Alexa and I decided that a couple of months after she moved back to Pennsylvania, we would move in together.

Her whole family was moving back; however, she was going to live in her own apartment.

Having Alexa back felt like the happy ending our relationship deserved.

I helped Alexa get settled into her apartment, and she was able to get a job with her old employer that she worked with before moving.

Work was still going well for me. Sophia left the practice, and I was in line to get the assistant manager position that was formerly hers.

I still maintained my friendship with Div, and she wanted to hear all of the updates about Alexa.

"I want to meet her!" Div said when I visited her one day after work, "Bring her in, I'll make her the best coffee of her life, guaranteed."

"I promise I will," I said to Div.

Div smiled at me, "I'm really happy for you, May. I know you've been through a lot with relationships, and it finally feels like you're getting your happy ending."

I smiled back at Div, "It kind of does feel like that, huh?"

My mom was a big fan of Alexa. She would come to my house a lot, and my mom loved having her around as well.

She still hadn't met my dad, even though he had asked me a few times when I would bring Alexa to his house. That day finally came about a month after she moved.

"I'm nervous for you to meet him," I said from the passenger seat as she drove to my dad's house, "I just hope he's nice to you."

"I can handle myself in pretty much any situation," Alexa reassured me, "Don't worry about if he's nice to me or not. He just better not make you feel bad."

As we pulled up to my dad's house, which was a large brick home with white shutters, Alexa said, "Nice house."

"My dad and Vanessa would love to hear that," I smiled at Alexa.

"Well, I'll be sure to tell them," Alexa chuckled.

My dad shook Alexa's hand when he met her, and she said, "Very nice to meet you, Mr. Tomlinson."

"Nice to meet you as well, Alexa. Call me Derek, no need for the formalities," he said.

My dad and Alexa got along well. Better than expected, even. When my dad was younger, he was in the Army, so him and Alexa connected over that commonality.

"I like her a lot," Vanessa said to me at one point as my dad and Alexa were yapping away about cars.

"I'm glad you do," I smiled at my stepmom, "I do too."

By the end of the visit, my dad said to Alexa and I, "Don't be strangers! You're welcome anytime."

"Thanks, dad," I said to him, "That means a lot."

Alexa got to know other people in my life, including my sister and Josie. She fit in perfectly.

As I promised Div, I brought Alexa to the coffee shop.

"So, she's going to make me the best coffee of my life, is that right?" Alexa asked me, amused.

"So Div says. Though you should believe her, she does make a damn good coffee."

Before Alexa could respond I asked, "And you're sure you don't mind meeting her?"

"Of course not. I know the two of you had a thing going for a bit when we weren't talking, but she seems like she's a good friend to you now. I'd like to meet her."

When Div met Alexa, Div greeted her like she was an old friend.

"Alexa, great to meet you!" Div exclaimed, "I've heard so much about you."

Alexa smiled at me and then said to Div, "It's very nice to meet you as well, Div."

Div made Alexa and I our coffees, and she looked eager to see Alexa's response.

Alexa took a sip of her drink, and she gave Div a thumbs up, "Delicious."

Div beamed with pride, "Thanks, Alexa. I'll make you a coffee anytime. You and May, of course."

Having Alexa integrate into my life felt so natural, and so did me being integrated into hers. When we dated before she moved, I didn't get to know her friends very well. I hung out with her and Macy a couple of times, but that was about it.

Meeting more of her friends now was so welcomed, and they seemed happy to get to know me as well.

Over dinner one night a couple of months after Alexa moved in, she asked me, "So...do you think we're ready to have you move into my place and make it our place?"

I couldn't help but smile at the thought of that.

"Without a doubt," I responded.

On our way out of the restaurant, I just so happened to bump into Bailey, who I used to work with at my old serving job.

The one who encouraged me to text Alexa.

Bailey was holding hands with a man, however when she saw me, she let go and gave me a hug.

"It's so good to see you, May!" she said, and when we pulled away, she looked at Alexa and said, "Wait I recognize you. You left your number for May on a check."

Alexa laughed, "Yes, that would be me, I'm Alexa."

Bailey looked between us, "And you two are still together?"

"We are," I nodded, "We're actually moving in together very soon."

Bailey clapped cheerfully, "I am so, so happy for you both. May, you deserve it. I'm sure you do too, Alexa."

On the drive back to Alexa's apartment, I said to her, "You can partially thank Bailey for us being together."

"Why is that?"

"She encouraged me to text you. With just getting out of a relationship, I wasn't sure if I should, even though I deep down wanted to. She was the one that told me to send you a text."

"Thank you, Bailey," Alexa smiled, "That single handedly changed the direction of both of our lives."

In the best way possible.

Moving out of my mom's house was bittersweet. Mostly sweet, but still emotional at the same time. I'd only lived away from home for one year in college, otherwise this had been it for me.

It was time to close that chapter and enter this new one living with Alexa.

I packed up my belongings and put them in the trunk of my car. Alexa had furniture in her apartment, I was mostly bringing my clothes and other belongings.

My mom hugged me before I left, "I'm so proud of you and happy for you, May. I'm going to miss you being here."

"I'm only a half hour away!" I laughed, "But I'm going to miss you too. Thank you, mom."

I drove up to Alexa's apartment, scratch that, my new home.

Alexa helped me move everything in. Her parents also came over with dinner, which was super thoughtful.

Her mom put her arm around me and said, "Hopefully this makes you feel at home."

I smiled at Alexa, "I already do."

After Alexa's parents left, Alexa and I sat down together on the couch. She put her arm around me and asked, "How are you feeling?"

I turned my head to look at her, "I won't lie, it's an odd feeling knowing I won't be living at my mom's anymore. But it was time to move out, and there's no one else I'd rather do that with."

Alexa put her other hand on my thigh, "I'm here for you. Whatever you need, May."

"I appreciate that," I said, and leaned in to give Alexa a kiss on the cheek.

I then looked around and said, "We should rescue a cat. Not this second. But sometime in the future."

Alexa laughed, amused, "Oh yeah, a cat? I'd love that."

"Glad we're on the same page."

Alexa then looked at her, her eyes full of adoration, "I can't help but think about how far we've come. Now we're living together, and I couldn't be more thrilled. You're the love of my life, May Tomlinson."

Hearing those words from Alexa meant everything, and I couldn't help but to think back on all of the failed relationships I had. All of the heartbreak, uncertainty, and feeling like I was never good enough.

I'd do it all over again if I knew it meant I'd end up with Alexa, the love of my life.

It was all worth it.

End. 

A/N: Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far! Means the world to me. This has been a rollercoaster of emotions to write, as pieces of it are based on my real life. I hope you enjoyed! I'm thinking in the future I may write an epilogue! <3