Say Hello to the Stars

Epilogue

Baxter hands me a small gift wrapped box. "Um, this is for you."

I quietly unwrap it and smile. It's a copy of Alice and Wonderland. "After all these years, I can't believe you remembered that play." I say.

"I felt like it would compliment your new home." He grins. "Is it too cheesy?"

I wrap my arms around him. "It's perfect."

He smiles and moves the hair from his eyes. Four years later and he still hasn't ditched the boyband haircut. "So now what are you going to do?"

I shrug. "I think I'll just stick around for a few months, and then I can start traveling. Everyone knows how I've been dying to see Paris and Tokyo."

"And then you'll join me again in college, right? Just because you took a year off doesn't mean you can abandon me. I'm still holding on to you."

I smile. "If I'm not back in time, then you can kidnap me."

Baxter laughs and gives me one last hug. "I never told you this, but the kidnapping was all set up. I paid a few guys to scare you and, well, they agreed. Andy agreed as well. Truth is, is that I just wanted to get your attention. I liked you back then. Except I never knew how to express it."

"Well, you did have me fooled, that's for sure." I kiss his cheek. "But you did do an extremely bad job with the break-in."

"I was winging it." He grins and steps back into his car. My heart tells me to go back with him, but I know I can't. I had to leave school to calm down and find my inner self. Johnathan and Andy aren't at my side anymore when I have an anxiety attack. Andy has his students to worry about, and Johnathan is halfway across the world, studying psychology. The only one I have is Baxter, and thank god I do. He gets it, just like the others did. Sure, he's not the best at comforting, but he tries. He really does.

Sometimes I wish everything could go back to how it was in high school. When everyone was together, supporting each-other. Every few weeks Andy would drop by the college and catch up, but it's never how it used to be. He has his life and I have mine; we're both on our separate pathways.

Johnathan's going take a year off to meet me in Paris, where he'll travel around the world with me. I told him it's going to hurt his education, but he's persistent. We'll be together for 363 days. Maybe longer, if everything works out once we finish schooling. I grasp the locket he gave me. Never have I ever taken it off.

I'm not sure where I'll end up or what I'll be doing, but I know I will be with people I love. Love is a powerful thing, and I used to block it out. Now, I welcome it with open arms. It brings a joy that I can't fulfill, but others can.

I place the book in my suitcase before zipping it up. A whole new light fills the house and shines down on my face.

Today is the start of figuring out who I really am.
Today is the start of something new.