NORA ELLIS AND CHRISTIAN PULISIC were inseparable. Next-door neighbors since the day they were born. Only being separated by a couple of years of the Pulisic family moving around. However, through the thick of it all they were together. Every argument, every disagreement, fight, or scare, they had each other.
Dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a smile that lit up the whole world. In Christian's eyes, Nora was the definition of beauty. Blessed by Aphrodite herself. Nora carried herself in a way that he wished he could do. To have the confidence and fearlessness to do anything.
Brown hair, dimples, and gleaming brown eyes that held an ocean of emotions. In Nora's eyes, Christian was her world. He was able to calm her down and keep her grounded when her mind was flooded with panic.
A newly fifteen-year-old Nora was still asleep in her bed. Dreams hid behind her closed eyes and a blanket tugged around her. The sunlight just starting to make its way through the slightly opened shades.
Her peaceful sleep was interrupted only minutes later. The door busted open, startling the girl. The culprit is a fourteen-year-old. Christian, with a massive smile on his face, jumped onto Nora's bed. Ignoring her face of displeasure and grimace of pain. "What are you doing?"
"It's your-" he was cut off by Nora shoving him off the bed. "birthday." He looked up at her with a glare. "Happy birthday! You grouch."
"I'm not a grouch!" she rebuked. "How did you even get inside?"
He laughed, "What do you think? Your parents love me."
The rest of the day consisted of running around a park with hundreds of happy birthdays, presents, and cakes. And in Nora and Christian fashion, a soccer game where they made sure that they always won.
The best present she received that day was a guitar from her best friend. Something that he had been saving up money for, from months of yard work. In Christian's words, "You deserve to make music like you want." If Nora blushed that wasn't anyone's business.
Months later instead of the Ellis girl getting woken up at the crack of dawn this time it was Christian.
With an arm over his eyes and the other over his chest, soft snores filled the room. But that was quickly interrupted by the bedroom door slamming open. "Happy birthday!" An excited Nora exclaimed. Quickly making her way to the side of Christian's bed.
He rubbed his eyes, still beginning to wake up. "It's too early."
"No. It's payback" She laughed. "Now come on we got school."
At school, Christian was bombarded by his friends. Nora who was in the grade above him, only saw him at lunch. But she made sure to give him a goodbye as they went their separate ways.
Unknown to Nora and unknown to his friends, this would be his last time (at least for now) at high school. After countless discussions and decisions made, he would be taking the risky flight over to Germany to hopefully make it professionally in Europe.
As the school day dragged on, guilt was eating away at him. It was his birthday, he should be happy. But with the fear of going to Europe and losing contact with his friends, family, and Nora. He couldn't help but frown to himself.
Eventually, school was over and the two best friends made the walk home. "Y'know how you always say you'll support me in every decision that I make?" He spoke up, his eyes avoiding the girls next to him.
"Unless it's stupid. But I do, why?" Nora was both confused and concerned. The way Christian's focus was anywhere but her, his feet practically dragging as he walked, she couldn't help the anxiety rising in her throat.
He sighed. "My dad's going to Germany." He paused, preparing himself to continue. "He's gonna coach at a soccer academy, well hopefully. And I'm going to go with him."
The last phrase was rushed out but that was enough to make Nora stop in her path. "What?" Her heart dropped. Her best friend was leaving. It wasn't like he never left before. The Pulisic family had moved around plenty but Christian always came back. But Nora knew that this was going to be different. Christian knew that this was going to be different.
"I mean that's great Chris. I'm really proud of you,"
He knew she meant it, but even he knew how hard it was for her to say it. "Thank you."
"When do you leave?"
"Next week." He braced himself for her reaction. He wanted to tell her sooner but every time he thought about it he had to hold in tears that were threatening to spill.
Nora said nothing. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. He was quick to pull her in closer. Both were on the verge of tears that neither wanted to let fall. "Let's not focus on that. It's still your birthday and I need to get you your present." She mumbled after a few minutes. Christian could only nod before they let go of each other and continued their way home.
The walk home was silent, except for the few sniffles that they both made. When they made it back, Nora was quick to run off. "Just stay here, I need to go grab your gift." Before he could reply she was already sprinting into her house.
Quickly she ran into her room. Throwing her backpack to the floor and making her way to her desk. Sat on top sat a small box. About to run back outside, she stopped. Grabbing a sticky note and writing a small note on it. Folding it up, she stuck in the box before making her way back to Christian.
Outside, Christian smiled when he saw Nora coming out. Curiosity shined in his eyes as he saw the box in her hands. "Here," the gift felt light in his hands. "Open it." She reassured him.
Inside the box sat the note Nora just wrote and a small charm next to it. A silver soccer ball charm and on the back a guitar was engraved onto it. "You love soccer and you always mention how you'll be there at my first concert. Whenever that happens." Christian was quick to throw his arms around the girl.
"Thank you." The words were quiet, with his face buried into her shoulder. But Nora heard it anyway.
"Can I put on your necklace?" He was quick to take it off and hand it to her. Now the necklace that he had been wearing since last year was dawned with both a cross and his new gift. "Promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Don't open the note until after you leave."
"I promise."
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