UnKnown(PUBLISHED)

Epilogue

Rylan

I took one hand and leaned against the ancient oak, my fingertips gripping into the crevices that ran through the bark. My eyes came to rest on the pattern, chaotic like the cracks in parched summer earth. Under my boots, the golden leaves were as noisy as the static in my head. I willed the world to dissolve around me, just to melt away, yet I could still feel the unweeping rough bark and the chill breeze that refused to reflect the howling pain that tore through my body. It's only been a year since everything happened and the death of Arianna and Fay, yet it still feels like it was just yesterday.

"We graduated, Ari," I whispered, running my hand down the tree. Using my other hand, I pulled out a piece of paper and held it up. "We even got accepted into the same college as we had hoped. All your hard work paid off. I told you you could do it."

I told myself I wouldn't cry. I thought there were no more tears left since that day, but every once in a while, a couple would fall from my eyes. You would think I would feel some disgust or hatred toward Arianna after finding out that she was the evil one all along, but all I saw was my best friend. The one that stuck by my side since middle school. Who called me out on my bullshit even if it hurt my feelings and the one I fell hopelessly in love with.

But I never got the chance to tell her. Even with her dying in my arms, all I could do was beg for her to hold on. And Fay. Shit... She died right in front of us without anyone holding her. And the fact that she was the good one the whole time, only to turn into the evil one in the end. What a fucking tragedy. At least Andromeda went back to normal, and we were able to make a proper burial for the family. Meadow got me back home, and my parents... they were worried sick. They had filed a missing person report on me and had the police looking for me from top to bottom, not knowing I was in another state but when I came back home, they couldn't even be angry at me.

Not with the look I had. I told them everything, of course. Whether they believed me or not, I had no idea, but I wanted to get it off my chest. Let them know the love of my life was gone, and I couldn't do anything about it. Everything was so hard. Getting through the rest of my senior year without her. All the stares and whispering I got from people when they found out Arianna and her family were dead. Kidnapped and killed is what the cover-up story was. I couldn't blame that. There's no way anyone would believe the real deal. But when I graduated, and it had been only a year, I wanted to return to where it all began. I needed to talk to her.

She was everything to me. If I could go back in time, I would have done everything I could to save her. Even if it meant losing my life, but then she would be the one standing here crying now, wouldn't she? It's funny how the world works that way. I wish Arianna and Fay had the chance to live the life they wanted...together.

"Take the chance now wherever you are. Give her another chance and live together in peace. Please, Arianna. I know the one I love dearly was still there. " I whispered, looking up at the sky now. Tearing my gaze away, I leaned against the tree and let everything out. My screams. My tears. My pain. My love. Everything. For her.

"Rylan..." I heard my mother call out to me. Wiping away tears, I placed the letter in front of the tree before turning to find my mother waiting for me. "It's time to go back home. You need to get ready for college."

I nodded, but I didn't move. Not yet. Turning back to the tree, I pressed my hand against it as if I could feel her hand against mine. I imagined that the tree was her. My other hand went to the necklace, her necklace that had the pictures of them inside.

"I'll see you next time, Ari. Tell your parents I said hello, and don't watch too many vampire diaries, alright? Find something new to watch." I couldn't help but crack a smile.

With one final touch, I walked away.