It Started With A Concussion ✔️

Epilogue

**Three weeks later**

Emery's POV

"Go to sleep Jackson, seriously." I plead with him. "And don't give me some stupid excuse about wanting to talk any longer."

I see his lips straighten into a line before he laughs. "Is it a crime to talk to my girlfriend?"

"No...but we've been talking for over an hour and you have to get up early tomorrow." I reason and check the time printed in small letters at the bottom of my laptop.

It's been three weeks since Jackson left for college. Over that time I've contacted him every single day. We call when we can and if he's super busy I suffice with a text.

He's told me about his experience so far and I know by the way he goes off rambling half the time, he's enjoying himself.

While he's been gone I've figured some things out on my own. A few weeks ago I went to a party and saw Liam with another girl wrapped around his arm.

I can't lie to myself when I say I felt a little upset. I mean, he sweet talked me for weeks and accepted my apology well; all to just move on in a week. It hurts because he made me feel more important when I really meant nothing. Clearly.

But I will say I'm important to the guy who's refusing to go to sleep even though he has to get up at five in the morning tomorrow. And as much as I know he doesn't want to end the call, I make him.

"Okay, but one last question." He continues to drag out this conversation which I find extremely funny.

"Yes Jackson?"

"How's your head?" He asks and I hear a few of his teammates in the back.

The question makes me smile because he checks up on me everytime we call. The day he left I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with yet another concussion.

"My head is okay," I tell him. "But it would feel a lot better if I knew you were going to bed."

"Okay mom." Jackson has an offended look on his face.

I laugh and ironically hold him before he ends the call like I've wanted him to do for the last ten minutes. "Just in case I'm not the first one to call you tomorrow; Happy birthday."

His face breaks out into an extremely happy smile which, even through a screen, is making me blush. "Thank you Emery." I stare at him smiling for quite a while and of course he notices. "You're blushing."

I look away from the screen and hide my face from the camera. Crap.

"Okay, stop looking at me like that." I accuse him even though he's looking at me like he usually does. "Bye now. I love you."

Again, I move my face away which is as red as a tomato by now.

"I love you too Em." He says before the sound of his standing fan in the corner and chatter from teammates outside his room turns into silence.

And the words Call Ended appear on my screen.

~~~~~

**Four years later**

Jackson's POV

I really can't believe this is happening.

Two championships. Two fucking championships in four years. It's still taking me time to process what the hell the team and I just accomplished.

My first year in college went a little better than expected; we made it to the SEC Championship but lost. It was still a good year but my sophomore year went astronomically better.

Two years ago today I was standing in the same place I am now. A ginormous stadium with red and white confetti falling from the sky, a Peach Bowl hat, and multiple microphones in my face.

Oh shit. Microphones = Reporters.

"You seem to be looking for someone." I turn back at the brunette interviewing me; or trying to at least.

My eyes have been squinting through the confetti for a few minutes trying to spot the one girl I want to be with right now.

I turn away from the microphones and look towards the sidelines. "Yeah...and I think I found her." I spin back to the reporters. "Excuse me."

I walk away from them and push past the mob of people swarming my teammates. I acknowledge them with a nod before all my attention goes to Emery.

She still has her camera strapped around her neck, hanging low on her torso. Her head is on a swivel and the moment she spots me, her entire face lights up. Same could be said about mine.

My strides get even longer and the second I kiss her, I almost bulldoze her over. Hoisting her up to my hips I pull back to look at the smile on her face.

A smile I want to see every fucking day for the rest of my life.

"You did it baby," I start to block out all the commotion around me and focus strictly on her. "You fucking did it." She laughs.

"Well I had my biggest fan on the sidelines didn't I?" I mention and hold her tighter.

"I was cheering you on for every minute that ran off that clock." she replies softly. "Even got some hot pics of you too." Emery winks and I laugh.

"The media will have a field day with those, won't they?" I ask.

"Not before I do." She gives me a little grin and I kiss her again before setting her down.

I look at her outfit; a UGA sweatshirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans with her complimentary red hair tie on her wrist. A bunch of memories flood back as I stare at it.

And I'm glad I took her hand and pulled her closer just to look at it because a ball whizzed right past where she was standing a split second later.

I look up and track where the ball came from only to find a few students fooling around nearby. "God you're just prone to head injuries aren't you?" I laugh.

"Hey," she points a finger into my chest. "Concussions find me. I don't go looking for them."

I know she's right when the fact finally hits me. She hasn't had a concussion in a while. Four years to be exact.

And it's crazy to think that's how we started in the first place

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I love you guys more than you could imagine and thanks for supporting me these past few months. I didn't think my books would be all that interesting or good enough to read at all, but you've shown me that they are.

I'm always trying to get better at writing and seeing my development for my first story to this one is actually mind blowing to me.

I will always be around if you want to talk to me here (private messages) and I'll be updating on TikTok as well. In terms of books, there won't be any for a few months because I need a break lovies.

Anyways, with that being said, I hoped you enjoyed ISWAC as much as I did. Emery and Jackson will be in my heart forever.

Love you like Jackson loves Em,

Eve <3