Norma Jean - By Amanda Heath Page 0,37

about. I even moved on. If you can believe it. I sure as hell don’t.

Her name was Valarie and she is the complete opposite of Norma. Tall, curvy, blonde, and brown eyes. She didn’t make me crazy and that’s something I loved about her. Nothing she did even comes close to how Norma was. I loved it. I made it nearly two years with her before she got tired of me not being able to love her back.

So I guess that is the way I will always be. Alone never able to love anyone but Norma. Which I’m sure sounds crazy to you, but have you ever had that all-consuming love? I have. And it was with her. She breathed life into me and she took it away all in the same breath. She made me feel whole, when before I was only half a person. Crazy isn’t it? To find that at 18?

But I did and I wouldn’t ever change those months with her for anything.

Chapter 8

3 and a half years later…

Norma

The chilly winter air hits my face as I climb out of my car. I pull my coat closer around my body trying to keep the iciness from my torso. At least I don’t have to deal with snow like the north. I hate this weather. I can’t wait for a warm breeze on a sunny day. Shorts and flip flops and flirty dresses. Regina would appreciate me adding the dresses in there, since they weren’t part of my style until I met her.

Since it’s night the air is colder which makes me even grumpier. For some reason I got talked into going to a Reddy’s party, which makes no sense. Well since we aren’t allowed to party on the OBU campus a lot of students head over to the Henderson campus.

The apartment building I’m in is all college students and since it’s Friday night no one seems to care. Most of the apartments are blaring music as I walk past their doors. There are several people outside smoking cigarettes and I say hello to several I know. When I get to the right place, I push open the door and look through all the people for Regina. The warm air hits my freezing legs through my skinny jeans and I let out a sigh of relief. “Oh look who’s here!” comes a male voice to my left.

I look up to meet David’s face. He’s cute I guess. Long brown hair and blue eyes. Built like a linebacker and has a really deep voice to match. “Hey!” I call out to him smiling.

“Reg didn’t think you were going to show, you know since…” he trails off his eyes going wide thinking he might cause me distress on saying my recent ex’s name.

“He’s not here is he?” I ask quietly. I’m not at all upset about the breakup, seeing as he is the biggest jerk I have ever met. Only took me two years to figure it out. Though I didn’t expect him to just let me go like he did. He is scary as hell when he’s upset and he is upset most of the time.

“Naw girl. He had to go home this weekend, something about his mom.” He shrugs his shoulders and throws an arm over mine. “Let’s go find your girl, cuz I know you don’t want to hang out with this ugly mug!” he laughs and I can’t help but chuckle.

“Thanks, but you’re not ugly. I don’t mind hanging out with you.” We spot Regina talking to some of our Reddy friends and David and I walk up to them.

“Yay! You’re here! I was beginning to think you would bail!” Regina screams a lot when she is drunk, and I can guess she is three sheets to the wind. I’m not all that surprised. It’s almost midnight and she has been here since eight.

“Yeah, got bored at the dorm. Figured I’d come relax a little bit.” We smile at each other and she passes me a shot. I take a sniff and throw back the whipped cream flavored vodka. That is the good stuff.

“Hey that guy you know is here! What’s his name?” Regina pulls her blonde locks behind her head and fans her neck.

“I know lots of guys. What’s he look like?” I laugh when she pulls a confused look over her face.

“The one who knows you from home. He is friends with…you know. Both of them.” She says the last part in a