Happier

Epilogue

Ten years. Five hundred and twenty weeks. Three thousand six hundred and fifty days. That's how long it has been since the Roosevelt High class of 2017 has graduated. It took them five months to give up all contact with everyone, just because there was no time. College really does need all your time and focus, which makes it hard to keep contact with your old high school friends. Since graduation day, the six friends have seen each other through summer. They went on holiday to Italy and France together. Cole and Lacey even went to Mexico for a while. Then college started and everything started to go wrong. They've kept it up for three more months, seeing each other on the weekends and school holidays. They did spend Christmas and New Year's together. But one week after the New Year's party, the big breakup came. 

"We can't do this anymore, C. This is too exhausting, I need to focus on my studies, I need to do this." Both had cried, but they understood. Cole had the same idea about college and their relationship. A two-hour drive to see each other for not even one whole day was just too exhausting. Violet and Melanie went through the same situation. Neither of them having the energy nor time to take care of one another, to see each other. It took Lacey two months to get over Cole. Two months to get used to not calling or texting him anymore. It took her five months to fall for someone else. It took her three years to graduate from Yale, and only one month to find a job. Then, she decided photography just wasn't enough, and so she started another degree. Event management. It took her another three years to get her diploma, and she straight away started working with a friend of her mother's who was a wedding planner. Now, in 2027, Lacey is thinking and trying to build up her own company. With her degree in photography, she'd offer wedding pictures as well. Her slogan would be "Put some lace on it".
So, since it's been ten years since the kids of 99 graduated from high school, the school board invited them for a reunion. Lacey hasn't heard from any of her friends since the big breakup. She only ever saw Archie on the weekends since he started dating her sister. Stacey is a gynecologist now, a very famous one, in Cherry Hill. She's the only one of the Goldberg sisters who stayed in Cherry Hill. Lacey moved to LA for her job, but she'd visit her hometown every now and then.
"Are you excited?" Stacey asks when she finds her sister in her old bedroom, getting ready for the night. Lacey smiles and looks over her shoulder.
"Kind of yeah, I'm hoping to see everyone again," she says and turns around to face her sister.
"Well, you're already seeing me," Archie's voice sounds as he pops up in the doorway. Lacey's smile grows even wider as she walks up to give the ginger boy a hug.
"I've seen you nearly every weekend, Arch," she argues when they pull away. Then, the two of them look at the twenty-eight-year-old blondie. A weird, secretive glance is being exchanged, sending strange vibes through Lacey's body. "What?" she asks, confused.
"We wanted to ask you something," Archie starts and then, Stacey holds up her hand. A big, diamond ring flaunts her ring finger. Lacey's mouth drops open.
"I was hoping you'd be my maid of honor at our wedding," it's more of a statement than a question, but Lacey doesn't even hear it as she grabs onto her sister's hand to take a good look at the beautiful engagement ring on her finger. Tears well up in her eyes, happy tears. Never in all those years she's known Archie and Stacey, she'd think they'd end up together. Never did she think her sister would get married before her.
"Oh, my God, guys!" she squeals, pulling her little sister in for a tight hug.
"So, is that a yes?" Archie pushes carefully, nervous for Lacey's answer. It's crazy, seeing Archie is Lacey's ex-boyfriend. Her first boyfriend in high school. They went through so much and now he's marrying her little sister. Lacey pulls away and she wipes away the tears.
"Of course!" she then says with a wide smile. "Congratulations, guys!" says Lacey, causing Archie to look at his fiancé lovingly. She looks back at him, the same look in her eyes.
"Now, you two get to your reunion! We'll celebrate when you get back," says Stacey, pushing her fiancé and sister through the door. The two chuckle a little before actually walking downstairs.
"See you tonight, dad!" shouts Lacey before she walks out the door. Archie quickly kisses Stacey before following his soon-to-be-sister-in-law. He drives them to their old school, parking in the same spot Lacey always parked her Fiat 500 in.
"Oh, my God. This is so weird," whispers Lacey as they walk inside the building. The two of them look around the hallway. They're surrounded by lockers, their lockers. Both smile, memories flooding back. "This is where we had our first kiss," Archie whispers, pointing to the janitor's closet. Lacey giggles a little, then nods.
"I remember that," she says while they continue their walk on memory lane.
"Good evening, graduates of class 2017," someone starts to talk to them near the entrance of the gym. It's a young girl, possibly a junior. She has the same attitude, the same look in her eyes as Lacey used to when she was seventeen. "Can I get your names, please?" she asks politely.
"Archie Andrews and Lacey Goldberg," says Archie like a gentleman. The girl freezes, her eyes growing wide in shock.
"Oh. My. God," she breathes, "You guys are legends!" the girl next to her nods excitedly, her face equally as excited and in-shock as her friend.
"It's good to know kids still remember us after so many years," says Lacey, a smile on her face.
"Oh no, we aspire to be you," the other girl now speaks. Archie and Lacey give each other a glance, unsure of what's happening.
"You're the girl who cut all ties with labels, and you're the iconic football player of Roosevelt High," the first Lacey 2.0 speaks up again. "Almost every girl has a huge crush on you, Archie." The two chuckle a little. This is too weird to be true.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to get to our reunion," Archie then says politely. The two girls nod and hand them their name tags.