[Ten Years Later]
I faced him and frantically grabbed his collar. “You’re leaving me? Why? I’ve always been there for you and this is what you’re doing to me? Have you no compassion for me at all? I… I…” I nervously looked at Olive who urged me to go on.
“Cut!” the director, Mr. Davis, shouted. He gave me a disapproving look. “Your line was, ‘I thought you love me too.’”
I smiled sheepishly. “Whoops.”
Mr. Davis sighed. “We’ll continue tomorrow, guys. Good night!”
Kyle, who was my leading man in my new movie, patted my shoulder comfortingly. “Cheer up, Autumn. I’m pretty sure you’re going to memorize your lines by tomorrow.”
I smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Kyle.”
I bade him goodbye and slowly made my way towards Olive. She grabbed my hand and dragged me to my dressing room. I opened my mouth to protest but she raised her finger to her lips. “No more words!” And so I clamped my mouth shut.
When we arrived at the dressing room, she immediately locked the door and faced me. “What are your plans for tonight?” she asked, grinning broadly.
I frowned at her and slowly removed my blonde wig. “What do you mean ‘plans’?”
“It’s your anniversary with Xavier, right? You’ve been for ten or eleven years now!”
“Eleven,” I corrected with a smile and took off my costume. “And why do you need to know, anyway? Just because you’re my manager, you have to know everything in my life.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Technically, Autumn, I’m your boss.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t think so. Without my acting skills, then you wouldn’t have money.”
Olive considered this. “That’s quite right. And don’t you change the topic!”
I gave her a look. “You were the one who changed the topic.”
“So what the hell are your plans?! I just want to know!”
I sighed and put on my skinny jeans and top. “There are no plans for us tonight, Olive,” I confessed and slipped on my three-inched Jimmy Choos heels.
Olive seemed genuinely crestfallen. “No… plans?”
I sat on my chair and faced my mirror. I grabbed my brush and started brushing my messy red hair. “No plans, I’m afraid,” I said sadly. “I woke up this morning without Xavier by my side. He left me a note saying that he went to work early. He didn’t even greet me since it’s our anniversary… He also told me that he would be home late at night because he has some appointment.”
If it wasn’t for Olive hugging me tightly, then I would have burst into tears. “Oh, Autumn… I can’t believe Xavier’s like that!”
I pulled away and forced up a smile. “He’s a doctor, so I should understand him. He understood me if I go home late myself.” Then my expression changed into horrified. “Oh my God, what if he’s cheating on me?”
Olive looked surprised and shocked. “He’s not going to cheat on you!” she said incredulously.
“But what if?”
“We’re talking about Xavier, aren’t we? And not some other dude?”
“Um… yes.”
“Xavier wouldn’t cheat on you,” Olive told me firmly. “He loves you dearly.”
I stood up from my chair and shrugged my shoulders at Olive. “How do I look? Do I look desperate?”
Olive nodded. “Yes.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
She pointed at my outfit. “Your top looks horrible, your jeans has been popular in our mother’s time, and your hair… I don’t even want to think about your hair.”
“I’m going to spend my night alone anyway,” I said dismissively. “What’s the point of dressing up?”
“You are so not going to spend your night alone, Autumn, dear,” Olive insisted and forced me to sit back down on the chair. “Listen, why don’t we go to the club and part-ay? We’re twenty-seven! We’re supposed to have fun with our lives when we still can.”
“I don’t know about that… What if Xavier goes home earlier and founds out I’m not at home?”
“Then make him feel guilty!”
Olive went to my closet and brought out an evening pink dress. “Ooh, I like the look of this,” she said, smiling at me.
I shook my head firmly. “Hell no! I’m only allowed to wear that in the movie!”
“Well, are you going to tell Davis?”
“No…”
“What he doesn’t know wouldn’t hurt him,” Olive said surely. “Try it on! It would really look good with your pink heels. You know, the one that you bought last week?”
“But my heels are back at home…”
“We’ll just pass by your house to get the heels and then we’d be on our way to the club!” And then Olive grabbed my make-up kit and made her way to me. “Mind if I do your make-up?”
