Pretty Little Fighter Girl

Epilogue

*One year later*

"Lucas!! Put me down!"

I laugh wildly and Lucas drops me into the salty waves of the ocean side. I close my eyes before submerging under the water and I cough when I resurface.

Lucas laughs wildly and shouts in surprise when a few streams of water hit him. Jason, Stella, and Jace each hold water guns and they ambush Lucas. I giggle at his response and I dive under the waves when the trio turn their guns on me.

I reach the shore and I make a dash behind the three who have turned their attention back to Lucas. I reach the stash of water guns and water balloons on the table and I grab two guns, tossing one to Lucas in the water.

With all of us armed we break apart and turn on each other. Lucas and I team up, while Jace and Stella split into a group. Jason seems to have disappeared and I realize that he must be hiding somewhere.

All of us were at my aunt's beach house for the summer to relax after the past year. Lucas and I ended up going to the same college. We were nearly inseparable and we never seemed to get enough of each other. Stella and Jace went to another college together, which wasn't far from my own.

We all met upon weekends to go out together and relieve college stress. Jason started to visit us on weekends as well, once he had fully recovered. He started his own public gym and kept an eye out for people who may need his special help in the private gym. His public gym is a huge success and some of Jason's friends from the private gym have even gotten jobs working there.

I still fight occasionally. It's become a part of who I am. Jason, Lucas and I all fight together for fun. Sometimes Lucas and I meet up with Jason to fight on Fridays. Each of us still have great matches and we don't lose often.

I feel stronger now than I've ever been and I think that part of it is from the support and love that the people I care about give me.

I snap out of my trance when a stream of water hits me in the face. Jason peers around the palm tree while laughing and I take the opportunity to shoot water back at him. I feel water hit me in the back and I turn in time to see Stella and Jace running towards us. Lucas turns and aims at Jace and I do the same for Stella.

We continue to fight with the water guns until all of the guns run out of water. Simon runs around the corner of the beach house with a volleyball and he points to the net set up in the sand.

"Wanna play volleyball with me?"

Our small group agrees excitedly and we approach the net to decide teams. Simon, Lucas and I are on one team while Stella, Jace and Jason are on the opposite side of the net.

Simon smiles and I let him take the first serve of the volleyball. He hits the ball and it soars over the net. Jason strikes it so that it goes back in our direction. Lucas and I both jump up to hit the ball, colliding. The volleyball hits the ground and Simon stands above us, shaking his head.

Simon received treatment for his cancer this past year by using the money from turning in Eli to pay for it. He's made a full recovery and his eyes finally hold the healthy glow that he's lacked for so long. He's been more athletic and he plans to join a couple sports teams at his school the following year.

Once Lucas and I get up from the ground, the level of competition rises drastically. We continue to play until sunset, never able to agree what team actually won the game. Once the sky is ablaze with the fiery colors we gather around the campfire on the shoreline. Our families exit from the beach house with plates of food and a bag of marshmallows. We talk and laugh together until the sun has settled far below the horizon, the orange fire casting a glow against each of our faces.

A warm feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. Having all of the people that I love together in one place like this would have seemed impossible a little over a year ago.

Lucas takes hold of my hand and I lift my head off of his shoulder to look at him. He smiles and whispers into my ear.

"Want to take a quick walk?"

I nod with a smile.

"Yes."

A few people glance at us when we stand, but Jace and Stella continue to lean against each other, oblivious to the world.

Lucas lifts our entwined hands to his mouth to kiss my hand while we walk. We walk in silence until the campfire is just a mere speck in the distance.

We both sit together on the shoreline, the soft sand between our toes and the warm water barely lapping against them. I lean my head against Lucas and he wraps an arm around me.

We sit in a comfortable silence for what seems like hours but was only minutes in reality. Lucas breaks the silence after a moment of thought.

"What's next?"

I lift my head to stare into his bright eyes. I raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

He smiles and cups my face with his hand.

"For us? After college, after everything. What happens after everything?"

I ponder this for a moment. After living in my past for so long I've been savoring the present, without a single thought of our future.

"I don't know." I pause, "whatever we want it to be, I guess."

Lucas places a soft, gentle kiss on my lips and I give into his warmth. My hand tangled in his hair and we lean back after breaking the kiss, the stars shining brightly above us. Lucas tucks his arm around my shoulders while we catch our breath.

"I want you to be in my life forever."

I smile over at Lucas and he continues to talk.

"I know it's a little early, but when we're both ready, I want to ask you to marry me."

I turn my head to face him, at a loss for words. He continues to speak before I can say anything.

"I can't imagine a life without you."

I smile and turn to face him.

"I love you, Lucas."

He takes me hand and kisses it.

"I love you Celeste."

From that moment on, I knew that we would be inseparable. We overcame so much together and I only saw him in my future.

Who would've known that I would've found someone like him.

I smile at him and the two of us lock eyes for what felt like forever.

-

BONUS CHAPTER after this!!!

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