2. Nora
Coursing.
Noun
The sport of hunting game animals such as hares with greyhounds, using sight rather than scent. “Hare coursing.”
That’s what the original definition is, anyway.
Except now, instead of animals… it’s humans.
Once every six months, it begins with an alarm and a twelve-hour window where all of us are in danger.
Americans fought for this.
Marched for it, in fact.
Stormed the Presidential Palace and eventually, the president himself endorsed it.
The news tells us he endorsed it through fear of an uprising from the American people, but those of us who are smart, know it’s what he wanted all along.
Handing out fearmongering tactics within every speech, buying news channels, and funding them to show the bullshit propaganda he and his little minions up at the big house thought up together.
Taking our concentration away from the real issues at hand.
The removal of any free thinker.
“What do you have for me?” I ask Sky the moment I walk into her private office in the basement.
Her house is situated on the outskirts of The Coursing border, which enables us to be kept safe.
After all, this isn’t country-wide yet. It’s being tested within Missouri for the first year, and then eventually—just like healthcare rights—each state will decide on whether they want to engage in it or not.
‘Placing a blue flower outside your house shows you’re not participating in The Coursing.’ The president informed everyone. ‘Those who are not taking part will be exempt from any future Courses. So choose wisely.’
“Everything…” Her sultry voice filters through the air the closer I get. “And anything you need.”
Sky is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Her long, baby pink hair that’s always tied up into space buns, sits beautifully against her alabaster skin.
She’s got bright blue eyes that stare deep within your soul, and a voice so soft she would be the perfect phone sex operator.
We’ve been best friends for ten years, and I’ve been in love with her for each of them.
The moment I saw her walking across the school yard at seventeen—her hair was coloured teal back then—I just knew that she was going to be someone I would only ever love from afar.
Why? Because she’s straight.
It doesn’t stop me fantasising about her, though.
She told me that the first night my sister, Paz, introduced me to her at a family get-together.
I’d been staring at her all night. Since the moment she walked through my Abuela’s house hand in hand with my sister, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her.
I’d been single for so long I’d forgotten what it felt like to be interested in another woman.
But I wasn’t interested in Sky. No, I was in love with her.
I’d always laughed at those who spoke about love at first sight, finding it ridiculous how one person could be the sole reason for another to lose their mind—until it happened to me.
As cheesy as this all sounds… my heart knew she was mine before either of us ever believed it.
My mind constantly filled with thoughts of her since the day I first muttered ‘hello.’ And even though I’ve tried as hard as I can to stop my growing affection and sexual urges for Sky, I can’t.
Since the day she told me what her sexuality was, I’ve loved her from afar.
Making sure to be respectful and keep our relationship entirely platonic, even though it practically eats away at me every single time I’m in the same room with her.
Sky is everything to me, and every moment with her is a blessing. Losing her is not an option.
So I stay quiet.
I hold myself accountable.
And I love her deeply within the vault of my own mind, imagining what our life could’ve been like if things were different.
Because that’s all I have. Thoughts, dreams, and my imagination.
Sky is impeccable. Perfect curves on a short stature, with beautiful elven features that make her look almost ethereal. Most of the time, when I’m alone, I imagine all the things I shouldn’t. Like how her touch would feel across my deep, golden-hued skin, or how she would react beneath mine.
Would she crave me as much as I do her?
Would her moans of ecstasy taste like heaven on my tongue?
I step up behind her as she sits in her black, high-back swivel chair in front of her computer. The red and black checkered mini skirt and tight fitted black vest she’s wearing are doing nothing to help my composure because fuck me, she looks amazing.
Yeah, I really need to stop.
This is actually becoming pathetic now.
I rest one hand on the back of her chair and press the other to the tabletop, leaning over her shoulder to look more closely at what she’s doing.
Really, it’s to get a whiff of how she smells because I’m pathetic.
Honeydew with a hint of white oleander. The perfume she’s always worn, and that same bottle sits in my bedside table at home.
Don’t judge me.
I’m in love with the girl, alright.
“It took me a while; this guy has a firewall like I’ve never seen, but I finally managed to get into everything. Bank statements, his real address, where he works. I even have his social security number and where he really went to school. The same goes for all of his friends.”
“Good job. You’ve done amazing with this,” I praise her. A light blush creeps up the side of her neck before it travels to the highest points of her cheeks. I lean in a little closer to her, reaching my hand forward and pressing the tip of my finger against the computer screen.
“What’s this? I thought we checked there for him already.”
Clearing her throat, she readjusts her seated position before answering. “This is where he plans to stay when The Coursing starts. Usually it’s empty, but he’s made sure it looks that way so nobody suspects him and his friends of being there.”
I angle my head towards her, our faces a lot closer than before, and I swallow—heavily—because my mouth is so fucking dry. It always is when I’m with her. “Does CCTV footage prove that?” I ask before looking back at the monitor and trying to internally compose myself.
“Yes.” She nods, and I can’t help but stare at her mouth as she talks. Even though I should really be paying attention to what she’s telling me… I can’t.
She’s so beautiful.
Really? You’re ridiculous.
Uh, the fuck I am.
You and your googly eyed bullshit.
“He doesn’t hide it very well, either, mainly because he’s so cocky now, he doesn’t think anyone would dare to come for him.
I managed to track his cell phone location, and at least three or four times a month he comes here, either early morning or late at night.
” Sky leans back in the chair, the back of her shoulder resting against my thumb, and I can’t help myself.
I lift my thumb and gently dance the pad of it over her exposed skin.
“This is great.” I glance at the screen once more, smiling before turning back to face her. “You’ve done brilliant as usual.”
I need to learn to assert some form of control on my actions.
Fuck, those eyes of hers.