Nora ran, cold sweats running down her face and neck, she could hear her heart pounding really fast in her chest.
It was 5:23pm; she made it back to Oslo but was two hours late to rehearsal. She rushed towards the stairs, leaping up the stairs two at a time, as she arrived at the floor of the dance studio. Nora paused; taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart then she slowly walked towards the studio, held the doorknob and slowly whispered "Okay the hard part is over"
She turned the doorknob opening the door, they were fully immersed in their dance rehearsal. She stood off to the side, patiently waiting until the final beat.
"Nora, you're late" Seo joon while wiping his sweats with a hand towel.
"I apologize, i had a family issue but it's settled now it won't happen again" Nora replied nervously trying hard to assure him.
"Are you okay?" Seo joon asked his voice laced with concern as he gazed at her noticing her sweaty neck and clothes.
"Yes i'm fine, just had to rush here" Nora said with an awkward smile while slowly walking to Tim's direction.
"Is there a problem?" Tim asked with raised eyebrows.
Nora cleared her throat that was dried from the few minutes run"i'm fine thank you"
"Alright everyone let's hit this one more time and move to the next" Seo Joon clapped his hands as everyone rose to their feet.
...
40 minutes after the rehearsal, Nora was seated in the dance studio alone with the lights off, she didn't want to go back to her apartment, she had ignored both Freya and Alva's calls the previous day. Nora wasn't ready to face the either of them. Nora was heartbroken from the previous night event; her mother's silence cut deeper than anything, she couldn't even speak up for the daughter, the love she had for her husband was greater than her child 's happiness. Now she felt exactly what her sister felt, she wanted to be free from them maybe staying in Oslo wasn't far enough, she wanted to be in another world.
Suddenly the door to the studio whined open, Seo Joon entered quietly while shutting the door behind him."I miss you too, i will be back in three days" he stretched his hands to turn on the studio light.
Noticing Nora seated quietly in the empty studio, he paused. "I'll call you back," he whispered into the phone, eyes fixed on her, then ended the call.
"I was just about to leave" Nora quickly stood up with her head lowered.
"Wait, are you okay?! ..It seems you have been out of it since today. Your energy was quite low, not like before " Seo Joon concerned voice sounded again but Nora could only shake her head.
With a sigh, Nora sat down "I'm just tired,.. not tired of the rehearsal" Nora added quickly brushing back her hair "I'm tired of everything in Oslo, Norway, Europe" Nora took a deep breath leaning her back of the studio walls biting her lips in despair.
Seo Joon chuckled as he sat down facing her directly "Are you having family issues, or is it Tim?"
Nora glanced at him, bewildered. "Tim? You think we are together?" She let out a loud chuckle "No, we are not. We're just friends."
"Do you want to leave Oslo? You could be a contract dancer for my company. You're quite good" .. Seo joon said with a light grin and raised eyebrows.
Nora raised her head sharply as she caught a glimpse of hope coming from him. "Are you serious, you would do that for me?
Seo joon was stunned at her response " Wait, you would really think about that?. You are in college right now, you're not leaving college for that "
What if i said i want to do just that, what if i'm willing to leave everything behind" Nora replied while staring in his eyes with a straight face.
"You are probably not thinking straight right now" he replied with great urgency.
Nora chuckled loudly like she was suddenly bewitched "I don't think i have ever made a decision as wise as this right now".
"What about your parents?" Seo joon asked, his face laced with curiousity.
Nora scoffed, her eyes cold and filled with frost" i don't think they would notice if i went missing for a year"
"Are you sure about this?" Seo joon asked, his gaze focused on her.
Nora nodded.
"Think about this, give me your response after concert okay.."
Nora let out a sigh of relief.