The Lost One

Chapter 31: The End

"Merry Christmas!" Riley and Andy shouted happily, waking Kale and I. We just came back for holiday break two days ago. We'd be spending Christmas and New Years at Kale's father's house this year and then everyone thought we should spend fourth of July at my house, Halloween at Scott's, and the following Christmas with Lauren's parents.

All of us slept in Kale's room last night, falling asleep to Christmas movies. Andy and Riley planned to rudely wake up the rest of us by shouting. Riley jumped up and down on the bed, carefully avoiding jumping on Kale and I. I was a bit annoyed with him and frowned before burying my head in one of Kale's pillows.

"Aw, come on, Ellain! It's Christmas! See, even Lauren and Scott are getting up." He said happily. I heard Scott chuckle. "That's because you do this every year. After five years, we got use to it." Riley jumped off the bed and started to run around the room, yelling for us to go get presents.

Kale chuckled before peeking under the pillow at me, smiling. "Come on sleeping beauty. It's time to get up and get breakfast." He said softly, his voice warm. I shook my head, pouting. "No. I want more sleep." I groaned, burying my head further in my pillow. He chuckled before whispering in my ear.

"Do you want Santa to take back your presents?" I groaned more. "If it gets me more sleep." He chuckled softly before kissing my ear. "Come on, El. Andy says breakfast is ready and you didn't eat much for lunch yesterday." I lifted my head up and gave him a 'really?' look. "Alright mom."

I said before sitting up and watching Scott, Riley, and Lauren all starting to walk out of the room. Andy looked at Kale and I before smiling. "Don't you two look cozy." He teased. I knew what he meant. Kale and I always cuddled up against each other when we slept together. I stood up and stretched, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Oh, shut up. You're just jealous." I teased back, starting to wake up from my sleepy mood. Andy grinned at me. "You're right. I am." I froze in place, caught off guard. A few seconds rolled by as I waited for him to start laughing or smile more, but he didn't. Kale stood up and hugged me from behind, glaring at Andy.

"Don't even think about it." He said, clearly showing his pissed off voice. Andy chuckled before raising his hands in defense. "Hey, no harm no foul." He smiled at us warmly. "I'm glad to see you still together, though. You both seem really happy." I smiled at this, seeing Kale still not letting me go, or showing any signs of letting me go.

"Thanks Andy. I'm sure you'll find a great girl." Andy smiled and nodded. Kale scoffed. "Unless you want to hook up with Riley." I raised an eyebrow at this before turning back to Andy who rolled his eyes. "When are you going to let that go?" He mumbled.

I didn't attempt to hide my confusion. "Wait...Andy...are you gay?" He chuckled before shrugging. "Kinda, I'm bisexual. Kale didn't find out until he caught me and Riley kissing when we were younger and curious." I was completely shocked. My gay-DAR didn't go off at all. "I never in a million years would have thought that Riley was curious, or gay!"

Both Kale and Andy laughed now. "Well, he was curious but he's sure now. At least, that's what he told us about four years ago." Kale told me. I nodded, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Andy and Riley kissed. I never had issues with gays, bisexuals or lesbians, but at the same time, I don't think I could ever be one.

We all went down stairs and had breakfast. When our parents were up, we all went to the living room, where the tree was, and opened our presents. I was a bit surprised to get a book from the Headmaster. "A book?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded, smiling widely along with everyone else.

"Look at the cover." He instructed, lifting his mug of coffee up to his lips, covering his smile. I did and raised an eyebrow from confusion. "The Lost One by..." I stopped reading out loud and froze. Kale sat beside me and smiled at my surprise. "I told dad about the book you were working on, made a copy while you were gardening, and gave it to him."

The headmaster nodded. "I have friends in the publishing industry and they thought it was wonderful. A work of true emotion and experience by a strong and very brilliant young woman." He smiled genuinely at me. "That is the first edition and the first of ten thousand copies to be distributed."

My jaw dropped and I stared dumb founded at the book. "I...I'm an author? A published author?" Kale nodded, smiling again before kissing my cheek. "I do have some comments about the beginning, but I thought the ending was genius." I grinned, opening the back cover and reading the last paragraph of the book.

To this day, Kale has been there for me. He has never left my side when I needed him, he's never lied to me, and he's told me every day that he loves me, and every day, I tell him I love him. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, or the day after. In all honesty, I feel like I barely know him.

I don't know if that's normal or not, feeling like the person you love is a complete stranger or not. We've been dating for months and yet, I know next to nothing about him apart from the normal things. And yet...I know that he isn't the kind of guy to have a lot of fake friends. He's the kind of guy who has a few friends that would do anything for him.

Kale doesn't have a dream. He has a dozen dreams. He wouldn't go out to have fun. He has fun any time or place. Most of all, he doesn't see the glass as half empty, or half full. Kale see's what kind of glass it is, and what's inside the glass. That was how he always was with me. While everyone saw me as a lost cause or a loner or shut in, he saw that I was in pain, I was punishing myself and that I really wanted just to be heard and loved again.

That's all anyone wants or needs. That's all I need, and I know that, for me, that was enough to become myself again. To be loved, treasured, and to be shown everyday that there is one person out there, somewhere far or near, that is thinking about me, caring for me like I do them.

The End

I hoped you like the ending of The Lost One :) Thank you to all of the people who made it this far and liked it. I was thinking about writing a sequel, but am not really interested in doing one.

Please read my other stories that are out or are coming out.