Hello Lovely Readers,

Some of you alerted me that the chapters were somehow in a different order! OMG, that's now fixed! Thanks a lot for the heads up!

Here it is the chapter of the day! I hope you enjoy it!

Love,
Me

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Emma's POV

"Oh my god, have you seen the news? How can they cut the arts budget to give it to the science facilities? As the newspaper editor, I'll have to write about this, it's outrageous! They can't do that."

Mads is rambling on the announcement the college board made about some changes in the academic structure or whatever, while all of us are walking next to her, each one doing our own thing.

Mark is listening carefully to his girlfriend, Olivia is nodding, because she's not crazy enough to disagree with Mads when she's rambling and angry, Tyler is smiling as usual and Noah is paying more attention to me than to her.

You know, just business as usual in our group.

Without realizing, I feel Noah's hand grab mine and intertwine our fingers together.

I look at him and find him smiling at me. I simply smile back and this is our understanding way of telling our friends that we're back together.

Just that, holding hands in front of them, like the couple that we officially are now.

None of them realized, so we stay like this for a good few minutes until Mads eyes land on us, making her stop walking and talking.

"Oh my God. Is this...?" She points at our hands and everyone else looks. "Are you...?"

Noah looks at me, before nodding. "Yeah, we are."

"Holy fucking cow!" Tyler says and takes a couple of large steps so he can hug the both of us. "I knew Nomma was still a thing. You wouldn't let me down."

"Tyler, are you crying?" Noah asks and he widens his wet eyes.

"What? No! It's just too windy and my eyes got dry, so my body is wettining them for the sake of my health. No crying at all."

He wipes a tear from his eye and I laugh, while Noah rolls his eyes.

"You are so crying." Noah whispers to him, only to get a glare in return.

Mads is still looking at us without saying anything, while the rest of the group congratulates us.

"Mads, aren't you going to say anything?" I ask, feeling uneasy with her stare. Normally she would be already talking by now.

After a few more seconds of silence from her, she finally speaks.

"I'm trying to find the words. I'm so happy for you, you know you are my two favorite people in the world, after you babe." She says to Mark, before turning to us again. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again. It was painful to see you both hurting like that."

"Trust me, she put me in my place and I've learned my lesson. Whatever shit I did before, it's not happening again. I know the moment I fuck up, she's gone and I'm not risking that."

Mads finally gives us a big smile, before jumping on Noah and hugging him tight.

''I don't want to brag or anything, but I knew this was going to happen. I won't say I told you so, just because I'm sooo humble." Tyler says with a dramatic tone, putting his hand over his heart.

"Oh please Tyler, you never said you knew they'd get back together." Mads crosses her arms over her chest and narrows her eyes at him.

"Yeah, but I thought about it, so it also counts, right? I can still say I told you so." Mads smacks the back of his head like she always does.

"We should celebrate!" She says excitedly.

"Uhn, don't get me wrong Madeleine, but we'll celebrate, like... alone, if you know what I mean. Actually, we have already celebrated, in your dorm."

"That's really gross, Noah. I hope you didn't touch any of my things. I mean it."

She narrows her eyes at the same time that he winks at me and I snort a laugh with their horrified faces with Noah's not so subtle mention of us having sex.

I look at them and smile, but actually I'm feeling a bit embarrassed.

I'm glad that we're back to our 'normal'.

I know it's a long time from now, but I can't help but imagine what will happen after we all graduate, especially because they are one year ahead of me, so they will graduate first.

How will I not see them everyday? It will suck badly.

Well, I'll focus on my present for now and the fact that I'm happy everything is falling into place again.

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After that day we told our friends, it was a total frenzy. Just like always, everyone knew we were back together and although it was annoying as usual, I was so happy that I didn't mind the attention that much.

Even Diana came to congratulate us, but this time I sort of believed her, because ever since classes started, she's not trying to hide the fact that she got a boyfriend during her trip to the Maldives over the summer and she keeps saying in a very loud voice how in love with him she is.

I'm sure she does it so everyone can hear, what only makes me roll my eyes every time.

I mean, I know she's serious about him, because even knowing that Noah was single, she didn't try to approach him him, so whoever this boyfriend is, she's definitely into him.

I'm just glad I don't have to deal with her anymore.

A couple of weeks went by with the speed of light and I'm doing my best to handle all my activities, plus having a boyfriend.

