If None Of It Had Happened (If He Had Been With Me)

Epilogue

"Finny! Autumn! Come downstairs, your friends are at the door!" Me and Finny break out of our kiss and grin at each other.

"I'll race you." He says, and shoots out of the bed, already running out the door. I have no choice but to follow him. I'm definitely not winning any race, but I can pretend.

As Finny and I reach the bottom of the staircase, we see my mom next to Sylvie and Jack who are standing in the doorway waiting for us.

"Hey guys!" I squeal and run over to give them both a hug. Over the last year we've all become extremely close. Jack and I had started to hit it off in the weeks that we all spent together last summer. And over time as Sylvie and Finny started hanging out more... we became closer too.

It was a little awkward at first, but I soon realized how caring and amazing that Sylvie truly is. And as for her and Jack... well I'm not going to play matchmaker or anything, but there's some definite sparks.

"Hey, Autumn. You guys ready to go?" Sylvie smiles wide, and I notice Jack's hand lingering a beat too long after our group hug. I can't help but smirk a little bit.

"Yep, I think we're good. We can take my car." Finny says, unsurprisingly. Of course he wants to take his car, he's such a little worry wart. He wants to make sure that we take the proper safety precautions, and his car is currently the only one with a med kit available. Plus he likes being the one at the wheel.

Me and Finny slip on our shoes and then we all wave goodbye to my mom as we head out the front door.

We planned a fun night out before college classes start back up. Finny and Jack will head back to their dorm next week, and so will me and Sylvie. Although Sylvie and I had different roommates last year, we both ended up deciding that a swap was for the best. Lucky for both of us we happened to request a swap at the same time, so they just paired our old roommates with each other and then we got to move in together.

College has been a great experience so far, and I know it's only one chapter in what I hope is a long and happy life, but I'm savoring every moment while I can because nothing is ever guaranteed.

I catch Finny's eye, and he winks as we pull out of the driveway.

As we're driving we turn the music up to an insane volume for no reason other than we can, and roll the windows down. Me and Sylvie have our heads hanging out of the window while our hair blows uncontrollably.

I settle back into my seat with a contented sigh as I put my hand into my purse, feeling for the small crown that I've packed inside. It was one of the crowns that Finny picked out for me. Although I'm past the person that I was when I received this crown, I think it represents how far I've come and grown into the person I am today.

My heart warms as I look down at it and I smile, but I also know what I have to do.

So without looking back or worrying about the future, I throw the crown out of the window and watch it land on the sidewalk. Maybe someone who needs it will find it lying there, but I know that person isn't me anymore.

I do sometimes wonder what my life would be like if none of it had happened. If I'd never met Finny, if we'd never fallen in love, and if I'd never met my true friends.

But luckily for me... it did.

THE END.