Epilogue - Happy Endings

Seven Years Later

So I'm at a wedding.

Come on, every fairy tale has to end with a wedding, right? This story couldn't be an exception. However, no, this is not my wedding. You actually thought I was getting married? Not yet, I'm too young. I'm just starting a new stage in my life.

I'm a doctor. Charlie and I made it and I just recently came back from my first trip to Africa, Rwanda to be specific. Believe me, it changed my life and opened my eyes in so many ways. There's so much to do, so many ways to help. I have so much to do but the good part is that I have the tools and the will and I'll do my best to help as many lives as I can. I know my parents would be proud of me.

So the wedding... well, it's Olivia's wedding. I'm so happy for her because she finally found someone who respects her and loves her and cherishes her. She's so happy, and she's been so happy with Sean for four years already. I was really excited when Liv told Charlie and I about the engagement. And yes, she wanted me to be the maid of honour but I was just leaving to Africa when she told me so I couldn't really help. Still, I'm a guest of honour, just like Charlie.

It's great to be all together again. I've missed Liv. Although Charlie and I were always together, studying. Liv had her life already, she was ahead of us.

The retreat centre... it's still working and helping celebrities. Sometimes I go there just to check on Rhonda and how things are going. It's funny how life works, isn't it? Jenny met a musician, but he's not famous. They ran away together so now she's his groupie and I know Rhonda suffers every night for that. Kimmy, on the other hand... she came out a year after I left the centre and I would've loved to be there to see Rhonda's face. I think she's getting married to an actress, not as famous as Rhonda would've liked but she accepted it anyways. Or that she told me. So the centre is okay and all the income I get from that, I use to help every foundation I can.

Well, my professional life is great. I'm a happy doctor, but what about my love life? It's been exciting! Okay, not really. I've dated a few guys and it's been great. My longest relationship was of two years and he wanted to take the next step but I wasn't ready. I was still studying and I still don't want to get married. I have loads of things to do first.

I smile as I realise how happy endings are a thing after all. We all get different kinds of happy endings. Charlie is also doing great as a doctor and he also met a girl before we even went to Rwanda and he seems really in love with her. It's lovely, I even feel sappy myself. I think I understand how he felt when I was in a relationship and happy. 

On the other hand, Liv found Sean and he's an amazing guy. He is a producer, not a big one, but he does quite well. I think the most important part is that he loves her with all his heart, which is what Liv always wanted. 

Me? I've got what I wanted, as well. My dream, my freedom. And I've enjoyed every moment of it. That's my happy ending.

I look up and I see my friends. I see Liv and her husband dancing, laughing and enjoying their party. I see Charlie making his girlfriend laugh as they dance and I can't stop smiling. I didn't come up with a date for the wedding but that's okay, I'll dance with Charlie later. I'm content by seeing them so happy.

Life doesn't have to be the perfect love story to be amazing and beautiful. You can enjoy yourself and still be happy. You can be single and still have a happy ending. A wedding with your prince charming isn't always the happy ending. I speak from experience.

"Ella?" I hear someone saying from behind.

I take my eyes off of my friends to turn around on my chair and see who's calling my name and I blink in surprise. It's been seven years but I recognise him immediately and I can't believe it. I can't really believe it, as much as I can't believe that my heart skips a beat, even after all this time.

I totally moved on from him and after a while it stopped hurting to think of him. After a while I only remembered him with a smile and it's so good to see him after so long.

"Niall!" I exclaim rising to my feet and hugging him. I don't know if it's awkward and maybe he's with his girlfriend but I don't know, I just act by impulse. "It's been so long!"

"It's been indeed," he replies hugging me back.

Okay, I have to confess. This... this feels just like it felt seven years ago.

"But how have you been? Such a surprise to see you here! Are you friends with Liv now?" I ask pulling back but still keeping my hands on his arms as his are on my waist.

"I've been great and well, not exactly with Liv. I'm friends with Sean, we work together. I'm a songwriter now and I write for some of the bands he works with," he explains and I nod.

One Direction broke up a few years back, when their fame faded away as new bands came into the scene. Eventually, I stopped hearing about them and seeing Niall on every magazine. I also stopped caring because I was too busy trying to pass all my courses and becoming a good doctor.

"How about you?" He asks with a big smile. "A doctor already?"

"Yes," I answer with a big smile. "I just came back from Rwanda, in Africa," I explain. "One of the best experiences of my life. Being able to help so many people. Heart-breaking, as well."

"I know, once the lads and I went to Ghana. I guess it's even more rewarding for you as you can actually do something more to help them than to give money," he ventures and I nod, still smiling, still touching him. I just can't pull away. Not yet. "This was your dream and I'm really happy for you. I know you'll save many lives more."

