Safety

Epilogue - 6 Months Later

"You know you don't have to do this," I say, reaching my hand across the console and resting it on Tyler's knee.

"Of course I do."

I breathe a sigh of relief because, though I've been attempting to maintain a brave face all week, his presence today means the world to me.

He glances at me out of the corner of his eyes and offers me a comforting smile.

Over the past six months, Tyler's managed to crack through every layer of the protective shell I've built around myself.

And he knows how much I've been dreading this day. What it means to me.

It's why I've stayed at his house every day this week, afraid of being alone with my thoughts for even a second.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm going to do when we go off to college in a month. With me at Stanford and him at Berkeley, we'll only be an hour apart. But even that feels too far.

Trinity says it will be good for us, that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.'

But her and Jace are both going to Cal Tech, so I don't think she has much room to talk on the subject.

"We're here," he states, pulling into the familiar parking lot.

It's been nearly a year since I was last here, but the place looks exactly the same as it did before.

Tyler begins to climb out of the car, but stops once he notices that I'm frozen in my seat.

"Grace-"

"I'm fine. Just need a minute," I say honestly.

This place holds no horror for me now, but I have to do a reality check every time I come here. It almost feels as if I'm watching myself in a dream.

You never expect to be visiting your best friend in a cemetery.

I take a deep breath and get out of the car, grabbing the flowers we'd stopped for on the way over off of the dashboard. Yellow roses. Her favorites.

"You good?" Tyler asks, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Considering," I say. "Follow me."

The cemetery is expansive, and it takes a little while to make our way to Chey. My mind is racing with a million thoughts, but even distracted my feet seem to know the way as if I've walked it a million times.

"I wish you could have met her," I say suddenly, breaking the silence that's come over us as we've walked.

He smiles warmly. "Me, too. "

As soon as he's spoken, I spot her and my pace quickens. In just a few moments, I'm facing a massive tombstone that used to haunt my dreams.

I kneel on the ground in front of the tombstone, ignoring how the morning dew seeps through the knees of my jean.

"I never thanked you," I say quietly, my words meant only for the ears of a ghost. "For saving me. For waiting for me. For making sure I lived when I easily could have died."

By this point, Tyler's taken a few steps back to give me privacy though I'm not worried about him hearing what I have to say.

"I thought I had nothing left to live for, but my life had barely even started. My heart had only ever been broken. I never considered it could handle this much love."

"Thank you for everything you taught me," I say, my voice bleeding emotion. "Thank you for staying with me even after-"

I shake my head and stand back to my feet.

"Happy Birthday, Chey," I whisper, placing the roses on the ground beside the stone. The words feel strange to say, though this isn't her first birthday since her death.

To be fair, I was a little distracted this time last year.

I turn and look to Tyler, who offers me a warm smile.

"You ready?" he asks.

"Yeah," I respond, taking his outstretched hand. "For anything."

A/N

See, two updates!

Also, I'm sure you weren't expecting this book to end so soon but it was never supposed to be a long book.

Which is crazy, because it took me over two years to finish (which is the longest its ever taken me to finish a book)

Oh, and there will be a third book. It will be called Gravity and *spoiler* Avery will make an appearance at some point in it.

So, I'm super super super excited for the next book!!! I can't wait to start writing it!!

But, because I'm going to spend the next three weeks out of town (and for half of that time, I won't have any internet access) it's extremely likely I won't upload the first chapter until August.

I will, however, upload the summary sometime tomorrow so that you can add it to your library!!!

Random Quote: Actually, the best gift you could've given her was a lifetime of adventure – Lewis Carroll

I love you all, and I can't thank you enough for sticking with me through this crazy, ridiculously long journey!!! You guys are the best!

Goodnight My Lovelies!