Nora had not caught much sleep last night. She had relived yesterday's dramatic events in her mind over and over, like a recurring nightmare that continued even while she was awake. A single day was not much to digest all the words and emotions that had been exchanged between her and her estranged mother. Her mother's answers and explanations had torn up deep wounds in Nora's very spirit, and it felt like all she had done to treat them was put flimsy Band-Aids on them.
She had expected the meeting to be dramatic, and she had been more than right than she feared. Tears had been shed on both sides, as her mother explained why she had abandoned her, and why she had not returned until now. She, however, had not expected Jorda to tell her that her conception had been an accident, and that she was originally meant to be aborted. It had made her question every bit of her existence. She may have had snapped and gone insane, if it was not for Pyrrha's soothing comfort.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Nora looked down on her closed Scroll in her lap, her legs bouncing up and down restlessly. As much as she tried, she could not sit still.
"How are you feeling, Nora? You seem jumpy," asked Pyrrha from the other side of the room.
"O-oh, it's nothing, really. I wanna call my mom and tell her a few things. I just… need another moment to think it through, you know," she replied. She did not want the last memory of her mother to be about yelling angrily at her and then storming off. She wanted both of them to have another chance, to be able to meet and talk under better circumstances. If they were going to see each other for one last time, she wanted to at least make peace with her.
Nora was so focused on the Scroll in her lap that she did not notice Pyrrha approaching until she saw her go down on one knee in front of her. She looked up and saw her friend's beautiful face expressing silent compassion. She took one of Nora's hands with both of hers, squeezing it gently from both sides.
"Do you want me to be with you when you make the call?" Pyrrha asked gently. "I don't mind leaving the dorm and go for a walk if you would like some privacy."
Nora could not stop herself from smiling, her cheeks growing warm. I'm so super happy to have you in my life. "Stick around, please. I want you to be with me," answered Nora, her heart fluttering. If only you knew how much I really want you to be with me…
With each passing day, it was becoming harder, more painful for Nora to contain her burning desire to become more than Pyrrha's friend. She knew that the fateful moment where she would confess her passionate feelings for her was drawing closer. She was aware that Pyrrha may not be able to respond to her feelings the way she wanted. Nevertheless, that was a risk Nora knew she needed to take. She needed to open her heart eventually and take whatever consequences there may be, rather than continuing with the charade. She planned to confess, but not now.
Nora took a slow and deep breath, futilely trying to keep the countless thoughts bouncing around in her hyperactive mind still. After exhaling slowly, she opened her Scroll, saying, "Riiiiight then, let's get this show on the road. Here goes nothing!" As Pyrrha sat down next to her, Nora began dialing the number to Bifrost hotel in Vale City, where her mother had been at yesterday. "I hope she hasn't checked out yet," whispered Nora. She now knew her mother's full name, which could make things easier in case she needed to track Jorda down to her home, wherever that was.
A young man's voice answered Nora's call, and politely greeted her. "Hello and welcome to Bifrost Hotel. How may I be of service?"
"Uh, hi! I wanna ask you something about one of your tenants; is a woman called Jorda Jotunn still renting room 84? She was there yesterday." As she finished talking, she heard the man rapidly type on a keyboard. She hoped her mother had not decided to pack her things and left after she stormed out of the room.
"Yes, she still is."
The man's answer brought a small sensation of relief to Nora. "Is there a way for you to let me talk to her? I don't have her private number."
"One moment, please. I'll direct your call to the phone in her room."
A mixture of fear, anticipation and hesitation caused her heart to start throbbing, knowing that she was just seconds away from talking to her mother. What if she doesn't wanna talk to me anymore? Can't blame here if she doesn't.
A few seconds later, Nora heard the familiar voice of her mother. "Hello?" She froze up. She had planned what to say, gone over the words multiple times in her head. Her jaw locked up, preventing her from speaking. "Is… is it you, Nora?" asked Jorda after a brief moment of silence.
Nora realized that she was shaking, the Scroll nearly slipping out of her hand. Her tense nerves were partially calmed as she felt Pyrrha place her arm over her shoulders. The red-haired girl said nothing, yet her very presence gave Nora the courage to speak up. She felt her jaw loosen up. "Yeah… it's me," she managed to squeeze out.
