Tear In My Heart - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

I furrowed my eyebrows as I typed on my laptop. We were working on the fundamentals of showing and not telling before we dove into anything major. I looked at the list of things my professor gave us and thought. College was a lot different than high school. There were way fewer constraints and way more parties. I loved it. But I missed Madison. He helped me move in but hadn't been able to move out to New York with me like he planned. He had to figure out what to do with the pizzeria since it was technically his now and he didn't have enough money for the overpriced apartments here in the big apple. But we talked every day and that we enough to tide me over for now. I just missed his touch.
Once I found something that I thought I could describe, I started.
I feel the complex seesaw of emotions start to change in my brain. I'd tried fighting it for so long, but you eventually have to stop and realize how powerless you are against yourself. Like I have. I feel the shift from light to darkness. I want to scream and tell my brain to stop. To let the world know that I hate myself. That I just want to be normal. But I am so helpless and it's too late. The next few days are going to be hell for me and everyone I love and there is nothing I could do about it.
When I was done, I read over it a few times to make sure that it was enough. Satisfied, I filled in the box that said "prompt described" and typed in "bipolar disorder".
I was about to start on my next one when the dorm room door opened, revealing my roommate, Antoni, who was drenched in sweat from his workout. "Hey man," he said.
"What's up?" I asked as I turned back to my work and looked for one last prompt.
"There's no good way to say this, so I'm gonna just say it–someone absolutely wrecked your car. Like the back is smashed, kind of destroyed. Like totaled destroyed."
"Wait, what?" I said as my attention snapped to him.
"Yeah, I saw it on my way back but there's nobody there. Looks like a hit and run."
I cursed as I took my laptop off my lap and grabbed my phone and keys. "Thanks," I quickly said as I hurried out the room, about to dial 911 as I rushed down the stairs and toward the parking lot. How could this happen? I was right in front of the building. There was no way that the person could've not seen my car and there's no way no one saw who did it. My blood was boiling. When they found who did this I was gonna–
My thoughts were cut short when, leaning against my car with roses and chocolate in his hands, was Madison. Forgetting all the anger I harbored, I almost screamed before I ran toward him. He smiled and opened his arms before I jumped into them, wrapping my legs around his waist and burying my head in his neck. "It's nice to see you too, babe," he chuckled as he held me.
I found myself crying. "I've missed you so much," I softly cried into his neck. "So so much." I hadn't held him since August, almost three months ago.
"I missed you too," he softly admitted as I pulled my head from his neck and kissed him, tears of joy still leaking from my eyes. We held it for a moment before I broke it and just hugged him again, but he didn't seem to mind.
After a few moments, I pulled away to see his handsome smiling face. I smiled up at him. "I can't believe you're here. I thought I wasn't going to see you until Thanksgiving," I softly said.
He smiled as he set the flowers and chocolates down and cupped my face. "You know I can't stay away from you that long," he softly said as he ran his thumbs over my cheeks to get rid of my tears. "I love you too much."
"I love you too," I instantly said.
He offered his gifts to me and I gratefully took them. "Come on, I have something to show you," he said before he walked over to the passenger side of his car which was parked right next to mine and held the door open for me. I offered him a thanks before I got in and after a few moments, he was right next to me in the driver's side.
He slid his hand in mine as he pulled out of the parking lot. "So, how are your classes?" He asked.
"Tiring, but worth it," I said. "My professors are nice and my classmates are fun. I actually became friends with this guy named Kenneth. He's gay too, but don't worry, he has a boyfriend and he knows I'm taken."
"Good, because I didn't want to beat anyone up."
I laughed. "Classic Madison, always resorting to violence."
"I'll do anything for my baby," he said. "Have you heard from Connor?"
"Yeah. He and Abbi are having the time of their lives studying in Las Vegas. We're planning on meeting up over winter break though."
He nodded. "That's good. Actually, one of my best friends from high school lives around here and he really wants to meet you. I was planning on introducing you tonight if that's alright. I'm staying with him."
"I'm down," I said as we pulled into the parking lot of a semi-expensive Italian restaurant. I'd been talking with him over the phone about going to. I looked at him in shock. "You didn't."
"Oh, but I did," he grinned. "Reservations for two scheduled for right about," he said as he looked at his watch, "now. Come on."
We wasted no time getting out and entering the fancy restaurant, not caring that we were both dressed in sweatshirts while everyone else looked like they'd left a fancy ball.
He spent much needed time together and caught up. We got a few looks but we were used to them and learned to ignore them. I didn't care about the people around us. I cared about him.
By the time we were done, the sun had set and we were driving through the beautifully busy city that was NYC. All the building's lights looked like our very own stars as we drove by them. "When we get there, we're going to binge the Vampire Diaries. You know, for old time's sake."
I chuckled. "Will your friend mind?"
"Not at all," he instantly said and I nodded as we parked in front of an expensive-looking apartment complex. His friend must've made some serious money.
As we got out of the car, our hands instantly found each other. When we walked into the door, we were met with a gorgeous lobby that had nice seats and a beautiful fountain. Madison walked up past the security desk and led me to the elevator. He pressed the eighth floor and the doors slid closed. "How long are you staying?" I asked.
