My Valentine

Epilogue

1 Month Later

Nightingale Phillips

"Ouch!" I yelped.

"You seriously need to stop slapping me when your crazy ass sees a 'mosquito', hoe!"

Tammy blew me a kiss, linking her free hand with mine. Berry held on to the other.

It amazed me how much these two couldn't stand each other in the beginning...then again, they kind of still didn't.

I was rocking some shorts and knee length boots that my sister-in-law, January, bought me when her, my niece and brother visited us a few weeks ago.

Finally, I was able to crack a joke after these past few weeks.

"I swear, I'm gonna punch you one day."

"You can try baby, but I've got my bodyguard right here!"

Berry almost blanched. That boy knew I could throw a mean punch if I tried.

I smiled at Ghanz and Jayden as they passed, hands linked.

They went public two weeks ago, even though everyone already knew they'd been messing around.

I was so happy for them. Hell, I felt free of all the bitterness and sadness I'd been harbouring for a good three months.

We rounded the corner and passed a locker decorated with flowers that were now withering. There were tributes written all over the locker and a photo of him that pierced my soul every time I walked by the locker. Still, it wasn't as bad as it was a few weeks ago.

I wasn't over Sly's death by any means, but I was now able to think about what happened without bursting into tears.

Tammy squeezed my hand, reminding me that I still had her and Berry.

Things were going to be okay.

"What subject do you have next?"

I bit my lip before I replied, "History with Mrs. Wilkins."

"She sounds scary," Berry commented.

I snorted, "The old bat is on the brink of death, but won't fall over because witches don't die easily."

Berry chuckled.

"You must really miss him."

I nodded. Tammy was right. I did miss him. I missed him so, so much.

"Yeah. It'll get better eventually."

The only thing my mother didn't do when Marshall and I got back to Georgia to probably kill him with her bare hands.

She'd threatened to call my father, who would have definitely committed a murder of his own.

Somehow, she'd opted for the police instead. It took everything within me to show her that taking the situation to the police would have been futile because Marshall had only dated me. There was no sex involved and when he asked me out, I was already eighteen, a legal adult.

I tried to skip over the teacher/student part and mercifully, she was too distraught to remember that he'd taught me History.

Still, I remembered how dangerously steady her gaze was when she looked at him.

"Get as far away from my daughter as you possibly can."

I knew then that she hadn't forgotten.

I supposed she knew that Marshall had a son whom she loved dearly. She didn't want to ruin his life. That and the fact that I wasn't forced into anything. The age gap was still a sore point for her.

So, taking heed to my mother's warning/threat, Marshall quit his job, picked up and left for Florida.

My mom forced me to change my phone number and cut off all connections with him. Little did she know that I had memorized his number months ago, just like how I'd memorized every inch of him before he left me.

I think I got off easy with just two months of voluntary work at a local garbage dump.

As for Lisa, she was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for voluntary manslaughter. I still didn't like her and vice versa, but I decided that I was going to visit her in prison. I didn't think Lisa had anyone but the men she slept with.

I also wanted to make sure that Sly's baby was alright. Who knew what was going to happen to it when it was born.

My phone vibrated and I pulled it out. The number wasn't saved, but I knew it anyway.
I'd contacted him three weeks ago, just to make sure he was safe. Nothing more.

I accepted the call, not caring if a teacher saw.

The person on the other end of the line was silent.

"Marshall?"

Tammy and Berry's eyes snapped to me, a sly look crossing their faces.

"I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes."

I smiled.

"I know you will."

I will too.