Chapter Two

Broken:

“Damn it Nora! Wake up!” 

The sound of beer bottles being tripped on echoed through the room as they were kicked about.

“Look at this mess! Nora wake the hell up!” 

A hand shook her awake. She rolled over groaning. Her head was killing her, as she rolled over she knocked over a beer bottle. The bottle crashed to the floor spilling the remaining liquid everywhere. 

“You need to get up. God you need a shower and we need to get going.” A strong hand said as  Nora was yanked up.

Nora growled and yanked her arm away but stumbled, she was still drunk. The hand came back and steadied her. 

“Damn it sweetheart you need to do better.” The voice said calming down.

“I know life fucking sucks but you cant keep trying to drown yourself. Come let's get you cleaned up.” 

“Joel?” Nora said slurring as she focused her eyes on the person she was holding onto for dear life.

“Yeah hun it's me. Come on, a warm shower will do you good.” Joel said with a smile.

“Ok.” Nora said as she walked through more cans and bottles.

Joel was Nora’s best friend since they were kids. After her parents and little brother were murder with no leads, Joel made it his job to make sure Nora was alive. The house and everything was paid off with her parents death benefits. She was all alone, no grandparents, aunts, or uncles. Just her and  well Joel. Joel helped a very stumbling Nora to the bathroom. He sat her down on the toilet and yanked her vomited stain shirt over her head. Mumbling something about how he could never leave her alone, not even for one night. She giggled slightly.

“It's not funny Nor! You could have killed yourself.” Joel said angrily at her.

Nora shrugged and began to slip off her socks. Almost falling over as she did so. Joel steadied her, his eyes scolding her as he did.

“Dont fucking shurg at me.” Joel yelled at her again as he turned around and turned on the shower.

“You don't have to keep doing this Joel. I am fine on my own.” Nora said, pulling her bra off.

“Yeah one fine mess.” Joel muttered as he tested the water. 

“Can you even stand in the shower or should I turn this into a bath?” Joel said, looking about the bathroom for something.

“I can stand.” Nora said, rolling her eyes.

She stood and started undoing her parents. She left like she was on a ship at sea. Everything was so unstable. She smirked at her thought. She was unstable, that was sure. She dropped her jeans and underwear to the floor, kicking them away from her as she stumbled to the shower. She yanked back the curtain and climbed in. The warm water felt good on her body, she let it hit the base of her neck hoping it would chase away her horrible headache.

“Where do you keep going? That's letting you buy all this booze.” Joel said, walking back into the bathroom carrying clean towels.

“I’m a girl. I've learned if I flirt and bat my eyes I can pretty much get what I want. You should try it.” Nora chuckled.

“Are you coming to school today?” Joel asked, leaning over and looking at himself in the mirror.

“Not sure, why should i?” Nora said carelessly.

“Because we’re like two weeks from graduating and before …well you had a gpa so high that you probably could get your degree if you would just come.” Joel said, plucking out a straggler eyebrow hair.

“Will you stop being mad at me if I go?” Nora asked like a child in trouble.

“I guess so.” Joel said, now moving on to checking his complexion.

“Fine I'll go but I can't promise I'll make it through the whole day.” Nora said, pushing the shower curtain open and holding out her hand for a towel.

Joel turned and handed her a towel but paused holding out the towel seeing bruises on her ribs. Joel immediately scooted off the counter.

“Nora what the hell are those?” He yelled at her pointing at the very purple rib.

“Bruises Joel.” Nora said, wrapping the towel around her.

“Duh I am not blind, where did they come from?” Joel said, putting his hands on his hips.

“I think some railings. Yeah railing. Some brute pushed me into them trying to be a little too friendly. So I shoved my knee into his “pair of friends” and knocked his ass down the stairs.” Nora said, walking out of the bathroom.

“For fuck sakes Nora.” Joel said following her.

“Joel, I can defend myself. Besides bruises I am perfectly fine.” Nora said, grabbing a black t-shirt and jeans from her closet.

“I’m moving in.” Joel announced.

“Excuse me?” Nora asked from under her black t-shirt.

“Yup, you heard me. I’ll bring my things over tonight so you better pick which side of the room you like bestie because the other one is mine. You apparently need a live in babysitter, with your stupid ass.” Joel said, walking to her bedroom door.

