Love Is Magic // Noah Centineo (Complete)

16 - "I wanted to protect you."

Venus's POV:

Seeing Noah was hard. I didn't expect him to show up here at my apartment, I don't even know how he found out where I lived. I guess Ellorie could have told him, but I still wish he would have left me alone. It was good to see his face, but at the same time I felt sick to my stomach knowing how much he hurt Ellorie and I by keeping this major secret from us.

When he was heading for the door, I couldn't help but want to spill everything about talking to my dad since he's the only person I told about the email I got. He's the only one who would truly understand... and I wanted to hug him again, I needed to feel his embrace one more time, but I could tell something was off with him. He was hurting because I was kicking him out of my life, but that's really all I know how to do. If you don't set someone free, they'll eventually leave you, just like my dad did, and now my mom, but that wasn't her fault.

I feel like I'm better off alone, I feel like a volcano that's waiting to erupt. All I can do is burn people and Noah doesn't deserve that. I wanted things to work, but I know it's not going to happen no matter how hard we try... and I can't get over the fact that he kept my mother's illness a secret from me.

*
*
*

Ellorie was coming over tonight to help me plan our mother's funeral and I don't know if I should tell her about me calling our dad or not.

When I called him, I called because I needed his help. I don't want Ellorie to be stuck in foster care until she's 18 and he's the only person that could provide enough for Ellorie.

He said he would talk to his lawyers and would plan a trip here to meet with the social worker to discuss whatever needs to be discussed.

He was shocked to hear from me, like really shocked. I was surprised he even recognized my voice.

When I told him that my mom died, he was in complete shock as if he forgot she even had cancer. He tried to console me but I basically told him that I didn't want his pity, pretty much the same thing I told Noah.

I told him what happened to Ellorie and that I was in need of help, and he surprisingly jumped on board and promised to get Ellorie back and out of foster care. I don't know if I should believe him or not, but I want to. I want to believe that he can still do something good for us after abandoning us when we were younger.

The door of the apartment opening snapped me out of my thoughts and I smiled when I saw Ellorie. I ran to her and gave her a huge hug.

"I missed home." She said into my shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're here," I said as we pulled away, "We have a lot to do."

Ellorie followed me to the living room where I had several boxes ready to go through.

"What's all this?" She asked, confused.

"Hopefully some good pictures of mom with us that we can use at the funeral." I was still really sad and I couldn't believe we had to start planning our mother's funeral. Ellorie is too young to have lost her mother, and it feels like she lost me too.

*
*
*

Ellorie and I had been searching for what seemed like forever but finally found a few photos that we thought would be best. (A/N: I found these on google and don't own any rights to them!)