She heard Jorda gasp. "Please! Don't hang up!" she cried out, sounding a bit scared. "Let me talk. I-"
"No, you're gonna let me talk," Nora interrupted, raising her voice a bit. She paused for a couple of seconds to take a breath and compose herself. She put her Scroll in her lap, and activated the speaker function. Even if Pyrrha was not personally involved, Nora wanted her to hear both sides of the conversation. She continued, speaking with a strained voice, "I… I want you to know that I'm… very upset after what you said to me yesterday."
"I'm so sorry, Nora," whimpered Jorda. "I want to make this work, but I don't know how. Please, tell me what to do. I'll do anything for you!"
It was tempting for Nora to tell her that if she wanted to do anything, then she should be quiet and listen to what her daughter has to say first. "For what it's worth, I'm glad that you told me the truth. Your words hurt me, deeply… but I now understand that I needed to hear them," she said, her words now flowing more smoothly.
She knew she had good reasons to despise her mother for what she had done to her so many years ago. Yet, having listened to Jorda's emotional explanation yesterday, seeing her cry as she expressed her deep regret and shame, had caressed Nora's sympathy. Jorda had not defended her actions, nor had she begged for forgiveness. She had admitted that leaving Nora was a big, irreversible and unforgivable mistake that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Nora had assumed she had been abandoned out of selfishness. It had instead turned out that the truth was not quite so black and white.
It would be easy for Nora to tell herself that she would have acted differently if she had been in the same situation as her mother seventeen years ago. She had then realized that she honestly could not say how she would have handled unplanned, teenage parenthood and postpartum depression at the same time.
Nora gripped and released the bed sheets repeatedly, as she relived painful memories from her childhood caused by her missing mother. Anger and sadness taunted her, wanting her to give in and lash out at mother again. She would not allow it. Not this time. "Look, to make a long story short, I'm not sure if I can forgive you for abandoning me. But…," she paused briefly, gathering her will to say the rest, "but I want you to know… that I will at the very least try to."
Nora believed she could almost hear her mother smiling. "T-that's more than what I deserve. I promise I will never let you down again."
"Please, don't start making promises. It's waaay too early for that."
Now that she had said what she wanted to say, Nora began to feel a little less tense, like a heavy and painful burden becoming a little bit lighter to carry. "I… I don't know what else to say." She had planned her choice of words carefully, yet she had not thought of what else to say afterward. She tried to say something, anything, but only came up with nothingness.
Her mother intervened, saving her from an awkward silence. "May I say something then?"
"Uh, sure," said Nora reluctantly. She would have preferred to end the call. But if Jorda wanted to say something important, then she should not stop her. You better not drop another, shocking surprise on me! My heart can only take so much.
Jorda asked carefully, "Nora, I'm still at the hotel. Do you want to come over and… see me again?"
Nora pondered for a quick moment. "No, it's too early for that, too." As much as she wanted to meet her again, she decided to take the reconciliation slow and steady, rather than rush ahead recklessly like she usually did.
"I understand. But, I have something else to say. I recently talked to your father over the phone. He and I have some unfinished business. We have agreed to meet at Vana."
Nora gasped quietly as her father, and the name of the small city where she and Ren had grown up together were brought up. "You're going to Vana? When?" She looked up at Pyrrha, who remained silent.
"Yes, in a couple of days. Sunday, most likely. You can come to Vana, too, if you feel like it. I understand if you don't want to. Sorry for saying this on such a short notice."
Nora became silent as she thought what to decide. It was indeed a short notice. She wanted to meet her mother again, but she had not foreseen that it might happen again in a couple of days, especially not in her hometown.
If I don't go back home to Vana this Sunday, there's no telling when I would have another chance to see my mom. But… I could then also me my dad. Haven't seen him for several months.
She was snapped out of her deep thinking by the inquiring voice of her mother. "Are you still there, Nora?"
"Oh, yeah. Umm, so if you're going to Vana… does that mean you're going to be staying at our house?"
"I'm not sure yet where your father and I will meet. I might, but only for a few hours at the most."
Nora sighed softly. The conversation was dragging out for too long, wearing her patience down. "I'm not sure yet if I want to come. This is all moving so fast. I'll need some time to think about it. Look, I'm… glad that we talked again, but I would like to hang up now, 'kay?" she stated, trying not to come off as too blunt.
"Before you do," her mother quickly said to get Nora's attention," Do you want me to send my number to your Scroll? In case you want to talk about this Sunday? About anything? I'm always willing to listen and talk to you."
