𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 (Wattys2024)

19|Hope

"Damn, my head's pounding," I muttered, sinking onto the bed. I regretted crying so badly but it had been stuck in my head it had to come out some other day.

At the core, I despised the idea of shedding tears in front of anyone. Since childhood, Mom and Dad hammered one thing into my head: 'Crying is for the weak.' And foolishly, I bought into it, obeying their every command even if it tore me apart internally each time.

Now, they were gone. Me, Aiden, and Stella had taken over the family businesses, but the numbness persisted, along with the sense of letting them down. Even in death, they haunted us. A sudden knock pulled my focus to the door.

Probably the food, I muttered, heading towards it. But my heart sank as I saw Noah standing there.

"Oh, damn," I exclaimed, startled. "Jesus, you scared me. I thought you were the delivery guy." I sighed in relief "No need to freak out, I'm not here to harm you," Noah reassured, his phone in one hand and a bag in the other.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Well, what are you doing here so early? If you're planning on irritating me, just leave. I'm not in the mood." Noah shook his head, denying in denial.

"Easy cranky, I just came to get you food and chocolates. I guess you like chocolates, right?" Noah's words sparked excitement in me; chocolates always had a way of brightening my mood.

I planted a quick kiss on his cheek and eagerly grabbed the bag of goodies from his hands, making my way towards the bed. Excitement bubbled within me as I unpacked the bag.

It was like the best day ever:

Cheesecake.

Chocolates.

Pasta.

Garlic bread.

.

.

.

My favorites, all in one place. Without hesitation, I dug into the feast before me.

"Didn't realize you were such so crazy for chocolates" Noah remarked, his voice breaking my food-induced trance. I glanced over at him, seated on the sofa with a grin.

"Any issue?" I asked, meeting his gaze. He shook his head, amusement in his eyes. "Nah, no problem at all. Enjoy your meal; don't mind me."

I caught a glimpse of his suppressed laughter, but I couldn't care less about it I was too busy with the food in front of me.

.

"You're still wearing it," Noah remarked, drawing my attention.

"Wearing what? My clothes? You want me to strip?" I chuckled, popping another chocolate into my mouth.

Noah moved closer, sitting on the bed. "No, not your clothes, silly. This," he pointed to my neck, indicating the pendant I wore.

"The pendant," he clarified. "Oh, this... um... well, I liked the design, so I kept it on. If it bothers you that much, I can take it off," I offered, reaching for the pendant.

"No, don't," Noah interjected, lightly grasping my hand to halt my movements. "Keep it on. It looks nice on you," he insisted, a small smile playing on his lips. "Alright, if you say so," I relented, smiling back at him before returning my focus to the chocolate in my lap.

"We've been together for a while now, but I still feel like I don't know much about you," Noah confessed, his gaze fixed on me as I avoided eye contact, focusing on my treats.

"What's there to know? You know my name, birthday, age... that's enough," I deflected, attempting to steer the conversation away, but Noah persisted.

"Hope you can trust me," he said, his tone gentle. I sighed, setting my chocolate down on the bed and meeting his gaze.