21

"Noah", I screamed his name as he was getting in his car, "Noah please!" He turned around, and our eyes met again, except this time it felt different. "It's you, Flynn, there isn't anyone else. It has always been you!" He closed his door and made his way to me and embraced me with a hug. For several minutes, we were embraced by each other, knowing that as soon as we separated, the rest of the world would catch up to us. He slowly pulled me from him and caressed my face, " Please, let's talk this out", I begged. 

Noah and I had decided that there was a lot we had to talk about. We went to our favorite place, the Hollywood sign, and there we tried to make peace with everything that had happened the past year. "Did you have feelings for him?" Noah asked. I hesitated, although I knew with all of my heart that Noah was the want I wanted, Marco still made me feel some type of way. " I never loved him, if that's what you're asking",  I answered unsurely. He looked disappointed, "Em, did you have any feelings for Marco?"

"There was something", I paused not wanting to hurt him, "But it was from the heat of the moment and is no longer there." I was extremely confused, I thought he was okay with the fact that Marco and I kissed and that it was time to move on, but he kept on asking questions about it. " I thought we were moving on from this?" I asked. 

"We are", he paused, "well I'm trying".

"It was wrong of me to let Marco get so close", I paused, " I just really miss having you around. Long distance sucks!"

"Yeah", Noah nodded, "long-distance does suck."

"Noah", I gently grabbed his hand, "I want to be with you. It has always been you. Since we were kids I had this horrible crush." Noah smirked, " I want to be with you Em but you have to be a bit more mature. You can't kiss another dude or hang out with someone else just to make me jealous or just because we argued and you're upset..."

"How is what I did, different from what you did with Chloe?"

"Chloe and I never did anything. She is just one of my closest friends and I invited her here because I wanted her to meet you."

I sighed, in relief but also embarrassment. Why did I so quickly assume that he was cheating on me with her? Why didn't I talk to him and cleared up any feelings I had?

"How about a clean slate?" I asked. Noah had let my hand go and was now looking into the beautiful view in front of us. "How many times are we going to restart before we give up completely?" he asked not making eye contact. "How many times it takes", I reply, "I want this to work. Noah, I want to plan a future with you."

He slowly grabbed my hand, "Me too", he said under his breath. "I'll go to Havard". 

Noah raised his head and finally looked into my eyes again. "I got in", I smiled. He smiled back grabbing my other hand, " Millie I can't ask for you to do that for me."

"You're not asking. I don't have a dream college like you and Elle. I'll go wherever they accept me. To me, it does not matter but to you, Havard is important. Havard is the dream and having me there is just going to make our relationship stronger."

"Millie I love you, and I know that all that's happened with us in the past month is a result of bad communication between us but I don't want you to do something just because of me", Noah said. 

"I'm not", I said placing my hand in his face, "I'm doing it for me." Noah smiled as he placed both of his hands on my hips and pushed me in for a kiss. 

                                                                    ____________

I arrived home to find Elle in the garden. It was late at night and it had already started to get very cold. I grabbed the blanket we kept in our living room and made my way outside. 

"Stay out here a bit longer and you might get hypothermia", I said as I handed her the blanket. 

"Might be better than what I've experienced throughout High School", Elle responded. "Don't be so dramatic", I said as I sat next to her. "You can't say anything, your life has always been perfect."

"Perfect?", I chuckled, "You have no idea the hell I have through." Elle rolled her eyes, " It's all about you huh?"

"No", I paused, "but I act like it is sometimes". Elle looked up shocked as if this was something she never thought would come out of her mouth. "We've all been through a lot since mom died."

 " Honestly it has been so much worst to go through everything without her", Elle agreed. 

"If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I would be", I said as I placed my arms around her. 

"Me too", she smiled with tears on her face. " I know that the whole Marco thing was not your fault. Marco came to me after the booth and explained that you guys had met before when dad sent you away." I smiled. "Thank you!"

"You're my sister", Elle said as she held my hand, "I should never let a boy get in between us. I will never let that happen again."

I smiled and laid my head on Elle's shoulders, "Same goes for me. I will always cherish our relationship." 

"So NYU huh?" Elle asked. 

"I've made a decision today", I replied, "I'm attending Harvard, with Noah."

"Really?" Elle asked. " I never pegged you for one follow. I always thought you would be the one to lead. "

"Em", Elle paused, "Never be second to a man, always put yourself first."

                                                                                 _______

Elle and I had spent almost the rest of the night outside. We went in right before the sunrise and decided to just stay awake and enjoy dad's breakfast. 

" How are my two little owls doing?" dad said as he entered the kitchen. 

"Good", we replied. "Everything okay? I heard you both in the garden pretty late last night."

"We had a lot to catch up on", Elle replied. 

"Well, does anyone want to help me prepare breakfast?", dad asked. 

"Does this mean I get to do the bacon?" I asked eagerly jumping into the kitchen. "Remember crispy, not burnt!", dad said as he handed me the pan. "Elle, care to do the honors of doing the biscuits?" I asked as I handed her the flour. She smiled as she took it from me. Brad had just woken up and joined us in the kitchen.  "Watch your backs", dad said as he walked by us with a pan filled with his famous omelet. "Brad, get the plates and start setting the table with your sisters".  

I helped Brad carry the plates to the table and was making my way back when I heard the doorbell. "Noah", I greeted him excitedly. "Hey", he said with a warm smile. "Come on in, dad made his famous omelet", I said as I invited him in. 

"If it's okay I wanted to talk to you", he said backing out of the door. I made my way outside and closed the door behind me. "What's up," I asked nervously. 

"I don't think you should move to Massachuttes" he pauses, "Millie, I can't let you put me first and do something  that you will regret."

"Noah..."

"We both know that while we are together we are going to keep retrying no matter how many times we fail. We know that we won't look at our failures as signs that maybe we shouldn't be doing this."

"Noah please don't do this"

"I have to let you go Millie", he said as he placed a kiss on my forehead, "I've loved you for so long and I never thought that I would have to do this. I'm so sorry but you will understand later on."

"Noah", I called his name as he walked away. 

That was the last time  I saw Noah Flynn. He has never returned any of my calls, it was like we had never known each other.

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