i never promised you a rose garden » fillie

» epilogue sweet «

prepare yourself because happy endings are real and very much happy.

f i n n ☁︎

I smiled, grinning at my best friends, Caleb, Noah, and Gaten. They gave me their approval in the form of thumps up, nodding their heads enthusiastically.

"Good luck," Gaten murmured.

"She'll say yes, she loves you," Noah said almost dreamily.

"Awww, he's shaking," Caleb laughed. "You'll be okay. It's only your sixth anniversary. You've been doing this for a while. Don't be nervous."

I nervously smiled. Everything had changed from the 11 reasons. Millie and I had grown closer, creating an unbreakable bond. The cast always teased us, saying we would be soulmates. I was always scared of taking it further. I knew we could, but what if it was too soon? What is taking it further would ruin our relationship? But I finally gathered my courage to ask her out.

At sixteen, I asked her out on a real date. At seventeen, we put a label on it: girlfriend and boyfriend. At twenty-three, I was going to propose to her.

"Well, you're going to meet in a few hours," Gaten said, rushing me. "We'll be waiting. I still can't believe my Fillie ship actually sailed."

"It's just a promise ring," I exclaimed, running my hands through my hair.

"Promise rings lead to wedding rings," Noah chimed in, winking.

"I hate you guys," I murmured.

"You love us deep down. Now go, my ship needs to really sail!" Gaten ordered.

Stranger Things had ended, but our friendships hadn't. We were a true family. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been cast in Stranger Things. Would I have met my friends? Would I have even met Millie?

I picked up Millie at about 6 PM. She was still a few inches shorter than me, even with heels. We drove to a restaurant, sitting at one of the patio tables. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I was so lucky. She had saved me so many years ago, and I never forgot it.

Millie turned her gaze to me, quickly touching her face. "Is there something on my face?" she asked, covering her face with her hands.

"No, no, it's just beauty," I cheekily said.

"Finn, where do you get your pick-up lines? Is it from Google?" Millie asked, shaking her head and laughing. Her British accent had slowly faded away into an American one. She could still fake a British accent well though. It had just become less prominent.

"So, sixth anniversary," I murmured.

"Can't believe it's been six years. We've known each other for like ten years?" Milie tentatively asked, running her finger around the rim of her water glass.

"We met in 2015, so yeah, it's been like ten years."

"I can't believe it," Millie sighed. "Time is so crazy."

We ate dinner, stealing glances at each other and flushing red when we caught each other. It was still like the first time we had gone out. I remember how our faces were constantly red due to our blushing. I never stopped feeling so flustered in her presence.

I paid quickly. "C'mon," I said, taking her hand. "Let's go."

"Adventure?" she asked and grabbed her purse.

"Adventure," I confirmed as we got into my car.

"And where are we going?" Millie asked.

"Top secret."

"We're going to the park," Millie stated.

"Maybe," I replied, not confirming or denying it. "Maybe not."

"It's totally the park."

"Maybe."

"Maybe not," Millie finished, laughing. After a fifteen minute drive, I parked. "I so called it. It is the park," Millie smiled.

"C'mon, Sills," I answered, getting out of the car. Millie followed, and we walked up the grassy slope. She turned to me with a questioning glance. "I don't know, Sills just came out." Millie laughed in response. We stopped at the top. I had planned it perfectly. The sun was beginning to set, casting shadows across our faces. Pink light bathed Millie's face.

"Why are we here?" she asked, making eye contact with me. I shrugged, and she smiled.

"I love you, Mills, and I can't imagine what I would be doing if I hadn't met you in 2015. Our lives have changed so much with the eleven days and Stranger Things, meet and greets. I can't even put any words to it; I'm just so grateful that I know you, that you are my girlfriend," I started, placing one of my shaking hands into my pocket. I gripped the ring, breathing slowly. "I am so proud to call you my girlfriend, but girlfriend never sounded right." Millie's face seemed to fall. She thought I was breaking up with her. I hurriedly continued, saying, "In my pocket is a ring, a promise ring. We're still young, but will you do me the honor of becoming my fiancée?" I asked, showing her the ring. Millie's face lit up again.

It wasn't really an engagement ring. It was just a simple gemstone, her birthstone which was an amethyst. In a couple of years, I would propose again but with a real ring.

"Oh my god, yes!" Millie shrieked. I slowly slipped the ring on her right ring finger. "You're right. Boyfriend never did fit you. Fiancé is better." She touched her ring, smiling at me.

"Wife will be better still," I murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She had kept it in a pixie cut, which was exactly how I liked it. I remembered how after she cut her hair, Millie felt so different. She didn't like the way she looked with buzzed-to-the-scalp hair, but she eventually grew to love herself. Millie felt confident, therefore I felt confident. I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around me, smiling against my lips.

Each kiss was like the first. There was a spark, something that caused me to feel like I was on drugs. Studies did show that being in love was like being on drugs, so I didn't really have any other explanation. I can't describe what being in love is like. It's something that one has to feel on their own, just as someone can't tell me what it's like to lose a loved one. I will never know until the time comes. For now, I'm going to live my life. Medicine and science adds years to our life. I will add life to my years. I pulled away from Millie, blushing.

"Oh, here's another reason," Millie chuckled. "Marrying me."

"You still kept track of reasons?" I asked, slightly laughing. "I thought it was just something stupid I was going through."

I had overcome depression on my own. Millie was my support column during everything. I was the one who defeated it. I was the one who could now live because I did it myself. I overcame depression. I did it.

"You know I remembered my reasons. They were hella good reasons. And it wasn't something stupid you were going through." She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. I instantly sobered, the amusement fading like the sunset around us. "We're going to live," Millie said, her voice slightly cracking. "I don't care if we become poor. I don't care if the world, for some godly reason, hates us. As long as you love me, as long as you remember how we can help and save each other, we can take it together." I knew she was tearing up.

I breathed her in, a mixture of floral and woody scents. "Let's do it together. Let's live. Let's get married and buy the little house on the end of the cul-de-sac. The one you want. We can have children, a boy and a girl. He likes to play a sport while she likes to sing. Let's grow old together. Let's live."

"I love you," Millie whispered. "I love you so freaking much."

"I love you, too."