Epilogue – I
Months passed after that day. Luke and I have been inseparable throughout all those months. My boyfriend had been the best person I've ever seen in my whole life. Yes, we did fight like every other couple, but then they never lasted longer than thirty minutes. My parents and brothers approved of him, even though Aaron was slightly unhappy that I was breaking his no dating till thirty rule; he got over it pretty quickly.
It took me about a month to get the courage to tell my parents and brothers about Luke and I. Luke on the other hand though, dragged me back to his house the same evening of my confession day – his birthday and had told his parents about us being in love and about us now being a couple. Katie was so happy, that she had started to squeal like a school girl, whereas Luke's grandma, who had also been there when Luke told the news, had silently resorted to glare at me the whole time – for some reason, she still hates me.
Jamie, Luke's dad was also happy for us and had told us that he had always thought that we would end up together some day, because it was impossible for any girl to not fall in love with his son. While Luke had just rolled his eyes at his dad, I had smiled at that and told him that he was right. It was impossible not to fall in love with Luke Warrens.
David and Ethan had told me that it was so obvious that we had been in love with each other and they had thought that we were just too stubborn to admit to it. When I had finally got the guts to tell everyone in my family about me and Luke being a couple, they both had gone all I told you so to each other. Not really the kind of reaction that I had been waiting for.
Andrew had told me that if I really thought that I was in love with Luke, then he was all in for it. I told him that I knew I was in love with Luke and that there was no one in this world who I could love more than him. He was happy for me.
Aaron on the other hand, was a mess for a few days and he was even more of a mess when he found out that we had been dating for about a month before I told everyone in the family. He did give Luke the infamous 'Big Brother Talk' and told him that he would cut his balls if he ever hurt me. Harper just rolled her eyes at that and reminded him about the fact that her brother had not cut his balls when he had hurt her – plenty of times. Aaron scoffed at that and told her to just get over it already.
Reece had been very happy to hear about me and Luke finally getting the courage to confess about our feelings to each other. He was still in Sydney and him and Liana were still together and happy as ever. Liana told me that they would have loved to be here for me and the others today, but since their graduation was tomorrow and they wouldn't have enough time to fly down here and then go back, they couldn't be here.
Weston recently found the girl that he has been searching for and he has been happier than ever. Though he says that it is nothing serious and that they are only seeing where things are going. I know that Weston is about half way into falling in love with Gabriella. She looked cute when Weston showed me her picture in one of our Skype calls, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to talk to her yet. Maybe in the near future I would.
Sierra and Violet became more civil and friendly to me with the days that passed. It was kind of a little boring without having Violet pick on me every day, but I wouldn't lie, it was good and less frustrating to see her smile at me when we cross each other's' paths in the hallways.
Violet had been dating Adam for about four months now and they are both happy. They are even going to the same University, so I guess there would be more of their relationship. She had changed a lot for most of the parts, but she still dressed in as little clothes as possible, but we were all used to it by now. If she started wearing more clothes that would be difficult for anyone in this school to get used to.
Sierra and the secret boy that she had been seeing did not work out or so she told me a few weeks after Luke and I started dating. She was happy for Luke and me, but at the same time, she was unhappy that her own relationships were not working out. I assured her that she would find someone soon – maybe very soon. We were all good friends now.
Tristan was still into his playboy ways and was still the heartthrob of our school. Girls still fall for his charm, some of them do so even after knowing that all he says to them is pre-practiced and he wouldn't even call them after they had hooked up. He was living his life the way he wanted to.
Theo and Kyra were still together and they were very happy with each other. It was sometimes very weird to see them kissing each other or you know, just being all cute and couple-y, because when they fight with each other so much that anyone who doesn't know their relationship would have thought that they hate each other. As much as they argue and exchange heated words, they loved each other like there was no tomorrow.
