Wanderlust ✓

39. Epilogue

"Did you turn on exit sixteen?" I looked up from my magazine, seeing that we were now driving on a road that was unlike the interstate.

"What? You said eighteen, ten minutes ago." He said confused.

I quickly grabbed my phone from the center console that was playing out our directions. Google Maps in fact said 'rerouting' which was never a good sign.

"You have to stop Parker. This isn't the right way." I was becoming anxious. The road was becoming more deserted and I looked around the car windows to try to spot something. Nothing. The front windows were the only clear ones that could be seen out of. The back ones being covered by boxes.

"Where do you want me to go?!" Parker yelled. "I thought you were the navigator!"

"Pull over, dammit! Driving in the wrong direction isn't going to help us." I jerked in my seat when the car swiveled and stopped in a dirt patch. Palm trees were scattered around us.

I sighed, calming down more than Parker. The sun was starting to set in front of us which meant that we should've reached the hotel by now.

Turning towards the still blasting radio, I reached forward to turn it down so I could concentrate on the map when the announcer stopped me in my tracks. "As you may have heard, the tenth annual Wanderlust festival has been moved to this weekend after having scheduling conflicts in early June. I just so happen to have an extra ticket for any one of you wanting to go last minute. Call me now to snag it and be on your way to the most anticipated event of the summer!"

What? It was this weekend?

I was too busy this summer, working my ass off at a nearby ice cream shop to get some extra money before college started up to think about the festival. I had only heard that Wanderlust was being postponed from a disappointed Natalie on our weekly FaceTime call.

Well, should I call?

I fumbled with my phone, trying to get to the call keypad and hurried to type in the same numbers the radio host was now repeating.

"What are you-" I didn't have time to acknowledge Parker but I think he caught on.

I lifted the iPhone up to ear, hearing the ring again and again. Come on. Come on. But no one picked up so I ended the call, clicking on the same number to try again. It'll be this time.

My leg was shaking and my nails were raw from biting. Then the ring stopped and not because someone on the other side picked up. The phone was being pulled away from ear by an annoyed Parker. I tried to quickly grab it back but he held it out of my reach.

"What are you doing? He was just going to pick up! I could feel it!" I cried out, leaning into him to reach my arm out his window where he held onto my phone.

"It doesn't matter, Paige. Relax." He was too fucking calm about this.

"Relax? I'm trying to win us tickets again! Do you not remember last summer and how this festival brought us together? It was the best weekend of my entire life, god dammit, and I'm sorry if I want to do it again. To live in the moment again." I retreated back to my seat exhausted and frustrated he didn't agree.

"Fuck. This was supposed to be a surprise until-" I cut him off.

"Surprise? What surprise?" I sat up, holding onto his words with a small tingle of hope that the surprise is what I think it is.

He sighed, "Well the address we're driving to isn't actually a hotel. It's Nat's apartment and we're going with them to Wanderlust in a few days. I do remember the big smile you had everyday at the festival and I wanted us to have some fun before the stress hits."

I stared at him with a blank face, slowly comprehending. "You're serious?"

He gave me a toothy grin. "One hundred percent serious."

And then it hit me. We're going to Wanderlust again. I let out a yelp of joy throwing myself into his arms to give him the biggest hug. "This is why I love you," leaning back just slightly, I could see his eyes and gave him a kiss that I hopped showed my happiness.

"That's not all the surprises so you'll just have to wait and see," I giggled, fully straddling his lap now. "You really thought we would drive down to college a week early to just 'hang out'?"

I swatted his chest playfully. "Hey! You were very convincing of telling me it was to adjust to the Florida heat and area." He motioned for me to climb back into my seat so we could get a move on.

As we were off again (now in the right direction) I remembered something from our first meeting. "I have a question. If you have the money to buy tickets in the first place why did you try winning? And why didn't you just buy an extra ticket for your friend to go with you?"

He nodded, understanding my questions. "Well I never liked spending my step dad's money. As much as I hate him, I just felt bad about it, so when I won, I was kinda dumbfounded but it gave me some more confidence if that makes any sense? that I wouldn't have to rely on him for everything that I want in life, I can get it by myself. Even though a huge amount of luck was involved."

I was honestly grateful he didn't buy his own tickets last summer or we never would've found each other like we did. My huge smile couldn't be wiped off my face for anything and it stayed constant for the next week.

Catching up with Natalie and Lindsey was just the start of the happiness I felt coming up. Days went by of us lounging by the beach (yes, I'm actually starting to enjoy the sun for once) and them making me try on more revealing clothes (yes, I'm finally liking my body) but they weren't the big surprise Parker had planned. No, they were just the icing on the cake.

A day before the music festival, two very familiar faces walked through the door who I wasn't expecting to see in a million years. Carly almost crushed me in her arms and her large grin mirrored my own, excited for the festival weekend together. Parker flew Marcus out as well as a "last hurrah" of summer. He said we needed our best friends with us this time.

Carly would be attending a college back home and I would now be a plane ride away from her, the largest distance ever between us. It was hard enough saying goodbye to her that I was thankful it wasn't a full goodbye just yet.

The festival came and went with flying colors but it was again, some of the best days of my life. I danced and laughed and listened to some bad ass bands but best of all, I made memories with life-long friends.

Oh and I had the best boyfriend anyone could ask for who I'd be a skip and a jump away from in different dorm rooms at campus. Wanderlust brought us together but the music made us stay.