Nora thought her mother spoke timidly, probably because she feared coming off as too willing, too desperate. She could understand that. They both had their own difficulties to talk to each other after what they had been through. "Uh, sure. Why not, I guess." A few seconds later after she replied, Nora's Scroll beeped as it received Jorda's contact info.
"Thank you. I… I guess this is good bye then, dear, for now, at least."
"Yeah. Bye." With that said, Nora quickly closed the Scroll. She let out a lengthy sigh, feeling relieved for having made the call. It had not gone exactly as planned. Overall, however, she was satisfied, or rather, as satisfied as she could be under the circumstances. The only thing she could think of that could have gone better was ending the call better. It had felt a bit impersonal to talk to her over the phone.
Will we talk to face to face again soon? Back in my home? She wondered. She needed to consider that possibility, later.
She turned to Pyrrha and asked, "Well, that's it for now. How did I do?"
"I think you did great. What you said was very mature. It took a lot of courage to make that call," said Pyrrha with a warm smile.
Pyrrha's words filled Nora with pride. Courage? I haven't thought of it like that before, but I like the sound of it!
She then heard a grumble from her stomach, a reminder to how hungry she was. She had worked up a bit of an appetite. "Come! Let's head to the dining hall! I'm gonna reward myself for my bravery by stuffing myself full of pancakes. I'll drink the syrup straight out of the jug!"
At the dining hall, Nora blasted out a burp while patting her belly. "Aaah… that hit the spot!" she said as she licked some maple syrup off from her lips.
Pyrrha looked at her with both amazement and confusion in her eyes. "Tell me, Nora, how can a short girl like you regularly consume fat foods and sugary drinks in such copious amounts and still remain so thin? Where does it all go?"
Nora shrugged her shoulders. "It's a mystery, huh? Maybe I have a black hole in my stomach that sucks everything in and spits out electricity? You know, fuel for my Semblance? Food goes in, and out goes bzzztzztzt!" she said, mimicking the sounds of electricity.
Pyrrha was glad that Nora had decided to continue talking to her mother. Many other kids would likely have not done the same. The road ahead of both mother and daughter was likely full of emotional and painful obstacles. In the end, however, she believed it would do both Nora and Jorda good. She prayed that they would be happy.
She was startled for a split second as a hand was placed on her shoulder from behind, followed by a familiar voice excitedly greeting her and Nora, "What's up you two?!"
Pyrrha smiled as she looked at a teenage girl with lilac eyes and thick, long, golden hair. "Oh, hello, Yang. It's been a while. How are you?"
"How am I?" Yang said with a questioning look. She dropped her shoulders and sighed wearily. "I feel traumatized over the history test from yesterday. Man, am I glad that's over!" she answered melodramatically. She then straightened herself, her bright smile returning. "Sooo, now that the weekend's finally here, I wanna head out and have some F-U-N for once! That's why me and the girls are going to The Just Right Club tomorrow evening."
"The Just Right Club?" echoed Pyrrha.
"Oh! It's a nightclub in central Vale City, Pyrrha!" Nora reacted excitedly to the mention of the name. "You know, where people dance and socialize crazily. Pretty awesome stuff! Way more fun than the prom. Not that the prom was boring."
"Aaand where the handsome guys trip over each other to pay for your drinks," added Yang, giggling. "You two wanna come with us for a Girls' Night Out? I so happen to know the owner, and can get us all in for free."
"You said Girls' Night Out; does that mean Ren and Jaune can't come?" asked Pyrrha.
Yang nodded. "Yeah, that's why it's called like that. Nothing personal. Ren's a real cutey though. As for Jaune, maybe he can come if he puts on his dress and a wig?" she jested.
Nora widened her eyes, smiling slyly at Yang. "You think Ren's cute? I'll let him know you said that! I'm sure he finds you cute, too! You two would super-duper cute together!"
Nora's suggestive response made Yang chuckle nervously, and brought her hand through her golden-blonde hair in an awkward manner. An amused Pyrrha noticed how a vague blush grew on her cheeks. "Ah geez, sorry, Nora, but I'm sort-of already seeing someone. Anyway!" She went promptly went back to the original subject. "Sorry, but Girls' Night Out means no wangs are allowed."
Nora tugged Pyrrha's arm. "Let's go with them, Pyrrha!" she said, bouncing up and down in her seat. She seemed so eager to go clubbing that she was ready to make her way to Vale City right then and there.
