Forever. I Promise (Sequel to As one. Always)

Chapter 11

I started out slow. Getting back into society was somewhat undesirable to me at the moment, but I needed to do it. Loki wouldn’t want me to spend the rest of my life in my pyjamas and lying in bed. I started out by wearing jeans and clothes. Doing chores around the house, going grocery shopping. And that was exactly what I was doing when things started to get interesting again. Something I noticed about life by now was that once things cooled down, they rarely stayed that way. At least in my life.

I had been in the cereal aisle at the nearby store doing groceries for my mother, trying to decide between apple cinnamon cheerios and regular cheerios, when I felt someone looking at me. I looked up of course, feeling annoyed, but I didn’t see anyone. I’m getting paranoid.

When I was at the checkout, I felt it again. An intense, scrutinizing stare. I looked around, and figured people must be staring at me in general, and looking away before I could catch them. I wouldn’t blame them for staring. I was currently wearing a pair of sweat pants, a band shirt I didn’t even know I owned until finding it today. I was laundry day, and I definitely looked like I needed to do my laundry. I paid the girl at the cash, who took my money and handed me the change. While she was doing so, her eyes grew wide, and she was staring at something behind me.

I just wanted to go home. I was ready to leave the store and all the weird looks I got behind and be in the safety of my living room, watching garbage tv. I picked up my bags and began to make the trek home. I was about halfway there when I realized there had been someone staring at me, scrutinizing me in the store. I knew it because I felt it for a third time, and when I turned my head around, there was a familiar face staring back at me.

It was Thor.

I blinked a couple of times, trying to make sure I hadn’t finally cracked. But he was still there each time I opened my eyes. “Thor? What are you doing here?” I shouted to him. In a few large steps he made his way to me. He was wearing jeans and a grey V-neck, and it was odd to see him looking so…normal.

“Noelle.” Thor hugged me, nearly crushing me. I dropped my groceries, thankful I hadn’t bought eggs. “It’s so good to see you Noelle. I wasn’t sure if it was you I saw or not. You blend in so well.” I was still unsure if I was really seeing Thor, and I wrapped my arms around him to make sure once again that he was real.

“What are you doing here?” I asked again. He was still hugging on to me.

“I’ve been looking for you.” He let go, and I looked up into his blue eyes. What I found there bothered me. His eyes weren’t happy. There was relief in them, but worry and sadness clouded them. “I need to speak to you. Is there a place we can talk?”

“Yeah. Of course.” I picked up my groceries and tilted my head so he could follow me home. We walked in silence. Thor seemed to be in his own world, and I was in mine. Why was he here? I knew Thor was with Jane. I never thought he would ever run into me, since there were billions of people on Earth. I didn’t think he would go looking for me either, unless it was serious. I had made it clear that I needed to be away from Asgard. I hadn’t contacted anyone since I had left.

We arrived at my mom’s apartment, and I led him up the stairs. I unlocked the door and cracked it, checking to see if anyone was home. My mom wouldn’t be the problem. James would be. He had seen the whole New York catastrophe on tv, but he didn’t believe it was real. Nor did he know my mother had had a half Asgardian child. And I thought it would save my mother grief if we kept it that way. Explaining Thor would be too weird.

The coast was clear, so I opened the door, locking it behind me. That way we would hear if anyone was coming home. I led him to the kitchen and began putting the cold groceries in the fridge. “Do you want something to drink or eat?” I should be hospitable.