Chapter 57- The End

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Declan's dad invited my parents over the morning after prom.

Natalie had spent the night at my house and Adam and Cyrus has spent the night at Declan's, so we were all going to see each other again.

We were past curfew last night because we found an after-party to attend. It was such a good night, and dad was surprisingly lenient about me being late, even after all the threats he spewed before we left.

To say I was nervous to meet Declan's dad was an understatement. I had been texting Declan all morning rambling and asking him questions about what I should wear and things like that. His response was stop worrying so much, you're overthinking it, and you could show up in your pajamas and he would still love you.

So as helpful as that was, Natalie helped me pick out an outfit instead. It was just a cute casual dress with some lace-up boots and a lightweight jacket to throw over. Then, Natalie and my parents were all on our way to Declan's.

"Fancy place," dad said under his breath when we parked outside. "What did you say his dads name is again?"

"Uh- I didn't," I replied. "His name is Declan's dad in my head."

"Wow, look at their garden!" mom gushed as we walked towards the door. She was big on gardens.

Declan opened the door to let us in. Julie was there shortly after saying hi to my parents and she and my mom went on to a discussion about gardening. Dad was just standing there politely smiling and staying quiet.

Declan said hi to my parents, kissed my cheek, and took the dessert that we brought from Natalie so he could walk the two of us to the kitchen. Cyrus and Adam were for once not arguing like twelve-year-old boys, but instead, they were helping the cook lay out plates and utensils. Wait- nope, they were arguing again.

But when Cyrus sees Natalie, he stops short. Then he's smiling and greeting her so the rest of us move aside to give them some privacy. Obliviously though, we still watched. Cyrus was so much more confident in himself now, easily gliding through a conversation I couldn't hear. His confidence seemed to rub off on Natalie. Where I had always known her to be shy and sweet and more timid, she was suddenly completely sure of herself. Her confidence lit her up and that smile looked so good on her.

"Maybe I am ready for something exclusive and serious," Adam spoke out as we watched them. I see him turn to Declan and the two just stare at each other for a while before they burst out laughing at the same time. I just roll my eyes as our parents walk in.

"Where's your dad?" I ask Declan.

"Oh, he's here. He just had to wrap up some emergency work stuff and he'll be down soon."

"ROWENA!" Little Parker and Evelyn come running into the room and tackle me in a hug. I nearly fall over from the force of it.

"Hi, you guys!" I hug them back.

"Rowena, it's been too long since you've come to see me," Evelyn says. "Did you see the drawing I made for you?"

"The one where we play speed bump with Declan? Of course, it was my favorite one yet."

Evelyn lets out an evil laugh.

"What's speed bump?" Adam asks us and I just laugh. I was almost scared that if I explained it to him, he would try it himself.

"Adam, Adam! You said we can play with the monster truck now. Let's go find some barbie dolls and I'll show you what speed bump is!" Evelyn grabs him by the hand and drags him out of the room.

Julie and my parents are still deep into a conversation when I see a man walk into the room. It must have been Declan's dad. I remembered seeing him in a picture from Declan's room now. He had dark hair that was neatly cut and the same sharp jawline that Declan had. Where his eyes were a dark brown, Decan's dad had deep blue.

"I'm so sorry for the delay," he announces and steps in to give my mom a handshake. "My name is Elijah," he says and moves on to my dad. "I'm so glad you could ma-"

He stops short as recognition ignites in the blue of his eyes. "Peter? Peter Salone."

My dad has a shocked look on his face and twitches his head back as he recognizes him back. "Elijah Montgomery. You're Declan's dad?" he asks with a laugh. The rest of us stand silent in our confusion.

"Wow! It's been ages since I've seen you last." Elijah says.

"I'm sorry," Declan interrupts. "You guys know each other?"

"Yes we do, we used to play soccer together years back." He looks around and his gaze falls on me. "Is this your daughter?" he asks my dad in disbelief.

"Rowena," I smile and take his outstretched hand in greeting.

"Rowena Salone! That's crazy, I met you a few times when you were just a child. Probably Evelyn's age."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yes, yes," he says. Then, his eyes widen with even more recognition. "You know what? Come with me, I just realized something more." He walks out of the room. I look at Declan and he's just frowning with confusion and shrugs his shoulders. I follow his dad out of the room and Declan and my parents follow too.

We make it into a room that looks like an office. It's a big room and everything is tidy and neat around his desk. He goes behind the desk and looks through some drawers, shuffling things around to look for something.

"Where is it?" He asks himself out loud. Then he opens the last drawer at the very bottom. "Here!" he pulls out a card with some scribbling at the back of it and observes it with a smile.

He hands it over to Declan. "You were nine years old. Your mom took that picture." Declan looks at him with a bittersweet look in his eyes before he looks down at the picture I can't see yet.

Declan's frown only grows and then he looks up at his dad and gives him a questioning look. "Is this-?"

"Yep, look at the back," he tells him.

He flips it over to read the scribbling and he lets out this abrupt sound of surprise. "What?"

I grew impatient as I come up next to him. He immediately hands me the picture and I read the scribble on the back. But it's not a scribble this close up, it's actually in a neat woman's handwriting.

DM
&

RS
Declan's very first crush!
2015 <3

I turn the picture over to see- well it's me. Nine-year-old me standing next to a nine-year-old Declan because he's holding my hand in his. He wouldn't let go, I suddenly remember. Then I remember the whole story of the first time that dad had been overly protective of me because of a boy. It's because he saw me holding hands with Declan.

I didn't realize I had said that out loud until Declan spoke. "You were the officer that threatened me with a criminal record? I was nine!"

"It wasn't my finest moment I suppose," dad responds. "I didn't know that your son, Elijah. Small world, huh?"

"Small world," his dad agrees with a lighthearted laugh.

"Whatever happened to you? You hardly came back to play around that time."

A small look of sadness flashed in his eyes before he brushes it off. "My wife at the time got really sick, Declan's mother." Julie took his hand in her own. She gave him a little smile of support when he looked at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dad said.

"It's been years," Is all he says in response, and that could mean anything. "Well, let me show you back downstairs. We have brunch ready for everyone."

Declan and I don't move at all and they leave the two of us behind. I'm still staring at the picture in my hands. Declan gently takes it from me to look at it again and he's smiling. Then he puts the picture down and his smile turns mischievous.

"You must know what this means right?" He asks me.

I'm just shaking my head at him in disbelief as my smile grows. He begins to nod his head in contradiction. 

"Baby, this was fate. This is destiny. This is written in the damn stars!" he's yelling now, sounding like a crazy man, and I'm just laughing because I can't think of anything else to say over the shock of this moment.

Because as crazy as it was, it sure as hell did seem like fate and destiny, like it really was written in the stars, and all the other cheesy and heart-melting words that came to mind.

His hands wrap around the small of my back as he pulls my hips into his. Then he leans down onto the desk behind him so that we're at the same level. He kisses me so deeply I just wanted to melt into him forever.

"You're not going anywhere, you know that?" he says as he pulls away in the slightest. Then his lips drop to my neck with kisses in between his words. "Especially not now. You're stuck with me Row," he says and brings his lips back up to mine.

"I'm not going anywhere," I say into his lips and kiss him with everything in my heart.

The End.

But it's not really the end until you've read the epilogue (;


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