I've never been to a nightclub before. Should I go? I prefer to spend my weekends in calmer fashions. While Pyrrha pondered whether she should go or not, she curiously asked Yang, "You know the owner? How?"
Yang rolled her lilac eyes, her lips spreading into a sly grin. "Ooh, let's just say I helped him renovate the place once. I can come and go as I please."
Pyrrha felt a bit conflicted, as if there were no good or bad choices. If I don't go, I'll lose an opportunity to go out and have fun with my friends. They might think I'm a bore and never ask me again.
She looked at Nora, whose eyes were bristling with excitement. It felt good to see her friend like that, especially after what she had been through the last couple of days. She could tell that Nora had already made up her mind, that she would go with Yang and the others regardless if Pyrrha went with her or not. Pyrrha did not want to disappoint her.
It might turn out to be a fun place after all. Better to regret going than not to. "Okay then, we'll go with you," Pyrrha answered.
"Awesome!" Yang cheered victoriously, stretching her arms up. "We'll leave the academy around eight tomorrow evening. Be ready by then. See you later!" Yang waved good-bye as she left.
Nora stood up and tugged Pyrrha's arm again, harder this time. "Come on, Pyrrha! We gotta go back to the dorm and think about what we should wear! This is gonna be great!"
I hope you're right about that.
The following day, as the time neared seven in the evening, Pyrrha stood in front of the bathroom mirror, combing her hair and preparing herself to head out with Nora and the others.
Who would have thought that I would one day visit a nightclub.
She had mixed opinions about it. She could not say she was too thrilled about going to a place where hundreds of strangers would be dancing and drinking. She did, however, hope to have a good time together with her friends. That what was mattered.
She suddenly heard someone knocking gently on the bathroom door behind her. "Pyrrha, may I have a word with you?" asked Ren.
"Sure, Ren. Come on in, the door's open." Ren stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "What is it?" she asked, curious to know why he needed to come into the bathroom and talk to her in private.
"I heard that you and Nora are going to a nightclub with team RWBY this evening," he said.
Pyrrha nodded while giving him an apologetic look. "Yeah, that's true. Sorry, Ren. I tried to convince Yang to let you and Jaune come with us, but she insisted that it's a girl's night only. Next time, all of us should go together."
Ren shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, showing no visible signs of being upset. "It's okay. I'm not interested in dancing and drinking anyway." His words helped her feel less guilty. "The reason I came to you is because I want to ask you to do something for me, and give you a warning," he said with his typical, calm tone, his stoic expression.
Pyrrha's hand that was combing her long, red hair, stopped in mid-motion. "A warning?" she echoed with a raised eyebrow. I hope he's exaggerating, but that's not his style.
"It's about Nora. She and alcohol... don't mix so well together. She gets intoxicated easily, making her even more unpredictable and energetic. After what she's just been through with her mother, I fear she might have more than usual," explained Ren.
Pyrrha had never seen Nora under the influence of alcohol, but she trusted Ren's words. Given how small and young Nora was, it made sense to assume that her tolerance was low. "Oh, should we tell her that she shouldn't go?" she asked. "She won't like that at all."
Ren shook his head. "No, on the contrary, I think she should go. Nora deserves to have some fun after everything she's been through lately. It's just that she might end up having too much fun."
She nodded sagely at him, understanding his concern. "Then, what do you want me to do?"
"I would like you to keep an eye on her, please. Don't let her drink too much or too fast. Keep her away from vodka or other strong liqueurs. Oh, and make sure she drinks some water from time to time."
Pyrrha began to have second thoughts. I care about Nora, and don't want her to end up drunk and miserably, crying about her mother. "Ren, do you think there's going to be trouble?" she asked.
"Don't worry too much about it, Pyrrha. Nora isn't a heavy drinker. It's just that she can't take much of it. She knows it herself. But, you know how she is."
Pyrrha had almost zero experience with alcohol. She had toasted with a glass of champagne in front of cameras after winning Mistral's tournaments. The sparkling, bittersweet wine had made her slightly tipsy.
"I want to say something more," continued Ren. "I don't want you to feel distracted and burdened that you're going to act as Nora's 'babysitter' for the rest of the evening. You should try to have a good time, too. After everything you've been through recently regarding your phobia, panic attacks, and therapy, you too deserve some time to relax and have fun." Even though he appeared as his typical, stoic self, Ren's words carried concern that touched Pyrrha.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled warmly at him. "Thank you very much, Ren. I shall."
