Epilogue

Epilogue
I finished high school with flying colors.

It still felt surreal sometimes—looking at my diploma, remembering the long nights studying with Emma, the stress, the laughter, the way everything seemed to pass in a blur. And now, just like that, it was over. A chapter of my life had officially closed, and the next one was already unfolding.

I had applied to both NYU and Columbia, unsure if I’d even get into one, let alone both. But when the acceptance letters came in—one after another—I felt like I was standing at a crossroads I had only ever dared to dream of. After days of weighing my options, researching programs, and even going over pros and cons with Emma like it was a business pitch, I finally made my choice.

Columbia.

The name felt powerful, solid, like I had stepped into something much bigger than myself. The kind of place that could actually help me become the surgeon I had only ever imagined being.

When Emma and I sat down with my parents to ask their permission to live together in New York, I thought it was going to be a fight. I was ready with all the counterpoints, emotional appeals, even the "we’re adults now" card.

But to my surprise, they didn’t object. Not even a little.

In fact, my mom seemed more relieved than anything else.

"At least she’ll have someone to look after her." She said, glancing gratefully at Emma. "Better than living alone in a city like that."

There was a catch, though. My parents made us promise—swear—that we’d visit as often as possible. And if they ever came to visit us in New York, they’d stay as long as they wanted.

At first, I opened my mouth to argue—because who really wanted their parents crashing on their couch in Manhattan for a week or more? But then I felt a sharp pinch on my back and caught Emma’s laser-focused glare.

I shut up.

Smart choice, I know.

Emma’s own story had shifted, too. Her parents—who had been difficult at best—eventually came around. There were a lot of long conversations and some silence in between, but they reconciled in the end. And though they hadn’t always approved of her choices, they finally saw how happy she was. We planned to visit them in Ohio before flying to New York, a peace offering before starting this new life together.

Sam, of course, had her own plans too. She was accepted to multiple schools across the country—big names, big campuses—but in the end, she chose UCLA, her dream school.

“I need palm trees and iced coffee to function.” She told me, grinning through the phone.

We promised to stay in touch no matter what. There would be FaceTime calls, daily updates, memes exchanged at 2 a.m., and hopefully real visits whenever our schedules aligned.

As she put it, “You’re not getting rid of me just because you’re moving to another time zone.”

Classic Sam.

And Kate? Well, we finally had the conversation that had been long overdue. She accepted that whatever we’d shared before—whatever unspoken feelings had lingered between us—wasn’t going to turn into anything more.

“I just want you to be happy.” She told me. “And it’s obvious that you are—with her. So… good luck in New York.”

We parted ways on good terms. No shouting, no accusations, no bitter silence. Just two girls who had once meant the world to each other, choosing to walk different paths. Peacefully.

My sisters, Murry and Anne, had come home for the weekend to see me off. It was their idea, and I had to admit—it was sweet of them. They teased me relentlessly, of course, but underneath all of it, I knew they were proud. They wanted to be there for this moment. This turning point.

The day of our flight came too quickly. The house felt like a whirlwind—last-minute packing, checklists being double-checked, and my mom crying every time she looked at my suitcase.

By the time we reached the airport, her eyes were red and puffy, and her sobs had gone from occasional to near-constant.

“Mom.” I said gently, looping an arm around her shoulder. “I’m just going to college. Not joining the military.”

That only made her cry harder.

Emma stood beside me, ever the anchor, ever calm, while I tried to console the woman who was, apparently, having the emotional equivalent of giving away her youngest child to the great unknown.

People passing by slowed down to stare. I could feel their eyes on us, probably wondering what kind of dramatic farewell was taking place at our gate.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Mom scolded me, wiping her face with a tissue she’d been holding since the car ride.

I leaned into Emma, seeking comfort. She wrapped her arm around me.

“You know she never cried like that when she sent us here?” Murry said, voice thick with mock jealousy.

“Yeah, should we be offended?” Anne chimed in, making us all laugh despite ourselves.

Dad stepped in, placing his arm around Mom’s shoulders in his own attempt to calm her.

“Your daughter’s gonna be a doctor.” He told her, his tone light. “Save some of those tears for her graduation.”

That finally got a smile out of her, even if it was watery and reluctant.

“You just… you just be careful over there, okay?” She sniffled, looking straight at Emma this time. “And you—she’s hard-headed, Emma. She doesn’t listen to me, but she listens to you. So if anything happens to my daughter, I will hunt you down.”

The threat was delivered with such dramatic intensity that we all burst out laughing.

“I’ll call you every day if it helps.” Emma said sweetly, reaching for my mom’s hand. “You’ll be sick of me by the end of the week.”

Mom exhaled with a chuckle. “I’ll hold you to that.”

She pulled us both into a hug, and for the first time since that morning, she finally stopped crying.

My dad gave us both a hug next, followed by Murry and Anne.

“Good luck to you both.” Murry said, her voice laced with teasing. “Still can’t believe you two are shacking up!”

My eyes widened in horror and immediately darted toward my parents. Thankfully, they hadn’t heard.

I jabbed Murry in the side with my elbow. “Could you not?”

She just laughed it off, smug as ever.

Eventually, after what felt like hours of goodbyes, my family began to pull away, leaving Emma and me alone. We walked toward our gate, our suitcases rolling quietly behind us.

Boarding had already started.

I looked around the terminal, trying to memorize every detail of that moment. It felt like a movie—like the kind of scene you’d replay in your head when you needed to remember where it all began.

Emma reached for my hand. Her touch, warm and certain, wrapped around mine.

“Are you ready for our future?” She asked, her voice low and steady.

I looked at her, my heart full and my fingers tightening around hers.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”



THE END

I would like to thank you all for your support from the beginning till the end of this story.

I would definitely miss both characters and I hope you all loved those two and how they ended up together!

I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your support as well for my other book and the ones that are upcoming!

THANK YOU, READERS!

I'll see you in my other books!

xoxo <3 
Luna Marcelo