"epilogue"

"Try some."

I stared at him blankly as if to say 'you're kidding'.

Carson grinned and relaxed against the chair. He waved the spoon of the 'new-flavoured' ice-cream before shoving it in his mouth. "Fine. Don't try some."

His grin was contagious and I had caught it so I shook my head to try and get rid of it. "I tried some last time."

Carson dug his spoon into the paper cup and pulled out a mountain of ice-cream. "You're missing out this time."

I shook my head again with the smile never departing.

"Awwwwwwwww!" May squealed suddenly and that was the abrupt reminder that she and Jett were still sitting opposite us. "You. Guys. Are. So. Fu--Freakin. Adorable!"

The familiar warmth snuck onto my cheeks again but Carson merely embraced the attention and wrapped his arm around my shoulder effortlessly.

"See, Iris! I told you I was right. He's head over heels for you." May winked.

Jett nudged his girlfriend with his elbow. "We were right."

May frowned and rubbed her elbow. "You owe me ice-cream for that."

Jett sighed. "Fine."

"Yes!" May fist pumped the air.

He scooped the remaining of his ice-cream and lead the spoon towards May. She opened her mouth readily for the sugary goodness but just at the last second, Jett withdrew the spoon and plopped it into his mouth.

Jett smirked with a mouth full of ice-cream while May gasped. Carson and I watched them with amusement.

"How could you!" Her face was painted with a shade of pure shock and her agape mouth was also evidence of that.

Jett couldn't hold it in any further and he burst out laughing like a maniac. He was lucky that he swallowed the ice-cream or else it'd be flying everywhere. May shoved him multiple times but his laughing created a barrier against her hits and the pain.

Unexpectedly, May stopped and an almost evil Cheshire cat smirk stretched across her face. Her pale blue eyes flickered to the unfinished chocolate ice-cream in my hand. She reached to grab it and flung it into Jett's face.

"Sorry, Iris," May apologised to me with sincere 'sadness' but her expression showed that she was feeling victorious.

Jett simply rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. "I am going to get more napkins."

He stood up and slouched as he walked towards the counter. His grumbles slowly echoed away as his distanced.

May turned to Carson and made a hand movement; pointing in Jett's direction. "You can go help him."

When Carson made no movement, May flicked her wrist. "Shoo. Go help him."

"Fine." Despite May showing no manners, Carson shook his head and stood up anyway, already knowing the meaning behind his reason to leave. "Try some." He pushed his cup towards me and winked before turning and walking away.

I smiled and brought the paper cup closer. Honestly, the ice-cream flavour wasn't bad and I was enjoying it until I felt a melting gaze on me. I looked up with the spoon still in my mouth sending a silent 'What?'.

"How right was I?" She beamed as she took her spoon from her empty cup and brought it to my cup; scooping some of the new flavour before putting it in her mouth.

"Is that even a sentence?" I raised a brow at her sceptically.

"Mmm, Carson's right, this new flavour is amazing," May hummed and greedily took another spoon. "And yeah I'm pretty sure that's a sentence. I majored in literature, didn't I?"

I shrugged. "Maybe the ice-cream got to your brain."

May snickered. "It definitely got to Jett's for sure."

I smiled and nodded along.

May waved the spoon at me accusingly. "You didn't answer my question."

I held my hands up in mock surrender. "Fine. You were right. I like Carson."

She lifted another brow.

"...And he likes me."

May dropped the spoon onto the table dramatically and clapped. "She's still got a brain."

I laughed before glancing at the clock on the opposite wall in utter horror. "And I've still got a wedding to attend that I'm late for. My mum is going to kill me. she asked me to be only half an hour early so she can do my makeup and a few adjustments to the dress."

"Oh, shit," May swore before covering her mouth. "Oops. I meant oh, crap? Wait, I can do your makeup while she fixes the dress."

"Really? That'd be great. Cooper will also kill me if I'm late and Taylor. It's there special day," I rambled in panic as I began to collect the rubbish on the table.

"Wow, you're on three people's hit lists today. Good job."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Funny. Thanks."

