Daydreams
Fifty-three

Epilogue
Although Dad was disappointed in me for not telling him about Rick, he was happy to finally have full custody over me until I turned eighteen.
Turns out, sometimes a year is longer to wait than you think it is.
After the court cases were finished, there was a week until Christmas.
My dad and I had been staying in Brian’s parents’ guesthouse for almost a month now.
Finally, however, it was time for us to go back to North Carolina.
I hadn’t even thought about being away from Brian, but I didn’t have to worry just yet because my dad invited them over for a week to celebrate Christmas.
He even got Brian and I seats next to each other on the airplane…even if that meant sitting in between him and his little brother.
North Carolina greeted us with nice, warm weather and salty, ocean air.
My dad’s beach house was the perfect for all of us, but he didn’t allow Brian and I to sleep together in the same room, unfortunately, meaning there was no nighttime make-out or cuddle sessions.
However, we did find other places on the beach to do those types of things.
It was the best week of my entire life.
I hadn’t felt such freedom since I was just a little kid.
I caught up on some reading, hung out with Brian, and we even handed in some college applications.
Before we knew it, Christmas had arrived and my dad asked Brian and I to go to the local grocery store and pick up some ingredients for the peanut butter cookies and green bean casserole.
We rode our bikes there.
“You check isle three,” Brian said to me, “I’ll check up front where they put some Christmas stuff on sale.”
“Okay. I’ll miss you,” I joked, reaching for his hand.
He played along and started sniffling.
“I’ll miss you too, baby!” he said, trying to hold in a laugh, “Never forget me!”
“Never!” I gasped, finally pulling away and walking to isle three, ignoring the weird stares from strangers.
I scanned each row, one after the other, but couldn’t seem to find it.
I had my father’s eyes when it came to looking for things in grocery stores.
“Looking for something?” a voice said behind me.
I assumed it was a store assistant and, without taking my eyes off the shelves, answered him.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, “Could you help me find the-”
I stopped midsentence when the person put their hand on my shoulder, making me gasp.
I turned around to see someone who I never thought I’d see again.
No, not a grocery store assistant…Steven.
I gulped, staring at him for a few seconds while he stared back at me in astonishment, until a voice interrupted us.
“I think I found it! And it was on sale for-” Brian started, pausing mid-sentence, “Whoa. Am I interrupting something?”
Our heads turned to see Brian, standing there with a face full of anger, confusion, and disappointment.
“No,” I said, after a while, “I think we’re good here, Bri. Let’s go.”
I tried to pry Steven’s hand from off my shoulder, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Kylie,” he said finally.
I thought his mouth might’ve been frozen shut.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“Oh, cut the crap,” I snapped, “It’s your fault I was nearly killed. Now, if you would please let me go-”
“Kylie, please listen to me-”
“No, you listen to me, Steven. I’ve had enough of you and your games. You only care about what’s best for you, and I’ve come to realize that. You’ll find a different girl to love one day; one who really understands you. Unfortunately, that girl is not going to be me. You can go shove a stick up your butt for all I care,” I said harshly, “It’s not me, it’s you.”
Steven looked at me in disbelief, his mouth formed in the shape of an “O”.
I almost thought he’d start drooling right then and there.
With that, I turned around and smiled at Brian who smiled back at me, and we finally bought the ingredients to the peanut butter cookies.
There would be no green bean casserole that night.
“I love you so much,” Brian said to me on our way back, “But I think it would’ve been a nice touch if you threw something in there about him being a pedophile.”
That moment was almost as great and when Brian came to visit over spring break, and we opened our North Carolina University acceptance letters together.

The End.
 




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