I stuck my tongue out. “Can you just call my make-up artist? I don’t like you doing anything with my face.”
Olive rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
***
“And now you look pretty! Not that you don’t look pretty without make-up,” Olive said and giggled.
I twirled in front of the mirror and grinned. “Wow! Nice work, Olive! I couldn’t believe you transformed me into… this!”
“I know—” But whatever Olive would say was interrupted when her phone suddenly rang. “Yeah? Tonight? But— Fine. Fine, fine! I’m leaving the studio.” Then she hung up with a gloomy expression. “Damn it.”
“What is it?” I asked, frowning.
“Mom called me. She said that we’re going to have a family dinner tonight and I wouldn’t be missing it.”
“Oh,” I muttered. “That’s just great. I’m really going to spend the night alone, huh?”
“I’m really sorry,” Olive apologized.
“I’m just going to take off—”
“No! Why don’t you just call Summer and Mandy when you get back home? I heard that they’re in town.”
I pursed my lips. “And what if they aren’t?”
“Kelly?”
“She’s busy with her new baby.”
“Claire?”
“Honeymoon with her second husband.”
“Parents?”
“In Paris.” I sighed and then shrugged my shoulders. “Now what I’m going to do?”
“Go to a classy restaurant and look for someone new?”
I glared at Olive. “What are you talking about?”
“Just promise me you would call Summer and Mandy.”
“Fine,” I sighed and leaned forwards to grab my phone.
“When you get back home!” Olive said, stopping my hand. “Call them when you get back home!”
“Why not now?”
“Just because!”
I frowned at Olive confusedly. “Are you all right or something?”
“I am! Just… just call them when you get back home.”
I continued frowning at her but nodded nonetheless. “Okay then…”
***
“Spending the night alone!” I muttered as I got out of my car. “What a night! What a really great night!”
I continued grumbling to myself as I struggled in the dark to open the front door. “Anniversary without him… And here I thought we’re going on fine…”
I finally opened the door and stepped inside. I raised my hand to open the light, but then I suddenly noticed that there was already light. I frowned when I realized there were at least twenty candles in the room.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
And then I suddenly felt someone put a hand on my waist, making me scream so loud.
“What the— Autumn, it’s me!”
I turned around and saw Xavier, wearing a tuxedo. “Why were you screaming?” he questioned.
“Crap, you scared me,” I gasped and put a hand on my chest. “You scared the shit out of me.”
Xavier chuckled. “I did?”
“Yes you did,” I said, glaring at him. “What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you’re going to have an appointment or something?”
“Well, I lied.”
“You lied?”
“Yes, I lied.”
“Why would you lie about something like that?”
“Because I love you,” he whispered and kissed my lips softly. When he pulled away, he told me softly, “Happy anniversary, Autumn.”
I smiled up at him. “You remembered?”
“Of course I would remember. Why wouldn’t I?” he said and flicked my nose gently. “Don’t you like my gift?”
“You didn’t give me any gift... yet.”
“That dress you’re wearing.”
“What?” I gasped and then looked down at my outfit. “You bought this from the studio?”
Xavier nodded. “Yeah. I quarreled with Davis with it.”
“Oh my God, that’s awesome!” I laughed and kissed him again. “Thank you so much. You’re the best.”
“And if you think that’s the surprise, think again. Let’s go,” he said and enveloped my hand on his.
“Where are we going?” I asked, frowning.
“To the dining room. My surprise is there.”
Feeling strangely excited, I followed Xavier to the dining room. When we arrived there, I gasped and I felt tears welling in my eyes.
“Do you like it?” he asked, grinning at me.
I couldn’t speak. It was too beautiful that no words could describe it. Xavier prepared me a big dinner that I think he made. Rose petals covered the floor, and the only light that I could see was the candlelight on the middle of the dining table.
A gorgeous dress and a candlelight dinner? Yep, I think I have the best boyfriend ever.
“It’s… it’s… Oh Xavier, no words could describe how I feel!”
Xavier chuckled. “I think that’s a compliment.”
