Nothing Out of Place

Part Five of 'Something I Believe In – Miracle Romance'

"Nora, please. You look like a druggie."

"I do not, Amelie."

"You aren't the least bit presentable."

"Mom! Please let me be!"

"You can't walk out dressed like that. You'll dishonor the family!"

"I don't care!"

Nora stormed out the doorway. She didn't care what her mother said. Any other person would have said that her clothes looked fine. She was only wearing black pants with a black long-sleeved shirt and her black button-down jacket.

Nora spoke the truth to her mother. She didn't care. It was only Thursday, leaving one more day to go before the two-week free-for-all known as winter break.

Nora felt the heavy weight of her backpack on her spine, the small cast on her left hand, the black piece of paper in her pant's pocket. Everything she stood for, everything her parents forced her not to be, was pushing at her skull, trying to get out.

I don't hate them, Nora thought rationally. I just hate their principles. I can't dress the way I want. I can't act the way I want…

I'm afraid they won't let me love the one I want.

Nora pushed the door to the school open. Immediately Dee-Dee, Mee-Mee, and Lee-Lee ganged up on her.

"Only one more day!" Lee-Lee grinned.

"No more Ellen breathing down our backs!" Mee-Mee beamed.

"And only one more day to find a winter love!" Dee-Dee smiled with a wink. Nora narrowed her eyes.

"You think I'm going to actually ask him out?" Nora sighed. "No, I can't do that."

Nora, Dee-Dee, Lee-Lee, and Mee-Mee walked over to Nora's locker.

"Oh come on, Nora," Lee-Lee shrugged. "Take a few risks."

"No," Nora pressed, her face beet red.

"Don't you want him?" Dee-Dee giggled.

"Will you shut up?" Nora scowled.

"Why are you so touchy about it?" Mee-Mee asked curiously.

Nora sighed again. She twiddled the combo lock on her locker.

"I just don't want other people to know," Nora admitted. "It's supposed to be between two people, not twenty. Little late for that, though."

The locker door yielded. Nora stared inside for a few minutes.

"What is it?" Dee-Dee finally asked.

Nora pulled out a single red rose, and her face completely flushed.

"Who's it from?" Mee-Mee asked excitedly.

"It… doesn't say…" Nora could barely speak.

"Hey, there's something else in there." Dee-Dee reached in, but Nora whacked her with her cast-covered hand.

"Ow," Dee-Dee moaned, as Nora pulled out a CD in a plastic case.

"Wonder what's on it?" Lee-Lee shrugged.

Nora procured a CD player from the confines of her locker, put the CD in, and placed a pair of headphones firmly on her ears.

"What else is in there?" Mee-Mee asked, gazing into Nora's locker.

Nora pressed the play button and listened. She was pretty silent, but she had an odd smile on her face. She put the rose (in plain view) in her locker, pulled out her binder, gently shoved the binder into her backpack, and closed the locker door.

"Hello, Nora?" Dee-Dee waved a hand in front of Nora's face.

"I love this song," Nora bluntly replied. Dee-Dee, Lee-Lee, and Mee-Mee stared oddly at Nora. Nora was swaying to the rhythm of the song.

Dee-Dee lifted the headphones off of Nora's ears. "Come on. You'll be late to your class."

Nora pressed the stop button grudgingly, and twirled the combination lock on her locker again.

"I don't understand," Nora said incredulously. "I don't think I've ever told anyone what music I like. But my favorite song of all time is on here…"

"What's your favorite song of all time?" Dee-Dee asked as Nora put her CD player away.

"Promise not to laugh, okay?" Nora asked.

"Sure."

"Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely."

"That Backstreet Boys song?"

"I know, it sounds really dorky… Sorry. If I don't hurry, I'll be late. See ya."

Nora walked off to her class.

---

Nora rested her head on a brick wall during nutrition. She was listening to the CD. It was a vibrant mix of all her favorites… there was classical, Eminem (of course), pop, even an obscure Japanese song she loved but couldn't pronounce the title of.

I don't think I've ever told anyone about all of these songs, Nora thought.

Nora felt her black jacket billow in the wind. She closed her eyes and relaxed, occasionally singing softly to herself.

Mandark saw Nora, relaxing against the brick wall. He smiled, and walked away.

---

"What are you going to do over Winter Break?" Natalie asked Nora in English class.

"Sleep," Nora responded matter-of-factly. "Something I haven't been able to do for months."

"Ah," Natalie laughed.

"What's so funny?" Nora scowled.

In English, they were supposed to be writing an autobiographical incident. Nora knew exactly what to write about, though.

The teacher said that the best three from each class would be read. Nora didn't think too much about that. One, the teacher said she wouldn't read names. Two, Nora didn't think she was that good a writer. So Nora jotted down her memory, painful as it was, and at the end of the period, she turned it in.

---

Life is something you can't redo. Nora didn't know why, but that thought was stuck in her head.

