THE ALTERNATE ENDING
🔺🔺🔺
It took Katelyn two whole years to take care of everything she needed to take care of in her life. It wasn't like she really "fixed" everything, so to speak. It was more like she had come to terms with everything she did in the past. She had come to accept that things happened and that there was no way she could actually change them. She had come to accept herself in the process too, and that for her, was the best thing that had happened during the last two years.
It was only fair. After all, to find this "acceptance", she had to give up the best thing that ever happened to her.
Because after everything else, after deciding not to run away anymore, she discovered that she was too late anyway. After deciding to come back for HER because, after all, she did promise to wait for her, she discovered that there really was nothing for her to come back to.
Nothing but a royal wedding anyway.
...
Kate made a stop in Britton in the middle of her trip from Bangkok to New York to visit Beth and Harrold but it was all over the country. The flags. The banners. Everything spoke of a royal wedding happening in a few days. One could practically taste the tension and anticipation in the air. The mood was supposed to be cheerful since a member of the royal family was getting married after all. But she just couldn't find it in herself to smile.
It was painful.
Oh-so-very-painful.
She supposed it was only reasonable. After all, even if Abbie did say that she was going to wait, it really wasn't fair of her to hold the girl to that promise. She was the Crowned Princess after all. She had duties to fulfill. Wasn't that the reason why she didn't accept her proposal in the first place? Abbie couldn't really count on a promise she made when she was just nothing but a common. It was silly of her to think that the Crowned Princess would never forget about some girl she met and supposedly fell in love with two years ago.
Damn. It had really been a while.
Still, it hurt. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that it was only logical, even beneficial, there was always that irrational part of her brain that refused to accept that she wasn't hers. Perhaps she'd never really been hers in the first place.
So she had no choice but to retrace her footsteps. After all, that was the only thing she could do now. She came here in hopes to win her back but apparently, that wouldn't be happening. All she could do now was to say goodbye properly. To let go of everything she had ever held dear in her heart. Perhaps to return the ring she had given her. And then move on, like so many others who had their heart broken do.
Her feet brought her first and foremost to the lake at the university where they first met. She sat down on the familiar bench, noting that not much had changed since she left.
This was the lake where so many things happened. It was where she first met Abigail, and perhaps where she first fell in love with her too. This was where she proposed as well and where she turned her down too.
She wondered what would have happened if she had accepted her proposal then. Maybe they would have been married and they would have run away together. Maybe they would have even been happy. But she knew, like so many other fairytale stories, that it wouldn't have lasted long. Eventually, the princess come to resent her for what she had to give up to be with her.
After all, she was a princess. She could have had the world, but instead she had to give that all up for some girl.
But they could have been happy, right? They could have lived normal lives. Had kids like normal married couples and spent their days watching bad television shows and just generally falling more and more in love with each other. It could have been perfect.
Maybe...
But she'd never know.
But still, she couldn't bring herself to regret her decision 2 years ago. She knew she wasn't ready then. Even if she had said yes and trusted her love for Abigail, her inexperience and guilt plus all the baggage she was carrying as well would have resulted in the biggest relationship implosion in history.
Then after the lake, she passed by Abbie's old place too. She remembered that place all too well. They spent many days there just lazing around, making love, getting to know each other more and just being themselves. She remembers how the girl loved that place most of all because it was her private space. It was the place where she could just be herself and not the Crowned Princess.
As she passed by the place, however, it was obvious that no one has lived there for quite some time. She supposed Abbie moved back to the Great Manor eventually. After all, she was getting married now. It was just one of those things she had to do. It must have been difficult for her to give up that place.
But perhaps not. Perhaps she wanted to get rid of her memories of her as well. Giving up that place would have been the first thing she did if that was what she wanted because every corner of that apartment was full of her traces and their memories.
Finally, after her day tour, she went back to her hotel, exhausted and drained. She will meet Harrold and Bethany tomorrow but she hadn't really decided yet if she was going to stay until the day of the royal wedding itself, which was two days away. On the one hand, she wanted to see it, HER, first hand. Maybe it would help her to let go a little more easily. But then again, it would kind of be torture if she does that, wouldn't it?
Until she fell asleep with memories of her time with Abigail in her head, thoughts of their happiest moments together swirling inside her mind but she didn't know what she expected coming back here. It was part of the healing process, she guessed.
She spent the next day just going about the city with her friends that she missed so much. By now, they both finished their graduate school studies and shared they shared a lot of stories of the things that happened in their lives and she really enjoyed it as they watch the people around them and listening in on other peoples' conversation regarding the royal wedding. Everyone seemed excited and before long, and weirdly she found herself excited as well. It was hard not to be. So she resolved to stay and see this whole thing through.
