Here I am, walking in the middle of a deserted road with literally no sign of life. Where the hell am I!? Did the school bus really come across such a road? How have I never seen it before? I still can't believe Noah just left me here. Maybe he isn't the same guy from my fantasies after all, I thought.
It grew darker, and I had no one to talk to. I was completely lost. What could I do? I sat beneath a tree, hoping someone would find me. But what if they didn't? Would this really be the end? I didn't want my life to end so soon. I started rethinking all my decisions, every single detail of my journey.
Suddenly, I sensed a shadow standing over me as I leaned against the tree, half-asleep. My heartbeat raced anxiously… Was someone going to kidnap me? Hurt me? I opened my eyes and, in the dark, saw a silhouette bending down and placing something over me. Panic took over.
"HELP!!! ANYONE, SAVE ME!" I screamed as I rushed upright and ran so fast my feet hurt. The figure followed me. Terror took over me as I felt like the end was near.
I tripped and fell hard. The silhouette caught up, and I closed my eyes, crying and begging:
"Please don't hurt me! I'm only 17. I love my mom, I even love my dad who abandoned me. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my friend Vera. Even though Drake pisses me off, he's still a friend I need to accept again. Please, I've never hurt anyone! I've always tried to be righteous and stand with the weak, even though I am weak myself…"
And I kept blabbering as the figure knelt down. Then, a gentle male voice said, "It's me…"
It was Noah! It was like a mountain brushed off my chest. I impulsively hugged him so tightly his shoulder must have hurt. Tears poured down, but this time they were from relief. He wrapped his arms around me, gently placing his delicate hand on my shoulders comforting me as I cried.
When I finally stopped, wiping my red eyes, I whispered: "Didn't you leave? I thought you didn't care."
He brushed back his hair. "I wouldn't care, honestly, for some random person" he said, then lowered his voice: "But it's you…"
I didn't hear him so I leaned closer "What?".
My heart pounded; his ears turned red.
He explained, "It was dark, so I didn't know where to go. I stayed close and saw you sleeping. I was leaning forward to cover you with my jacket, but you ran as if I was a monster." His voice dropped. "Not that I'm not one."
I held his hand firmly. "You're not a monster. You're kind, I can see it in your eyes."
His gaze softened, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. The tension between us was so strong it felt like our eyes would never break apart, we were locking eyes for so long I was afraid I'd commit a mistake. Suddenly, a deep, creepy voice echoed:
"Little girl, why are you playing with fire? You shouldn't involve yourself with dangerous creatures like him."
I froze. Noah, however, looked calm. Did he not hear it? I started looking around frightened as I was trying to know where the voice was coming from.
Noah on the other hand was looking at me.
Then he stood and said, "You heard him. You shouldn't get involved with someone like me." As he was turning back to walk away, I held his hand even more firmly.
"what the hell are you talking about! You sound really weird honestly! You aren't dangerous!" I yelled.
"Yes, I am!" he shouted. "More than you can imagine. I'm so dangerous that both heaven and hell fear me. Do you still want to be involved with me?"
I glared. "Well, you don't seem dangerous to me, and I don't care what heaven or hell thinks! You sound ridiculous right now! All of this because of a weird voice we just heard! What is wrong with you!"
He opened his palm, showing me his "danger." Instead of destruction, a blinding light poured out. The dark clouds vanished, the sky cleared to crystal blue, and flowers bloomed all along the road.
I was amazed but shocked at the same time. I was speechless. So was he.
"How…? I didn't destroy life, I gave it? How is this even possible!? How did I-" he froze, staring at our joined hands.
Dazzled, I laughed, overwhelmed by the beauty. "You call that dangerous? This is dangerously beautiful. You're magnificent! What are you exactly!?"
But Noah wasn't listening to my words. His eyes were fixed on my smile. "Indeed… dangerously beautiful," he whispered to himself.
We walked down the sunlit road together until a bus arrived. As we waved and signaled to the driver, we got into the bus… But I felt torn. Why wasn't I happy to finally go home?
\I wanted to stay with him. Would this be the last time I see him?
As if sharing my thoughts, Noah stayed silent, while I told myself, "Emily, stop fantasizing. He barely cares. He's just kind at heart, like anyone would be." But deep down, I hoped he'd remember me, someday, somehow. Maybe after a bunch of months, he'd just show up at my doorstep hoping I'd remember… And of course I would… He was that unforgettable memory I'd never want to erase. Honestly, I had so many questions to ask him… I wanted to know what was he, what happened to him, what brought this magical being to our normal boring world… I just felt as if I shouldn't, as if I'd be opening deep scars from his past he doesn't want to rekindle.
The bus stopped at my house. As I stepped off, I felt too small, too much of a nuisance to say anything to him. But then Noah called me out:
"Emily!"
It was the first time he said my name, and so gently that my heart fluttered.
He walked up to me. "I have one more question," he said seriously.
"Yes?" My heart raced. What was I actually expecting? A guy to say he likes me after barely knowing me for half a day?
"In the dark, when you saw my face… Weren't you afraid I'd hurt you? why were you relieved?"
I smiled softly.
"It's because…Because you made me feel safe. I don't care what voices try to tell me. Whatever powers you have, I know you won't use them for evil. I'm sure of it."
I pointed at his chest. "In here, there's a good man. Don't try to convince me otherwise with that frown you try to put up on this face."
I stepped off the bus. He stared after me from the window as I waved.
"It was nice meeting you, Noah!".
He smiled back. HE ACTUALLY SMILED BACK… For the first time, He smiled; He was just so dazzling and handsome I knew I'd regret not holding onto him…
But as they say, every end holds a new beginning.
Little did I know back then that it wasn't luck that brought us together, but it was destiny and fate – and of course a little guardian angel looking after us.