River has not gotten back into the dating wagon yet, he was still reeling from his last heartbreak. About six months ago, one surprising day when River Welkins of all the people opened up to me without me having to force my way into his thoughts; he had told me that he was over Kyra, but not over the fact that his first love chose his cousin over him. Of course, he was not bitter about it anymore, but it still pained him to think that. He was slowly trying to diminish all those thoughts because he was afraid that one day he will explode to Theo about it and not really mean his words, but that could still hurt Theo's feelings.
Ryder had been dating this girl called Melanie from his Chemistry class for about six months now. They just broke up last week because they thought that it was time to end it and that their relationship was not working out. Ryder was all fine with it and had told us that they were both better off as friends than as a couple.
Axel had left Melbourne, three months after our Year 12 had started; he had started school in a University in Singapore. He did stop by at my house to say goodbye, too bad Aaron had been breathing down my neck the whole time, making our last moments before he left for university a very awkward one. Nevertheless, he wished me luck with my year 12 and also with my new relationship with Luke – that time it was very much new, we had only been a couple for two months then. Last I heard from Ryder, Axel was happy and still single, pursuing his degree of architecture in a University somewhere in Singapore. I cannot be happier for him.
Mrs. Daniels, Ryder and Axel's mom was not Mrs. Daniels anymore, she was now Miss. Tunney. Yes, Ryder and Axel's parents got divorced over the course time of our Year 12 and their father moved out of the house. Ryder told me that he has been dating his hot secretary since then and didn't even have a little remorse over what he had done to their family. Both, Ryder and Axel did not want anything to do with that man and they are not on talking terms still.
Kade and Nova, unfortunately, broke up because of some stupid fight about choosing colleges. Nova had insisted that she go back to her table for lunch and eat there alone, but we had told her that we were not having it and that we are her friends too. She reluctantly started to sit with us in our table during lunch, but as far away from Kade as possible. It has been about two months since they broke up.
Kade looked fine for most of the days, but I knew that it was killing him on the inside to know that he had let a stupid fight come in between him and his girlfriend – well, ex-girlfriend now. He was too much full of pride to apologize and take her back though – I heard him tell Luke that the break up was what Nova wanted. They were not on talking terms for about two months, before they slowly started to acknowledge each other's' presence. It was still difficult for them to talk, but they are trying to remain friendly and civil with each other.
Otis was not a puppy anymore. He was now all grown up and very big. Luke still loves him the same way he loved his as a puppy. I love him the same way too. We take turns walking Otis in the evening. Some days though, we take him on his evening walk together and then take him to a nearby dog's park, to let him play. When he's playing there, Luke and I make sure to spend our time together.
My parents as they had promised, started to spend more time with us. Mom had quit business altogether and had stayed home, often torturing me by prancing into my room wearing a lingerie or a bikini. Sometimes, I think that she forgets that I'm not her friend or a sister her age, but her daughter who is a lot less younger than her and wouldn't want to see her own mom in a racy lingerie or a skimpy bikini.
Dad had moved the entire base of our company to Melbourne, that way he could go to work in the mornings and then come back home for dinner like all other dads do. Sometimes, he even works from home, that way we got a lot of bonding time.
Aaron took some time getting used to all these changes in the family, but I know that secretly he had been happy that they were at least trying. My other brothers too visited home from time to time and thanksgiving this year had been wonderful with our family together. All my brother's girlfriends and my boyfriend were also present for the dinner.
"WAKE UP! IT IS WAY PAST NOON!" someone screamed in one of my ears and I let out a squeal jumping off my bed and onto the floor with a thud that hurt my rear very badly.
An obnoxious laughter filled my ears and I cringed, trying to blink the sleep out of my eyes. Whoever it was who was stupid enough to wake me this way was so going to pay. They wouldn't know what had hit them.
"Aw, Care," the person cooed, a mocking tone in their words, "Did my scream startle you?"
"I am going to kill you," I said as I looked up to meet the beaming face of my brother Aaron.
"Uh oh, she is having that crazy glint in her eyes," Aaron's eyes widened, and he was immediately running past me and out of my door, "Mom! Dad!"