"Thank you, Niall. And I'm glad you kept working in the music industry. I know how much you loved it."

"I still do," he says looking into my eyes and my heart does a flip in my chest at the way his blue eye stare into mine.

It's been so long but his eyes are the same and I can't believe I'm feeling like this right now. "So," I say a bit awkward. "Are you having fun at the wedding? It's a nice one. Liv is really happy and Sean is a great guy."

"I agree. Sean always talked about Liv, I never imagined it was, you know, your Liv. This is such a small world."

"Indeed," I reply with a small smile, happy that it's a small world. It's really made me happy to see him again. "Well, I won't monopolise you anymore. Surely your date is waiting for you."

"I didn't come with a date," he answers and I feel his hands moving on my waist, holding tighter and I gulp. "There wasn't anyone I wanted to invite to come with me," he adds and my heart races, I swear it does.

My God, what's happening to me? What am I? Eighteen all over again?

Get a grip, Ella! You're twenty-five now, I yell at myself mentally.

"What about you? Anyone special in your life?"

He looks at me so intently that I can't reply immediately. "Uh, not right now. I came alone, too. I don't mind being alone."

"Of course you don't. You're independent, you've always been," he says and his hands move to the small of back, pulling me a bit closer. "Would you like to dance with me?" He asks next and I feel a tingly sensation in my stomach that I haven't felt in so long.

I nod, because I can't really articulate a word and he smiles as he leads me to the dance floor. I'm still surprised for meeting him here, after seven years; but I'm more surprised for the way he makes me feel... after seven years, he still makes me feel this way.

I don't love him, I mean, I'm not in love with him. I got over him long ago, but maybe a part of me would always love him and react to him for all what he meant to me when we were together. Because he was my first love and I've had other loves after him, but no one meant as much as he meant or made me felt like he did.

We start dancing but the song is ending and the next one is a slow one and for a second images of our first dance come to my mind. It was for my birthday, at the Summer Ball, when we both were wearing masks, when we first kissed.

My heart twists in my chest as I lean on his shoulder and he hugs me tightly whilst we dance at the slow rhythm.

We dance in silence, none of us utters a word but so many things are going through my mind. So many memories, good memories, sweet memories... cheesy memories.

"Ella," he speaks in my ear and I shiver a bit. "Do you remember what you told me the last time we talked?" He asks and I don't have to think long and hard because I do remember it, quite well.

"Yes," I reply still holding on to him.

"I'm not famous anymore, it faded away. I'm not a piece of her game, anymore," he says and I close my eyes because I realise that. I do. And even if he were famous and a piece in her game, Rhonda is so irrelevant to me now that it wouldn't matter. She's only the woman whom I share the retreat centre with, the one who administrates it.

"You're not," I confirm because as usual with me, I don't really know how to reply to him.

"So..." he starts and I'm nervous, so nervous for what he may say next. "Would you let me take you on a date?" Niall asks pulling back to look me in the eyes as he says those words.

For a second my heart stops and I blink, happy and surprised. There's nothing that could stop me now, I make all my choices and I do what I want. Is this what I want? Is this the right time? I've got what I wanted, my life, my freedom and my career... maybe it's time to give love another shot.

"That'd be lovely," I reply and his smile is precious, as precious as it was when we met, when we fell in love.

He doesn't say anything for a while, he just cups my right cheek, caressing my skin with his thumb as we look each other in the eyes. It's been seven years but it feels just like when we met, like all those nights at the stables, only the two of us. And as I realise that it still feels like that and that it'd be so easy to fall for him again, I smile even wider.

"You know what?" He asks as we still keep dancing. Sort of. "I still have your birthday present," he says. "The one I owe your from that summer we met at the retreat centre." My eyes shoot wide open when he says that, really surprised. I don't eve know when his birthday is, he never told me. "And I've got a present for you every year. I knew I was going to see you again. I told you once you couldn't run away from me."

Maybe I should say something as cheesy as that, but I can't. I just laugh, totally ruining the moment. "You'll never stop being a sappy boy, will you?" I ask and he laughs, as well, because he knows it's true.

And what I do is also something I've done before, because I'll always be this girl who does what she wants and feels.

So I take his face in my hands and kiss him, just like the first time, because now is the right time.

-:-:-:-

And this is how this story ends. Ella had her life, she was happy, she got to know herself. She fulfilled her dreams and now, after all that, she can be with Niall. Both are ready to be together and happy. Now it's their time. I wrote this for Ella, and I shared it with you because I know you like sappy endings. We all do.

Thank you for reading this story.

If you want to know what Niall got Ella for all her birthdays... well, maybe you should read the second book in the series: Little Shy Ariel. It's gonna be mentioned there.

Last dedication to @Sh3sN0tAfraid for learning and appreciating the lesson ❤

Bel, xx