The Dare

Chapter 30

I make it to the restaurant and could see the back lights still on, so I try to open the door but it's was locked.
"Shit" I say under my breathe.
I look in one more time and could  still see no one, so I turn around and start to walk home. Now that it's Winter, it's dark and cold. There's meant to be snow promised in a few days, and I'm out here in a mini dress. I shiver walking on the sidewalk with my hands on both sides of my arms.
"Y/n!" I hear my name being called from behind me. I turn and it's Noah  coming out of the restaurant waving his hand over to him.
I run over trying to get inside as soon as possible before I get hypothermia.
"God you must be so cold"  He says holding the door open for me.

I laugh. We get inside and the heat instantly warms me up.
"You look great."
"Thanks Noah"
We stare at each other for a moment. His curly hair is messed up a bit from work i'd say. I shake my head "Um I forgot my phone?"
"Right" he says turning to the front desk and retrieving it for me.
"Thank you"
He half smiles, then spins around again "I almost forgot"

He spins back around and holds up a small wrapped box. Its wrapped with a pretty pink wrapping paper and a white bow. It looks too beautiful to open. I look back at him and he's grinning, nodding his head towards it to open it.
I pull the ribbon then rip the wrapping paper off.
I pull the lid off the box and it's a keychain with a picture of me and Chris, so I can bring him everywhere I go.
I look up at Noah who's looking at it.
"I know it's not much but-
"Noah" I say shaking my head.
"It's perfect. Thank you" I whisper, then stare back down at it running my thumb along the picture.

"How have you been holding up"
"Im okay" he half whispers hearing the sadness in his voice.
"He told me over and over when he got worse, that he'll always be proud of me. He said he feels so lucky to be my dad and that he'll be looking down and watch me"
I felt my eyes watering up as he tells me this.

"He was expected to go so many years ago. He thinks your an angel"
I pull my eyebrows together, confused.
"He thought you were the one that kept him alive for an extra few years"
We both laugh as that's something he would say. I look down at the picture again.
The music that's still on in the background drowns out the silence as I stare into the picture. I don't know how long I've been looking at it for, but I look up at Noah when I hear him call for my name.
"Hey y/n"

"There's a Christmas party on the 21st at my friends house, you wanna come?"
Parties aren't really my thing. Like I said before, I would rather stay at home and read or watch tv. But it's Noah.
"Yeah sure"
He turn around and gets a piece of paper, and writes down the address.
"Bring a friend if you want" He says handing it to me.
I look down at the address then back to him.
"Ellie?"
He laughs "Of course"
I laugh with him.

"Thanks for the phone again, I literally can't go a day without it" I laugh.
"I know" he chuckles.

I reach for the door and start to open it.
"Wait"
I turn back around and Noah's staring right at me. He points to me phone in my hand.
"The note"
My eyes open wide.
"I can't believe you kept it" he says smiling.
I felt so embarrassed and I have no clue what to say back.
I press my lips together forcing a smile.
"Yeah" I whisper turning around my phone my phone to look at it, then back to him.

"Happy birthday y/n" he grins.
"Thank you Noah, thanks for the gift and my phone"

He waves his hand in the air
"It's the least I can do" he replied.

I slid out the door and walk through the cold streets of New York. Every few minutes I look down at the keychain, thinking about Chris. I hope he's proud of me, I hope he's proud that I got into college and that me and Noah met again.