After all, not very many people were given the chance to witness this kind of royal wedding in their lifetime. In fact, this is the most anticipated wedding of the century because for the first time, a monarch who's a part of LGBTQIA+ is going to have a gay marriage.
It might not have been her princess fairytale and she may not have been the commoner-turned-princess, but who cared, really? Abigail was getting married. At least, she owed it to her to be a little happy and supportive as well.
...
On the day of the wedding itself, Beth and Harrold said that they cannot join her because they have to work first since they both are working in a private company which is not affected by the announcement of today's holiday. So she found herself waiting patiently in the plaza along with hundreds of thousands other people for the Crown Princess to come out of the Great Manor. She knew that she didn't really have a chance to see Abbie up close from where she was standing, squeezed between several hundred others, but it was the closest she could get to her.
Then suddenly, when the people started cheering, she knew that the royal car containing the royal brides had rolled out. She tried to jump up and down to get a glimpse of even just the car but it was impossible. In the end, she decided to just give up. She should have just gone home and it would have been easier. She would have been disappointed, yes, but not this much.
So she decided to walk away. Just walk away from it all and never come back. She had made her peace. It should be enough but for some reason, she found herself started crying as her feet brought her back to a familiar place. And before long, she found herself back at the lake of the university again and Abigail's ring felt heavy in her pocket. If she was a much stronger person, she would have thrown the ring in the lake the first time she came back here because it had no use for her anymore. And she was pretty sure Abbie wouldn't have wanted it back in the first place.
She pulled it out of her pocket and kissed it. For sure, Abbie wanted her to remember their great memories through the ring but it was rather stupid and naïve of her to think that that was possible. Whenever she thought of the princess, it was impossible to separate the good from the bad. But maybe that was what love really was? The good, the bad and everything else that made up a relationship. It was all impossible to forget and just too hard to destroy.
"Is the seat taken?"
Kate suddenly dropped the ring to the ground and almost fell from the bench in her shock. For the love of God, she couldn't believe it.
It was impossible.
That couldn't be.
But the voice was very, very familiar because of all the voices she ever heard, that would be the one she would never forget.
She got to her feet and turned around and there she was, just like the first time, standing there, looking sheepish and determined at the same time. SHE was smiling hesitantly, so careful, as though one wrong move from her may send her running for the hills.
"W-What—? What are you doing here?" Kate wondered briefly if maybe she was dreaming. She even slapped herself to walke her sense up but she's 1000% sure that she's awake.
But if she was, then the knowledge of the royal wedding—which was supposed to be happening a few miles away—shouldn't have been this painful. But then again, what the hell was Abigail doing there?
Abbie was smiling as she then walk towards her with a purpose.
"You know, I come here every day. Every single day since you left." Then she stopped just in front of her, still smiling. "What are you doing here, Ms. Sarocha?"
For two years, she had thought of what to tell Abbie if they were to see each other again, how she would explain herself and perhaps try to win her back. But now she felt stupid because she didn't have any slightest idea of what to say. She didn't know what to do. Instead, she started to cry because she couldn't help it.
"Hey, don't cry. Oh my God." Abbey said slightly panicking, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked worried too, like she didn't know what to do but she desperately wanted to make everything better.
She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands and said, "You're supposed to be getting married."
That was when the girl's face brightened, like a cloud just lifted and she could see everything clearly. Abbie shook her head with the brightest grin on her face.
"It may be a royal wedding but it's not mine."
And the full implication of those words came crashing down upon Katelyn. Abbie wasn't getting married. Not her.
But then—
Abbie must have seen the question on her face because she quickly explained everything.
"It's Patrick. He's getting married. The Crowned Prince found his Princess Charming about two years ago and they're very happy together and very much in love."
"C-Crowned P-Prince?" Kate asked, dumbstruck.
"I haven't been the Crowned Princess in a long time, fyi." The girl answered, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal. "That's why I'm not in the entourage. Father didn't really invite me because we kind of had a falling out."
"Exactly how long?" have you not been the Crowned Princess? goes unheard.
"Since you left." She said straightforwardly. A slight sadness can be detected in her voice and Kate couldn't help but cry a little more. "And I've been doing pretty well for myself. I've been working at this company—"
But Abbie didn't get to finish what she wanted to say because Kate mindlessly threw herself at her about halfway, kissing her ever so passionately like her life depended on it. And perhaps it did. Maybe she hadn't really been breathing properly for the past two years. Maybe this was her breath of life. Her rebirth.
