The Next Now

EPILOGUE

April's P.O.V

It's a good time to be alive, really.

Yes. It's okay to be alive and happy to be alive.

Maybe I was really the cause of those three deaths, Years ago.
The truth will always remain that there's nothing I can do about that now. It has all happened, and I shouldn't force myself to be unhappy forever.

I can't

Maybe I just feel guilty for some reason.
It's okay to feel guilty when you think you've done something wrong. It's the human part of you.

Don't get me wrong, I still feel guilty.
I still wish we could go back in time and start over again.
But alas, not all wishes come true.

My Mum and Brother wouldn't want me to be alive but dead inside.
Noah's sister wouldn't want that for me or Noah either.
She technically sacrificed her life for me, and gave me a second chance at life. I'd seem ungrateful if I lived unhappy forever.

If we live better, those people are happy wherever they are.
They'd want us to live well.

I don't know when I realized this, but I'm happy I did.

-----

"You will come, won't you?" The young girl asks cheerfully, and I laugh

"I wouldn't miss your Birthday party for even a Justin Bieber's concert, Charlie" I tell her, and she grins

"That's so cute of you, April. Even I would miss my Birthday Party for a Justin Bieber's concert" She admits, and we laugh.
Almost immediately, Charlie's face on the screen is replaced by Charles'

"You have to bring presents" His voice screams puberty yet I can't not see him as a little boy.

Just like Xander

"What does 'Her' mean, anyway?" Charles suddenly asks, and I wrinkle my nose in confusion

"What?" I ask

"I see 'Her' and two emojis concerning love" He says, dumbly and Charlie immediately drags the phone from him

"That's how Noah saved your contact" She tells me, chewing on Lickerish "So romantic, if you ask me"

I burst out laughing at that

"You're blushing, aren't you?" She asks, bringing her face closer to the phone camera.
I hear Charles' distant voice asking why that would make me blush.

Clueless teenage Boys

"Don't lie to me, April" She laughs "I can see your cheeks go red"

"That's a lie" I say quickly

"You both can go now. Let me have time with my girlfriend" I hear, and a chuckle escapes my lips as Noah's handsome face and wet hair appears on the screen

"Hey" I grin widely

"What? Why do you look so happy to see me?" He asks, feigning confusion.

He then makes a thinking face
"Could you be missing me, perhaps?" He asks me, and I wipe my grin away with a snort.

"Miss you? I just thought you'd be expecting me to be happy to see you" I pause, and with an exaggerated eyeroll, I add; "Being a good girlfriend and all"

"H, that was- you really didn't have to do that" He frowns "It hurts right here, H." He places his hand on his chest where the heart is said to be.