Dexter and her were working together in math, again. Everyone was a bit depressed that partners were going to change after the break (except for Ellen Rourke, who hated her partner). Dexter and Nora wrote down the various problems and solved them when Dexter said something.

"I found something in my laboratory that I believe is yours," Dexter started.

"Really?" Nora was a bit interested. "What was it?"

Dexter narrowed his eyes. "It was a piece of paper, with a heart on it, and…"

"Great," Nora interrupted Dexter. "I know what you're talking about."

"Do you really love him?" Dexter inquired. "I find it rather perplexing that someone like you would like someone like him…"

"A bit of advice," Nora responded. "The heart can't be controlled."

Dexter drew a blank, but nodded. "All right."

Nora pretended to work on her math, but Dexter knew that she was really staring at someone…

---

"Nora, why did you go to school like that?" Amelie asked her only daughter.

"Because I wanted to wear this," Nora responded. Amelie snorted. She adjusted the strap on her silver-blue cocktail dress and stared at Nora with her cool emerald-green eyes.

"You really are very impulsive," Amelie sighed. "It isn't the influence of someone at your school, is it?"

"No, mom," Nora scowled.

"There has to be someone at that school you have a crush on," Amelie pressed the matter.

Nora didn't like lying to her mother. "Actually, there is."

"Really?"

"His name is Mandark Astronominov," Nora admitted. "He's very smart."

"I see," Amelie nodded her head. "What else is there… about him?"

Nora was afraid to tell her mother about Mandark. There's no way she'd approve of him. Not a chance she'd approve.

"He is very kind to me, his worst enemy is Dee-Dee's brother, Dexter McPhearson, and –"

"Dee-Dee's brother?" Amelie interrupted. "Dee-Dee's your best friend, correct?"

"Yes, mom," Nora answered.

"Continue."

"- And he is a bit gothic, and maybe he does have a rule-the-world complex, but he is really sweet, and he helped me when my backpack broke, and he…"

"He's not suitable," Amelie said point-blank. Nora knew it.

"What?" Nora asked.

"This young man is obviously very unstable," Amelie explained, "as demonstrated by his gothism and his annihilative attitude, which is what you said in kinder words, so don't argue."

"A rule-the-world complex is not the same as an annihilative attitude, mom," Nora pointed out.

"That is beside the point, Nora," Amelie scowled. "All of your choices in men are severely flawed, as demonstrated in previous outings, and I'm lead to believe we will have to arrange a marriage for you."

Nora's jaw dropped. "Mom, you can't do that."

"Well, convince me otherwise. Do you really like this Mandark?"

"Mom, I don't like him."

"But you just said –"

"I love him."

Amelie narrowed her eyes as she looked at Nora. "You don't know what love is."

"Well, okay. I obsess over him. Does that sound better to you, mom?" Nora asked curiously.

"Fine, say you love him. I don't care," Amelie shook her head. "But if you give me or your father any reason not to trust him, believe me, we won't trust him."

Nora walked out of the room.

Just like I thought. She won't even give him a chance, and she's never met him. If everyone I knew had to conform to her standards, I wouldn't be allowed to talk to the Pope.

Nora shut her bedroom door. She watched her calendar swing back and forth on a peg on the back of her door.

They probably want me to date the Prince of Monaco or an actor or something.

Nora focused on the day that was still to come – Friday, the last day before Winter Break. She was so eager to get out of that school, away from Ellen, away from everything she hated…

Nora flopped down on her bed with a smile.

Maybe I can finally make that dartboard with Ellen's face on it.

---

"Friday!" Nora yelled. Dee-Dee joined Nora's euphoria.

"No homework!" Dee-Dee cried.

"No Ellen!" Natalie screamed.

"No more teachers!" Mee-Mee raised her fist in happiness.

"And we've all managed to stay single!" Lee-Lee grinned.

Nora, Dee-Dee, Natalie, and Mee-Mee glared at her.

Nora laid her head on her locker. "Lee-Lee, you jerk."

"What'd I do?" Lee-Lee asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, just reminded me of the fact I have little to no courage when it comes to him," Nora sighed.

"What's with her?" Lee-Lee asked Dee-Dee.

Dee-Dee smiled. "She can't ask him out herself because she's too chicken."

"I'm not chicken," Nora retorted. "I'm scared."

"Oh," Natalie said.

Dee-Dee was looking around the hall when she spotted someone. "Mandark's coming."

Natalie smiled wickedly. "Okay, let's go."

"See ya, Nora!"

"Catch ya later!"

"Bye!"

"What?" Nora screamed. "What are you doing?"

Nora fumed silently. Idiots!

"Hello Nora," Mandark greeted Nora. Nora turned around quickly.

"Hello Mandark," Nora replied. "What's new?"

"Last day of school. Finally, two weeks to do what we want."

"I'm actually going to sleep," Nora smiled. "What are you going to do?"

Plot the demise of my nemesis! Mandark thought immediately.

"Work on independent projects," Mandark answered.

Nora brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Anyway… thanks for the note."

Mandark smiled. "Does your hand feel better?"