When she pulled back, Abbie was smiling at her, her arms were snaking around her waist.
"What took you so long, Babe? I've been waiting here every day."
"I'm sorry." It was all she could say anyway but the girl shook her head as she wiped all the tears in her face with her thumb. Just small touch and it was enough to make Kate's heart beat faster than usual. Actually, it's just now that she felt her heartbeat because in the last few years, she thought she's hallow and just breathing. She cannot even feel her heart beating.
"Please don't be. You're back now and that all that matters for me. Wait... Are you back for good? For me?"
"Only if you still want me." Kate answered uncertainly.
Instead of saying anything more, Abbie kneels down to pick up the ring Kate dropped a while ago. She expected her to get up and give it back to her but the girl didn't. Instead, she adjusted herself a little until she was kneeling on one knee and she was holding up the ring to her.
It was a familiar gesture, like another deja vu. But she was certain now that her answer would be different.
"Will you say yes now?" Abbie's tone was kind of joking, but underneath it all, there was still that same uncertainty and fear, like she would even say no. But not now. Not after all they'd been through.
"Of course Baby... YES. I will!." She didn't exactly know what she was agreeing to because Abbie didn't exactly say the words. Maybe she was agreeing to marry her or something but whatever. She didn't care. She was saying yes to all and everything in between. As it should be long time ago.
Abbie's smile was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen, like she had just given her the world and everything else that came with it. The got up from her feet and slipped the ring on her ring finger before giving her the most romantic kiss she ever received in her lifetime. Sure, a lot of times Abbie kissed her incredibly because she's a good kisser like that, but this time, the kiss means more. The kiss is an apology, a catch up, a hope, a promise and most importantly, a symbol of love that will now surely last a lifetime.
This. This was how it should have been. How it should always be. This was them. Just them. Not titles. No baggage. Just them and their own little world.
Kate didn't know what had changed, what prompted her to say yes now. Possibly they'd just grown up, that they knew what they wanted now. That after all these years, they still wanted each other. And if that wasn't true love, then maybe nothing was.
It wasn't exactly Cinderella. Because she didn't get the Prince Charming because Abigail was a princess but technically, she wasn't anymore. But if she got to have Abbie, then she didn't really give a flying fuck about Cinderella.
"I love you, Abigail." She whispered.
"I love you, too Katelyn. More than anything in this world." The girl answered.
But then, her eyes widened, like she just got an idea.
"Let's go. We can still catch it if we hurry."
"Catch what?"
Abbie didn't really give her an answer though. Instead, she just dragged her along, back to the plaza where the thousands of people from before were now waiting for the royal parade where the bride and groom, the new Crown Prince and Princess, would be showcased to the world for the first time.
They fought their way through the throng of people in the plaza to get to the front. At first they had to struggle, but when the crowd finally realized that it was actually the former Crowned Princess trying to make her way through, they parted easily, but they started screaming their heads off, cheering happily even though the royal carriage wasn't there yet.
The royal guards noticed though, and when they were finally up front with only the line of royal guards separating them from the main road, they bowed in deference to Abbie. But she grinned and shrugged her shoulders.
It doesn't matter anymore, the gesture said. She not that person anymore.
Abbie was holding her hand tightly when the bridal carriage finally came into view. There was Patrick, looking as handsome as the morning sunshine with a very good-looking bride beside him. They were holding hands and waving to the people and they looked like they were truly in love. Kate really was happy for them. She really was.
People who find their one, true love are very lucky because not every people have that. Not very many people find their soulmates. So it's a gift to be treasured. That kind of love is rare.
When the carriage passed in front of them, the royal couple noticed them immediately. It was hard not to, what with the crowd parted around them. Abbie caught her brother's eyes and her smiled and winked. And when he saw Kate standing beside her, his mouth fell open in shock. But then her started laughing and then he gave them a thumbs-up before the carriage passed.
The moment was over and they were both smiling like idiots.
Afterwards, they walked away, leaving the crowd behind them because life must go on, after all. And it's was time for them to build their own lives now, to start from scratch. It was a daunting task, sure, but they weren't afraid. They had each other now and it may never be perfect all the time but, who gave a shit about that?
No matter what happens in the future, it will be perfect for Abbie and Kate. That was all that really ever matters, right?
Then they walked away together, probably starting to work hard together in their own version of a happy ever after.
Now, Kate can safely say that happy endings do exist, even outside of fairy tales.
— THE REAL END —