The Moment

Chapter Fifty

"I think we should probably figure out what we're having for dinner, Noah." The day had gone by so fast as we sat around and enjoyed each other's company and I just never wanted it to end.

"I bought stuff for spaghetti, I'm thinking we'll make a salad and some garlic bread?" Nodding my head, I headed into the kitchen and began pulling out the things we needed. "You'll probably have way too much of this in Italy...I guess I didn't really think that through." Noah said, coming up behind me.

I honestly didn't even want to think about it. The thought of leaving him and all my friends in a couple of days was daunting and all I wanted to do was just ignore it. I can't believe after everything that happened, I'm standing here making dinner with Noah and still leaving him behind in a couple of days.

"Let's just not talk about it, okay?" I asked, placing the pasta in the pot. "I just want to enjoy whatever time we have left together." Thinking about leaving for however long was really getting to me and it was starting to put a damper on my mood. We had a good day so far but the lingering feeling of goodbye was quickly setting in.

"Are you okay?" He asked, getting the plates ready.

Letting out a sigh, I closed the oven door and looked at him, beginning to play with the dish towel. "What's going to happen to us when I go?" Still wanting a different response than the one I received before.

"Reg-"

"Noah seriously. I don't know how long I'm going for and that's what we need to think about. Are we together? Are we more than friends but slightly less than a relationship? Do we really want the first couple of months of our relationship, if we have one, to be me in Italy?" The room was silent as Noah processed what I was saying and I was terrified of the answer. I knew what was best for both of us but actually admitting that was not something I was prepared for. "The reality of it is, Noah, is that what we're doing right now is fine but to think of it being anything more than that is naive at this point."

"Okay, then let's just go with it...Regan, I'm trying here and you're really not making this easy." He explained, running his fingers through his hair. Maybe I was being harsh but I just wanted to know what I was getting into before leaving.

"I'm not hungry." I stated, placing the towel down on the counter and heading towards the bedroom. Hearing the beginning of my name leave Noah's mouth, I closed the door and laid down on the bed. Today was supposed to be amazing, it was supposed to be romantic and it was supposed to be relaxing but when it came down to it, all it did was stress me out even more.

About 20 minutes later, I heard the door open and felt Noah slide into the bed. His arms pulled me closer to him but still, we laid in silence.

"I want to be with you." He whispered, his breath hitting the top of my head. "I want to walk around and call you my girlfriend again. I want to have dinners with your parents, who probably really dislike me. I want to sit in a room full of people and have them know that you're with me. But," He explained, shifting his position so he was now looking in my eyes. "if that means I have to wait until you get back, I'll wait. I want you to have the best time and not worry about what or how I'm doing. So when you go, there's no strings; you do whatever you want to do in whatever moment you're in and when you come back, no questions asked. I love you, Regan and whether you're here or there, that's not going to change."

Burying my head in his chest, his arms wrapped around my waist, tighter than before and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. We have an understanding of where we stand and that's honestly all I wanted. I'm not looking to start anything with anyone while I'm gone but at least this way, it doesn't feel as though Noah and I have put our lives on hold for each other. This way, we can enjoy our lives and when I get back, it'll be like nothing ever happened and we can get back on track. Lifting my head, I connected my lips with his and enjoyed every last second I had with him.

A/N: How are you liking Roah's final moments? The final chapters are JUST around the corner so let me know how you're enjoying the story!