AUTUMN LEAVES

EPILOGUE

"All packs ready?" Joan yelled from the car. "Toby, please make sure the garage door is locked, honey. Thank you."

"Done, Mom!" He jumped to the garage side.

"Let me carry this for you." Connor spoke dearly.

"No, it's only hand bag, I can handle it." I whispered back. "Don't make me look like powerless girl around here."

"Hahaha. Wonder woman you are, then." He ran his fingers through my hair. "Let's go."

We hopped into this medium sized van that would drive us to the port, where the cruise has been waiting for us.

We were all stuck in gasps for such a huge, amazing cruise. All of us couldn't help but staring at it. Call me stupid but I swear it looked like a Titanic. Everybody was excited to jump right in. Couldn't believe we would go across the sea with a cruise to the Bahamas.

"You like this?" Connor came up to me as I stood by the corner of an outdoor pool.

"So much. Thanks Connor for everything."

"You deserve it." He kissed my forehead.

"The sunset is amazing..."

"Yeah. That's what I've been waiting for."

Connor and I were enjoying this beautiful day, with refreshing sound of splashed sea water and eyes locked to the bright sky. We didn't bother to check on anything else because standing by Connor with his hand on my waist was already that perfect. The sky turned pink, and orange, before completely became dark blue.

"Are you tired?"

"No." I turned around. "Why?"

"My family decide to have a formal barbeque party in thirty minutes. Can we join them?"

"Absolutely. Let me shower and change first, okay?"

"Done. I'll be in Riley's room."

"Okay."

My heart was just so happy that I couldn't stop smiling. I kept nicely greeting random people that I walked pass by. Things weren't entirely getting better, especially with my parents, but I absolutely deserved a vacation too.

So for tonight's private party, I chose to wear this cute black dress with beautiful lacy sleeves. It's not hard at all to pair up your dresses with the McDonough; just bring along enough black.

"Alice? It's me. Can I come in?"

"Just a moment!" I put my earrings on and opened the door. "Hi."

"T-that...is...uhm." Connor stuttered. "Well, I uh..."

"You okay?" I slapped him playfully.

"Yeah! Holy goodness yeah sure. Shall we?"

Connor gave his arm for me to hold. I took it. We walked to the party as a couple. Damn. I should curse because Connor's also looking very charming and neat. That black tie suited his white formal shirt perfectly. I was about to cry. It was almost like a wedding. No kidding.

"Daaaaaaang you, sister!" Toby screamed when he saw me coming.

"Whoa okay, I think you choke me." I tried to survive from his big strong hug.

"Okay sorry." He giggled.

Riley also came over to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. Joan was looking fantastic too. She and Mark looked very great together. There were Anthony and James also suit up. And of course, most importantly, the brunette twins - as how I prefer to call Riley and Toby - these guys were in their A game too. We had a great time barbeque-ing with a little help from the cruise's chef. Connor, Riley, and Toby have had prepared everything to make this vacation worth spending. I was beyond speechless except to countlessly tell everybody in here about how amazing this experience has been to me.

Connor suddenly pulled my hand right after dinner. He brought me to this side of cruise that was not too often get crossed by.

"I got something to...uhm, tell you..."

"I'm listening."

"It's been a great and worth spending time that I have with you..." He grinned. "Oh Jesus that's hard. Let's skip that part and-"

And he attacked my lips with tons of kisses.

I giggled, breaking the kiss. Connor could be that naturally romantic man. But as always, he'd be so nervous that all the romantic scene would turn into a quick make out - no I mean kissing - session. Though I wasn't gonna lie, it was intense. He grabbed the back of my head and placed it gently over his hand so he could get even more access to kiss me.

"What was that for?" I whispered.

"I was about to ask you to be my girlfriend, but suddenly all fan fictions that Riley read for me in his room an hour ago, ruined it all. Jeez, those were too cheesy."

"And you think this isn't cheesy?"

"Well, you turn tomato already only because I kiss you a tad longer, so..."

I blushed twice as embarrassing. Damn.

"Stop brushing your lips. It's meant to be plump and pink." He held my hands.

"Holy jeez! Stop it. I feel like-"

"Be my girl?"

"Connor!" I rolled my eyes.

"Oh come on. We've kissed more than ten times. Doesn't it give you a clue?"

"But I'm afraid you won't like it with me."

"If I didn't like the time I've spent with you, I'd be gone to the Bahamas with my family by now without even thinking about asking you to go alongwith."

"Gosh..."

"So?"

I smirked. "Is this the question? Did Riley read this part for you?"

"Damn." He half yelled to the calm ocean.

"I'm more of a conventional girl. That you have to seriously ask. Like for real, in a serious matter, ask."

"Yeah? Conventional? Got it."

Connor Patrick McDonough. As embarrassing as it could be, he kneeled by one foot, serenaded me with those blue sparkling eyes, miserably. Hahaha. No, I mean lovely. I couldn't speak anymore. The only thing he did was kissing the top of my hands. That's the moment when I got chills all over my body.

This wasn't a joke. Connor was serenading me.

"Get on your feet." I pulled his hands.

"For what?"

"For this."

I pulled him closer to me. A little hesitation came across my mind when I was about to kiss him. It was confusing as where to began. But I did it anyway. That one more deep kiss, with a little whistly wind surrounding us.

In between Orlando and the Bahamas, here I found my lover.