Chapter 75—Make This Right

Astrid’s POV:

We got to our home after the ‘pretend’ meeting with mom. I can’t even believe that he is being this cold. I mean… we loved each other once, right?

I shrugged my thoughts and went inside one of the rooms and locked it from inside. I need to be calm and not think about him or anyone. I need some ‘me time’.

I laid down on my bed and was about to sleep when I heard a knock on the door. Will he not even let me sleep?

I got up and slowly dragged myself towards the door and opened it.

He was standing and looking at me like I am a ghost.

“What?” I asked him.

“I am leaving tomorrow,” he said.

“I know,” I replied.

He sighed. “Yeah. Help me in packing”

“Okay”

I went with him to our room and did the packing.

“I am leave—”

“Stay” he looked at me straight. “Stay in this room”

“Why? It is my wish!”

“God, Astrid I will be gone tomorrow! Stay!” he said, and I nodded.

Does he really want me to stay?

I combed my hair again and laid beside him. He hugged me again.

I don’t understand you Noah.

You hate me, but you want me to stay.

You want me to stay, and you like to hug me, but you hurt me.

What is this?

I gulped my thoughts as I found tears forming at the back of my throat. I closed my eyes and melted in his embrace.

After everything, the safest place is your embrace, Noah.

I whispered to myself and slept.

Noah’s POV:

I woke up the next day at 7. I have to get to my university by 9.

She was still sleeping. Will she not even say bye? Well, I can't blame her.

I got up and got ready. I went downstairs and sat down. I will leave at 8, there are still 15 minutes in that.

I heard footsteps and I looked at the staircase. She was awake, she was gonna wish me goodbye.

She came down. “Breakfast?” she questioned.

I pulled her towards me, and she looked at me with shock. “Noah?”

I kissed her, and she didn’t hold back. Hell, I need her. I don’t know.

She kissed me back and we did that for a minute. She pulled back at last, and I didn’t know how to explain my actions.

“Why, Noah?” she asked.

Maybe I wanted to know if you still have feelings for me?

“I don’t know”

“What? You can kiss someone and all you can say is I don’t know why I kissed you?”

I looked at her. “You are not ‘someone’. You are my wife”

“You are not oblivious to the reason for our marriage. It was not a love marriage; it was not even completely the arranged one. It was forced”

I looked at her in shock. Forced? That’s what she thinks?

“Forced because I didn’t have anyone else, and I had to marry by the end of the month according to my grandma’s will”

I got up. “I am leaving” I changed the topic.

“Okay. Bye”

“Bye” I replied and taking my things, I went to my car and left.

Astrid’s POV:

I didn’t know what to do. Maybe I wasn’t ready to be kissed by someone who is… I don’t know, behaving like a completely different person.

He left and then I went to my room. Mom has told me to call her once he leaves.

“Hello, mom” she picked up the call “Hey, Astrid. He left so early?”

“Yup”

“Okay. So, I was saying, you should come and stay here”

“You sure?”

“No I am not”

“Okay then I am coming”

“Good. Bye, I’ll wait” she said, and I smiled.

“Yeah mom!”

The call ended, and I packed my things. How am I gonna hide everything from mom if I am gonna live with her? I am not gonna call him even once. What if she figures out?

I sighed and thought to not think about that. Whatever is gonna happen, I’ll face it.

I went outside with my things and, taking a cab, I went to my old house.

I got to my home and rang the doorbell.

“Oh, Astrid!” She hugged me and I hugged her back.

“Mom! I miss you!”

“You met me yesterday” she raised an eyebrow.

“Ha-ha, never mind” I went inside with her.

I settled my things and we talked for some time. I didn’t fail to tell her how happy we are. Maybe it wasn’t so difficult, but what explains why he kissed me today?

Why?

I still remember the first time we kissed. It was here, NY. In a park near Xander's house.

I smiled remembering the days. If I had listened to him. If only I had, we would be married and happily married. Not like this. I hate what we are right now.

“What happened? Missing him already?” mom asked me.

“Yeah” I replied, and it wasn’t a lie.

“Call him then”

“Um… he might be in university”

“Okay. Did he tell you when you should call him?”

Why would he?

“Y-Yes”

“When?”

“After… After 9”

“Okay. Don’t forget to call him then. Let me make you breakfast”

“Okay mom” I replied, and she smiled.

Maybe we are away now, Noah, and maybe I am realizing how wrong I was slowly. Is there any way we can make it right?

Noah’s POV:

University is boring. Is she okay? Should I have not kissed her? Should I have been better? Of course, I should have been. But she can’t take the truth. Nor about her mother and not even about herself being a heart patient, and I can’t give her the answers.

But… I miss her. I miss her so much.

Astrid, after all this while...is there any way we can make this right?