A Boy Called Noah

The Finale

The railing is smooth under the dancer's hand, allowing it to effortlessly glide over. Her steps are slow and uncertain. After that day, she believed that she would never again walk these steps. Her black pumps are muffled by the thick red rug running up along the staircase. The ascend is over before she even notices and she takes the automatic route to his room. Her thoughts are muddled and uncoordinated, running over millions of possibilities. He left her something. Her stomach flutters at the thought.

The dancer nudges through the light grey door. Her nose seeks out his comforting scent, faint but still present. Her heart aches but she continues, determined. She slowly scans the entire room for whatever it may be.

There, on the chair, she sat the last time they spoke. A folded note with her name scrawled on it. She hesitates, does she want to do this?

Voices from the guests float up the stairs and make the dancer move forward to reach for the note.

My Dearest Thea,

You did not think that I would leave you without one last goodbye. Do you remember the park we shared our first kiss? Go to our tree. Your real gift waits for you there.

-N.

The dancer leaps up from her crouching position. Only Noah...her Noah would be the type of person to leave her wandering even after his death. She fights the smile that threatens to cross her features but it spreads over her lips before she can even stop it.

"You found it, huh? He said you would. He made me promise to help him." The dancer swiftly turns to see Her Noah's older brother. "You knew about this, Vick?" He smiles a playful smile, "How else would he get around?" She smiles softly at this. She is undetermined whether or not she must go. Victor breathes out a gentle chuckle, "Go. I'll fend them off." The dancer smiles gratefully and leaps into Victor for a bear hug. He squeezes her back and gently slides his brother's keys into her hand, "He wanted you to have it." He whispers against her hair. The dancer's eyes well up with tears and she squeezes one last time before practically flying out of the door and toward the stairs. "Thank you, Vick!"

She gracefully glides down the stairs and into their garage. There stood his beast covered by a thin sheet. Her fingers fist up a corner of the fabric and she yanks the large sheet off of the sleek black car. She presses the right button and the correct door slides open. Her fingers hesitate before turning the key in the ignition. The car purrs to life and her body soaks in the strength of the car. She swiftly shifts the car into gear and peels out into the long driveway. Her foot presses down on the gas and the car glides forward without protest.

***

Her feet crunch on the fallen leaves as she trudges forward into the woods. Their tree was located in the center of an opening a few hundred yards into the forest, the perfect place to share a first kiss.

Something was different, at first sight, the dancer can not place what but she knows something is different. Then she notices it. Another note nailed to the trunk of the tree. She slowly moves closer to inspect it. She gently removes the bright red tack and brings the note closer to read.

That's it, Love, you're getting warmer. What I leave for you here symbolizes how long I have loved you.

-N.

Her eyebrows pull together in confusion. She lowers the note and her gaze lands on the carving. A ballerina on a stage with an unidentifiable form looking on from the distance. Her heart lurches as she connects the dots. Her recital at the start of the year. It's the two of them, back when they didn't know each other. Her hand flies to her mouth and tears well in her eyes. She looks at the note again and turns it over.

Our first dance.

-N.

The dancer is moving before she can even process it. She's running deeper into the forest, her feet carrying her the familiar path. She runs faster than ever before, determination pushing her faster. She stumbles across the same old rusted ford. Her eyes quickly scan the area and fall upon another note, this one taped to the inside of one of the broken headlights.

For you, I leave here one of my favorite pieces out of times we spent together.

-N.

She ignores the next directions for now and searches around for the next gift. She leans into the open door and the black cover catches her attention first. She pulls it into her lap and gently removes the artwork. Once again it was her and Noah, but this time they are together, dancing. She gently drags her finger across his face, it seems as if his joy was caught and placed into the drawing itself. She does not cry this time, this time she smiles, broader than she has smiled since Noah got sick.

She pulls the note from her pocket and flips it over.

I love you.

-N.

She's out of the car so fast it barely has enough time to moan from her weight. Her hair whips behind her as she runs back out of the forest. She stops short for a second and redirects herself toward his car. She yanks the door open and tosses the artwork in. She slams the door and quickly locks it before taking off in the right direction again. Her feet carry her through the familiar streets of their town. She snakes through crowds and pass people who try to greet her without acknowledging them. Finally, she reaches the abandoned house and she slips through the hole in the fence.

She nearly trips over a stray plank but keeps moving forward, her heart thudding in her ears. Her heavy breathes echo in the empty house and she starts looking around for the next note. Her heart leaps in excitement when she notices it taped to the only clean window.

Upstairs.

-N.

She drops the note and races toward and up the grand staircase. Her steps are strong and determined, with no hesitation present. She knows to go straight to the would-be master bedroom.

She falls to her knees in shock. This was...she can not find the words...

There drawn on the wall was a lifelike, life-size healthy Noah, down on one knee. Her breath catches in her throat and she moves to take the dangling note rolled up in the ring.

Marry me?

-N.