Epilogue: The Beginning of The End

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{Okay, so I had to do this for a friend. She's loved my story from the beginning and I had to do this one for her! Plus, I really wanted to write this anyways so... here goes!}

I slide out of my bed and stuff my toes into my fuzzy slippers. Cold air flows out of the vent next to my feet and I groan. It's the middle of November, so why would my AC be on? I groan again when I realize that this must mean Liz has invaded my apartment, and throw on my robe. When I stumble into the kitchen, my eyes still adjusting to the bright lights, I'm not as all surprised to see Liz cooking eggs with one hand and typing on her laptop with the other.

"Hi!" she says, greeting my cheerfully. I smile back, running my fingers through my tangled hair and going over the table. It hits me how much Liz has changed while I watch her scrunch her eyebrows together in concentration, probably trying to figure out what to type next. She's now a best-selling teen romance novel author who works as a zookeeper because she loves the animals. She's currently engaged to her high school sweetheart (and Jake's best friend), Kyle. Liz is always donating half the money she gets from her books to charity and being interviewed by teen magazines and other rich people who give their money to charity. Long gone is the girl who used to never speak unless the matter was important. Never again will I see the girl who always wore her hair up and didn't bother with sports. But I don't mind. Because this Liz is my best friend. And I wouldn't change her, or let her go, for the world.

Looking back, I realize how much I've changed too. I went to college, and now I work as a basketball coach for junior high. I moved to a bigger city, got an apartment, and started painting whenever I got bored. Every year, I celebrate Tessa's birthday, and every month I take a horse riding lesson. Liz tells me that I'll be a pro soon.

Maybe I haven't done a whole lot with my life, but I couldn't be happier. I'm about to get married to the man of my dreams!

The realization of what's happening today hits me again and I can feel the butterflies building up in my stomach. Liz sets a plate with a cheesy omelet down in front of me and I jerk from my thoughts. She's looking down at me, grinning like she knows just what I'm thinking. And she probably does know.

"Amy, isn't this amazing?" she squeals.

I can't help but squeal with her. Even though I'm technically an adult now, I feel like a teenage girl again... young, excited, and recklessly in love. And I'm loving this feeling.

I rush through my breakfast and change into a comfortable outfit. Liz and I rush out the door, determined to make it to my salon appointment in time. We spend the whole morning gushing over how amazing this day is and wondering how all the decorations have turned out. I'm getting my pedicure when Liz asks her next question, and I have to jerk myself out of my half-asleep trance.

"Huh?" I ask.

She giggles. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me! I asked if you're nervous about the honeymoon or not, silly!"

And then, of course, I blush. "Liz, we've talked about this..." I mumble.

And we have. I remember our all-night conversations about anything and everything. And about this.

The amazing thing? He's waited. When I told him I wanted to wait until we were married, he was perfectly fine with it. And now we're getting married. And I get nervous just thinking about it.

Liz keeps pushing me to talk about it, but I manage to skirt around the subject. By the time I'm done at the salon, it's noon, and we're both hungry. So we grab some Chinese before heading back to my apartment. The wedding's at 2, so we still have time to spare. I eat fast because I'm so nervous and then put my dress on. It's strapless, and the skirt flows around me and goes to the ground. The top is jeweled and cinched with a strip of gathered fabric up the middle. When I twirl around, my skirt flows around me like I'm underwater. I feel like a princess.

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