"Yeah, I guess. But sometimes, my hand itches, and it's not like I can do anything about it, because it's in a cast…" Nora giggled. "I'm babbling, aren't I?"

"I don't care," Mandark shrugged.

"You know, you're really kind," Nora noticed.

Then the lights shut off in the hall.

"Hmm?" Nora murmured.

Nora could barely see her hand in front of her face. She heard the click of someone flipping a light switch, but no light came.

"Power's out," said the voice of Ellen Rourke. "This bites."

"Darkness," Nora whispered, her eyes closed and her lips forming a malevolent grin.

"I like the dark," Mandark sighed. "It's… so…"

"Inviting?" Nora offered. "Yeah, I know."

Nora shuttered. "Okay, I'm gonna need a flashlight if I want to get to class."

"The bell hasn't rung yet," Mandark reminded Nora. She could've sworn she felt a hand rest on her hip.

"Oh yeah," Nora smiled. She felt someone pull her towards another person.

If it hadn't been so dark, Nora would have realized that the person doing this was Mandark a while before.

"I'm kind of scared…" Nora admitted.

Mandark kissed Nora, for reasons even he didn't know, and pulled away a few seconds later. Nora could barely breathe. Her face, if anyone could have seen it, was crimson red.

"Was that you?" Nora asked stupidly.

"Yes," Mandark answered, equally as bemused.

"Do you like me… as more than a friend?" Nora asked.

Nora looked into Mandark's eyes, and became furiously red in the face. "Uh… I like you, okay, bye!"

"I think so," Mandark responded as he let go of Nora. Nora was breathing slowly as the power came back on.

"Light!" Ellen smirked.

Nora heard the bell ring. "I'll see you later…"

"Yes, same here…"

---

"Nora!" Natalie slapped Nora upside the head with a ruler.

"Natalie, wazzat for?" Nora slurred.

"You've been either half-asleep or daydreaming half of the period!" Natalie sighed. "What's up with you?"

"Nothin' important," Nora said. She was having an immense amount of trouble paying attention. But it is rather hard to pay attention when someone you've loved for close to five months kisses you.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Natalie asked. Nora smiled.

"Of course I'm all right," Nora laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Natalie said nothing.

---

I was so happy back then. Everything was vibrant, everything was just perfect. Nothing was out of place when he was around. I thought we would always be together – never to leave each other's side, not until death do us part. That's what I thought, even though we were pretending.

He was from the wrong side of the tracks. He wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't poor, either. He was just a bit unsure about what his purpose in life was. He told me that I was a great wife, even though we weren't really married. We weren't even really going out.

But when others interfere with a perfect existence, something imperfect is bound to happen. Just when him and I were ready to finally admit that we weren't just pretending, two people struck us down.

Those two people who had meticulously raised me to their standards, the ones I thought truly loved me, my own parents, told me that I could never see him again. But I was too young, too in love with that cute fourth grader, to really understand what on earth they meant.

But they told him all these lies, all these things about me that I would have never expected my own parents to say. They were cruel, unjust, and…

They ripped out my heart without anesthesia, smashed it with a mallet, and chucked it into the ocean. At least, that's how it felt. When that cute fourth grader told me that he was scared of my parents and myself, he ran from me. I cried for so many days.

Loneliness consumed my system. I became a slave to the darkness, a morbid princess, at the end of fourth grade. I hated everything around me, my seemingly perfect existence shattered by cruelty and lies. In fifth grade, things didn't improve. I was wearing all black every day, scaring my dearest friends, and offending my parents.

Depression hurts. It would have hurt less if I had brought it upon myself, instead of others handing it to me.

"I wonder who wrote that?" Ellen Rourke asked aloud. Her eyes were a mess of tears. The story had definitely reached her heartstrings.

By the looks of it, Ellen wasn't the only one who was touched by it. Natalie was sniffling, and a few others were shocked by such a tale.

Nora knew the rest of the story, the part she didn't write.

They told me I was to move at the beginning of sixth grade. I didn't care. As long as I could get away from the life they ruined for me, I would be fine.

Now I realize that this event may be repeating itself again. Once again, I have found love, and this time I know that we were made for each other.

And, once again, my mother doesn't approve of my choice. Once again, I'll have to act behind her back, so I can finally live out a fantasy that has swirled in my head for so long.

Nora smiled. But I don't know the end of the story.

"Wasn't that beautiful?" Natalie asked Nora.

"It was so morbid," Nora offered. "They obviously weren't making this up."

"They should make a movie about that," Natalie cooed. "It'd make a fortune."

And I know who'd make the perfect villains.

Mandark breathed slowly. He had never heard a story even remotely like it. A girl and a guy, not threatened by friends, but by their own families, causing immeasurable heartache and a spiraling descent to the throes of gothic obsession.

He'd never heard a story so true to life, either.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dexter's Lab! Yay! Oh, and thanks, Vindaloo, for reviewing this! I feel happy now!

Mandark: The blender makes you feel happy.

(Satine socks Mandark.)