Stay (Completed)

Epilogue

Dedicated to queenstylesxo because she finally joiend wattpad! :) and she is amazing! :)

5 Years Later

Maria's POV:

"Evan?! What are you doing?! Where are we going?!" I called out, unwillingly being dragged by my boyfriend of five years from my parents house down to the beach.

"Just go with it, ok? Please? For me?" he asked, half turning around to talk to me but still carrying on forward down to the sand.

I didn't say anything else after that. I eventually gave up trying to pull back towards the house and settled for walking next to him, hand in hand.

"Come on, let's walk down this way," Evan instructed, pointing towards the left.

You did as you were told, strolling along as you each let the surf wash over your feet. The sunset was stunning as usual and you couldn't help but think back to that first summer you had spent together.

In some ways it seemed as if nothing had changed. The way you felt about Evan mimicked the crazy feelings you first felt five summers ago. You had each grown up, graduated high school and college, and were adults now. And yet when you were with Evan, you still felt like the teenage girl who fell in love with the gorgeous sweethearted boy from Wisconsin.

Evan could still kiss you so passionately that you never wanted him to stop. He took your breath away literally and figuratively and even though you had been together for so long he never ceased to amaze you. He was such a kind and compassionate guy when it came to everything it was hard to ever stay mad at him for long.

Sure, you had had your fights here and there, but every couple does. The fact that you always seemed to emerge on the other side stronger than ever was what mattered. Evan loved you and you loved him. Nobody could deny that.

"What are you thinking about?" Evan asked, pulling you against his side and slowing down the pace.

"That first summer we had together. It's hard not to when we are here together," I said, seeing him nod in agreement.

"It's hard to imagine how young we had been sometimes ya know? In some ways I feel like it was just yesterday...helping at the Y, building sand castles, riding that yacht and watching the sunset, kissing you until I couldn't think about anything else in the world..." he trailed off but every word brought back the memories. They were all so fresh in my mind.

"You know that summer almost didn't end the way it did..." I said, remembering the dinner and the heartbreak I went through when I shut that door in his face.

"I don't think I would have left if we weren't on good terms...even today I cannot imagine walking away from you. You know sometimes I think back to that night....you know the one that ended with us-"

"Yes! I know which one! We-"

"We loved each other Maria. That night is the one I think about almost every day. You would think there would be a new moment that would mean more to me than that, but I don't think there is. Maria, that night I realized I was never going to let you go. I realized that I was going to fight for you and if that meant having a long distance relationship for a year then I was going to do it," Evan said, sounding so proud of himself, but not in an arrogant way. He pulled me over and away from the ocean. The sky was darkening, but there was still enough light to see each other and a little of the surroundings.

Evan pulled me over towards a log that was sitting on the beach. I left my fingers entangled in his and our knees touched as we each turned to face each other.

"I have something really important to say....and it may take awhile, but please let me finish alright?" Evan asked, taking a shaky breath and seeming to become more nervous by the second.