𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙖'𝙨 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙧

Epilogue

"Completely and perfectly incandescently happy." 

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

~♣~ 

The sunset beamed over the ocean as it lowered itself in the sky. 

"Valeria!" She turned around and saw someone running towards her. 

"Tate?" Tate's rosy cheeks were stained with tears. "Oh my god!" 

Valeria ran and hugged her best friend. "I'm so sorry, I wish I was there. I wish no one had to kill you to get to me." Tate only smiled. 

"I'm sorry we both didn't get to live long lives. But I forgive you, I forgive Ryker and Sabrina too. How has... What is Jordan doing? Is he ok?" The breath in her throat caught, she remembered all those times Jordan looked so close to breaking. 

"Jordan has always been strong you know that. But, he has a family now. People are helping him, you don't need to worry." Valeria only wished Jordan would be ok. 

"Ryker isn't here you know." Valeria looked up to meet her eyes, "what do you mean." Tate's eyes drifted to the ocean. 

"His soul didn't make it here. But you can find him, bring him back if you'd like." Ryker and Valeria, she would be stupid if she wanted to go search for him.

But he was Ryker. He is home.

"I saw you on earth. Val, you got lucky. Most people can't even find one great love, but you managed to find two. Vince isn't here, but I think it was Ryker all along." 

"I must have loved him a lot." 

"You did." 

"Valeria?" 

"Yeah?" Valeria started to feel a chill run over her.

"I think it's time for you to rest now. I think you should let him find you. Ryker will come one day, whenever his soul is ready." Valeria's stomach hurt. 

"How long could that be?"

"Ryker killed many people, he lied, he betrayed you. But alas, it wasn't his fault. He's with his parents at the moment. If you'd like... you can go to your grandma." 

"She would be horrified if she saw me. I think I need to rest too." 

~♣~

7 years later

It was strange in the afterlife. At least the form Valeria was in. 

She still looked like a 17-year-old girl but in her mind, she just turned 24.

The skies have passed and gone, she's seen much more souls walk up and down this beach. But her heart longed for someone else to come.

"I heard you've been waiting for me." Beside her stood a figure, the same brown hair, and dark ocean eyes. 

"Ryker!" Valeria picked up her summer dress in her hands and ran across the pathway leading from her house to the water. 

Without looking at him, she grabbed him by the shoulder and swung herself on him. Holding him close and tight. 

"I've missed you so much." She said and Ryker laughed. 

Ryker took her face into his hands and caressed her cheek. 

"I waited. And waited for the day I would see you. I thought you would be angry but...forgive me."

His mouth came crashing down on her for the first time in 7 years. 

He still smelled the same, the taste of his mouth moving with her. As his hands trailed down her hip. 

It felt like fireworks. 

That's what love is, isn't it? 

But it's also heartbreak and sadness. 

"You look so certain, you look like your staring at stars." She said to him once the kiss broke. 

"I love stars." And that was the only thing that told her this was all true. 

"I love you." Her head leaning against his chest. 

"You will forever be my always." He said kissed her forehead. 

"Do you want to talk about what happened on earth?" His whisper was light but the ache was still new. 

The reason she did it. She felt misunderstood, she felt like a pawn in everyone's life. 

"Later. I want to watch the sunset go down." They sat down her head against his shoulder watching the sun go down. 

Ryker smiled and turned slightly to see if Valeria was doing ok. But her breathing stretched out and softened. She is sleeping. 

He knew he would never be finished falling in love with her.