Chapter 40: Shopping

Noah’s POV:

One week passed by. I used to video-call her, message her, she used to video-call me, message me, and so we were connected almost every time. I still didn’t tell her about the help I took from Charlotte, it’s a little embarrassing anyway.

Tomorrow, is the first day of the college-reopening. I have to convince Astrid today, and make sure she comes tomorrow. I went to her house.

“Hello Aunt, actually, Can I take Astrid with me? We are just going in the nearby park” I said as she opened the door.

“Actually Noah, she isn’t opening the door from morning, I’m trying, but she just says that she wants to be alone. I’m happy you came. Please help us” she said, and I went inside and knocked on her door.

“Mom, I said that I want to be alone!!” she yelled.

“Astrid, it’s me, Noah, open the door” I said calmly, and the door opened that second. She pulled me inside and locked the door again.

“Don’t blame me if your mom never allows me in again” I said.

I mean she seriously pulled me like that while she didn’t even open the door for her!!

“Noah… I’m hell scared…” she said, and I stopped my nonsense.

“Uh...Astrid, don’t be, please.”

“I.. he.. should I go… tomorrow..?? I don’t want to, but I want to..”

“Please Astrid, don’t, don’t trouble yourself. I said, I promise you, I’ll make sure that he will not make it tomorrow, please don’t be sad” I said.

“But.. but I’m scared” she said.

“Fine, then let’s go out and have some fun, so you can shrug it off?”

“Yea.. okay” she said and then we opened the door. Her mom was sitting on the sofa in the hall. She stood up seeing us.

“I’m going out mom” she said to her mother, to which she nodded, she looked at me with worried look. I nodded in assurance, and she smiled.

I think her mother trusts me.

We arrived at a restaurant, as I guess she must’ve not eaten anything. I was right and we ate peacefully.

“Now, where?” she asked me.

“You tell” I said.

“um.. Noah, I want to have a serious talk..” she said. I looked at her and nodded.

“Continue” I said.

“Noah, I thought about what I feel.. Noah, you know it very well, I feel so much about you, so—”

“No Astrid, it’s.. it’s early”

“I understand, it’s for me, but—”

“No, no means no Astrid. You need time, your heart needs time, we can’t be together right now” I said.

If only she knew that her heart is not well…

“Okay” she said. I smiled. She smiled too, although it seemed uneasy and forced.

“Oh, okay if all these sad talks are over then let’s go somewhere fun!” I said and her face brightened up.

“Yeah!” she yelled in excitement. “But where?” she asked.

“Well, let’s go to… uh.. shopping?” I asked.

“But I don’t have to buy anything, do you?”

“No, yes. I have to. Let’s go” I said, and she nodded. Then we were in one of the malls.

“uh.. well.. can you choose a shirt for me?” I asked her and she nodded and headed towards the men’s section. I went towards the women’s section to choose something for her.

What would she like….

Classy?

Casual?

Party wear?

Too much fancy?

No, no. She is not that type..

Simple?

Oh yeah, simple, because she’s my type..!

I saw some of the dresses when a woman came to me.

“Oh, hi sir. Do you need a girl’s dress? For..?”

“Oh, hi mam. Yes, I need it for.. uh.. my friend” I said.

“Oh okay. Do you know her size?” she asked and unknowingly a blush flew in my cheeks.

“Well.. uh.. no.. she’s slim” I said and took out my phone.

She’s my phone’s wallpaper.

“There you go” I showed her, her picture.

“Okay, so she looks like a college student, I can take her size approximately” she said, and I nodded. Then I chose a design for her and told her to pack it.

I went towards the ‘Common Point’, and she was not there till then. I called her.

“Oh, Astrid, come here, on the ‘Common Point’”

“Actually, you should come here” she said and cut the call. Oh no. I don’t want any shirt at all!!

I went towards the area, and I saw a shirt in her hands. When I came, she immediately spread it and came near to me. She held it near my shoulders.

“That looks good” she said, and mistakenly, her hand touched my neck, and I felt shivers down my body.

“I-It’s fine Astrid” I said and backed away.

“Don’t you like it?” she asked.

“No, it’s great. But I don’t want anything, so let’s go” I said but she became sad. Suddenly I saw a tear left her eyes.

OH. GOD. DID I HURT HER???

“Astrid?” I asked.

“I was here for so much time. I spent all my time in searching a shirt that would look great on you. I know everything would look good on you, but I thought that you would want a shirt given by me, I thought you would wear the shirt that I gave you, but you just put me down like that. You are so bad, Noah.. See here. 100s of shirts are spread. Do you wanna know why? Because I wanted to give you the perfect one. But no, you don’t really care about my feelings. That’s why you keep rejecting me every-time, and that’s why-”

“N-no, Astrid, I’ll wear this shirt, stop crying” I said, while keeping a hand on her shoulder. In a minute she calmed down.

“Well, Noah, should I take those acting classes now?” she said with a puffy cute face.

WHAT. THE. HELL.

Oh yeah, you’re stupid Noah. She asked you for joining an acting club three days back, but you put her off because that wasn’t safe. And you told her she wasn’t the actress type. So here you go, dumbass Noah!! You made your fool.