The New Kid Next Door (Harry Styles) [editing]

Epilogue

Ariel's POV

(Graduation Day)

Wow. It's finally here. I'm actually going to graduate high school.

Not only that, but I'm going to the college that I've only ever dreamed of going to. I decided my freshman year that I wanted to become a journalist, so I'll be studying journalism throughout my college experience.

I can't believe it's been eight months already. My senior year flew by, and sometimes I just wish it would come back so that I could relive it once more. All I've done this school year is look up colleges that would be good for studying journalism, and believe me when I say it was no easy task.

There seemed to be countless universities that wanted me to study on their campus, and each one made me feel even more wanted than before. I stayed up late so many nights trying to write near-perfect transcripts so that I could get accepted to my top ten choices for college.

I look myself up and down one more time, and fix my cap before exiting my room. I rush downstairs to meet an impatient Anne, and as soon as she sees me she nearly crushes me in a bear hug.

"You look wonderful! Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Anne exclaims before dabbing at the corner of her eyes to remove the moisture there.

"Thank you. I'm so nervous," I admit to her.

She swats her hand in the air, "Don't be ridiculous! You'll be perfectly fine. Once you walk up there and get your diploma you'll feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders. Trust me."

I smile thankfully at her, and then I look around the room for Harry; suddenly noticing that he isn't in the room, too.

"Where did Harry go?"

Anne smirks at me, "Don't worry," she says. "You'll see him before graduation starts."

I narrow my eyes at her in curiosity, and I make my way towards the door that leads to my future.

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"Hey, beautiful."

I grin like an idiot and spin around before running into Harry's open arms. I squeeze his torso once and let go of him, looking up into his eyes.

"Where have you been?" I shove him playfully.

He looks away from me in what seems like nervousness, and he rubs the back of his neck. What's going on?

"Oh, I just uh, I forgot to pick up the cake for the grad party tonight, so I went to get it before I forgot about it again," He explains quietly.

I study him over once more, and shrug my shoulders. I tug at his hand.

"C'mon. We need to get in our seats,"

Harry leads me through the gown and cap covered people, and he turns around to kiss me on my forehead before leaving to get into his seat. The touch of his lips lingers on my skin for a few seconds while I find my seat in the 'M' section of graduates.

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"David Martin,"

The boy next to me walks up to the stage and shakes the hand of our principal as he retrieves his high school diploma, smiling the entire time.

"Ariel Miller,"

I nervously make my way up to Mr. Lennon, praying to the heavens above that the crowd can't see my knees shake. I've never been good at being in front of so many people. I grin at my former principal as I take my diploma, and I hear Harry and Anne whoop for me out in the audience. I blush out of embarrassment as I leave the stage. 

Several graduates make their way to the stage before Harry gets his turn. I watch as his tall figure strides towards the stage with so much confidence you'd think he'd done this a thousand times, and I can't help but smile at him, wishing I could have his bravery.

As Harry reaches his hand out to receive his diploma, he looks through the crowd at me and beams. I've never seen him so happy and it makes my heart melt at the sight. The curly haired boy speaks to Mr. Lennon before standing in front of the podium that holds a microphone.

"Hi, guys," He speaks evenly.

The crowd murmurs in return, wondering why Harry is speaking.

"I know what your thinking, and I promise this won't be one of those lame speeches talking about my entire high school experience. I won't make you sit through that. I just wanted to acknowledge someone," At this point, my face feels hot and my palms are starting to get sweaty and I feel as if I may lose my lunch.

"Ariel? Could you come up here?"

I jump in surprise, and I look around at the faces I've known my entire school experience, the faces that never even bothered to glance at me until my father was put in jail.

I rise out of my seat and start toward the stage, looking at Harry in wonder and puzzlement. Why is he doing this? What's going on? Does Anne know about this?

I finally make it back on stage and I stand a few feet away from Harry. His eyes haven't left my face and it's making me even more self-conscious as well as nervous. I look back at him in question, trying to figure out what the hell he's doing. Doesn't he remember how I get in front of crowds?

"Ariel, I'm not going to make this the longest speech you've ever heard because I know you, and I know you want nothing more than to get off of this stage and away from the eyes that are watching because you're not used to people acknowledging you or even looking at you," Harry pauses to look at the ground and chuckle lightly, as if to laugh at something he remembered. "I have to do this though. I want you to know what's running through this crazy mind of mine," he looks back up at me. "Ariel, I love you. I love you and I don't want to love anyone but you. You're the most beautiful woman I've seen, you're smart, you're funny, you're brave and nobody in this world can make your bad-ass spaghetti."

The crowd laughs and I look out at them with a nervous smile and red cheeks.

"But one of the most important things about you to me, is that you're mine," Harry states. I gape at him with my eyes wide and my lips parted.

I watch as he walks closer to me, never breaking eye contact with me. I gasp when he gets down on one knee and grabs onto my hand as if it's a life-line. He reaches into his jeans' pocket underneath his gown and pulls out a small box.

"Angel, I'm about to ask you to make me the biggest promise, but I'm also making you the biggest promise in return. I promise to love you unconditionally, to care for you, to make you feel at home with me, and I promise that I'm yours if you'll have me."

By this point I have one hand over my mouth and tears are trickling out of my eyes one by one as I try to grasp onto what's happening in this very moment. My heart is pounding in my chest and I feel like the luckiest girl in this world.

"Ariel Sophia Miller, will you marry me?"

End

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So, that's the end. I really hope you guys enjoyed this ending, because I did.

I am awfully sorry for the excruciatingly long wait, but now that the story is finished, you won't have to get mad about me not updating anymore ^_^

Thank you to all of those that read The New Kid Next Door, I'm so sad that it's over, but you can totally join in on another story that I have already started writing, and I PROMISE I will update frequently with this story. I will not take months or even weeks to update Taking A Chance because that's not fair for the readers.

It was just so hard to go to school, do my extra curricular activities and try to write this story, but now that it's summer, I can actually write freely.

I love you guys <3

-Peyton