"A while," he said. "We need to make up for all of the lost time, and we have a lot." He kissed the back of my hand. I didn't argue nor did I have the desire to. I was just glad that I had him back after so long.
I followed him down the long, quiet hallway to an apartment that had the numbers 397 on it. He pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the door, beckoning me to come in. As I walked in, I was greeted by a huge apartment with a modern kitchen, living area, and hallways that peeled off into other sections as well as a huge glass door that led onto the spacious balcony and overlooked the busy city. But it was empty other than a table, some bar stools, and a basic couch. My eyebrows furrowed. "We must be in the wrong place, it's empty."
"Actually, we're not," Madison said as he closed the door behind him. "I have to admit that I've been keeping some things for you, so I think it's time for me to come clean. First off, back home I decided to sell the pizzeria. I didn't want to carry on my father's dream after everything he's done. I got a pretty penny from it too. So, I was planning on heading up here to stay with you and started looking at software development jobs near here, and it turns out that a really big company really wanted me. So, I took the job and in return, they gave me this place. So, no, this isn't a friend's house it's...ours."
I looked at him in shock. "Are you serious?" I asked barely above a whisper and he nodded as he looked around.
"I mean, I know it's not exactly homey, but I think with the right furniture and candles, we could really–" He was interrupted by me throwing myself in his arms for the second time that day.
"You're telling me that you're moving here?" I squealed and he laughed.
"Yeah."
"And we're going to live in this gorgeous place?"
He chuckled. "I guess so."
"And you kept this a secret from me this whole time?"
"I managed."
I let out another squeal before I kissed him, slow and passionate. "I'm so proud of you," I softly said as I put my forehead on his. "Like super proud."
He grinned. "Thank you. You're not doing so bad yourself, Mr. Bruno. So, do you like it? I mean, I chose it because it's not too far from your school or the shops or anything. We could walk if we wanted or drive or whatever."
"It's perfect," I said. "Thank you. But how are we going to afford this every month? Like I said, it's nice and I love it, but Mads...this place must be expensive."
He cupped my cheeks. "Don't worry about that, baby. The company's got it taken care of. Plus, with what I'm earning, we won't have to worry."
I smiled and kissed him again. "I'm so proud of you," I repeated.
He chuckled. "Now, before we go through the endless furniture magazines and plan our trip to Ikea, I do have another question for you."
"Shoot."
Without warning, he started bending down as he pulled a tiny black box from out of his pocket. My heart stopped and my breath got caught in my throat. Oh my gosh. Oh my...
"Madison..." I softly said as he smiled up at me.
"I told you, I was going to marry you," he said with a wink. "Noah Lorenzo Bruno, since the moment I first laid my eyes on you, I knew that this moment would happen. You've made me the happiest I've ever been and I'm forever grateful for that. You've been with me through every laugh and tear. You'd destroy the world if I asked you to without hesitation, and I would do the same for you. I can't see my life without you. You're my hope, my rock, my king. And though we've had our ups and downs, we always find each other again and I want that forever. I want to be able to call you mine forever. I want to raise kids and embarrass them and get old knowing that you are mine. You show me true love and allow me to feel it every single day, and I love you so incredibly much for that gift. So, Noah Bruno," he said as he cracked open the small box revealing a ring. "Will you do me the incredible honor by  marrying me?"
Tears were blurring my vision and thousands of thoughts were running around in my mind. But all that mattered was the word that was forming on my lips at that very moment. "Y-Yes," I said barely above a whisper as my tears began to fall.
"Yes?" He asked, almost in disbelief.
"Yeah," I said as I started nodding. "Yes, Madison, I will marry you. Yes, yes!"
"Oh my God," he said in shock before a smile quickly formed on his face and he stood up before wrapping his arms around me and picked me up before he spun me around. "He said yes! He said yes!" He shouted over and over again to no one in particular. I laughed as I held on tight, still unable to believe what had just happened.
I was going to be a husband.
Madison was going to be my husband.
The revelation filled my chest with a rainbow-colored pride unlike anything I'd felt before and I fell in love with the feeling.
Madison gently set me down and carefully slid the ring on my left ring finger. It was a simple black band with simple designs and black diamonds in it. I absolutely loved it. As soon as it was secure, Madison grabbed me and roughly kissed me with messy passion and pure love.
I kissed him back without a moment's hesitation, loving the way his body felt against mine. I had to keep myself from losing all semblance of control and just giving in to my desires and lusts. However, we were that much closer to getting married and after that, you wouldn't be able to keep me off of him.
We held the kiss for a few moments before he pulled away. Both of us were breathing a bit heavy, but we both had drunken smiles on our faces. "I love you, Noah," he softly said.
"I love you too, Madison," I said as I cupped his face. "And I will never stop, my beautiful fiancé."
"Fiancé, I think I like the sound of that." He smiled before he gave me another quick kiss then took my hand in his and led me out to the terrace. There was a cool breeze and the black night was illuminated by the beautiful lights of the city. "All this," he said as he wrapped his arms around me, "is ours."
"It's ours," I repeated as I looked out into the vast stretch that was before us, glad that I was going to share it with the one I loved the most and our future family. Forever and always.