"Don't hesitate to call me if there's any trouble with Nora."
"I will. I promise to take good care of her."
"Have a pleasant evening. See you tomorrow." Ren bowed his head courtly at her before he turned around and walked out of the bathroom.
A short moment later, Nora was busy with finishing her own preparations, putting on her clothes. She had decided to wear a flimsy, pink Off-the-shoulder shirt together with a red mini-skirt. Her pink sneakers had been exchanged for pink heels instead.
She had surprised herself by having agreed to Yang's invitation so eagerly without any second thought at all. Of course she was still upset about her mother's sudden return, but she was not going to let that stop her from having fun with her precious friends.
I need this, to go out and go crazy with my awesome friend. Tomorrow, I'll think about what to do whether I should go to Vana and meet my parents or not. Tonight, I shall become 'Queen Of The Nightclub'! Shame that Ren can't go. I would like see him get tipsy wipsy sometime. Would be so fun. I gotta film it with my Scroll!
She heard Pyrrha walk up to her from behind. "So, how do I look? Is it good enough? Please, be honest," said Pyrrha shyly as she slowly spun around before her.
It had not been easy for her to help Pyrrha come up with an outfit suitable for an evening at a nightclub. Her friend's collection of clothes was meant more for daily wear. Nevertheless, the two of them had managed to come up with something usable. In silence, and with a bemused smile, she took her time to inspect Pyrrha from head to toe. She delighted in taking in every bit of detail of her friend's outfit, which consisted of a pair of dark blue jeans, a buttoned, purple tanktop with a sleeveless sheer top beneath. Much to Nora's pride and amusement, she had convinced Pyrrha to let her braid her ponytail.
She gave Pyrrha two thumbs up and a wide grin. "You're lookin' real pretty! Except for two teeny-weeny details. Lemme fix that for you." Nora walked up and opened the top two buttons of Pyrrha's top, exposing some skin of her cleavage. It was tempting for her to open the third button as well. She felt her face grow warm for a couple of seconds as the vivid images of Pyrrha's topless form appeared in her mind (chapter 2). "We're going to a nightclub, not a church. No need to hide your generous assets. Gotta let 'em breathe, you know?" said Nora with a sly wink of her eye.
"R-right," agreed Pyrrha hesitantly. "Um, shall we go and see if Ruby and the others are ready?"
A short moment later, Nora and Pyrrha were ready to depart. They walked over to team RWBY's dorm door and knocked. The door was opened, revealing Ruby, who smiled at them. Before she had a chance to greet them, Nora stepped up and put her arms around her, lifting her off the floor and giving a bear hug. "Hey, Ruby!"
"N-nor-agh!" Ruby grunted in discomfort, her silvery eyes so wide open it looked as if they were almost on the verge of popping out of their sockets. As she was placed down and released, she rubbed her rib cage, whining, "Oww, my poor ribs." Her smile returned. "Anyway, I'm happy to see that you two decided to come with us."
"Who are you talking to, Rubes?" Yang's inquiring voice was heard from within the dorm, just before she stepped up next to her sister. Blake and Weiss followed after. All members of RWBY were dressed and ready to spend an evening at the Just Right Club.
Yang looked at the newly arrived pair, and grinned widely. "Awesome! You're here! Are you ready to party?!"
"Hell yeah!" shouted Nora, stretching her arms up into the air.
Flashing and colorful lights, thumping bass, disco music. Those were some of things that greeted Nora as she and the others stepped inside the nightclub. It was a popular place, as evident by the long line they had seen outside, and the hundreds of people who were already in. Thanks to Yang's connection with the owner of the club, the girls had been able to skip line and enter for free. Yang's so called 'sweet-talk' with the bouncers outside sounded more like threats.
Those thuggish bouncers turned into scared little boys just by Yang's presence! Hah!
The girls arrived to a more secluded and cozy corner of the club, where they were almost alone. To make things even better, Yang had 'persuaded' the people who ran the club into giving her and her friends access to the VIP corner. Expensive and fashionable leather couches, a private bar with a wide assortment of drinks, snacks, and other commodities could be found there. After a quick visit to the bar, the girls took their seats on the couches. Nora, Pyrrha, and Ruby chose sweet ciders. Yang bought two Margaritas, one for herself, and the other for Blake. Weiss, however, preferred expensive, red wine from a well-known brand.
