Behind These Eyes • •

[nora camille compton]

After the disastrous start to her museum date, Nora was glad she had ditched that one guy and bumped into Alec. He had stopped the day from turning out quite so terrible in the end, though she wasn’t the type to feed egos. As a comedy act, she was more inclined to heckle and tease, or do impressions of people. She usually stuck to celebrities though unless something happened in the room to catch her attention, be it a heckler or something that just brought a quick quip to her full lips. Nora had been so focused on getting herself some regular shows that she didn’t really set aside time for dating and meeting men. There were enough bad dates to fill an entire act if she wanted to go down that route, but she was far more content to keep with the impressions and the ‘fuck my life’ routines that she did. People found the English Woman in New York thing surprisingly endearing, and then Nora went and sang one song in the voice of ten different people, so they were usually stunned by that, too.

Alas, men were all like that Joshua bloke, who had been unable to take her seriously when she informed him that comedy was what she wanted to spend her life doing. They all seemed to want a doting housewife, or a woman who would work hard in a regular nine to five. Nora would never be that. She was a waitress who worked shift patterns to suit her gigs, and she was a colourful, comical woman who was likely to make anecdotes out of her day to day. Alec had been interesting though. He had kept her laughing, which for Nora was the most important quality in a person. She was a funny girl, but she wanted to be around someone who could keep a smile on her face without it seeming like hard work. The fact that he was cute was a mere number two on her list of reasons to put the number from the card he had given her into her phone and see if he wanted to catch up again.

Nora was not a coy type. She was humorous, but almost always to the point. She wanted her message to be light hearted though, and it took her just a few seconds to work the best thing out. Looking for a good time with coffee and an English girl? Come to the Starbucks by Gotham tomorrow at two. She didn’t sign off, but left it at that. Part of her wanted to see if he could work it out for himself, or if she’d get a boring ‘who is this?’ in response – which would really destroy the effect she was hoping for. She also hoped he was free tomorrow at two. She was resolved to be there anyway, even if he didn’t reply, just to see what happened.

The place was as busy as ever. Nora grabbed a table close to the door and by the window. It gave her a good vantage point to see anyone coming in and they might even see her before they got inside if they happened to glance through the window first. She kept her hands busy with a napkin while she waited, and put her phone on the table in case a message came through. Nora honestly didn’t know what to expect from today, but she had enjoyed Alec’s company last time and their parting comments of ‘doing this again’ hadn’t been something she wanted to leave as an empty promise or just one of those things people said as part of a goodbye.

• • •

TAGGED! Alec Ryerson Kelley
WORDS! 613!
OUTFIT! British Beauty!
LYRICS! Bright White Jackets - - - April Smith and The Great Picture Show
NOTES!

[Alec Ryerson Kelley]

Alec's life tended to seem like it was a mess of meetings, lunches, dinners and work related outings. To the outside onlooker, it probably didn't look like he did much of anything at all personal. But he believed his work was personal. He wanted the best out of what he was putting out in the world. It might not have his name splayed across the front cover of the books, but he did have a hand in bringing them to the masses. However, he was also in the habit of being scatterbrained, too often leaving his phone in this place and that whenever he was rushing about the office. It was a good thing he had an assistant because he genuinely needed one to keep his head on. And she was probably thinking he'd lost his mind in some backwards sort of way. Since meeting Nora at the museum, he not once lost his phone and he responded to all his messages without needing to be prompted to do so; which used to be the case. He didn’t know if she would even call him or shoot him a quick text or not but he didn’t want to miss it if she did. He was notoriously bad for misplacing his phone and didn’t want her to think he was ignoring her when he definitely was not.

Alec didn’t date much just because his life was so hectic. He went on the occasional date but mostly if he was seen out, it was with one of his authors or a friend from the city. He preferred staying in and reading through the manuscripts that had fallen on his desk when it wasn’t required of him to be out. Not that he didn’t love being out in the city, in the excitement. It was just that he was always out so sometimes it was just nice to stay in and do something he really loved; read. He had been sitting at his desk, pouring over the advertising plan for the next book in a hugely popular series when his phone buzzed. Alec was prone to ignoring his phone in these moments, giving it a quick glance to see who it was and deciding it could be put off until later. But there was no name attached to the message, only the number and Alec swooped it up off his desk before he could think about what he was doing. He chuckled at the message and spent a few minutes trying to think up a funny response. "You sure you want to be seen with the Irish guy? What if word got back home?" He send back, teasing; at least he hoped she knew he was teasing. She had seemed like she would get the joke.