Let me tell you, it's not easy, but I guess I'm managing it. Not to mention that I can't even stress enough how good things have been with Noah.

It's so obvious that we have both grown so much these past few months that it's like our relationship is very different than it was before.

However, I guess some things will never change.

For example, I was at the quad one day talking to Ryan about the exhibition the photograph club is about to make, when James - that I haven't seen in forever - joined us.

It was awkward at first, considering everything we've been through, but then we engaged in a conversation like we used to do when we were friends, and that's when Noah showed up.

He didn't greet Ryan or James, he just wrapped his arms around my waist, pulled me closer and planted his lips on mine, in a possessive way.

"Good to see you, baby. I'll see you later?" He glanced at James before leaving, while Ryan had a creepy smirk on his face, just because it was so obvious what Noah was doing.

After Noah was gone and left us to continue our conversation, I tried to act natural, but it was back to being weird after that. James obviously realized that Noah was jealous - well, you don't have be a genius to figure that out - so I guess that's why it got awkward again.

"What was that at the quad?" I asked him later that day.

"What? Can't I kiss my girlfriend?"

"You can, but you were just marking your territory." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Emma, just because I've learned my lesson and I won't react like an asshole, it doesn't mean that I'll let that fucker think even for a second that he has a chance with you."

I took a deep breath, while he smirked at me. I didn't find it in me to be truly mad at him for that. He was kind of a jerk, but he wasn't a complete jerk. I do like the fact that he shows he cares about me, what I don't like is when he gets crazy about it.

"Just don't overreact about it."

"I won't. I promise." He gives me a soft kiss. "So, I was thinking about tonight. It's Friday and I thought about cooking us dinner, what do you think?"

"If this is your way of changing the topic and making me forget what you did, it's kind of working." He gives me another one of his famous smirks.

"What can I say? I'm good at this." He winks and I roll my eyes. "So, what do you say? Dinner just the two of us?"

I sigh, because he's right. He's too good at this. I'll admit that healthy jealousy looks good on him.

"Ok, sounds like a good plan.''

"It's a date then."

He had to go to his class after that and we made plans to meet at his apartment later.

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"The food was amazing." I say with my mouth still full of dessert.

"I'm glad you liked it."

He made us homemade shrimp past with a secret sauce that he refuses to give me the recipe. Not to mention the fudge chocolate cake, that was oh-my-freaking-god delicious.

I knew he could cook, but this takes it to another level.

He stands up and grabs his plate, before grabing mine and placing a soft kiss on the top of my head.

He goes to the kitchen and puts the plates on the sink, at the same time that he starts organizing everything.

"It's getting late, I should take you back."

I remain sitted, not moving a muscle, as I look at his back moving from one side to the other.

I was going to offer to help, but my mind is somewhere else entirely.

Why isn't he inviting me to stay over?

Before all this happen, this was practically my house and now I feel like a guest who needs to leave early to give him some privacy.

Which is ok, because although I'm his girlfriend, this is his house. Nothing says that he has to ask me to stay, but still, it's something I was expecting.

Maybe there's something wrong with us, or he's not taking us so seriously.

No, it can't be it.

He has been the perfect boyfriend, so I'm sure it's something else.

You know what? I don't want to overthink it. I'll simply communicate with him. This is what adults do, they talk things through and that's exactly what we didn't do the other times and it's what got us in that mess of a relationship.

Now it's different.

"Are you ready to go?" I got lost in my thoughts for so long that it was enough for him to finish cleaning the kitchen.

I look up to meet his eyes and nod, letting him know that I'm ready.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask as I stand up and grab my purse.

"Sure. Is everything ok?" He eyes me with a curious expression, maybe because I'm way too serious for someone who just had an amazing date.

"Why don't you want me to stay over?"

He stops and takes a step back, like my question got him off guard.

"Who says I don't want you to stay?"

"Uhn, I don't know. Normally I'd sleep here, I mean, I used to at least, but ever since we got back together you didn't invite me to stay. Don't get me wrong, I don't want you to feel pressured to do it, you have every right to not invite me, I just... I thought we were in a good place and that it would be a natural thing for us, considering everything we've been through."

He smiles softly and grabs my hand, as he leads us to sit on the couch to talk.

