The Upside of Falling Back To You

epilogue | two kids in love (again)

august 26th, 2031
one year later

I WATCHED AS Ronan stood on the stage with a bright smile on his face as he sang. He held his guitar in his hands, playing along with his band one of the final numbers of the show.

I hate to admit it, but Ronan really knew how to put on a performance. He didn't need dancers or flashy sets, he was able to get the crowd roaring with just him and his instruments. The connection he was able to make with his fans was special - even now, he leaned over and grabbed a flower crown from a girl who couldn't possibly be much older than six.

"See, we told you that you've been missing out during these concerts." Lucas leaned against the barrier of the section we were in. He fiddled with the lanyard around his neck.

"Yeah, but he looks much happier this tour," Parv chimes in on the other side of me. She bumps into me. "I wonder why."

I blush. To say the last year of our lives was one of the best may be an overreaction, but it truly was great. Sure, there were bumps in the road - work, schedules hardly lining up, meet and greets and interviews that wanted to know everything about us, and just the media trying to hang over our shoulders all the time, but somehow we made it work. We led a mostly private life in the relationship department, minus what we wanted the world to know.

I look down at my own VIP lanyard and read it again. On one side, the info about the show and the tour - PARIS, FRANCE | AUGUST 26TH, 2031. The other side had the tracklist of Ronan's latest album.

two kids in love (again)

the upside of falling
seven years
better man
forever is a place i know (ft asteria martin)
all our friends
cold hearts
every life
wrote another song for u (that you're never gonna hear) [interlude]
over and over again
to the ones that broke my heart
forgive me
love (i know you hate it when i call you that)
the stars lead us home
back to you

Writing, producing, and featuring on the album was a dream. But it also felt like it was long overdue. Ronan and I just fell back into the rhythm we always sort of had.

I think I cried when I got to hold a physical copy of the album.

"Now, before we wrap up the show, I'm going to play this guitar solo until a certain someone comes up here for a minute." Ronan looks straight in our direction. I make a face, and he returns one to me. Since his face was projected to the rest of the audience, it caused everyone to laugh.

Lucas gives me a soft shove, and I don't need to hear it again. I walk out of our section and let the security guard lead me to the stage. The audience erupts in cheers when they catch the sight of me.

"You're still good with this, right?" Ronan whispers into my ear quickly.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be up here."

Ronan swings his arm around me. "So, this incredible woman, possibly my favourite person in the world, is probably behind some of your favourite songs off the album. And today is her birthday."

The crowd cheers louder.

"So, on three!"

He counts down and the stadium bursts into Happy Birthday. I barely knew what to do when my friends were singing it to me, nevermind about 50,000 people. Ronan places a kiss on the side of my head as the song wraps up, the crowd once again erupting in cheers.

Someone comes on stage and hands me an earpiece and a mic, which again gets the crowd excited and confused.

"You all remember that Asteria's the one on forever is a place i know, right?" Ronan asked the crowd. "You've been asking for the live version, so I guess you're all going to get it now."

I think about the song: forever is a place i know. I know exactly where it is, and I look to my right. My level of nervousness is through the roof, because I'm pretty sure the last time I was on a stage performing was the ninth grade musical where Ronan first kissed me. But now, looking at him was enough to calm me down.

Because forever is a place I know, where it feels like time stops and everything is perfect.

It's wherever I am with you by my side.