Too young for war

Epilogue

"Five more minutes," Ella says. "I promise."
I hear the rustle of fabric. Zippers. A shudder of—

"Is that tulle?" Aaron asks, he sure wants to leave this place as soon as possible.
"You're not supposed to be listening!"
I giggle, "Aaron, you can't stress in this situation, I thought you knew that." I smile up at him.

He frowns at me when he turns to the door to the changing room.
"You know, love, it occurs to me now that I've lived through actual hostage situations far less torturous than this."

"Okay, okay, it's off. Packed away. I just need a second to put on my cl—"

"That won't be necessary," He says opening the door. "Surely this part, I should be allowed to watch."
"wow, never thought I would hear those words come out of your mouth, that was way too cheesy." I giggle at the last part.

Ella laughs as he lean against the unusually white wall, studying her as she frowns at him.
"Please continue," He says, gesturing with a nod. "Whatever you were doing before."

"Maybe close the door first, I will not be watching whatever you both will be doing" I say, hands covering my eyes.

He closes the door and after a while it gets quiet. "you guys are making me nervous, please say something." I say.

I hear Ella chuckle,

"Elena, you don't have to stand right outside the door, you can go further away, just not outside." Aaron say bored.

"no, I'm finee"" I say.

"I'm supposed to wear this under the dress," I hear Ella say shyly as it gets quiet once again.

"You are so beautiful," Aaron says.
I sighs as I sit down leaning against the wall, I have my drawing book with me, so I start drawing us.

me, Ella and Aaron, as we are now a family!

Quietly, Ella says, "I feel like I just spoiled the surprise. You're not supposed to see any of this until the wedding night."

Suddenly I see a man coming towards us, he smiles quickly at me before knocking at the changing room door.
"Yes?" Ella says.

"So sorry to bother you right now, miss, but there's a gentleman here wishing to speak with Mr. Warner." The man says.

"Okay," she says quickly. Then silence.

"Don't be mad." I hear she says to Aaron.
"Why would I be mad?"

"It's Kenji."
Silence once again.

"What is he doing here?" Aaron says irritated. "How on earth did he know how to find us?"

I want to say something, but I know better not to.

"We took Amir and Olivier with us."
"I see." We took extra guards along, which means our outing was posted to the public security bulletin.

"He found me just before we left. He was worried—he wanted to know why we were heading back into the old regulated lands."

"I told him," she says, "that we were looking for replacement outfits, and reminded him that, for now, the supply centers are still the only places to shop for food or clothing or" she says. "anything, at the moment. Anyway, he said he'd try to meet us here. He said he wanted to help."

"He said he wanted to help."

"Astonishing." I can hear that Aaron is mad.  "And funny, too, because he's already helped so much—just last night he helped us both a great deal by destroying my suit and your dress, forcing us to now purchase clothing from a store on the very day we're supposed to get married."

"Aaron, you should know that the night is more important than the dress" I say.

"Elena, I'm talking to Ella, not you."

"sorry, just trying to help"

"Aaron," she whispers. "He feels terrible about it."

"And you?" Aaron says. "Don't you feel terrible about it? Alia and Winston worked so hard to make you something beautiful, something designed precisely for you—"

"I don't mind." She says. "It's just a dress."
"But it was your wedding dress," Aaron says, his voice failing him now, practically breaking on the word.

"You're not supposed to see this," she says, "but I think it might mean more to you than it does to me, so I'll let you and Elena if she wants to help me decide what to wear tonight."

Aaron groans, but I'm back on my feet again, "I want to help! Please Ella, I'm better than Aaron when it comes to this. That I can promise you." I say.

"I'm sure you are Elena." Ella chuckles.

The man comes once again to knock on their door.

"Sir? The gentleman seems very eager t—"

"He's certainly not a gentleman," Aaron says sharply. "Tell him to wait."
A moment of hesitation. Then, quietly: "Yes, sir."

"Aaron."

"yes Aaron, stop being so upset, there isn't anything you can do." I say.

"Elena, continue to do whatever you was doing before," he tells me bored, "when you were silent."

Then I see kenji coming towards us. I'm a little mad at him too for ruining Ella's pretty dress, but what can be done? buy a new dress. yes, and that's what we're doing right now.

He waves at me before knocking at their door.

"Hey, guys?" More pounding. "I know you're super pissed at me, but I have good news, I swear. I'm going to fix this. I'm going to make it up to you."

"This better be good, Kenji, or Warner is going to kill you, and I'm going to help him do it." Ella says.
I laugh.

sorry for not posting in a while<3 I'm not sure if I should write more of the epilogues, but I might do so! if you have any suggestions to what I can write in the other chapters, please comment (if you want more chapters🫠)