✓ | THAT'S SO US ! ( NOAH SCHNAPP )

xvi. with love.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
[ xvi. with love. ]
/ IRL /

TWO WEEKS HAD passed and Noah finally had the time and opportunity to go back to LA. He kept bouncing in his seat and looking out of the airplane window. Charley hadn't been answering his texts or calls for the past two weeks, which worried and confused him. His mother grabbed on to him and shook her head no. "Do you know the plan?" He asked his mother, who nodded.

"Yes I know the plan after you've talked my ear off the whole flight," his mother chuckled halfheartedly. "I drop you off at the diner while you take the flowers to her and do whatever you're gonna do. Even if I think it's a bit cliché."

"It sounded good in my head!" Noah whined, making his mother giggle. "If everything goes right."

"I'm sure it'll go great. If this girl really likes you, then she'll say yes," his mother reassured as she rubbed her hand on his hair, messing it up. "I still can't believe you don't know her name and she doesn't know your's."

"Well today she'll find out," he smiled as he continued to stare out the window. Noah sighed and kept imagining all the possibilities. He smiled at the fact of seeing her again and how she would react. He missed her too much,

and will continue missing her.

Noah couldn't sit still as he waited for his mother to drop him at the diner. Excitement and nervousness overwhelmed him as he didn't know her answer; whether she would say yes or no. He gripped on tighter to the flowers he was holding and kept staring out the window. Anticipation was overwhelming him as he kept bouncing up and down. Just as his mother pulled outside the diner, he quickly opened the car door, even if the car was still moving. He shut it behind him and heard the car drive off.

Noah took a minute to catch his breath and started to walk closer to the diner. Something was different about it, but he couldn't put his finger on it. As he approached, he noticed the lights were off and there weren't any cars parked beside it, which confused him. He reached for the door handle and read the sign plastered on the front, a for sale sign. His eyes went wide and he gasped. "No, no, no," he whispered as he tried to opened the door.

But it was locked.

He dropped his flowers to the side and kept pulling on the door handles. "Hello?!" He asked loudly as he started pounding on the glass doors. Noah looked from the outside in and saw everything gone and started to panic even more. He rapidly started to pound on the door, begging for someone to let him in. He knew he couldn't call Charley because she knew she wouldn't answer, it was as if she had disappeared completely.

She hasn't been answering his texts or phone calls for weeks, making him confused and hurt.

Noah ran around the side of the diner and tried to look for any in. He eventually managed to reach behind the diner and saw a door open ajar, just far enough for him to squeeze in. Noah quickly tried to squeeze through the door and managed to successfully get inside the diner. "Char?" He asked as he slowly walked through the back of the place towards the main area.

It was dark and looked partially abandoned. Cobwebs have started to form and dust started to make way in all of the creases. Noah's heart broke as he saw the main area empty. Everything was gone, it was all moved out. He started to sputter and try to say something, but nothing came out. "Char?!" He shouted as he glanced around the room.

No answer.

"What's happening?" Noah asked himself as tears started to form. He felt empty inside, as if he lost it all. In the corner of eye, he saw a paper on the counter. He quickly grabbed the paper and when he read the first line, tears started to escape his eyes.

DEAR MYSTERY BOY,

I'm sorry I haven't been answering you, my father found out. He found out about us and went crazy. Maybe this was supposed to happen, maybe a celebrity and an irrelevant girl wasn't supposed to be. Heh, that made me laugh even though I'm crying as I write this.

Yes, I know who you are. You're Noah Schnapp, famous teenage celebrity actor in many movies and a show I know and love by heart: Stranger Things. How could I be so oblivious? How could I be so preoccupied by you that, I miss that some famous guy kept coming back just to see me? But I'll never hear you tell me your name or answer these questions.

Anyway, as you read this and hopefully you read this, I'm gone. Somewhere far away from California and my friends. Somewhere far away from you.

The reason why is that my family was in debt. I had no idea because my Dad kept it a secret from me. The reason? I honestly don't know why. It hurts, seeing the diner empty like this. They cut off the electricity, it's abandoned now. Just like our memories, my customers, and your milkshake.

That damn milkshake changed everything. Did you get the stain out? I remember you complaining about it still being there. I still and always will feel awful about that, I hope the stain comes out, but I also don't, I don't want it to come out. Because if it does, it'll be an easier chance of you forgetting about me. I really don't want that to happen, but it will.

You will move on and see better things. You will become a star, bigger than you already are. And I'll be sitting in my cardboard box or wherever I end up watching you and silently cheering you on. I'll clap and cry for every award you receive and every recognition. Why? Because you mean too much to me for me to let go of this memory.

When they got rid of the jukebox, my heart broke. I completely lost it and I'm still losing it. That jukebox was the fondest memory of us and I'll never forget. You always made me laugh, smile, and annoy me from time to time.

You don't know how many times I would think about you. How amazing you are and how much I love you. Yes, I . . . Charley Kennedy loves Noah Schnapp. Also, congratulations, you know my name, but it won't be much use now.

My Dad had gotten rid of your contact and all my socials, it's like I've never existed to you. That's okay though, we weren't meant to work out anyway. I mean, two different worlds coming together? Impossible.

Sorry, I'm rambling. My point is, a chocolate milkshake will always be OUR thing, whatever happens. Going on hidden little dates will always be OUR thing. Why? Because that was just so us.

WITH LOVE,
MILKSHAKE SPILLER.

Noah dropped to the ground and felt like he lost his breath. He whole room started to spin as he lost his breath and instantaneously fell sick to his stomach. As he finished the letter, his cheeks were soaked with tears. He continued to sob all by himself. He never felt like this towards anyone and continued to cry. He glanced at he letter and tightly shut his eyes. "I'm sorry," Noah sobbed to himself. "I promise, I won't forget."

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GUESS WHOS CRYING.