Chapter 57

Chapter 57
DALIA
ONE MONTH LATER
Me: I saw you today
Noah: Really? Where?
Me: At Wave. I saw you getting out of your car while we were leaving
Noah: Any chance you forgot something and will be coming back to get it soon?
My lips curved into a smile and I leaned against the wall. Ever since, we ran into each other at that coffeehouse, we had been texting and calling each other again.
I still missed him, but I no longer felt as sullen as before.
Me: Depends. What could I have forgotten?
Noah: Me
I pressed my lips together as my heart fluttered at the message and I reread it several times. I want to see him.
“So Dalia,” mum started while walking up to me and holding her phone in front of her mouth, making it act as a mic. “How do you feel now that your absolutely amazing parents are leaving this weekend?” She held the phone out in front of me and I cleared my throat.
“Uh, extremely happy that my mother is leaving,” I replied and her mouth fell open in mock surprise. “I don’t think I’ve ever known joy like this, but I’m quite upset about my father leaving.”
“I’m extremely sad about mum leaving though,” Huxley cut in from the balcony, flashing mum a smile when she turned to face him and she returned the smile.
“Julie, you can have Dalia. I’m taking Huxley and Harvey,” she announced and I rolled my eyes as she pressed the phone to her ear. “I’m trading your daughter, Eli.” She kept talking to dad while I gently elbowed her in the side before heading to my room and she followed me.
“When will you guys come over again?” I asked, plopping down on the bed after she hung up, and she narrowed her eyes.
“I thought you’re happy your mother is leaving? Why are you asking when she’s coming back?”
“You know I don’t mean that.”
She raised a brow, but after a while, her expression softened and she sat next to me. “...I know you still blame yourself for what happened, Dalia,” she said, reminding me of what Travis had done, and my heart sank to my feet as my hands squeezed into fists. “What happened was bad, but it could have been worse and thankfully, it wasn’t, so I want you to stop being mopey. I hate seeing you like that.”
“Okay mum,” I muttered, tears filling my eyes, before she wrapped her arms around me. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ve already told you to stop apologizing.”
“Sorry.”
“There you go again,” she drawled, making me laugh softly as I hugged her back. “And that man… Noah,” she continued and I paused.
Noah? What about Noah?
“I don’t know how to feel about him - I don’t even know him - but I know how you feel about him. And I want you to be happy... So if Noah is who you think is best for you… then you should be with him.”
… What?
I pulled away from her to see her expression and it seemed like she truly meant what she just said. “Really?”
“Really,” she replied, using her thumb to wipe away my tears, but I still couldn’t believe my ears.
“What- What about dad?”
“Sweetie, we’re happy when you’re happy… But you still have to introduce him to us. This is only my first approval. He still needs to get the second and third -”
The emotion I had couldn’t be contained. It detonated like a bomb, flooding me with its power, and I basically tackled her in a hug. “Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for,” she said, patting my back while new tears stung at the corners of my eyes. “I just want you to be happy, baby. I really do.”

NOAH
Dalia had read my message, but she hadn’t replied and I was beginning to wonder if I shouldn’t have sent that. She forgot me?’ What was I thinking?
I unlocked my phone as I came to a stop in front of my apartment and groaned when I saw that she still hadn’t replied. Did I make things awkward? …Shit. I gently hit my head against the door before unlocking it as the elevator dinged behind me and I glanced over my shoulder, thinking it was Taylor because she had told me she was almost here, but it wasn’t her that walked out of the elevator. It was Dalia.
My mouth went dry.
“Noah,” she said and my eyes widened while she raised a hand like she was about to wave, but changed her mind at the last moment.
“Dalia…” I hadn’t seen her since that day at the coffeehouse, so this was quite a surprise. Did she come here to see… me?
She walked towards me while I still stared at her in a daze. “You look well.”
“I…” I lifted my eyes back to hers and when my silence stretched out longer than I should have let it, she nervously scratched the back of her ear.
“I’m sorry. I should have called before coming. I just- Are you busy? Should I leave and-”
“No!” I burst out, startling her. “Sorry. I’m sorry. Don’t leave.” I placed the grocery bags I was holding on the floor before stepping out of the way and gesturing inside. “Come in.”
She glanced into the apartment and a smile played on her lips as she walked in. “Thank you.”
I shut the door and slowly followed behind her, running my eyes over her repeatedly to remind myself that she was really here, before she stopped next to the kitchen. “Hey,” I said when she turned around and mentally smacked myself almost immediately.
‘Hey’? Really?
“How are you?” she asked, nervously shifting from one foot to the other while my heart picked up the pace.
“I’ve been…” I swallowed a lump in my throat and I closed the distance between us. “Not fine. I’ve not been fine,” I stated and her lips parted slightly in surprise before I proceeded to tell her everything I didn’t tell her over the phone. “I burned my arm. I sprained my hand and had to have it in a cast for two weeks. I fell down the stairs.”
“What? Are you alright?” She grabbed my hands to check them and also gave me a once-over to see if I was okay. She seemed to be sincerely worried and I felt bad that I worried her… but I loved that she was fussing over me.
I was really happy that she was here, but I also knew that she was here for a reason and I hoped it was for what I thought it was. “Are you… back?” I muttered and she pursed her lips as she returned her gaze to mine.
“Only if you want me back.”
Relief washed over me like a tidal wave and I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding before pulling her into a hug. Oh God.
“I’m sorry it took me so long,” she said after I pulled away from her and I shook my head sideways, skimming my fingertips along her cheekbone.
“I missed you.” I gently slid my hand into her hair and she leaned into my touch as I slightly tilted her head back. “...So much,” I added, feeling the soft tickle of her breath beneath my nose before finally sealing my mouth over hers in a slow hungry kiss that sent wild tremors along my nerves.
I groaned softly as I spun us around, pressing her to the wall while she clutched my arms,and we breathed each other in. I then shifted the angle and deepened the kiss, drawing a moan from her, till we eventually had to break apart for air.
“I missed you too,” she muttered breathily before I peppered her face with kisses, making her giggle. “I- I had all the things that I wanted to say planned, but I was so nervous that I forgot them. Not all of them though.”
“What do you remember?” I replied, still showering her with kisses.
“... I might be in love with you.”
I swear my jaw almost dropped to the floor at those words and my heart stuttered as I jerked my head back to stare at her. My lips parted and I took a sharp intake of breath while her mouth curved into the most beautiful smile.
“I love you,” she said and I crashed my lips to hers. That was the best thing anyone had ever said to me and I almost couldn’t believe that she said that, but her words kept ringing in my head.
“I’m crazy in love with you too.”
And I always will be.