When I blinked awake into the afternoon, the first thought that crossed my mind was murder.

     "What the fuck, Reese?" I groaned, sinking further into the couch cushions that I been so peacefully napping on, slinging an arm over my eyes to block out the offending afternoon sun. "I was napping, napping! Why are you here? Go away."

     Inviting himself in was a vice that had not gotten better with Reese, instead he only seemed to feel even more at home, irritatingly enough. It seemed everytime I would settle in, get comfortable, Reese would saunter into the room and ruin everything. Without the peace to nap anymore, nothing was sacred. The world was slowly falling into chaos.

     Reese didn't budge from his spot over my legs, nestled between the couch and my knees where he'd so happily dumped himself. "I don't think beauty sleep is going to help that situation you've got going on there anyways, so why even bother?"

     I lifted my arm and glowered. "I hate you."

     "Because you're already so cute," he continued, as if it were obvious, although the shit-eating grin devouring his face told otherwise. I mimicked him under my breath, but he only laughed.

     "I'm gonna be picking up Savannah!" Chris called to us as he breezed by the living room, jingling his keys. "Don't bang or anything while I'm gone!"

     I rolled my eyes, at both Chris and Reese who was raising his eyebrows suggestively at me. I was surrounded by idiots. "Same goes for you, brother!" I cautioned, tone snip and unforgiving.

     Just because I hadn't castrated Chris yet, solely on Savannah's request, did not mean I wanted to hear about anything that happened between them. I wanted to keep all my digesting food digesting, thank you very much.

     "I make no promises!" he called back, and before I could retaliate or chase him down, he was slamming the door shut, disappearing into the afternoon.

     My eyes narrowed. "I hate him. And you. And everything."

     Reese tapped me on the nose with his index finger. "I love it when you talk dirty," he cooed, grin antagonizing.

      I tried to bite him.

     "I, for one, am super excited that Savannah and Chris are dating," he said, teasing me with a dangling finger. "I mean, it totally explains why she didn't fall in love with me before."

     I paused, arching a brow. "I thought it was just because of your terrible face and equally terrible personality."

     "Stella!" he gasped, a hand slapped against his chest. "I knew you only liked me for my body!"

     Scrunching my nose, I gave him a once over and a slight shrug. "I'd give it a solid C-."

     Apparently this was enough to touch his nerves, as he pushed my legs off the couch and captured my wrists in his hands, pulling me up. I groaned, but didn't put up much of a protest, only managing to muster a dry look. A smirk dug into his cheek. That signature Powers dimple appeared as he leaned down and seized my lips with his own. Despite how often we'd rehearsed it, which was often as I'd learned that Reese had poor control over keeping his hands to himself, it still brought a smile to my face every time. I couldn't stop myself from leaning into his touch, cheeks dusting with heat as his teeth grazed my bottom lip.

     When he pulled away, he was still smirking. "Change your mind?"

     I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "C+?"

     He shot me a dry look, groaning. "You're impossible, you know that?"

     Now I was the one with the cheeky grin, too wide for my own good, poking him in the side. "Yeah but I'm so cute when I do it."

      Reese snorted, a hand slapped against his forehead as he caught my gaze out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, well, can't argue with that."

      There was a beat of quiet between us, as I felt my cheeks beginning to heat up, always taken off guard with how blunt he could be. It wasn't something that I thought I'd ever get used to from him, but I also wasn't too bothered by that either.

     Ignoring the blush crawling on my skin, I gasped. "Are you trying to say that you were totally in love with me the entire time? And were just using Savannah as a ploy to get close to me? Powers, you sneaky man."

     He shot me a skeptic look. "What are you talking about? No way, I mean, after a while, annoying you turned out to be one of my favourite hobbies so I stuck around, but at the beginning I totally had the hots for Savannah. It all started when I had this dream she was wearing this see-through-"

     "Keep talking, I fucking dare you," I snapped, glaring darkly.

     He grinned. "She shot me down hard, though, every time I talked to her, no matter what I said."

     I nodded my head, as if it were obvious. "Yeah, 'cause she's an amazing friend."

     "Or more likely because she was boning your brother."

     "Lalalalalala," I sang too loudly, sticking my fingers in my ears and squeezing my eyes shut. "I can't hear you. Stop talking. Lalalalalalala."