He wasn't a particularly funny man though he liked to think he was. He could crack a joke but it was usually by accident that it happened. But it was pretty easy to rearrange his day when he went into the office the next morning. Too many of his appointments didn't get put on the books until he'd already left and his assistant did it from home So it had to wait until he sat at his desk and checked what the day held. There wasn't much, two appointments needed to be rearranged for an hour earlier for the one and the following day for the other so he had the time afterwards if this coffee date turned into dinner as well. He wanted to leave his afternoon completely open. He even got Christie to hold all his calls when he headed out to meet up with Nora. He spotted her through the window as he walked up and smiled to himself, pulling the door open and headed straight for her table. "Ask me out on a second date and don't even have drinks ordered." He teased, stopping at her table and shaking his head at her.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || nora camille compton
Words || 660
Clothes || Interesting Irishman
Music || I'm Coming Over --Chris Young
Notes || <3

[nora camille compton]

Waiting on at Hal’s paid most of the bills, and ensured that Nora had a steady income when the comedy clubs were fully booked, or when she herself was too ill to take to the stage. As a performer and an impersonator, a bad case of the flu or that annual sore throat that always seemed to catch Nora in November, cost her some serious work. Hal’s made sure that she was never in danger of losing electricity or even her apartment when that happened. Plus, it often gave her some new material. Working the night shift brought in some colourful characters, and it wasn’t like Nora’s entire act was always impressions. Some of the clubs she worked preferred real life jokes over watching her sing or perform in familiar voices. Until she had made a name for herself she worked every angle she could. It kept her busy, but no one found success by slacking off and waiting for fame to just knock on their door. Sure, it would be easy to find a nine to five office job and spend her life doing that, but Nora didn’t want easy. She wanted something rewarding, something to be proud of and that made her happy.

Nora’s idea of success wasn’t riches and a big house. Her first ten years had been spent in a quaint Kent cottage before the family relocated to Vermont. They were comfortable, but Nora hadn’t cared for expensive things. To her, seeing how happy her brothers had parents were valued higher than salaries or jobs. Coming in from a muddy football game, or laughing at how Nora told a story over dinner; that was happiness. She wanted that throughout her life, and it didn’t matter where she was or how she found it. She was in no rush to settle down, knowing that she wasn’t the type to fall in love with every man who paid her a second of attention. She’d flirt, see where it went, but often she was thrilled to leave them and get into a cab alone. She was independent, happily so, and her life would never revolve around dates and men. She was quite content to be single while her old college friends got married. Dating could be fun though, and Alec, so far, promised to intrigue her at the very least. “Despite my charming accent, home is only a little further north. And I promise you; my brothers have already found out your secrets.” Despite living in America for sixteen years, Nora had not lost her English accent. She called it an act of rebellion after the relocation, even though she hadn’t rebelled at all. Honestly, she didn’t know why she hadn’t picked up a twang here or there. She could only suggest that perhaps it had something to do with her knack for impressions.

When Alec appeared before her and spoke, Nora raised a thick, amused eyebrow. “I don’t remember saying anything about this being a date…or about me buying the coffee…” She added teasingly, pretending to check her phone to be sure. “Nope. Nothing there.” She confirmed, sliding the iphone back into her pocket as she pushed herself to her feet, smiling wickedly up at the man she’d asked out. “Luckily for you I’m in a generous mood. How do you like it? Your coffee, I mean.” She asked flirtatiously, deciding to play this afternoon a little on the naughty side to see where that took them. Nora wasn’t the shy type; she never had been. There were days though when she could be coyer than others, or times when she chose to be terrible and bold. This appeared to be the latter.

• • •

TAGGED! Alec Ryerson Kelley
WORDS! 623!
OUTFIT! British Beauty!
LYRICS! Bright White Jackets - - - April Smith and The Great Picture Show
NOTES!

[Alec Ryerson Kelley]

Alec's job kept him quite busy, running all over the place, talking to this person or trying to convince that one to do things for their book tours. And when he wasn't running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he's sitting around in various positions reading all the manuscripts filling up his desk and surrounding area. He had assistants and junior editors doing the same thing but he wanted to read what they suggested before he made offers to authors. He believed that was the reason he was head of the department at his age and had yet to have a losing book on his shelves. Some of his colleagues might have thought he was given such a position because he was young and could still be considered part of the demographics but at thirty, he was already well out of the average age groups who read the books he published; in the male demographics anyway.

