Roots - h.s

Epilogue.

    "I didn't mean to hurt you... I love you." I shake my head, and he does the same. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I pushed you away." I cry, and he pulls me in.

    "Stop apologizing, you're perfect.. You didn't do anything wrong.." He runs his hands through my hair, and I close my eyes sighing out.

    "I can't do this anymore..." I cry, feeling tears run down my face.

    "You can, I'll make sure of that... We're going to move your things into my apartment this weekend, I don't want you living alone anymore." He speaks into my hair, pulling me in so he can kiss my temple.

    "But my dad-"

    "Can go to hell for all I care right now. Sterling I love your dad like he's my own but right now I don't care if he hates the idea of us living together, I'm taking care of you like I promised myself I would.. He doesn't have to know, and if he does he should understand." He speaks with promise in his words, and I believe him.

end of flashback//

    I smile to myself despite the pain attached to the memory, only because I know that I was strong enough to get through it. After that, after I really broke through with myself I broke through in other areas. I joined in on class discussions more, and I forced myself to go out with Harry on the weekends and make friends. I also got myself on the train to meet Jalyn and Andrea in New York some weekends too.. I realized then how much I had missed them, and after that we didn't ever go two weeks without all of us seeing each other. The three of them really helped me through it.

    Harry and I didn't split once since, and after the first year we ended up moving out of student housing and into our own apartment together. My dad wasn't happy about it but he took it better than expected.. Anne, and Gemma checked my hand everytime we came home to visit expecting a ring, but that didn't happen either to their surprise. So now I'm here by myself now because Harry was kept at the hospital late the night before.. His last day there because this will be our home forever now, at least that's what we're hoping. He said he didn't want to move back until he was sure he could get a job, and he did... and I did too. They just opened a star study here at the Portland Observatory, and I got hired for it which actually shocked me.

    "Sterling!" I whip my head towards the voice, and see a familiar face that's grown so much since the last time I saw him. I run forward towards him, and he opens his arms, taking the hit as I jump, colliding with him as I hug him.

    "Hi Carson." I speak, my lips brushing his neck as I hug him as tightly as I can. "I missed you so much." I breathe out, and he lets me down. "How's everything here? How's baseball, how did the signing go?" I ask, feeling a rush of excitement.

    "It went really great actually, the season starts soon too.. Mid July." He tells me, and my heart swells for him. It swells because now I know that we'll be home and we'll be able to see him play finally.. He got signed to the Oregon Ducks a month ago...

    "Cars I'm so happy for you. I can't believe you got signed, and I can't believe we're back home... I just.. It feels crazy knowing there's only four left now... After college, there's only four of the original group that made it back here." I shake my head. Carson, Jake, me and Harry. That's it. Jalyn stayed on the east coast. She moved to New York as soon as she finished her training and she joined the cast of a broadway show, and it centers completely around ballet too.. It's like it was made for her. Andrea is still in New York too, she says to give her a few years and she'll have worked herself up to the top of the company she's working for now. I believe her too. Claire hasn't come home just yet, she's getting her bachelors degree but her and Jake are still together. Mason hasn't come home since they shipped him off but I still write to him, and call when I can. Hallie and Carson broke up. She moved away and started writing for some travel magazine but I still keep in touch.