✔︎ | 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, noah schnapp

xxxviv.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗬-𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘

𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗜 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨, 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗪𝗢𝗡𝗧 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗚𝗢.

☀︎︎

"hey, uh - im gemma aniston. i have a quick speech for this actually, theres a few people i want to thank."

10 MINUTES EARLIER...

we're seated at a table close to the back. im sitting next to millie, her friend maia, sadie, her friend jack, and then alexis.

oh god. my category is coming up.

i cant believe i actually got nominated.

oh my god.

jeez this is scary.

deep breaths.

i didnt notice when my table errupted in applause, nor did i notice when alexis practically screamed in my ear. "gemma! holy shit! you won!"
thats when i snapped out.
i won.

i stood up and walked towards the stage, absolutely stunned.
how did this happen?
im really not that good.

"thank you.
hey
uh -
im gemma aniston."

"i have a quick speech for this actually,
theres a few people i want to thank."

"first off, i just wanted to thank everyone
i suppose.
i am beyond greatful for this award."

"but the truth is,
i wouldnt be standing up here
without some very important people."

"sadie and millie, you guys broke me out of that self-conscious shell,
and i really cant thank you enough,
you guys have always been there for me,
thank you for everything."

"mom, thank you for always doing your best to be there for me,
you may not think it means much,
but it does."

"the stranger things production crew.
thank you so much for hiring me to be apart your show.
i had so much fun filming this past season,
so thank you."

"dad, thank you for always being here.
even though you arent really here,
it still feels like you are.
i miss you,
so much.
but i understand now,
and i forgive you."

"noah, thank you for everything,
i owe so much to you,
after all,
it was all because of you,
you gave me the confidence,
you helped me through it all.
you were the one thing missing.
but i found you,
and now i wont ever let you go."

they were applausing again. i sat back down with a smile on my face.

3 HOURS LATER...

i caught him after the show, god was he excited to see me. "gemma! congratulations!" i smile. "thanks noah." he fidgeted with his hands, like he was anxious about something. "did you mean it? like what you said about me." my eyebrows furrowed. "of course i did! that was the only part of my speech where i knew what i was gonna say." he smiles, "alright then." i grab the folded piece of paper from my pocket, and unfold it. "wanna hear the rest?" he said one word, "yes." so i read the rest. "there were so many times in my life where i was at the bottom. but when you came into my life, those days dwindled. if im being honest, you saved me from myself. now i know i didnt really understand what 'love' was, but i was comparing it to all the wrong things. i know i dont love my mom, and i know i dont love myself. but do i really need to?" i paused. when i looked up from the paper, he was staring intensely, as if he were clinging onto every word. i folded the paper, and slid it back into my pocket. i looked him in the eyes, "the reason i never said it before was because i didnt believe in love."

i took a deep breath.

"but i do now,
and i love you."

AUTHORS NOTE: im super sorry i didnt update before
truth is, i had no idea where i wanted to go with this chapter.
100% the next, (and final chapter)
will be out tomorrow, which is halloween.
anyway, have an amazing day!

word count: 649