"Excuse me, Ruby," began Pyrrha, looking at the young leader who was drinking from a strawberry flavored cider, "but, aren't you a little too young to enter nightclubs and drink alcohol?"
Ruby blinked in hesitation, and gestured at her half-sister. "But, Yang said it's alright that I drink," she nervously said to her defense.
"I did, Rubes, but you gotta so responsibly," rebutted Yang in a motherly way. "I won't let my own sister get drunk. You wanna end up like uncle Qrow?"
Nora bounced her feet up and down while taking sips from her cider. The large dance floor, where dozens of young men and women were already dancing wildly to the rhythm of the music, made her legs twitch impatiently.
The dance floor beckons to me! I must obey!
It felt wrong to sit down after having just entered. She had come to shake lose and dance away her worries. "Come ooon! Let's become slaves to the music and dance until we break our legs!" she suggested excitedly. To her disappointment, the others did not seem to fully share her enthusiasm.
"Hold your horses, Nora," said Yang. "I think a few of us here might need to finish their glass of liquid courage before they are ready to move to the dance floor." Yang snickered and glanced slyly at her sister and Weiss.
"Fine!" replied Nora and looked at the near full glass in her hand. "Get in my belly!" she said commandingly to it before she brought it to her lips, taking a few, large gulps. The bubbles tickled her tongue and throat. It tasted like a sweet, apple soda, except it packed a subtle amount of extra punch in it.
"Nora! Slow down!" She heard Pyrrha gently protest, and took hold of her wrist, lowering her drink back down to the table. "We're supposed to be here for a few hours. Don't get yourself drunk already."
"But I'm thirsty!"
"Then have some of my water instead," recommended Pyrrha and pushed a glass of water up in front of her. She was not surprised that Pyrrha had brought it with her from the bar together with her own cider.
Nora merely rolled her eyes at the sight of clear liquid. She had heard similar words before from her childhood friend. She put two and two together. "Ren talked to you, huh?" she asked with a small chuckle.
Pyrrha nodded, and replied, "Yes. I promised him I would look after you."
Aww, so typical of Ren. Always caring about little me. Can't really blame him. "I appreciate it, from both of you, but I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl. Well, maybe not big-big, but you know what I mean."
"If you say so, then please don't drink too much. Do you really need to get intoxicated in order have fun? I want my first time at a nightclub to be a fun and memorable experience. Please, don't make me regret coming here."
She blinked as she realized what Pyrrha was saying. If I mess up Pyrrha's moment, then she might not want to come back here again! "Oh! Pyrrha, you're an awesome negotiator! I'll be a good girl!" She her arm around Pyrrha's. "Thanks for coming with me," she said. "I really appreciate it. I really needed this."
"No need to thank me. I needed it, too," said Pyrrha and smiled. Nora clanged her glass against Pyrrha's before they both took a sip.
"You two really do look great together," complimented Blake with a small and innocent smile all of a sudden.
Nora and Pyrrha exchanged curious glances with each other and then Blake. "Thankies!" replied Nora. She's totally right, you know. I'm happy someone notices it. More people should.
A moment later, after everyone finished their drinks, Yang stood up and announced, "Right, girls! Let's hit the dance floor before Nora decides to break all of our legs!"
They left the VIP corner and made their way over to a part of the large dance floor that was less densely populated. As soon as Nora placed her pink heels on the tiled, illuminated dance floor, she received a surge of excessive energy. She wanted, no, she needed to spend it right away. She began to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet, pumping her arms up into the air. She shook her hips, and threw her short, orange hair around.
Aw yeah! This is it! I'm feeling the rhythm coursing through me! Shake it, Nora! She slowed down slightly only to watch Pyrrha. Her friend was hardly passive, but she could tell that she was holding back. She remembered Pyrrha having danced quite friskily at the prom dance together with her, Jaune and Ren.
Is she lacking inspiration? If the music does not tickle her dance muscle, then I will. She took Pyrrha's hand and looked up at her. "Come on, Pyrrha! It! Is! Happening!" She yelled to make her voice heard over the music.
Her words and her wild, yet rhythmic moves proved infectious, as Pyrrha steadily began to mimic her, adding some of her own moves. She saw a grin grow on her face. That was the reward that Nora was after. It satisfied her, adding to her excitement. Together, she and Pyrrha danced, each of them momentarily putting aside their worries and instead focusing on the joyous moment.
