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“Dear Noah”—this was going to hurt, I could feel it—“If you’ve gotten this letter, I guess that means my luck’s finally run out, and you’re probably blaming yourself because for some reason, you pick up the burdens of others and carry them even when you don’t or shouldn’t have to. It’s amazing, really, how self-sacrificing you are—almost stupidly. I thought so even when you first came in to my office all those years ago. You pretend to be so tough, when deep down, you are nothing but a bleeding heart.”
“God Austin, still not pulling any punches,” Noah said, s
miling, though I could see the tears he wouldn’t let fall.
“It is for this reason,” I read on, “that I needed to tell you it isn’t your fault. And even if somehow, for some reason, I’m wrong, like you ran me over with a tractor and it really is your fault, then you need to know I forgive you. That sucks, but I forgive you because in my eyes, you will forever be my little brother. You’ve been through so much. I only hope I was able to ease the burdens in your life a little bit,” Ah! I had to stop to wipe my eyes before pushing on. “You deserve to be happy, Noah. Don’t worry or dwell on me. I’m not upset I’m gone. The years helping you were the best of my life because I did something. I was more than just another face passing by in the background, and at the very least, you know that. If you knew how depressed I was before working for you, you’d believe me when I say thank you for offering me that job. Thank you for fighting to be a better human being. Watching you gave me hope that others could, too, if they just worked hard enough, if they never gave up. So grab Amelia, and marry her like a proper man. She’s sweet, kind, and a little odd, with the fire in her to get through even the darkest times, which makes her the only person out there for you. For once in your life, live like couples do in the movies—happily ever after—because again, you deserve to be happy. See you on the other side. Signed, Austin J. Kugelman.”
“Goddamn him,” Noah whispered finally, looking up to me, his eyes red as the tears fell. “Even now, even in death, his letter, his last letter, was about me. He should have asked me to do something for him, right? Something just about him.”
Putting the letter down, I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he held me.
“He did ask you to do something,” I said softly, feeling his tears fall on my shoulder. “He asked you to be happy.”
Thank you, Austin.
One Year Later
“It’s so us,” I whispered to Noah, squeezing his hand as we waited for them to announce the awards.
“Don’t look to anxious. If we don’t get the camera—”
Facing him I repeated, “It’s us.”
He stared at me, a small grin on his lips. His eyes drop down to mine. “Kiss me.”
“No, we are about to win—” His lips were on mine, and then I heard them.
“And the People's Choice Award for Favorite On-Screen Chemistry goes to Amelia London and Noah Sloan for Sinners Like Us!”
He broke away from me as we both got up, hugging each other, hand in hand, we walked up to the stage. “I knew it.”
“Of course we were going to win,” he said quickly, right before we got the glass award. We had also won Favorite Movie, and Favorite Duo, and he had won Favorite Movie Actor, though I had lost Favorite Actress to Jennifer freaking Lawrence. However, I did win Favorite Action Movie Actress.
“Thank you so much! Wow, guys, thank you!” I said into the microphone. “This has been—”
“AHH!!!” Everyone started screaming much louder, and I didn’t understand what was going on until I looked beside me and Noah was on one knee, a fat grin on his face.
“Oh my God!” I shouted, backing away from the podium slightly, my hand on my heart, unable to look away from him.
Robin Liu, one of the presenters, rushed up beside Noah, holding the microphone to his lips as he said, “Amelia London, I’ve loved you since I was twelve years old. My first kiss was with you, my first time was with you, and my first heartbreak was with you. And now I want you as my first and last wife. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
I couldn’t speak, but I nodded. I nodded so much I’m sure I looked like broken bobble head. Standing up, he slid the teardrop-shaped ring on my finger, and when it was on, I couldn’t not kiss him.
“How’s that for a damn acceptance speech!” Robin Liu said into the microphone. Everyone cheered, but they didn’t matter.
Just us.
The road here was painful, but I couldn’t imagine beginning anywhere else.
Noah
“We are standing backstage with newly engaged actors Amelia London and Noah Sloan,” a reporter caught us when we were far enough backstage. “How do you both feel?
I glanced to Amelia and grinned. Of course we were happy, but probably not for the same reason as the reporter—for the first time in our lives, we weren’t referred to as “former child stars.” We were just actors. We had finally transcended that title.
“We feel fucking awesome!” I answered.
Epilogue