"I love how you ramble when you are nervous." He says in a teasing way.

"I'm serious, Noah." I take a deep breath and he stops smiling. "Just talk to me. If there's something wrong or you don't want us to be... I don't know, too serious I guess, it's ok, but you have to tell me."

He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses it in the most caring way.

"Emma, it's exactly the opposite. We are serious, more than I could thought possible and even more than before."

His words have a reliving effect on me, but I still don't get why he wouldn't invite me to stay. In these two weeks, he didn't even brought up the possibility of me staying here.

You might think that I'm being needy, but that's not the point. Trust me, I like my own bed and my time alone as well, it's just something we used to do, so I just want to understand why is different now.

"Then what's the problem? Why don't you want me to spend the night?"

He sighs and passes his hand through his already messy hair.

"I told you I wanted to start fresh. I'm in a situation that if I ask you to sleep over, it will be for good. I won't ask you to spend the night, I'll ask you to move in with me, so as much as I want to beg you to spend every single night of your life with me, I'm taking it slow."

My heart flutters with his words. His reasoning does make sense, although I wish he wasn't so rational about this part specifically.

Ok, I can't really say that. Being unreasonable got both of us to overreact before and I don't want that again.

I lean in and peck him on his soft lips.

"I respect that, but I think we're past being at the starting point, if you get my point. Why don't I stay over for one day until you are comfortable enough to let me stay more? If you want of course, like I said, I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I am comfortable with you being here, that's the problem. I'm too comfortable, but I'm just afraid to lose you again and go back to the place I was during summer."

I squeeze his hand and he looks at me with sad eyes.

"That won't happen, Noah."

"Not if I can avoid it. I want you to spend the night. Hell, I don't want you to ever leave, that's why I'm being careful."

I smile, feeling relaxed now. It's good to be able to communicate like this.

"There's one thing I want to do before we take this step again though." He says and I raise my eyebrow to him.

"Okay. What is it?"

"I want to tell my dad about us."

"What?" I widen my eyes. His father hates me and well, he tried to kidnap me, so I don't know what to think. "Why?"

"I don't want any surprises when it comes to our relationship. He needs to know that I'm serious about us."

"What if he tries to hurt me again? I'm sorry, I know he's your father, but I'm kind of afraid of him."

"That's the thing. I want him to know that if he tries to do anything with you, we're done."

What does he mean by done? He's not considering giving up his business, is he?

"What about your company?"

"You're more important to me than my job. It took me a while to realize that and I'm sorry for that, but I know that now. I won't say that I'm not glad that my dad is a freak and wanted to set this up, because I wouldn't have opened up to you otherwise."

Yeah, even after everything we've been through, this whole situation with our parents is what got us here, so I'm sort of glad too. Is that too weird to think?

"Do you really think this is a good idea? I guess he'll eventually know, but you think that telling him will get him to back off?"

"Honestly, I don't know, but he'll know that if he messes with you, he'll have to deal with me."

"I appreciate that Noah, but I don't want you to risk your job for me. I know how much it means to you."

"I'm smart, Ems. If I'm kicked out of the company, which for the record, is not so easy for him to do, I'll figure something out. I could work for your dad."

He doesn't seem sure about the last part and it did sound more like a question, but I think it's more because of me than himself. The way he says it, tells me that he wouldn't hesitate to work at my dad's company, but only if I'm ok with it.

"About that, I thought a lot about the new product you were working on together."

"You did?" He seems surprised, probably because in these weeks he never brought it up and neither did I.

He made clear that this thing would go as and if I wanted and not talking about it was his way of letting me decide.

"I've made up my mind about it." He looks at me expectantly and I notice him gulping loudly. "I want you to do it. I want you to launch the product with my father."

His eyes go wide and his mouth hangs slightly open. I guess he wasn't expecting that.

I've made up my mind a few days ago actually. I talked to my dad to know more details about what they were doing and it's actually pretty amazing.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He comes closer and cups my face, kissing me passionately, like this is the best gift I could have ever given him.

"Thank you. I love you so much."

He practically attacks me and lays me down on the couch as he hovers over me.

"Stay with me." He says between kisses.

"I thought you wanted to tell your dad before I spent the night."

"Yeah, well, fuck that."

With that being said, his kisses get more intense and in a split second, I see my top flying somewhere, before he takes me to his room.

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