The Deep End ✔️

epilogue

BRO IF YOU SAW ME POST
THIS EARLY ITS CUZ MY
WEIRD ASS CAT WOULDNT
STOP LICKING MY PHONE AND HE
PUBLISHED IT????
girl i unpublished so fast

but i am hurrying to finish so i don't
get y'all's hopes up IM SORRY

—

I could taste the salt in the air. That was the first thing I noticed, followed by the unmistakable feeling of familiarity upon stepping out of the airport.

Only this time, I wasn't alone.

"Jesus fuck, it is hot," Dallas whined from beside me, sunglasses already pushed over his eyes and fingers tugging at the collar of his T-shirt. "I didn't miss this."

"I did," I said, closing my eyes for just a second to bask in the sunshine.

Only a few moments later did a mini van with the speakers bumping Kanye pull up to the curb in front of us. The window rolled down to reveal none other than Erick in the driver's seat and a less-than-impressed Aubrey sitting in the seat beside him. I couldn't even fight my grin at the sight of them, no matter how ridiculous my best friend was.

Aubrey scowled. "Make him stop, Uncle Meek."

I nodded in understanding at the now nine-year-old before reaching into the car and flicking her dad on the forehead. He gasped in shock and took off his seatbelt like he was ready to get out and fight me, making Aubrey laugh loudly from the other side of him. Instead, he got out and threw his arms around me, then Dallas.

"Now this is gonna be the best summer ever," he said when our bags were loaded in the trunk and we were seated in the backseat. Dallas looked at me and smiled, grabbing my hand from my lap. "Phoebe loaded up on alcohol, boys, and Grace brought brownies."

"Ooo, brownies," Aubrey cooed.

"Not for you," Erick said quickly. "They have, uh, walnuts in them and you're allergic."

She pouted while I snickered from the backseat. I couldn't believe we were back in Florida already. It felt like just yesterday I was getting tackled by Erick in the middle of the airport, feeling unenthusiastic about the concept of being here and away from home.

Now?

Well, now, I was the happiest I'd ever been in my entire adulthood. Even though it had only technically been two years since we kissed at midnight on New Years, if anyone asked, we were about to celebrate our 4th anniversary. Our real anniversary from the summer we met. Neither of us remembered the exact date of that night on the beach when he confessed his feelings towards me, but we settled on a random date.

And what was better than a beach vacation with the love of your life?

While Aubrey complained to Erick about how she wasn't looking forward to sharing a room with Chris's son Jeremiah because he was annoying, I stared out the window at the palm trees and the big buildings surrounding the road we were on. Dallas squeezed my hand and I looked over at him with his hair blowing in the wind and a big, goofy grin on his face.

"Do we get the pleasure of sleeping in the Nemo room again?" Dallas asked. I giggled to myself just at the memories tumbling back.

Erick scoffed. "Why would I put you disgusting lovebirds in a room with two twins? You got a full mattress this time for all your unspeakable activities. But you're on the same floor as me this year, so keep the volume levels down."

Poor Aubrey's ears.

The rest of the drive was just chock full of playful banter and catching up. Erick was telling us how their son, Alex, was finally saying more than two words and that he expected us to volunteer to babysit again. Playing house with Dallas excited me more than it should have.