For the fifth time since entering Trish's locker room, Nora paced back and forth in the room, her anxiety evident. "What if I embarrass myself?" she muttered.
"Nora, don't worry. You'll be fine, just be yourself," Trish commented as she sat watching Nora pace back and forth in the locker room.
"Why are you telling me not to worry when I'm about to get dinner with someone who isn't you for the first time in my life?" Nora cried out as she slowed her pace to glance at Trish.
"I know, it's kind of sad." Trish acknowledged, causing Nora to give her a slight glare. "I'm not wrong." Trish added.
Nora flung herself onto the bench. She let out a deep sigh of defeat. "I know you're not wrong," she whispered quietly.
Despite the sympathy Trish felt for her sister, she got up and knelt in front of Nora as she squeezed her hand and said, "Hey, it's going to be okay, you'll have fun with Jeff."
She nodded to her sister and squeezed her hands back. "Thank you, that was exactly what I needed." Nora said softly.
Trish smiled at Nora and said, "you're welcome; stop worrying, it's time for you to meet Jeff now," as she helped Nora to stand.
Taking a last glance at Trish, Nora gave a final smile as she slowly walked to the front where Jeff was waiting for her.
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As Nora walked towards the front of the building, she noticed Jeff leaning against a wall by a doorway. She quickened her pace and smiled at him when she reached him. "Hi," she said.
Jeff moved quickly away from the wall he had been leaning against and looked down at Nora. "Hey, are you ready to leave?" he asked, pointing at the door.
"Yes," Nora replied before following Jeff out the door and into the rental vehicle. "There's a diner that we passed on our way here from the hotel." Jeff said as he started up the vehicle.
"That sounds great to me," Nora replied in agreement with Jeff, "all right, cool." Jeff responded happily as they drove toward the diner.
After a brief pause, Jeff spoke up. "So how long have you been accompanying your sister to matches?" he asked, looking over at Nora. "It's been roughly two years now." Nora replied with a soft smile.
After surveying the road Jeff asked Nora, "What were you doing prior to coming with her?" Nora glanced out the window before answering, "I was in the process of completing my art studies."
When Jeff heard Nora say that she was finishing her art studies, his eyes widened with excitement. "you went to art school?" he exclaimed, giggling as Nora began to relax. "Yeah, Trish invited me to join her on the road when I finished school, and I couldn't refuse."
As Jeff glanced over to Nora and then turned his attention back to the road, he asked her, "What is your favorite thing to draw?"
"I usually draw from my surroundings," Nora replied before continuing to ask Jeff, "Do you like art?" As Jeff parked his car in the parking lot of the diner, he looked up, brightening up at Nora's question. "I love art! Painting is my favorite form of art." Jeff replied.
As Nora steps out of the car, she inquires of Jeff, "What do you normally paint?" "Honestly, I paint what I see in my head," Jeff replies as they enter the diner.
"That's pretty cool," Nora commented as they followed a waitress to a booth. She smiled and thanked the waitress before taking a seat.
Before giving them a smile and walking away, the waitress said, "I will return shortly with your menus."
Jeff returned his attention to Nora after the waitress left. "So what made you accept Trish's invitation to travel with her?" he asked.
Nora sighed softly and looked down at her fists, "honestly, my parents." Nora replied softly before turning to Jeff and adding, "don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but they do not believe that art can lead to success."
He nodded his head silently as he listened to what Nora had to say. "I do not desire success at all." Nora admitted.
Before Jeff had the chance to make a comment, the waitress returned with menus. When the waitress received their orders, she smiled and informed them that their food would be ready in about twenty minutes.
When Jeff turned back to Nora, he smiled brightly and said, "Well, then, live your life the way you want." This caused Nora to also smile brightly at Jeff.
The two ate and conversed in the diner for many hours before the diner closed, so they both left laughing, unaware that they had spent so much time together.
When they returned to the hotel, they enjoyed their trip, singing along to the radio and cracking a few jokes on the way, and as soon as Jeff pulled into the parking lot, he immediately jumped out of the car and walked over to Nora's door, where he opened it.
"Thank you kind sir", Nora said to Jeff as she stepped out of the car. "You're very welcome madame," Jeff replied back with a joking smile.
They quietly went into the hotel, sneaking glances at each other when the other was not looking. Jeff snorted when he saw the elevator, "let's hope you do not run into anyone." Upon entering the elevator and pressing the buttons to their respective floors, Nora said sarcastically, "ha ha, very funny Jeff."
Jeff replied, "I'm a funny guy." With a smile on his face.
The moment Nora saw the bell ring for Nora's floor, a small smile spread across her face, as she glanced over at Jeff and smiled slightly. Nora said softly, "It was a pleasant experience," before continuing, "I hope we will be able to do this in the future." As she exited the elevator, Nora said, "It was the same here, goodnight, see you in the morning." Jeff replied, and Nora said good night to Jeff and walked to her hotel room.
There was a bright smile on their faces as the two of them fell asleep that night. They were anticipating seeing each other in the morning, and they could not wait to get up.