“That’s more than a compliment,” I corrected him and hugged him tightly. “I love you so much, don’t you know that?”
“’Course I know that,” he said, ruffling my hair. “You look beautiful tonight. I expect Olive did a good job, then?”
“Olive’s involved with this?” I gasped.
He nodded. “Oh yes. I asked her help.” With that, he helped me in my seat and then sat down across me. “Let’s eat?”
“Did you make this?” I asked as I dug into my lasagna.
“Most of it,” he replied. “Summer and Mandy helped me.”
“They were here?”
“Yeah. It’s a bit tough since Summer’s husband’s really busy and no one could take care of the kids.”
“Ah…”
Xavier and I continued talking while eating and just enjoying each other’s company. It’s been a long time since Xavier and I have spent time together like this. Mostly because of work. Xavier’s busy with his hospital and I’m busy with my acting career.
When we were done eating, something about Xavier changed. He suddenly seemed nervous and he kept shuffling uncomfortably.
“Is something wrong?” I asked worriedly as I watched him.
He forced up a smile and shook his head. “No…”
“Why do you—”
“I have an important thing to say,” he interrupted me.
I frowned. “Um, okay. What is it?”
Xavier got up from the seat and did something that really surprised me.
He kneeled in front of me and grabbed my right hand, not breaking eye contact. “Autumn, I have loved you since we were in high school. You were always there for me and… I love you so much that… that…” He trailed off and then sighed angrily. “Crap, this is not working.”
“What?” I chuckled.
“Summer and Olive helped me proposing to you. They even wrote what I have said. I memorized it this morning… but I can’t remember a word now that it’s really happening.”
I burst out laughing. “You asked help in proposing to me?”
“I wanted it to be special,” he said rather defensively. Then he smiled at me. “But I’m not going to say the words that they wrote. I’m going to tell you what I really feel.”
“Now that’s romantic… I think,” I giggled.
He smiled and looked up at me with those blue eyes. “Autumn Bailey… I never stopped loving you since we were in high school. Everyday of my life since then, I couldn’t help to fear what will happen to me if I ever lose you. When you had your accident and you forgot your memories about us, I thought it’s the end of my world. I thought you will never remember me, that you will never regain your memories. But then Summer told me something. That if we’re really meant to be with each other, then we’re going to go through this hell together. Though you never regained your memories, I made you fall in love with me all over again and you also made me fall in love with you. Now… years after… my love for you had never fade. And something tells me that we’re going to have to take the next huge step.”
Xavier grabbed something from his pocket and then slipped it on my finger. When I looked down, it was a diamond ring. I gasped, my eyes filled with tears.
“I loved you yesterday, I love you today and I will love you tomorrow. I would love to spend each day and night for the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up in the morning next to you. And I also want to sleep at night beside you. Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime,” he said and then paused. He smiled at me nervously and kissed the back of my hand. “I love you, Autumn. Will you be my wife and my companion forever?”
I didn’t give it another thought. Tears started making their way out when I nodded. “Yes, Xavier! I would be honored to marry you!”
Xavier grinned and then buried me into a tight hug. I hugged him back, burying my tear-streaked face on his shoulder. That was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever told me. And I will always remember that.
I kissed Xavier softly and then pressed my forehead to his. “I love you so much,” I whispered.
“I love you, too, Autumn.”
I never regained my memory. The only ones that I remembered were the two memories I had when I was seventeen. But even though I never regained my memory, I fell in love with Xavier all over again.
A terrible fate might do harm in our love. But I believe that Xavier and I belong to each other. And that’s why we had overcome the problems that we have.
I know its cliché when people say “It’s not the ending, but the beginning” whenever a story ends. But it’s the perfect phrase now my story is ending. Xavier and I are just only in the beginning of our beautiful life together.
And before I leave and let this story be complete, I have one little advice for all of you people.
Never give up in true love – whatever the circumstances are.
____
Omg did I just cry? :( Aww, I’m really sad to end this story!! But what choice do I have? Lol.
I hope you had a good time with this story. :) Thank you so much for reading this, xxx!!
- Bella, xoxo.