The Art of Falling in Love

Chapter Forty Eight

❝I've waited a hundred years and I'd wait a million more for you. Nothing prepared me for what the privilege of being yours would do.❞ -Sleeping at Last, Turning Page

I have never felt more beautiful than in this moment. My hair is half up, falling in elegant waves, my makeup done to sheer perfection, all while wearing a gorgeous dress that glimmers with every step I take.

I hear a soft knock at the front door. My parents are currently waiting with me in the living room, cell phones and cameras out and ready.

I open the front door to reveal my achingly beautiful Noah, and everything feels complete.

It almost feels surreal to look at him; to look at my dreams take form as reality. It shouldn't be allowed for any person to make me feel the way I do when I'm with him. I feel like I could create an entire universe with him by my side.

Noah's dark hair is gently styled, still holding the messy touch that I adore. His suit is black, with a cream coloured tie that matched my dress perfectly. In his hands is my corsage and his boutonniere. He raises the corsage, a silent question. I offer my wrist and he slides the beautiful rose corsage onto it. I take the boutonniere and pin it on his suit with a small smile.

I barely notice that our parents have been taking an embarrassingly large amount of photos during this interaction.

We pose for a few more pictures, our mothers fussing over the little flaws and gushing over how "cute we look." It is tiring to keep a forced smile on my face for the pictures, but every time I grow slightly wary, I look up at Noah and he would look down at me with his pretty smile, and I would receive the energy I need.

After a hundred photos, Noah and I finally make it to his car parked out front. My parents want to have dinner with Rachel and Chris, so they all stay at the house, waving goodbye to us from the porch.

Noah opens the car door for me and I get in with a grateful smile. Noah gets in the driver's seat and looks at me for a moment, with a dumbfounded expression. He looks to be in utter disbelief as he stares at me.

"I know it's shocking that I actually look cute for once in my life, but you're freaking me out a little," I joke.

Noah shakes his head, "you know you're gorgeous. I was just thinking about how my fourteen year old self would be so proud of eighteen year old me."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because the beautiful girl that he thought he could never have is finally by his side," Noah replies gently.

I almost laugh, "Noah, there is no way you liked me back when we were fourteen. Have you seen fourteen year old me? She's not pretty, I'll tell you that much."

Noah laughs at that, "God, you really had no idea? I noticed you the first day of high school. You were wearing a white, summer dress and had your hair in a braid. It was your laugh that got me; it sounded like every song I had ever loved. It still does."

I can't help it; I lean in and kiss him. It's not every day that a guy tells you he has only ever had eyes for you. What's more is that I know he is telling the truth, because a picture of Alyce and I on the first day of school sits on my desk. In the photo, I am wearing that youthful, white dress. The only difference is, right before the photo was taken, I had taken out the braid so my hair fell in loose curls. That is how I know he actually noticed me; he remembers the braid.

"I would love to tell you that I was also obsessed since day one, but I called you Nolan to your face at the beginning of senior year," I say sheepishly after I pull away from the kiss.