The Bet

Chapter 19: Noah's POV

'Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, 'I'm possible!' -Audrey Hepburn

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I shown that fiery small human a side of me no one got to see. I had the image of a playboy... A guy who fucked whomever without a thought. The guy who is the life of the party. People only get to see the image of me that I want them too. Out of all the girls everyone thinks I fucked.... I can count on my hands, one time not continuously, the females I have had sex with. That's including her, the black widow who spun me into her web. It's funny how I couldn't put two and two together to understand why she was slowly creeping into my life. Her subtle ways were like wrecking balls each time. I let her see my life outside of Sleepy Hollow University. I let her see the real me, not the facade I put up around me. My mask was off when it was us. She gotten to see the sacred side of me that a soul has never seen. She made me laugh a laugh I hadn't done in years. A laugh that I done when Lina was alive. I slowly put on a facade five years ago to keep the world from seeing the damage that was done when my sister left this world. My sister was the light that guided me down the dark tunnels. She was my air, my hope, my longing in life. The day she died, a piece of me died with her. She was my best friend and she'd be ashamed of me for letting a girl play games with my head. Hell, she'd be ashamed of who I am now. She probably slam me in the back of my head.

A picture of Aria and I is still in its spot beside my bed.

The day I told her I loved her... I meant it. I meant it with my whole being. I got to see Ari for who she was. Or at least what I think. Call me a dick for not hearing out her reasonings. But, when your almost whole heart gets shattered and the small fragments gets walked on by the one person you fell for. It sucks. It hurts worse than you would expect it to. Everyone around me thinks nothing of it. They have no idea the damage she has done. The night she saw Ainsleigh kiss me, I wanted to tell her it wasn't my fault. But I remembered, she's the reason we aren't US to begin with. She destroyed the chance of us blossoming into something with a snap of her fingers. The night she caught me 'fucking' Ainsleigh... It wasn't me. Ainsleigh and I had a fling freshman year. Until she gotten with someone else who was close to me. Very close. Ainsleigh has it in her head we could become more. The chances of that happening is slim to never. Not after who she was with.

I built my walls higher than they started out. Higher than when Aria came with her wrecking ball. Higher than I truly intended. Just so I don't end up without a heart in the end. If guarding my heart and fucking girls I fucked before makes me a horrible being, so be it. I'm protecting me from heartless girls like her.

The early graduates have left earlier this morning, it's late in the afternoon. I'm watching as students leave to spend the holidays and the few weeks with their families before coming back to start a new semester. In the mist of people, I spot my villain.. Her hair is in a messy bun while she wears a baggy jumper and sweats.

"I found this in the living room. I've been meaning to hand it to you but we both been a little busy." Devin says as he hands me an envelope. I watch Aria walk towards her car with her mini backpack over her shoulder. She wheels a suitcase behind her as she goes. I open up the envelope and notice who it's from.

I should have known.

Every ounce of me wants to toss the letter away. My hands however don't let me and my eyes don't stray from her writing.

Tear stains.

She was crying while writing this.

"Dear Noah,

You're probably wondering why you're reading my writing. The answer is simple. I needed to get things off my chest. A lot of things actually. When the bet was made, I didn't pick you. Devin did. I took the bet because I didn't think I could get close enough to make it happen. The thing was I hadn't thought about the bet the entire time I was around you. I truly did like your company. I know you shown me a sacred side of you, I will take it to my grave. No one will know how you truly are under you mask. Your secret is safe with me.

When I told you I loved you. I meant it. I still do. But I learned time will heal all wounds eventually. I know I'm the one who caused the catastrophe. And for that I'm truly sorry. I did try to tell you about the bet the moment I told you I love you. Your interrupted me each time. If I had the backbone I would have been able to tell you how I wanted too. I never bet money on it. I just simply agreed to a bet. The bet lead me to an amazing misunderstood man. But the bet costed me everything in the end. Part of me regrets the bet because of the damage I have caused. But a part of me is glad I took it... Because I got to understand you as human. I got to love you even if it was short lived. And I gotten to get my heart truly broken by the one I loved with all of me. The shattered pieces and all were worth it in the end.

I'll learn from my fuck ups. My mistakes. My fails. I'll grow from it all as well. But in order for you and I to heal properly.... I must leave the equation all together. I know you won't care but I still care about your well being. Ironic I know. I'm leaving campus at the end of the semester and I won't be here for the spring semester. I need time to heal and you need time to heal away from me. If I choose to come back here again, it'll be when I'm ready. If I am ready to return but don't, it's because I took classes at my hometown's community college instead. Either way, I'll still continue my education but I'm taking a break from here, from you, from everything, from life itself..

I wish you the best and I hope you find yourself again. Just know I cherish all the memories we made together. Maybe one day you'll forgive me. And if you don't. It's okay. You have the right to hate me for eternity. I done the most unthinkable thing and I deserve the consequences.

I hope you find your happiness one day. I love you now, tomorrow, yesterday, and forever.

Xoxo,
Aria."

I glance back up and see her loading her suitcase up into her trunk. She walks down the walkway and back inside. She comes back with a box and she places gently in her back seat. She walks back into the dorm without giving me a glance. With her head held high she comes back out with a photo album... A scrapbook. I can see the picture on the scrapbook's cover... Us.

She places it in the front seat and closes the door. She closes her trunk and back door before she turns on her heels and walks towards me. For a second, I thought she was about to speak to me.

"Noah...." She says with a nod and turns back towards Devin. "I'll call when I make it home." She tells her brother.

"I'll be waiting." Devin tells her.

"See you at Christmas?" She asks with puppy dog eyes.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world Ari. Be careful. Take care. And see that therapist I set you up with back home. Don't do anything stupid." Devin slowly informs his sister with a warning at the end.

"I see her two days from now. Be careful and wrap that thing. We can't have mini yous running around." Aria jokes. She laughs but it's not the laugh that lights her face up.

"Whatever. Be careful Ari" Devin replies as he shoves Aria.

"I love you." She whispers out as she walks away.

"Aria." I croak out.

"Bye Noah." She softly says as she opens her driver door. She closes the door and I watch as she drives away. Leaving me standing on the sidewalk, speechless and looking dumb.

I watch as my world drives away in a blink of an eye.

Lord, I'm an dumbass.

: ¨·.·¨ :
' ·. 🦋
╱|、
(˚ˎ 。7
|、˜〵
じしˍ,)ノ

A/N:
The Bet only has a few chapters at most left. But it's not the end of Noah and Aria's struggles, love, mistakes, and adventurous roller coaster. Their second book is in the making. ❤️