     I felt pressure against my lips and I paused, eyes shooting open to see Reese dangerously close to me. My hands slowly dropped to my sides, and he smirked. Still, I couldn't stop myself from leaning in and returning the favour, the sensation of his mouth against mine more addicting than I cared to admit.

     "It all worked out anyways," he murmured, pulling away, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Although I do wish I kissed you sooner."

      I tilted my head to the side, eyeing him curiously. "Sooner?"

      "Yeah, you don't remember Britta's party? You kind of killed the mood when you threw up on me, but I was totally planning on just going fuck it and going for it that night."

      I blinked, feeling as if he'd slapped the truth into my heated cheeks. "Oh wow, that early, huh?"

      He chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, but it's okay, it was weirdly endearing how you clung to me all night. You were so weak and adorable, calling to me for help, it totally made me fall for you."

      My face dropped. "I'm going to rip out your tongue and shove it up your ass."

     He planted a kiss on my forehead. "You're so cute when you're homicidal."

      I narrowed my eyes at him, ignoring my heating face. "I'm going back to sleep. Go die." I threw myself back down onto the couch, face buried into the cushion and curled up into a ball.

      I felt him squeeze my leg. "You better not dream of anyone hotter than me."

      I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped, or the dumb grin that found my face, still hidden away from him. His hand still rested on me, and it felt comforting, however slight. When I peeked up, he was looking somewhere else, a little stupid smile on his face, and I felt my face burn up all over again.

     Yes, he was an idiot. But he was my idiot.

***

THIS IS IT. THE END THE END. FOREVER.  AND EVER. THE LAST OF IT.

I felt like last chapter I was all like- whoo I'm done I finished something yes! But now it's starting to kind of settle in that Stella's and Reese's story is coming to a close, and it all feels very bittersweet kind of. I'm definitely going to miss them- writing this story was a blast.

I started writing this story because I had barely written anything in, well, years. I used to love writing, but then I just got so caught up in everything being "good" that nothing was good enough, and I grew to hate it. Until one day I was like whatever, fuck it, I'm going to write something totally cliche and fun and it will just be nice. And so, I started Fraternizing with the Enemy.

And somewhere along the way, it was just fun again. It was fun to think up, and write, and just feel good about it. That it didn't have to be perfect. And somewhere along the way I fell in love with all of the characters and I just started to love writing again.

So I really, really hope that this story made you, at least once or twice, feel the same way. Gave you a smile or a laugh here and there. Just a little interruption of your daily life to maybe brighten it a little? For a while? That's all I ever really wanted to accomplish with this story, so, well, I hope it worked. c:

And really- thank you guys so, so, so, so, so much. Like you see in the first chapter-  this was my first story I posted on Wattpad, over a year ago, and I would have never dreamed about the kind of feedback I've gotten on this. Having over half a million reads is amazing, and all of your amazing comments even if I don't reply to every one- I read all of them. And they seriously make my day. Knowing when you guys smiled, or that you guys stopped what you were doing just to read my little story. It's crazy to me that you guys took the time out of your days to read this little story of mine, and really- thank you guys. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for reading this story of mine, and for liking it, and for getting it to where it is today. You guys are the best readers ever, really.

And to answer the big question:

Will I be writing a sequel?

No. And I don't think I'll be writing any sort of 10 years later type thing either. I like the way it ended kind of open, what happens to them is up to you guys now. If you want to write it, go wild. I like having endings that aren't so sweetly bow-tied, and as much as it pains me to say it, this will be the end of Stella and Reese's story. Maybe I'll write something one day? I know a lot of you guys wanted Reese's POV, but idk, for now it's not looking likely. And it's so nice that you guys would still be up for continuing their story. But for now, sorry, it's a no.

also i updated a playlist for this story in the author's note at the beginning! so that's exciting!

Anyways, as the queen of long ass rambly author's notes, again THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I love you guys, the best readers ever, and you're all so very wonderful. I hope that you guys remember Stella and Reese down the line one day~

AND FINALLY- SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT. My next story will be called Smitten Kitten, it's up and ready to go so go read it! It's definitely got the dumb shenanigans-y type humour of this story, so if you liked that, go over there! see you soon~ c: