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smudge of cream on her finger and carefully pats it on my cut. I wince loudly.

“You okay?” Nora pulls her hand away quickly. I smile.

“Just kidding.” I chuckle, Nora rolls her eyes and continues to rub it on my cut. We lay down on the bed together, Nora rolling over to face me and me to face her.

“So…” I say.

“So, how’s your life?”

“I’m in Greece, so it’s pretty alright.”

“And at home?”

“Apart from my dead best friend, overbearing parents and dead-end job, not too bad, you?” I answer bluntly. I can’t tell if she keeps digging to find out more about Coco or if she’s genuinely interested in my life.

“Well, after this trip, I’m flying out to America and supporting a band over there for the year.” I also knew Nora was musical. Even during university, most student nights would start off with watching her and her band play. She plays guitar, and very well, watching her is like watching Bob Ross with a paintbrush, effortless.

“What’s your band called again?”

“Lez be honest.”

“Of course it is,” I snicker. Nora prods my leg playfully.

“But back to your ‘dead-end job’” Nora puts into quotation marks.

“I mean, I work at a cafe, wiping tables and making coffees all day. Nothing special.”

“But is that what you want to do?” I shake my head at her. Nora stares at me, waiting for more of an answer, but people always doubt me when I mention being a writer and wanting to be an author.

“I want to be an author.”

“And what do you write?”

“Anything.”

“Anything?”

“I love all forms of literature. usually spending my days cuddled up with a book, forgetting about reality.” I get flustered, fidgeting a bit, laying down on my pillow.

29

BEYOND THE BLUES

“It’s a silly dream, but-”

“I don’t believe in silly dreams. If you want it hard enough, it will happen.” Nora says with confidence, before propping herself up on her elbow, looking down at me. She looks at my lips, her tongue gliding over her bottom lip before she looks at me with intense eye contact. We remain looking at each other in silence for a moment.

“Why are you hanging out with me?” I blurt out.

“Huh?”

“Are you doing it because you feel bad? Because I don’t need someone to do that. I’ve already had enough of that for the past six months.”

“I know Ophelia.”

“You know what, Nora?”

“I know you don’t need that, that’s not why I’m here, I’m here because until I sat on the plane next to you I didn’t realise how easy to talk to and funny you were.” Nora sighs.