Nora laughed at her friend as he very dramatically exited the room. Joel loved her in a way no friend has ever loved her. He stepped up when her world crashed and he was still trying to put out the fires she was starting. She sighed she hated that she was causing him so much trouble but was secretly grateful she still had someone left in this world.

Walking out of her bedroom she froze, her heart sank as she looked across the hall. She hadn't touched anything since that night. The batman poster was still perfectly in place, like it was just waiting for James to come home. She didn't even know if the bat symbol night light ever got turned off. She couldn't bring herself to go in there. She thought about moving, she still couldn't go into the living room. She hung sheets in front of the entrance to it so she wouldn't have to look into it anymore. She couldn't live on her own, no job, no income. She was stuck here because she could survive here. Survive was a funny word to call it. She existed in the sorrow and madness that became her world. Part of her felt like she needed to stay in the dark place, if she felt the slightest bit happy she felt that she was betraying them. How dare she be happy when they're not here, when they're dead. She didn't realize it but she was shaking hot tears falling silently from her eyes as she stood unmoving staring down Jame’s door. She didn't even hear Joel come back up the stairs, she felt his strong arm slip around her shoulders as he pulled her into him.

“Come on doll, let's get out of here.” Joel said, leading her away from James’s door and down the stairwell.

Joel made sure to block the living room with his body even though the sheets were doing that. He pulled open the front door and held it open for Nora. She walked out of it almost like a lost puppy that wasn't really sure what she should be doing. The yellow door caught her eye and the image of it swaying back and forth that night crept into her mind. Joel pretended to not see it, he didn't want to help her go down memory lane. He closed the door and pressed his clicker on his keys to unlock his honda civic. He nudged Nora forward as he started walking to his car. He opened the passenger side door for her and waited for her to finish slow motion walking to his car.

“Come on Nora, I promise today won't be so bad.” He smiled at her.

She hated school, she hated the looks she got, the small whispers about how she was a shell of a person. The sad pity looks she got. You would think a college campus would be too busy for all of that but welcome to living in a small town. She sighed sitting down into the passenger seat, she watched Joel close her door and jog over to the driver side. He opened the door and was in the car in no time. Key in the ignition driving them to their horrible destination. 

“Maybe you should move in with me?” Joel said softly.

Nora was silent, Joel still lived at home and she loved Joel’s parents. They kept to themself for the most part and loved Joel with their whole heart. Even when he came out. They were actually upset that he felt he needed to tell them. Like it would have made a difference in whether they loved him or not. Nora was there that day. Joel clung to her hand as if she was his only life support. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever witnessed too. The way his parents loved him made her miss hers so much more. 

“There’s that spare room and it has its own bathroom. The tub even has jets in it.” Joel said to her like he was trying to sell her a timeshare.

She chuckled at his selling point of the tub. She wanted to say yes, she wanted to be anywhere that she didn't still smell the blood, that she didn't see there hollow vacant stares when she left her room to go to the bathroom or get a drink from the kitchen. She wanted so badly to be away from it but yet it was the only thing keeping her with them. Grief was the craziest thing she ever experienced.

“Maybe.” She managed to say.

“Well either way you're not being alone anymore.” Joel said firmly. 

“If you say so.” Nora said, giving him a weak smile as Joel turned the car into the campus parking lot.

He pulled his black honda civic with its shiny spoiler into the student parking spot. She chuckled as he closed the sun roof. She remembered going car shopping with him. There were only three items on his list. It had to black, had to have a sunroof, and he wanted it to have a spoiler. Like he was some type of racing fan. She smiled almost still laughing at the memory.

He glanced over at her, his eyebrow raised asking her what she was thinking about. She shook her head.

“Well we’ve reached our destination, how are you feeling? There’s tylenol in the glove box if you need it.” Joel nodded to the glove box as he spoke.

“I’m good. Does the car ride count as me going to school. I mean technically I am here.” Nora smiled brightly at him, batting her eyes as she did.

“Doll that look might get you free booze but it dont work on me, get your ass out of my car and let's do this.” Joel said, rolling his eyes as he pushed his car door open.

“Ugh fine!” Nora groaned, shoving her shoulder didn't his door as she opened it.

Joel frowned at how upset she was but offered her his arm. She sighed giving in as she wrapped her arm into his cuddling into his upper arm as they walked. She truly was so grateful he was in her life. She didn't know where she would be right now without Joel.