He liked his job because he knew that his books weren't just being read by children and teenagers; young adults, grown adults and parents were reading these books too. Most parents were reading them because they wanted to know what their children were reading but some of them continued on well afterwards because a single book had gotten them hooked. He loved all that but it could also be a bit lonely. There were nights and days even when he took time away from reading the manuscripts or proofing cover shots to just hang out, see the city he called home now and he had no one really to hang out with. He had friends but the majority of them were in his field and wanted to talk shop. Alec didn't want that. Being harassed by Nora had been the bright spot on a rather dull day of doing much the same as every other. She'd been so apologetic once she'd realised he wasn't who she thought he was but he'd been too busy grinning at her to take much of it to heart. And in truth, he'd felt a little bad for the girl who obviously deserved better than the idiot she'd meant to be seeing.

Though they'd never actually said either of their meetings thus far were dates, Alec enjoyed a bit of light teasing and wouldn't turn away an opportunity to give his skills a bit of a stretch. The saying was if you didn't use it, you'd lose it and he did not want to lose sarcasm or teasing; ever. "You invite me on a date and take it back all within twenty four hours. I feel so used." He said with a small pout. Alec had no idea how far this quirky thing with Nora would go but he didn't mind seeing for himself. She was fun to be around, even if he really hadn't known her very long at all. "Hot, steamy and a little on the sweet side." He said with a smirk, wondering how quickly the funny woman in front of him would catch the innuendo. He had a suspicion would be instantly. Neither of them seem to be steering towards coy.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || nora camille compton
Words || 529
Clothes || Interesting Irishman
Music || I'm Coming Over --Chris Young
Notes || <3

[nora camille compton]

Nora had ambitions. There was no intention of waiting on tables forever, feeding greasy fried food to drunken men who had been ditched by their friends. She heard more sob stories from men who hadn’t been successful with their corny pick up lines. Nora didn’t really know what was expected from her when they threw their little pity party over some bacon and eggs, whining that their best buddies were with other girls having the night of their lives. Part of her wanted to laugh and say that while they were perched on Hal’s stool the female population was safe. Another part wanted to scoff and point out that no one was going to be attracted to someone who was crying into a black coffee and some apple pie. Nora tried to keep her harshest lines for her paid gigs at the comedy clubs, or for hecklers who tried to interrupt her act. She wasn’t easily pushed around, and she made that clear whenever anyone tried to shout out when she had the microphone in her hand.

She didn’t plan on waiting tables forever. One day she hoped her performances were to more than just slightly merry comedy club crowds. Her ultimate dream was sell out arenas and the touring life, Netflix specials or DVDs, if they hadn’t gone completely defunct by then. Nora knew none of that was going to come easily. She needed to keep working at her craft, busting open doors, and breaking the mould. She needed to prove that she could deliver on more than just one show, but on many. Nora knew in herself that she could, but the right people needed to see that in her, too now. They needed to take a chance on an English comic and she would show them that it was a gamble that would absolutely pay off.

Tilting her head to the side, Nora fixed Alec with a look of pure confusion. “You keep mentioning this ‘date’. Are you trying playground tactics to tell me you fancy me and want to ask me out?” She teased, puckering her lips and making over the top kissing noises at him with her eyes now scrunched shut. Chuckling, she leaned in close and pretended to be dusting off Alec’s shirt so she could teasing dance her fingers over the chest she only just came up to. “Hot? I can do that. Steamy? Yeah, that’s a possibility. But sweet? I think you’re stretching there.” She let her eyes find his, that devilish glint still there before she walked away to place the order. Feeling daring and naughty, Nora reached back and pinched his thigh, skipping away to the counter.

Five minutes later and a whole lot of waiting around, Nora was making her way back to the table with coffee and a large muffin to share. She found them a little too sickly to eat alone, but she still loved the way they tasted. Setting the coffees of the table she kept the muffin until last so she could offer it to Alec separately. “Wanna be my love muffin?” How Nora managed to keep a straight face was beyond her knowledge, but she was very impressed with herself.

• • •

TAGGED! Alec Ryerson Kelley
WORDS! 542!
OUTFIT! British Beauty!
LYRICS! Bright White Jackets - - - April Smith and The Great Picture Show
NOTES!