It was on the night before Noel was scheduled to leave the hotel that things came to a head.
He had invited her to his suite again, and though Amélie had told herself not to go, she found herself standing outside his door, her heart racing with anticipation. She knocked lightly, and within moments, the door swung open, revealing Noel on the other side, a slow smile spreading across his face as he took her in.
"Couldn't stay away, could you?" he teased, stepping aside to let her in.
Amélie smiled, though it was tinged with a hint of sadness. "I guess not."
Noel frowned slightly, sensing the shift in her mood. "What's going on?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice quiet. "You're leaving tomorrow."
"Yeah," he said slowly, watching her closely. "But I'll be back."
Amélie bit her lip, unsure how to voice what she was feeling. "And when you come back... will it be like this? Or will it just be... over?"
Noel sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Amélie, I don't know. I don't plan things like this."
She sat beside him, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. "I know. But I guess... I just don't want to be someone you forget as soon as you walk out of here."
Noel looked at her, really looked at her, and for the first time, she saw something vulnerable in his eyes. He reached out, taking her hand in his. "I won't forget you," he said softly. "But you've got your life, love. And I've got mine. We don't have to pretend this is something it's not."
The words stung, but she appreciated his honesty. She had known from the start that this wasn't a fairytale, that Noel wasn't the type to offer promises he couldn't keep. But knowing it didn't make it any easier.
She nodded slowly, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Okay."
Noel leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "But if you ever need me, you know where to find me."
The next morning, Amélie stood in the lobby as Noel checked out, her heart heavy as she watched him hand over his room key to the receptionist. He caught her eye from across the room, offering her a small, knowing smile before he turned and walked out of the hotel, disappearing into the bustling London streets.
And just like that, he was gone.
Amélie took a deep breath, steadying herself as she turned back to her work. Life would go on. She would finish her studies, build her career, and move forward. But a part of her would always remember that week at Claridge's, the man who had swept into her life and left just as quickly.
And maybe, just maybe, their paths would cross again one day.
But for now, she had the memories. And that would have to be enough.
The weeks after Noel left passed in a blur for Amélie, and though her life at Claridge's resumed its usual routine, she couldn't help but feel the echo of his presence everywhere. Every time she walked by the bar, every time she passed the suite he had stayed in, she felt a pull-like she was waiting for him to reappear, to step back into her life and pick up where they had left off.
But he didn't.
Amélie told herself she had expected this. Noel Gallagher wasn't a man who stayed in one place for long. He had a life that moved at a different speed from hers, a world of tours, interviews, and parties. And yet, she had never felt more connected to someone in such a short time.