After a moment of intense dancing, Pyrrha walked back together with the rest of the group to their seats at the VIP corner.
Trying to have fun at a nightclub was new and uncharted territory for her. The music was quite loud, and the genre was not exactly her preferred choice. There were so many strangers packed together. Initially, she had felt somewhat reserved and out of place, not being able to fully relax and enjoy herself. The recent dance and Nora's company, however, had managed to soften up her stiffness, and made her feel warm and relaxed. She was having a good time.
This nightclub isn't so bad after all. I can see myself coming back here again, as long as it's only a once in a while thing.
Wanting to socialize a bit with the girls from team RWBY, Pyrrha spent a moment talking to Blake about the mystery-thriller novel she had borrowed from her. She had finished it recently, the dramatic ending having left her in suspense and eager for more. She was thus excited to hear Blake say that the sequel was going to be released in a month. Next thing I'll do tomorrow is to preorder it. Blake also mentioned that a film adaption of the first book was being planned. Both of them had mixed opinions about that, fearing that the movie would fail to capture the book's essence and characters. Nevertheless, they both agreed they would see it, hopefully together.
Nora returned to the table, having lingered a bit on the dance floor. Instead of sitting down on her seat next to Pyrrha, she sat down in her lap, much to the red-haired girl's surprise. Pyrrha did not complain.
Good thing you're a light girl. And so very… soft and warm. "Feeling comfortable?" asked Pyrrha with a smile.
"Very! This chair's so cozy I think I'm gonna steal it and bring it back to the dorm!" jested Nora, and lightly bounced up and down a couple of times.
"A-ah! I'm glad it's to your accommodation then." Pyrrha played along, feeling her cheeks growing warmer by the second. As she inhaled, her nose took in the smooth and flowery scene of Nora's perfume.
Nora put her arm over her shoulders, and cooed with delight as she nuzzled her head against hers, similar to a pet cat rubbing itself against its beloved owner. Pyrrha felt a bit embarrassed, as she imagined the four pairs of eyes from RWBY staring at her and Nora without blinking. Except for Jaune and Ren, she had never cuddled with Nora in front of others.
"You're so gorgeous," said Nora while beaming.
Pyrrha was accustomed to be praised for her skills and accomplishments. Receiving compliments regarding her appearance, however, was a rare and pleasant occurrence. "S-such flattery. Thank you," she replied to her
"There's more where that came from! Prepare to be bombarded!" Nora shifted her position slightly and put her face in front of Pyrrha's. She dragged a fingertip across Pyrrha's lower lip, followed by the upper one. "Your lips look so delicious. Your cheeks feel so smooth and warm," she said as she brushed the back of her fingers across her friend's blushing cheeks. She then gently poked the tip of Pyrrha's nose and giggled. "That's a really BOOP-able and cute nose you've got there."
Pyrrha was speechless. Within a minute, she had received more compliments than she had in a whole year. Nora wasn't done with her flattery, however, as she brought her fingers through her red hair, caressing her scalp and the sensitive skin of her ears. Pyrrha squirmed in her seat, and could not, to her embarrassment, stop herself from emitting a short moan.
"Your hair feels so silky! Is it hard to wash and comb it every day? Do you think I should let my hair grow and become as awesome as yours? Oooh, and your eyes are like a pair of pretty emeralds," said Nora with a playful smile, seemingly delighted by her friend's vocalization.
Nora's affectionate actions and words mesmerized Pyrrha. She felt herself being pulled in by that expressive, passionate look in Nora's turquoise eyes. I've seen that look in you before… but where?
In Pyrrha's mind, the music, the bass, the chatter, all sounds faded away until only hers and Nora's breathing kept the silence at bay. The colorful disco lights, the furniture, the walls, even team RWBY turned to pitch darkness, as if they ceased to exist completely. In the end, only she and Nora were left, two girls at the center of a spotlight, surrounded by nothingness and silence.
Pyrrha felt guilty for receiving so many compliments, and not giving any back to Nora. What part of Nora's appearance should she compliment? Her eyes?
Pyrrha felt guilty. I should compliment her appearance, too, right? Isn't that what people do? But what should I say?
Just as she came up with what to say, she was suddenly snapped out of her near trance like state as Nora stood up. "Be right back. I gotta squeeze a lemon. Don't miss me too much," she and walked away to find the Ladies' Room.
