Nora followed after her.