Back Where I Belong

Chapter 59 (Epilogue)

Connor's pov  (seventeen years later)

"Ariana Kate! Get your butt back here now!" I yell, chasing after my best friend.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it if I don't?" Ari asks, smiling at me mischievously. There was a dangerous glint in her eye, daring me to try to catch her. She could outrun me. And she and I both knew it.

"I'll get Charlotte," I threaten, knowing she'll give in.

"No you won't. Cause if you do, then you'll have to deal with my mom giving you a million hugs before actually helping you," she points out. She was right.

"Come on, Ari!" I whine, "I just want my notebook back!"

"Why? Want to keep writing love letters to your secret girlfriend?" She teases, her eyes lighting up.

My cheeks redden, "No!"

"You're lying Connor Reed! You blushed! You have a secret girlfriend!" She yells at the top of her lungs. She opens the notebook, ready to find out who it is.

I panic and charge at her, tackling my best friend to the ground. She grunts, releasing the notebook.

"You caught me by surprise on that one, Irwin. Nice job," she compliments, sitting up.

I grab my notebook and stand back up. I extend my hand, helping entry back up. Ari accepts, pulling herself up. She proceeds to brush the dirt off of her butt.

"Did I tackle you soon enough?" I ask, suddenly becoming very shy.

"I don't know," she replies, "What does soon enough mean to you?"

"Before you read the notebook. Before you found out the gi-"

Ariana cuts off my sentence by pressing her lips against mine. My eyes widen. My heart rate accelerates, beating out of my chest. My brain went haywire. I had millions of thoughts flying around inside my head.

"Does that answer you question?" She breathes, pulling her lips away from mine.

At a loss for words, I just nod quickly, still not over the shock of what just happened. Ariana laughs and kisses me again.

Zoey's pov

"I told you guys," I brag, "pay up."

"That's no fair though, Zoey! We didn't think they wold actually start to date until their twenties!" Charlotte protests, pulling fifty dollars out of her pocket.

"And I told you that they would date before college!" I reply, pocketing the money. Jace and Charlotte groan and make a face at me. I grin in response.

"Actually Zoey, that money belongs to us," Michael says from behind me.

I turn around to where Calum, Luke, Ashton, Michael, Bryana, and Payton, Ash and Bry's daughter, were standing.

"What do you mean that it's your money?" I demand, confused.

"You bet that they would date before college. We bet that they would date before high school ended. Therefore, we win. Now pay up," Calum says, grinning. I grumble and put the fifty into his outstretched hand.

"Payton's getting a new toy!" Ashton yells, picking up his daughter. She giggles. Her laugh was remarkably similar to Ashton's.

They had named her Payton after my Peyton. They wanted to name her after someone truly worth remembering. I cried.

And I still do. I cry when I think about how proud of Connor Peyton would be. When I think about how much he would've loved seeing Ariana. When I dream of the future we could've had together.

I don't stay sad though. Because I know that even though Peyton may be gone, I will see him again one day. And until that day comes, I have Charlotte and Jace to keep me happy. I have Connor, Ariana, Bryana, and Payton.

But most of all, I have the most awesome brothers in the world. Who always manage to keep a smile on my face. No matter what.

And I am forever grateful that Michael, Calum, Ashton, and Luke adopted me.

It has been one hell of a roller coaster with them. But it was all worth it.

   The End