47 Amelia
Noah leaned back in his seat, taking in the unexpected turn of events. He had no idea Amelia would be the person waiting for him in the sleek limo. When he'd saved her from that van days ago, he hadn't given her his name, hadn't even stayed long enough to hear her thank you. He'd simply disappeared into the night, thinking it was just another day where his mysterious "system" had led him to intervene. He never thought she would find him, much less track him down to his school.
But here she was.
Amelia's elegance was hard to miss. She sat across from him, her posture poised and graceful, her long dark hair framing her face, and her soft expression gave her a glow he couldn't describe. The way she crossed her legs with such ease and confidence only added to the aura of wealth and privilege that surrounded her.
"I wanted to meet you personally," Amelia said, her voice steady but soft, the sincerity unmistakable. She hesitated for a moment as if gathering her thoughts. "Because I wanted to... thank you. Properly this time."
Her words hung in the air, and Noah could see the gratitude in her eyes. It wasn't hard to recall the events of that night.
Noah exhaled, his eyes meeting hers with a slight sigh. "You don't need to thank me," he said, his tone casual but firm. "I did what anyone else would've done in that situation. You didn't have to go through the trouble of finding me."
Amelia shook her head gently, her hair fluttering slightly with the movement. "But not everyone would have done that, Noah," she replied softly, her eyes locking onto his. "People walked away or were too afraid to get involved. You didn't. You saved me when I needed help the most."
Her words carried a weight that Noah hadn't expected, and he felt a bit uncomfortable under the intensity of her gaze. He wasn't used to being thanked so earnestly.
"Besides," she continued, "my father also wants to thank you. We've prepared a dinner for you—and your family, if you'd like. It's the least we could do."
Noah blinked, a bit surprised at the mention of his family. "Dinner?" He shook his head slightly. "You don't need to go that far. My family… we're not exactly used to that kind of thing," he said, gesturing around the luxurious interior of the limo as if to indicate the stark difference in lifestyle.
Amelia smiled, a warm, understanding smile. "It's just dinner, Noah. You saved my life. It's the least we can do."
Noah hesitated for a moment, then nodded, realizing it would be rude to refuse. "Alright, I'll come. But I need to pick up my sister from school first. I'm already a bit late."
Amelia's eyes brightened, and she immediately nodded. "We can go together. It'll be faster this way."
Noah studied her for a second, weighing her sincerity, then gave a small nod. "Okay, let's go."
A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Emily's school. Noah stepped out of the car and quickly made his way inside, apologizing to the teacher for being ten minutes late. He took his sister's hand and led her out toward the waiting limo.
Emily, who was still holding Noah's hand, froze when she saw the sleek black vehicle parked at the entrance. Her eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, brother, this car is so cool! I wish I could ride in it!"
Noah chuckled, amused by her innocent excitement. "You do?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Emily nodded eagerly, her eyes shining. "Yes!"
Noah grinned mischievously. "Okay, let's go."
But no sooner had the words left his mouth than Emily's face contorted into a comically exaggerated expression of fear.
"No, brother, are you joking?" she exclaimed, tugging at his hand. "We can't afford to scratch this car! Don't be tempted, brother. Stay STRONG!" Her eyes wide and innocent , making Noah laugh out loud.
"Actually," Noah said, still chuckling, "it's my friend's car. She wanted to meet you and give us a ride home."
Emily's eyes widened even further. "Really?" she asked, her tone skeptical but intrigued.
"Really," Noah confirmed with a nod, guiding her toward the car.
As they climbed into the back of the limo, Emily's eyes were immediately drawn to Amelia, whose beauty seemed to radiate throughout the car. Her mouth dropped open in awe. "So pretty!" she whispered in amazement.
Amelia smiled warmly at the little girl, her expression softening even more. "And you are so cute!" she said playfully, gently pinching Emily's cheeks before seating her between herself and Noah.
On the way to their house, Amelia and Emily quickly bonded, their conversation filled with lighthearted chatter and laughter. They talked about school, hobbies, and everything in between, and it didn't take long for them to become fast friends.
Watching them, Noah couldn't help but feel a little bemused. Emily was usually reserved, but here she was, chatting away like she'd known Amelia for years.
He shook his head internally, thinking, "She doesn't have this kind of enthusiasm when she talks to me. Traitor."
When they finally arrived at their home, Emily asked for Amelia's number, and the two exchanged contact information with promises to stay in touch.
As they stepped out of the limo, Noah knelt down to speak to his sister. "Hey, don't tell Mom about my friend, okay? She might get scared because, well… she's quite different from us."
Emily nodded solemnly, her eyes wide. "I won't, brother. Don't worry."
She gave him a wink and nudged his side playfully. "Go do your thing," she said with a mischievous grin.
Noah's mouth twitched in exasperation. "You little rascal," he muttered under his breath, ruffling her hair.
With that, Noah returned to the limo, where Amelia was waiting patiently. "I'm just going to go change real quick," he said.
Amelia shook her head with a smile. "There's no need. You don't have to worry about your attire."
Noah looked at her for a moment, feeling a sense of ease in her presence that he hadn't expected. He nodded, climbing back into the limo, his initial reservations about her softer.
As they drove off, Noah couldn't help but think that Amelia wasn't quite what he had imagined. There was something genuine about her, In his mind, Amelia had left a good impression—one that he didn't mind exploring further.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Risaliyah
Creator's Thought