Chapter 37: I Truly Love You

Noah's POV:

I decided to do that.. It may be the last thing I try. I took her out with her mom's permission one last time.

"Astrid. Tell me.. How can I.. I.. How can I prove my love to you?" I asked her, knowing she won't react.

"Will you leave me?" She asked again.

"No" I said.

She didn't reply then and we got to the hotel. I took her to the room. I started singing “Eternal Love.”

Just then tears started flowing from my eyes. I really can't push these emotions away. And my tears stopped. My world stopped when I heard a beautiful female voice singing.. it was her..

She sang, tears dropping from her eyes.

"Don't stop in the middle of the melody next time!" she laughed and said, crying at the same time.

"A-Astrid…" she hugged me tightly. I didn't know how to react. She was crying with me. She really was!!!

"Astrid.. Are you okay?" I asked. She got away and looked at me.

"Thank you Noah. Only I know how badly I wanted to thank you. I wanted to hug you so badly from so many days, but you are a dumbo to not do anything. I am... I'm so sorry. It’s my fault that you had to go through so much. Thank you Noah" she said in a flow and hugged me again. This time I hugged her back like my dear life depended on her.

It really does.

"A-Astrid.. I can't believe.. Are you back for good??" I asked again.

"Yes Noah. I am. Thank you Noah.. I—" I stopped her.

"Stop thanking me already!!" I said to her.

She laughed on that. She got away and sat on the sofa with her eyes closed.

"Astrid? What are you doing?" I asked her.

"Just trying to calm myself as so many emotions that were in me from so many days are coming out" she said. I sat beside her.

"Thank you for coming back Astrid" I said to her.

"Thank you for bringing me back Noah" she said.

"And sorry.. For all the wrong things I've done..." I said. She looked at me.

"Ah yeah. I have to beat you" she said.

"Wh-what?" I asked.

"Didn't you tell me to beat you when I come back for sleeping on the same bed as me?" she said smirking.

"Hey wait. Weren't you asleep at that time?"

"Nope. And get ready!" she said and stood up.

I started running in the whole room. She was following me, laughing, with a pillow in her hands to beat me. I was laughing too. This was the very best moment.

I stopped after sometime as I got tired.

"I'll... beat you... some other day.." she said, panting in between, because she was out of breath.

"Come on. You can beat me" I said and went near her. She took her hand and kept it softly on my shoulder.

"Noah. Was it true?" she asked me.

"What?" I asked her.

"What you said yesterday.."

"What did I say yeste—" And then I remembered that I proposed her yesterday.

"Hm?" she asked me again.

"Yes. It was Astrid. It was true" I said.

"Will you hear my answer on that?"

"No"

"What?"

"No. I won't"

"Why?"

"Astrid.. You need time. Time for everything. I didn't want to make you my girlfriend this fast. I need you to realize that there is someone who's willing to give his shoulder for you to cry on, who's giving you a hand to hold. I don't want to burden you with any relationship and that's why I don't want to hear it even if it's a yes"

"Noah.."

"If it's a no, then I promise I'll improve myself to that level when you'll be ready to take my hand, to be at that level where you will be proud to call me yours"

"Noah..."

"Astrid. Just listen. Let's keep all this aside for now"

"Fine Noah" she said.

We both smiled.

"So? You know what the college is reopening from next week" I said.

"C-college..." she said and frowned. Her eyes started to get wet as tears pooled into her eyes.

"Astrid? I'm sorry..!! Please don't cry!!" I said.

"Why.. are you saying sorry?" she asked.

"Why are you crying..?"

"I.. I can't go to college.."

"Why?"

"Because... Because whenever I'll go there.. Those corridors.. That infirmary will remind me of all that happened with me.. I.. I don't want to think about it.. I.. I can't be there with that beast.. I.." she started crying.

"Astrid... Calm down.. I'll do something.. Don't worry" I said.

"Okay Noah"

"Hm. Don't cry for small things Astrid please"

"Don't be so sorry every time when it's not your mistake, Noah"

"Okay!. "

"Yeah.. Btw, why are we in a hotel? I mean.. Why aren't we at yours or my house? Why do you stay here?"

"huh? Nothing.. I-it's nothing"

"Tell me Noah"

"It's nothing, really Astrid"

"So you started hiding things from the very start.."

"What? No Astrid!. Actually.. I don't have a house.."

"What?"

"I don't have parents..."

"What? Noah.. Really!? Noah then why the hell were you helping me so much? You could've stayed at my house.. This hotel expenses must be so much!"

"How can I stay at your house, Astrid?"

"Still Noah!!"

"Fine, fine. So.. If that rascal leaves the college.. Will you come?"

"What? He will never leave, Noah!"

"I have a plan. Leave it on me. Just tell me"

"Yes"

"Okay then. I'll do the work.. You can go home and greet your mom truly. Just tell her that you were having some trouble with studies that's why you were off mood from some days"

"Okay Noah. Thank you for everything"