For the rest of the week, Nora and Ian went to the cafe together, Vanessa and Tori were always coming to the cafe which annoyed Nora, she always felt like smacking their pancaked faces. Two days before resumption, after Ian shift at the cafe, Nora and Ian walked back home.
"Ahhh, two more days and I'll be in school, I wonder how it will be like, you see I was homeschooled almost all my life until last year when I started high school and since it was one of those prestigious school where everything seemed perfect, I wasn't exactly famous and so I had no friends," Nora said anxiously.
"I think you will fit well in your new school," Ian encouraged her. "Hmm, I hope so," she responded rubbing her palms together. They walked in silence for a while.
"Uhh...hey do you...perhaps like Vanessa?" Nora asked after contemplating for a while. She glanced at him for a split second before looking forward. They were close to her house now, and Ian had decided to walk her home. She looked back at him and he looked like he was trying to form an answer.
"Gosh, no way, a big capital letter NO! That girl is so annoying," he said with disgust. "Why would you even think that?" He asked his words sounding perplexed.
"Ohh, I just thought you guys seemed close that's all, I mean she's not bad you know," she smiled in relief her chest feeling a little lighter after getting the question off her mind.
When they got to the front of her house, they turned to face each other. "So...this is a goodbye?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I guess it is," he replied. He was about to go when the door opened surprising Nora because the maids hardly come outside.
Mrs Smith appeared ready to greet her daughter, when she saw Ian, she paused but her daughter who was happy to see her did not hesitate to hug her tightly, "Mom I missed you so much, I thought you would stay longer."
"I missed you too sweetie," her mum said kissing Nora's hair. She looked at Ian curiously, "And who is this charming boy?" She asked pulling away from her daughter's embrace.
"Good evening ma'am," Ian greeted stiffly.
"Hello, aren't you a good looking boy," Mrs Smith said teasingly, moving closer to inspect his face. "Mom don't do that," Nora remarked looking embarrassed.
"Nora where did you see this gorgeous guy," Mrs Smith ashed ignoring Nora's words.
"He lives around here," Nora replied looking at how awkward Ian stood.
"Ohh, I see, what's your name?" Nora's mom asked
"Ian ma'am," he said curtly as he stared at Nora as if to ask for help.
"Ian dear, I just finished making dinner, why don't you join us before you leave?" She asked and without waiting for an answer she hooked her arm with his and pulled him towards the door.
"I uhh..don't think I should impose on you, ma'am," he blurted staring from Nora to her mom. "No, you are not imposing at all silly, I will be more than happy to feed another mouth," she replied and she pulled him to continue walking and Ian finally agreed.
Nora could only shake her head at her mom's tact's before going inside too.
Ian eyes scanned the spacious sitting room with different colours of couches as Mrs Smith led him to the dinning room connected to the sitting room. The three of them sat down as the maids brought the dishes.
"So...how are your parents Ian?" Mrs Smith asked as she piled Ian's plate with different delicacies. "They are fine ma'am," he responded. "Do they live with you?" She questioned him again. "No, they don't," he replied again. "Ohh, you live alone, are they planning on..."
"Mom enough with the questions, you will give him indigestion if you keeping questioning him and piling his plate like that," Nora interrupted her mom before she could ask any further questions.
"Fine..fine no more questions then," Mrs smith chuckled. "I was just happy you have a new friend that all," she added.
After that they ate in silence, Mrs Smith kept piling Ian's plate while Nora stared at them. When they finished they moved to the sitting room as the maids cleared the dinning table. "I will take my leave now," Ian said.
"Alright, take care dear, you are free to come visit whenever you want," Mrs Smith smiled. "Thanks for the dinner, bye ma'am," he said.
"Bye," she waved.
Nora followed him outside. "Sorry about my mom, she can be too pushy and jovial."
"It's fine," he smiled faintly. "So that's where you got your pushy character from," he muttered to himself.
"I gotta go, bye," he waved at her before leaving. "Bye," she whispered. He simply raised his hand to wave without looking back.
Nora went inside and went to sit beside her mom as she cuddled her. "I already bought your uniforms for you, when you get to school make sure you make friends, I know I shouldn't have let you be homeschooled all your life but I did it to protect you, your father had a lot of competitors and I did not want you to be hurt because of that, so make sure you make a lot of friends and make mama proud ok?" Mrs Smith said her voice breaking.
"Ok mom I'll try, I love you mom," Nora said tearily, hugging her mom and resting her head on her mom's shoulder.
Nora went upstairs to check her uniforms that her mom had kept in her room. It was a white shirt with a red checkers flare skirt with lovely multi-coloured sweater. They were very nice. She would tell Ian about them tomorrow for now she will sleep and wait to see him tomorrow, she dozed of thinking of this.
The next morning, Nora woke up due to the sound of someone knocking on her door, her mom's head popped in from behind the door. "Nora darling, I'm leaving for work, I won't be home early so take care," Nora's mom said in a hush voice. "Work?" Nora asked, puzzled as she sat up and stretched, her hair messy.
"Yeah your grandpa has a branch here that I would be supervising, so I gotta go bye sweetie," Mrs Smith said. "Bye, mom. If there's any man that you find attractive let me know," Nora winked and smiled at her mom.
"I'm going there for work not hunting for a man," her mom laughed. "And besides I'm still with your Dad in a complicated way," she added suddenly moody.
"Well..take your time mom, you will surely get over it," Nora encouraged her. Mrs Smith nodded without saying a word before leaving.
Nora sighed as she stared at the door for a few minutes before going back to sleep.
The next time Nora woke up the sun was already high in the sky. There was nothing to do at home and she decided to go and see Ian at his house so that they can go to his part time job together. After dressing up she went to his house and called for him but there was no answer, she went to the cafe hoping to see him there but he was not there, she went in to ask his boss if he was around but he said he had asked for some time off. She decided to go back home and try again the next day maybe he would show up. The next day, she did the same thing but she did not see him, she was starting to feel anxious again, it felt like the time at the hospital when it felt like he had disappeared from her life like all that happened was all a dream.
Will she ever see him again or will he disappear forever this time.....