Pyrrha needed a few seconds to recover from the intimate compliments and cuddling. It was only after Nora left that she realized how her heart was throbbing. She wiped away a couple of beads of sweat from her forehead with a tissue. As she felt how dry her lips and throat had become, she reached for her glass of water.
"Daww, you two look so sweet," complimented Ruby.
"I know, right?" said Yang in agreement. "Any sweeter and I'm gonna turn diabetic."
Pyrrha looked at Ruby, Yang, and Blake. They were all looking at her, smiling while doing so. The more aristocratic member of the team, Weiss, did so more discretely with her peripheral vision, partially covering her small smile with her hand.
"Sooo, have you two done it yet?" asked Yang with a teasing grin, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Ow!" She suddenly yelped and looked questioningly to the white-haired girl sitting next to her. "Weiss?! Why did you pinch me for?" she asked while rubbing her arm.
"Respect their privacy and leave their love life alone, you oaf! It's none of your business," rebuked Weiss, glaring disapprovingly at Yang.
Pyrrha's confused gaze bounced between the girls, seeking answers from them. "I don't understand. What are you all talking about?" she asked.
"Umm, sorry if you feel offended by me asking this, Pyrrha," Ruby tried to explain in a shy manner, fiddling her fingers, the gaze from her silver eyes faltering, "buuut… is there something… r-romantic going on between you and Nora? If there is, we just want to say that we're really happy for you."
"Now why do you ask that, Ruby?" Pyrrha frowned, and narrowed her green eyes at the young team leader, who quickly looked away and blushed.
Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but was promptly interrupted by her more boisterous sister. "Lemme help explain what my shy and innocent sister's trying to say. About one and half week ago, she was walking down along corridor, minding her own business. When suddenly, she heard some naughty noises coming from within your dorm."
Yang paused briefly to clear her throat. She then began to speak in a more bubbly and cheerful voice, "Ooooh god! Pyrrha! Don't stop! Your fingers must be magical! I feel like I could just meeelt." It sounded like she was trying to imitate Nora's voice and manner of speech. Yang could not keep a straight face, and burst into a hearty giggle. Even Weiss and Blake, the more serious half of their team, could not hold back shorter giggles of their own.
It took a few seconds for Pyrrha to realize that Yang was quoting what Nora had said while she had had her aching shoulders massaged by Pyrrha (chapter 5).
I knew I should've told her not to moan so loudly. She has unwittingly brought embarrassment to us both, but I can't really blame her. I must clear up the awkward situation, and put an end to the rumors once and for all.
"You got it all wrong," began Pyrrha, smiling shyly. "I was massaging Nora's shoulders, and she really enjoyed it. Nora and I are just friends. There's nothing romantic between us," she explained, believing she and Nora could now put the embarrassing memory behind them.
To her surprise, a wave of confusion washed over team RWBY, removing their smiles, including Yang's toothy grin. They seemed to shift their gazes at something behind her. As Pyrrha turned around, she saw Nora. How long had she been standing here? Pyrrha was not sure if it was the disco lights that were deceiving her, but were Nora's eyes supposed to glisten like that?
"B-but… but I thought that you... that we…" Nora tried to speak, but only barely intelligible words came from her trembling lips. She turned around and marched away. "I g-g-gotta have some fresh air."
"Nora! Wait!" Pyrrha's protest to stop her upset friend from leaving was in vain, as Nora disappeared into the crowds.
"What was that about exactly? Are things okay between you two?" asked Blake carefully after a few seconds of silence.
Pyrrha shook her head, wishing she knew the answers. "I… I don't know. I must go and find her."
Burdened by confusion, Pyrrha left the table in search for Nora, hoping that she had not already left the club. She had said that she needed air. Pyrrha believed she knew where to look first.
End of chapter 13
Author's Note: Uh oh! What is going to happen next? Next chapter is going to be interesting.
The name of the club "The Just Right Club" was an idea from my proofreader. Yang is based on "Goldilocks And The Three Bears". The club name is a play on when Goldilocks tried the right porridge, bed, and chair, she thought they felt "just right". By the way, the novel and Pyrrha talked about with Blake was a reference from chapter 5.
I based Nora's and Pyrrha's outfits for their nightclub visit on a picture I found of them. Some of you may have seen it. I'm afraid I can't link it in the chapter.