Mother placed her hands on my shoulders as she stood behind me and looked at me in the mirror. "My baby girl is all grown up."

I smiled shyly.

She turned me around and lifted up my chin. "You're so beautiful." She paused. "And I am so sorry for pushing you so hard these years. I really just wanted the best for you but now I realised that maybe you already do. Not only that, but I realised that I've restricted you from experiencing the real world, hanging out with friends and having a boyfriend. Carson isn't bad. I can see that now. I apologise and hope you can forgive me."

I smiled warmly and lifted my hands to hold hers. "Why are you apologising? You were the person who influenced me the most. You were the one who raised me and made me who I am."

"Oh, my baby." Mother reached in and embraced me in a hug.

"You know, I feel a lot taller in these heels even though I know I will trip and fall," I whispered as a joke as we pulled apart.

Mother laughed heartily. "You'll get used to it."

Cooper and Taylor's wedding was the first wedding I'd ever been to and it was amazing. The wedding reception was even more joyous. The pop music played in the background as people walked around greeting each other, meeting relatives and children running around playing tag.

The newly wedded couple mostly walked around talking to people so I spent most of the evening with Carson, my date. But soon the Taylor eventually came to greet us.

"Cooper will be here soon. Bring the idiot he is, he needed a toilet break." Taylor's rolled her eyes as she approached us.

The bride was beautiful. Taylor's wedding dress was like from a dream. It was a lace mermaid cocktail dress which had an open back and the back length stretched out long. The lace began at her shoulders and continued down her arms as sleeves but stopped at her knees and flowed out in a smooth silky fabric.

"Congratulations!" I hugged Taylor before pulling back and admiring her dress. "You look absolutely gorgeous!"

Taylor smiled. "Thank you, so do you."

"Thanks." I grinned. "Taylor, this is my date, Carson."

Carson shook Taylor's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." Taylor smiled politely before turning around. "Cooper's here. I'll see you guys later."

We all nodded at her and bid our silent goodbyes.

Cooper actually looked good. Cooper was dressed finely in a black suit with polished black shoes with his messy locks pulled back by a strong gel.

Cooper smirked and gestured to Carson "I see you found a lovely date."

"Yes, I did." I nodded triumphantly. "Cooper, this is--"

"--Your boyfriend," Cooper interrupted.

"What? How did you know? I haven't told you yet," I stuttered and stared at Cooper in surprise.

"Oh, he told me." My dear cousin pointed to Carson.

"But we haven't spoken to you all day. How could you have possibly known?"

The biggest smirks formed on their faces as I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"We already knew each other," Carson explained.

"How?"

"Remember how I was away for a week because of a fundraiser at a university in another town? That was Cooper's town and turns out Cooper's friends with my older brother. So we met then."

I nodded slowly.

Cooper jumped in with his smirk widening. "And remember how we were facetiming after you spammed me on skype and I told you I was texting a mate?"

I nodded even slower, trying to get the memory to come back. When it did, I nodded faster and more surely. "Yeah, I remember. Why?"

"I was texting him." Cooper nodded his head at Carson. "And remember what I told you?"

It all came back to me in a second. "...His hopeless love life. A girl rejecting him and running away. And he was friend zoned." My cheeks burned furiously. "Did you tell him what I said?"

Cooper burst out laughing and I could tell Carson was amused too. "Of course, he's my friend."

"I wonder who that was..." Cooper breathed as he let out one last laugh before patting me on the shoulder and walking away.

My cheeks bloomed a crimson colour as I slapped them both lightly with my hands. "That's so embarrassing."

Carson chuckled and wrapped his arm around me. "But you're my embarrassing."

"How was I so oblivious?" I continued slapping my cheeks. If I wasn't wearing makeup then I would've rubbed my whole face.

"Don't worry. It just proved that Jett's stupid flirting method failed."

I laughed at that. "I guess so."

He pulled me closer and kissed the side of my temple. "But because of him, I finally attempted to ask you out."

I smiled. "You did."

a/n: I feel like i rushed dis a lot but im pretty happy with it.

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