I was up and right behind him on his heels, and I know for sure that if the look in my eyes previously didn't scream crazy like Aaron had just told, the look in my eyes now, really did scream crazy. No one gets to disturb me from my sleep and then live. Not to mention, I had not been able to sleep properly the whole night because anxiety and nerves had been crowding my brain. I didn't want to be disturbed from my sleep today.
"I am really going to kill you!" I screeched, extending my hand in hope that I would catch him as we ran down the stairs. Too bad, all my hand did was scratching his neck slightly with my recently manicured nails, but it was enough to make him wince. A small pang of satisfaction came onto my mind and I let out a small smile of victory slip out of my lips.
"What happened?" our mom rushed out of the kitchen, a wooden spoon in her hand, an apron covering her body, a panicked look on her face, "Why did I hear screaming? Who killed who?"
If I had been in a better mood I would have laughed at the look on her face and would have rolled my eyes at her words, but I was not, so I just remained silent concentrating on the current task in my hand – Killing Aaron Harper.
Aaron ran to our mom, hiding him tall form behind her short figure expertly, looking at me with wide eyes over her shoulder, "Mom, save me! Save your last angel of a son from your last devil of a daughter. She is trying to kill me."
Mom chuckled slightly as I stopped running and stood before her, trying to see an escape around her to reach Aaron, so that I can kill him. She shook her head at me, "What did your brother do today?"
"He woke me up from my afternoon nap!" I screeched, internally wincing at my own high pitched voice.
"Uh oh," Harper mocked, walking out from the kitchen, a glass of orange juice in her hand and a devilish glint in her eyes, "And you let him live even after that?"
"Nope," I shook my head, watching as Aaron shot a panicked slash warning glare at Harper, "I'm so going to kill your boyfriend."
She nodded, taking a sip out of her glass, "Feel free to kill him for hitting on my roommate too."
Harper had been studying in the University of Melbourne with Aaron, both of them studying to get a degree in Graphic designing. They were still pretty new to this college life and were trying to make everything workout. Between going on dates, to spending as much time as possible with each other and coping up with the amount of studying that they had to do, they were trying to juggle everything equally.
Aaron had been staying at home, not opting to stay in the dorms because the University was not really that far away from our house. A maximum of a ten minute drive from here to there. Harper on the other hand was staying at the University dorms, sharing a room with another girl, a very flirty and very direct girl called Meredith. Apparently, she always flirts with my brother. Aaron flirts back with her playfully and it always gets on Harper's nerves. Now you know why my brother hits on that girl every time they meet – he loves making Harper jealous.
"Shut up, Harp," Aaron snapped at her, giving her a look, "If she gets her hands on me, you would be without a boyfriend for the rest of your life."
"Damn right, she would be," I glared at him, my eyes shooting daggers at him, "Because you would be dead by the time I finish with you."
"Actually, I wouldn't be without a boyfriend for the rest of my life like you both think," she shook her head, immediately protesting against both our statements, "I would just mourn for the next two months and then completely forget about the lousy boyfriend that I had," she pretended to think and then let out a shrug, "And then I would move on. I would probably date Floyd."
She knew that would always hit a nerve with Aaron.
"Harper Mathews!" My brother boomed and I began laughing.
This was more of a punishment to him than the instant killing that I had planned, so I backed down and smiled at our mother who had an amused smile plastered to her face as she looked between the three of us.
"What?" Harper faked a frown, "You think that I will not move on after you died? Of course, I will. I cannot be single my entire life thinking about the awful boyfriend that I had who got killed by his sister for waking her up from her precious nap."
"You should move on," Aaron said, a serious tone in his voice, looking at her intently, "You can move on, with anyone else but Floyd. You and I both know that it's not the right thing to do."
"Why would you care?" she shot back, "It is not like you will be alone in hell. By next week I would've killed Meredith and then she will happily come join you in hell. You can both be together there creating more troubles for Satan. I can be together here with Floyd, creating more happy memories with him."
Oh, now I understand. Harper is having her revenge over Aaron for flirting with Meredith, by bringing in her ex-boyfriend, Floyd into their argument. You go, girl! If he can make you jealous by hitting on Meredith, you can surely make him jealous by talking about Floyd.
"After me, you can have any number of happy memories, Harp," my brother's voice was soft, yet somehow stern, "Just not with Floyd."
"Why not?" she shot, her eyes throwing daggers at Aaron, "You wouldn't be here anyway. You would be happy in hell with Meredith-"
My brother cut her off, by lunging at her and attaching his lips to hers. And that was mine and my mom's cue to leave the place as we started to stager in the opposite directions – mom back to the kitchen, to continue whatever it was she was cooking and me to the living room.
Before I left the place, I looked at Aaron and Harper over my shoulder, a soft smile playing at my lips as I watched them kiss passionately. My brother pulled away from his girlfriend and rested his forehead against hers, both their breaths coming out ragged.
"You know that I love you," Aaron said, his voice low, but was still heard from where I stood, "If I was flirting with Meredith, it was because I love to see you get all jealous. It makes me feel that you still want me as much as I want you."
"You don't have to flirt with anyone to feel that way," Harper cupped both Aaron's cheeks, looking into his eyes, "I still want you. I will always want you. I love you."
"That's good to know," he smiled down at her, love shining through his eyes, "I'll never flirt with Meredith again, if it bothers you that much."
"And I will never bring up Floyd again, just to spite you," she said and anything they said to each other after that was not heard by me because I had already gone out of the hearing range and into the living room.
A happy smile was plastered to my face as I walked into the living room and plopped onto the couch between David and Ethan. Their relationship had improved a lot since Aaron's graduation, and not to mention, they were both now living in London – just two blocks away from each other and that helped their bond more.
On the other side of David sat, Luanne, his girlfriend of six months. Luanne had been a friend of Ethan and is still a medical student. She and Dave first met one day when he was lounging around in Ethan's house and Luanne had stopped by to drop in s book of his that she had borrowed. David had gotten instantly smitten with her and they had gone on their first date that very same month.
Ethan sat on my other side, typing vigorously on his phone, probably texting with his girlfriend, Ivy who couldn't make it here today because she was on a business trip to New York with her boss. Ivy was three years older than my brother; but age was just a number in their case and they were deeply in love with each other.
Ethan first met Ivy in a medical conference to which her boss had been the chief guest to. It was about eight months ago. Ivy had accompanied her boss like the good secretary that she is and had ran into Ethan – not literally, of course – when she had been walking around the campus.
The first time that I met Luanne and Ivy was at the Thanksgiving this year and they were both really sweet. I really, really wish that things worked out between them and they stayed together, forever.
"I knew you were up the moment I heard Aaron screaming," David commented, nudging my shoulder with his.
"Don't start, Dave," I rolled my eyes at him and Luanne immediately started laughing.
"What did he do anyways?" she asked, raising a curious eyebrow at me.
"Well, for one, he woke me from my afternoon nap when I was just trying to rest after not having a good night's sleep last night," I told her, "And, two, he woke me up by screaming into my ear."
Luanne laughed again, "You both tear me up so much."
I rolled my eyes at her again and turned to look at Ethan when he nudged my shoulders with his, "What's wrong? Why couldn't you sleep?" he asked, looking worried.
I smiled, shaking my head at him, "It's nothing. I was just scared and anxious because I'm graduating today."
"It will all be fine," he assured me, slinging his arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer to him.
"I know," I nestled my head in the crook of his elbow and rested my legs over David's lap as I thought about how fast my Year 12 of high school went.
It was fun, for most of the part, but then towards the end, things got a little crazy as everyone got busy with their own college applications, receiving acceptance letters and choosing the best college for them to study. Getting caught up in those days was not something that I had been expecting. Things got a little rocky between me and Luke that time too, but we pulled through them with as much grace as possible.
My eyes traveled to the charm in my hand that I had not removed since the day Luke presented it to me on my seventeenth birthday. An extra charm was now hanging down it along with the other charms that had been hanging from it when he had given it to me. That extra charm was an infinity symbol that he had given me for my eighteenth birthday. He had told me that the love he has for me was infinite. I had called him cheesy for that, but had not been able to stop myself from jumping into his arms and kiss him senseless.
"Aw, princess is finally awake," a voice said and I looked over Ethan's shoulder to see Weston walking into the living room, Andrew and Cady right on his heels.
Andrew and Cadence had gotten married about two months ago and they had gone on their honeymoon to Bora Bora. They were still in their newlywed stage and have been spending a lot of their time locked inside their bedroom, since the moment they had gotten here to Melbourne.
Weston had accompanied them here because he wanted to be here for me today – or that is what he told me. Weston had graduated about a week ago and was complaining to me about how boring it was in Tasmania because all his friends had gone on their summer vacation and he couldn't go because his father had gotten sick at that time and he didn't want to leave him alone. I had then told him to fly to Melbourne with Drew and Cady to attend my graduation. It had sounded like a nice idea to me back then, now it sounds bad, because all he has done since the moment he came here was pick on me.
"Go away, West," I grumbled, burying my face into Ethan's chest and shielding my face from Weston.
"And here I thought you loved me," he playfully pouted, sitting on the couch opposite to me.
"No," a familiar voice spoke, "She doesn't love you, because she loves me."
An unconscious smile pulled up at my lips and I looked up to see Luke entering the living room, looking all yummy and handsome. He greeted Luanne with a simple hi and accepted the hug that Cady gave him. He greeted all my brothers with a fist bump before he gave Weston a man hug – their relationship got a little closer over the past few months as he came to realize that Weston was now my family too, since Drew married Cady.
When he turned to look at me, the same charming smile that I had grown to love, plastered to his face, I couldn't help but let my heart race. His face suddenly became serious as he looked at me with a pained expression plastered to his face.
I frowned, immediately, onto my feet as I looked up at him with concern, "What is it?"
He swallowed, his hands holding my hips and pulling me closer to him, "We need to talk."
Normally those are the four words someone would use before breaking up with their girlfriends, so you know why the panic inside me grew as I nodded at him and dragged him up the stairs to my room. I silently closed the door behind him and locked it, turning around to face my possibly ex-boyfriend in a few minutes.
"What-"
I was cut off by his lips crashing into my own, his hands gripping my waist and hoisting me up, my legs coming around his waist as he gently slammed my back against my room's door. A groan escaped his mouth when I locked my tongue with his, both of us battling for dominance.
"I missed you," he whispered, going in for another kiss.
"I missed you too," I tugged at his hair, "But we should stop this now. My brothers are just down the stairs."
He gave me a smirk, his hands running up my thighs, "It's not like it would be the first time we did it with your brothers just down the stairs."
I blushed at that. Luke and I did the deed, a few months after we started to date – three months to be exact and during that time Aaron and Andrew were just down the stairs, planning something for Andrew's wedding. They hadn't caught onto what we were doing up here in my room though, so that was a good thing.
I tapped his forehead slightly, as I jumped off him on the floor, "They would kill you if they found out that we have already done it."
"I don't care," he mumbled, coming up behind me and pulling my body back to his, my back pressed to his front as he nuzzled his head into the crook of my neck, kissing me there, "You just have to stay silent. Cut down your moaning and screaming and we would be fine. I want you."
I turned completely red at the mention of my moans and screams, my mind traveling back to the time when we had last made love to each other – which was just last night at his home when according to his mum, we were supposed to be arranging his closet.
My resolve was breaking with every kiss that he placed over my neck, working his way up my throat. I shuddered when he slightly caressed his lips over my sweet spot, blowing air over it, teasing me. My hands fisted as desire pooled inside of me.
I turned around and locked my arms around his neck, looking into his eyes that were reflecting the same thing that my eyes were now filled with. Lust.
"Just be quick."
Even when I said that, I knew that he would take his time with me. And he did.