JAMES
James wasn't Nora's first boyfriend not by far but she was quite certain he would be her last. Theirs was an interesting story if there ever was one. Like Nora, James was gifted. They had been enrolled in the same schools since they were 12. Academic rivals was the best way to explain their earlier relationship. In fact, when Nora was awarded her college scholarship, James was the only other person in her school who also received it. But they never interacted on a social level. Just a few polite hellos at most had been exchanged between them for 6 whole years.
There is no 'Nora and James' without Eddie. When Nora was 19 she started seeing Eddie. Eddie was charming and funny and quite popular among the girls so naturally she was very flattered by the attention. What started out as casual dating blossomed into a full blown relationship in the space of two months. That's when Eddie introduced Nora to his friends. "This is Jess, Brad and I think you know James," Eddie said to Nora one afternoon at a local pub. Eddie had planned the whole thing, very eager to let his friends meet the girl who had been taking up all his time. The Waterhole was a hotspot for most of their school mates probably because it was only a few hundred metres away from the college campus. "Hi," Nora waved shyly at the people before her. She felt on display, which was very uncomfortable. Jess was tall and slim with fair skin, just the kind of girl who intimidated Nora. Brad wasn't as tall as either Eddie or James but he had a friendly face that relaxed Nora a bit. "It's very nice to meet you Nora. Eddie won't shut up about you," Jess broke the silence. "Well that's just uncalled for," Eddie glared at her. The other two laughed and they all sat around the wooden table before them. After they had ordered some drinks, Brad took over the conversation. "Wait, you two know each other?" Brad asked pointing his fingers at James and Nora. "Yes we do, remember I told you guys about a girl who I went to school with before I came here?" James answered. "The really smart girl who you couldn't beat in Math?" Jess chimed in. James looked away shyly, he had only ever admitted that to his closest friends and now they were embarrassing him. "Oh my word, that girl is Nora? My Nora?" Eddie exclaimed. He had never seen the connection until now. "Aww, you tried to beat me at Math, that's never happening!" Nora boasted with a smile. It felt good knowing that her number one rival since she could remember actually thought she was better than her at something. The whole table erupted in laughter, including James. In no time, Nora had grown quite comfortable with the group and became more open. She thought they all seemed nice, even James whom she had barely ever had a conversation with was nice. But then again it could have been the alcohol. Halfway through Brad's impersonation of their Biology teacher, James phone rang. The ringtone seemed familiar to Nora. "Oh my word, is that the theme song to How I Met Your Mother?" Nora screamed excitedly. James let the phone go to voicemail before answering Nora. "It is, do you watch the show?" James seemed excited too at this new found common ground. "Well of course! It's only the best show ever!" Nora smiled. "What? Not you too," groaned Eddie. He knew his best friend was obsessed with the show, he hadn't realised that his girlfriend was too. "Thank you!" James smiled in agreement with Nora. That was the first time Nora noticed his dimples, they only seemed to show when he was genuinely smiling.
From that night onwards, Nora officially became part of Eddie's circle of friends. They hung out all together whenever they had the chance. Jess and Nora grew very close too, since she had been the only girl in the group, she welcomed Nora with both arms. At first Nora was overwhelmed, sure she had had friends before but this new group was as thick as thieves, something she had never been a part of.
James wasn't Nora's first boyfriend not by far but she was quite certain he would be her last. Theirs was an interesting story if there ever was one. Like Nora, James was gifted. They had been enrolled in the same schools since they were 12. Academic rivals was the best way to explain their earlier relationship. In fact, when Nora was awarded her college scholarship, James was the only other person in her school who also received it. But they never interacted on a social level. Just a few polite hellos at most had been exchanged between them for 6 whole years.
There is no 'Nora and James' without Eddie. When Nora was 19 she started seeing Eddie. Eddie was charming and funny and quite popular among the girls so naturally she was very flattered by the attention. What started out as casual dating blossomed into a full blown relationship in the space of two months. That's when Eddie introduced Nora to his friends. "This is Jess, Brad and I think you know James," Eddie said to Nora one afternoon at a local pub. Eddie had planned the whole thing, very eager to let his friends meet the girl who had been taking up all his time. The Waterhole was a hotspot for most of their school mates probably because it was only a few hundred metres away from the college campus. "Hi," Nora waved shyly at the people before her. She felt on display, which was very uncomfortable. Jess was tall and slim with fair skin, just the kind of girl who intimidated Nora. Brad wasn't as tall as either Eddie or James but he had a friendly face that relaxed Nora a bit. "It's very nice to meet you Nora. Eddie won't shut up about you," Jess broke the silence. "Well that's just uncalled for," Eddie glared at her. The other two laughed and they all sat around the wooden table before them. After they had ordered some drinks, Brad took over the conversation. "Wait, you two know each other?" Brad asked pointing his fingers at James and Nora. "Yes we do, remember I told you guys about a girl who I went to school with before I came here?" James answered. "The really smart girl who you couldn't beat in Math?" Jess chimed in. James looked away shyly, he had only ever admitted that to his closest friends and now they were embarrassing him. "Oh my word, that girl is Nora? My Nora?" Eddie exclaimed. He had never seen the connection until now. "Aww, you tried to beat me at Math, that's never happening!" Nora boasted with a smile. It felt good knowing that her number one rival since she could remember actually thought she was better than her at something. The whole table erupted in laughter, including James. In no time, Nora had grown quite comfortable with the group and became more open. She thought they all seemed nice, even James whom she had barely ever had a conversation with was nice. But then again it could have been the alcohol. Halfway through Brad's impersonation of their Biology teacher, James phone rang. The ringtone seemed familiar to Nora. "Oh my word, is that the theme song to How I Met Your Mother?" Nora screamed excitedly. James let the phone go to voicemail before answering Nora. "It is, do you watch the show?" James seemed excited too at this new found common ground. "Well of course! It's only the best show ever!" Nora smiled. "What? Not you too," groaned Eddie. He knew his best friend was obsessed with the show, he hadn't realised that his girlfriend was too. "Thank you!" James smiled in agreement with Nora. That was the first time Nora noticed his dimples, they only seemed to show when he was genuinely smiling.
From that night onwards, Nora officially became part of Eddie's circle of friends. They hung out all together whenever they had the chance. Jess and Nora grew very close too, since she had been the only girl in the group, she welcomed Nora with both arms. At first Nora was overwhelmed, sure she had had friends before but this new group was as thick as thieves, something she had never been a part of.
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