꧁༺ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓞𝓷𝓮 ༻꧂

NOAH

Many people say you can't find your soulmate when you're only seventeen-years-old, but I did. Her name was Amelia and she was the love of my life.

I grinned with pride as I watched her from the bleachers while she ran off the field cheering with her friends after they just won the last softball game of their high school career. She had the most beautiful smile spread out across her face as she hugged her friends and looked so unbelievably happy at that moment.

We started dating two years ago when I finally grew a pair and gathered up the courage to ask her out and have been inseparable ever since. Amelia was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my short fifteen years of life and, even though I was a teenager, I knew that she was the girl that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

When we started dating it was like everything in my life started to fall into place. She helped me study which made me a better student, and even encouraged me to practice harder for football. I knew that she was the reason why I got a full ride to UCLA because without her support I definitely wouldn't have gotten in.

She was also spontaneous, incredibly smart, and ridiculously kind. She would give you the shirt off her back if it meant that you were going to be okay. Amelia had the biggest heart and that was what made me fall head over heels in love with her so quickly.

Once she finally noticed me in the bleachers, her smile seemed to get even bigger which I didn't think was possible, and even though she's smiled at me every day for the past two years seeing that smile still caused my heart to skip a beat. "Noah!" She exclaimed as she ran off the field and straight towards me.

  "Hey there, beautiful!" I greeted her with a chuckle as she threw her arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly to her.

  "I didn't think you were going to make it in time to see me play." She admitted and I kissed the top of her head then smirked down at her.

  "I asked Jake to cover the rest of my shift so I could surprise you." I grinned down at her and she giggled as she ran her fingers through the side of my hair.

  "What a very nice surprise." She leaned up on her tiptoes as she pulled my head down to hers so she could kiss me and I eagerly pressed my lips against hers.

We heard her friends cheering from the dugout which caused us both to laugh and stop kissing. "Here, go get your stuff and I'll meet you at the truck. We're going on a date tonight." I informed her and her eyes lit up with excitement as she bit her lip.

  "How did I get so lucky?" Amelia sighed as she stroked my cheek with her thumb and stared at me with so much love in her eyes that it made me all warm inside.

  "No, how did I get so lucky?" I teased and she giggled as she backed away from me and towards the dugout.

  "You're so cringey." She groaned playfully and I chuckled at how cute she was.

  "But, you love it!" She rolled her eyes at me and then blew me a kiss before running into the dugout and grabbing her things.

I grinned widely at the memory of that day as I sped down the street toward the hospital. After her softball game, she told me that she was pregnant and had just found out the day before. Amelia was so scared to tell me and was afraid that I would leave her and not want anything to do with her or our baby, but she was dead wrong. I promised her that no matter what happened I would always be there for her and our child.

Before we started college the following fall, we got an apartment together off-campus with the help of her parents and were determined to finish college. We had just signed up our baby for daycare for the following year so neither of us would have to take time off of school and so we could show our child that, even though they were unplanned, we still got our degrees.

I had just gotten out of football practice when Amelia's Mom called to tell me that Amelia was in labor and that the baby was coming fast. I checked the backseat again and made sure for the thousandth time that I had installed the car seat. I was still in shock that we were having a baby today when just this morning Amelia and I were planning on going out to eat later tonight.

The drive to the hospital felt like forever, but I finally pulled into the parking lot and quickly parked the car then grabbed Amelia's hospital bag and took off towards the labor and delivery unit. I prayed I didn't miss anything the whole time I ran to Amelia's room, but when I saw her Mom and doctor standing outside the room I knew I was too late. "I'm so sorry, Hazel!" I groaned as I approached them and looked at her apologetically. "I tried to drive as fast as I could, but there was traffic," I looked at the door then back at Hazel nervously. "Is she mad at me?" I asked warily as I pointed to the door.

  "You must be dad?" The doctor asked and I nodded quickly.

  "Yes, I'm Noah Parker. How did everything go?" I asked starting to walk to the door, but he quickly stopped me.

  "I'm Dr. Astin, Mr. Parker I think it's best if we all talk in private." He suggested gently and I stared at him in confusion as I shook my head.

  "Whoa, what's wrong? Is something wrong with our baby?" I asked worriedly, but thankfully he shook his head and that relieved my anxiety instantly.

  "No, you have a beautiful, healthy baby girl." He assured me and a grin appeared on my face, but just as quickly as it appeared it slowly faded away as I realized Hazel was crying.

  "What about Amelia? Is she okay?" Dr. Astin stared at me silently for a moment as Hazel placed a hand over her mouth and clenched her eyes tightly shut. A knot formed in my gut as I watched her silently sob and I knew instantly that something was wrong with Amelia.

  "If you'll please follow me this way-"

  "No! I want to see her right now!" I pushed past him and barged into the room and saw Amelia lying in the bed and looked like she was sound asleep. The nurses inside the room all stared at me with pity and I felt my stomach start to ache painfully when I noticed that Savannah wasn't breathing.

  "We did everything we could, but she had a brain hemorrhage while she was giving birth. I'm so sorry, Noah. She's gone." Dr. Astin said gently from behind me and I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces and instantly felt like I was going to be sick as I shook my head frantically at him.

  "You're lying! She's only eighteen! She's perfectly healthy! She's just asleep!" I yelled as tears started to sting at my eyes and Hazel slowly started to approach me.

  "He's not lying, Noah. Amelia's gone." She croaked out as she placed her hand on my arm and I continued to shake my head in denial.

  "No, I just saw her this morning! We were trying to decide where we should go for dinner! She was fucking fine!" I shouted at the doctor and he nodded in understanding then I looked at Hazel as the tears started to fall from my eyes. "We did everything right. We went to every appointment, to Lamaze class, we did everything right!" I screamed and she nodded as she pulled me into her arms and I felt a sob escape me.

The rest of that night flew by in a blur. I sat in the waiting room with my head in my hands as I tried to process the fact that I'd never be able to see the love of my life again when I heard a nurse call my name. I quickly jumped from my seat with Hazel following close behind me and approached the nurse. "Your daughter is doing great, we just need some information-"

  "I'm sorry, but when can we see her?" I asked, cutting her off and she nodded.

  "Follow me." She gave us a small smile and escorted us to the room where the last piece of my soulmate was. I stared at my daughter from the doorway as Hazel quickly walked inside and towards the bassinet. "Would you like to hold her?" The nurse asked me and I quickly nodded as I walked inside the room and towards my daughter.

  "Make sure you support her neck." Hazel reminded me softly and I nodded as I shot her a thankful smile as I reached for my daughter, but before I touched her I shook out my hands to stop them from shaking. I didn't realize how tiny babies actually were and I reminded myself that she was very fragile as I took in a deep breath to try and calm my nerves. I gently picked her up from the bassinet and even though my heart was broken a small part soared when I looked down at our daughter. I felt tears sting at my eyes at how unbelievably beautiful she was and I knew instantly that she was going to look like Amelia.

  "Mr. Parker, whenever you get the chance, have you decided what you're going to name her?" The nurse asked and I nodded as I looked up at her.

  "We're naming her Rosie Amelia Parker." I croaked out and Hazel smiled at me with tears in her eyes as she rested her head on my shoulder. We both stared down at Rosie with so much love in our eyes and I knew that Amelia would love her name. I just wished more than anything in this world that she was here to enjoy this moment with us.