Suicide, Skittles and Skates [✓]

Epilogue

EPILOGUE {five years later}

"What on earth are you doing?" Kalila asked bemused, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to wake up fully. It was a Sunday morning and instead of the nice lie-in she had been expecting, she was awoken by banging and cursing coming from the small kitchen in the small house her and Alex now shared.

"Shit, sorry! I didn't mean to wake you," he answered sheepishly, running his fingers through his flour coated hair. He gestured to the broken egg on the floor and various bowls lying neglected on the surfaces before answering her. "I'm making a cake."

Kalila snorted. Only Alex could ruin an entire kitchen just because of a measly little baking attempt.

"I thought we agreed you were terrible at being a chef Bates," she replied, rolling up the sleeves of her pyjamas before bending down to wipe the floor clean from any stray eggshells. "Besides, what's the occasion?"

Alex stopped furiously mixing the cake batter to answer her in a voice one would use to a baby, as though it should be obvious. "It's my birthday. Duh."

Kalila just looked at him, raising one eyebrow in disbelief. It had been his birthday a few months ago, they had met up with their high school group of friends for a reunion as well as a few new faces and had a great time. "I'll explain if this stupid cake ever gets made," he grumbled, looking so helpless that Kalila just had to push him out of the way and take over.

Men. You can't live with them, can't live without them.

---

"I still can't believe you burnt the cake! I did everything, all you had to do was keep an eye on it in the oven and you couldn't even do that," Kalila scolded her boyfriend. It was hard for her not to laugh though – he just looked so upset at his baking failure that she couldn't help think how adorable he looked with his eyebrows all scrunched up like that.

"What was the occasion anyway?" she asked, hoping to finally get some answers; he had been acting a little weird all week and she was dying to know why.

The distraction worked, his eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he gestured to the ground for them to take a seat. Alex hadn't told her where they were going that morning, being adamant that it was a surprise although she realised their destination as soon as they were nearby. They were on the roof of the ice-skating rink in the exact same place where they had first met almost five whole years ago. After university they had moved in together about an hour or so away from their hometown and therefore hadn't come here since the year they first met.

It seemed like eons away since then – a lot had surely changed. They'd graduated university and got jobs and were paying bills and basically had just grown up. They weren't kids anymore. The relationship between the two of them had developed over time, growing stronger with every obstacle in the way and God, did they have a lot of them. There was no doubt about it however, Alex Bates and Kalila Woods were made for each other.

Alex took a moment to admire her before answering. He looked at her with affection; at her sparkling eyes and smile that lit up his world. He looked at the girl who was the very reason behind everything he did, the reason behind his entire life. The years had been kind to her – there were a few more laugh lines around her eyes and her hair was much neater but overall there wasn't much difference. They had both grown immensely since that first year but beneath the maturity and confidence, there was still a sliver of the two lost teenagers trying to make it in life that they had once been.

"Exactly five years ago on today's date you stopped me from killing myself in this exact spot. Although technically it's not my birthday today, it's the anniversary of the day I was given a second chance at life. Thanks to you. A rebirth-day I guess you could say? I want you to know that I love you. I probably loved you from the moment I hid and spied on you when you were ice-skating in the dark that day all those years ago although I didn't know it. And the thing is Kalila, I know I'll love you forever despite everything that's to come."

Kalila smiled warmly, she could feel the sincerity of his speech but before she had the chance to comment on his words, he had reached out and grabbed her hand. Any thoughts she had flew out of her mind as she looked down at her finger, where the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, now sat. She felt the tears brimming in her eyes as she counted the stones on it.

Five.

Five glittering stones shining back at her for every year since that day. Five different jewels in different colours.

"I thought they looked like Skittles and well-"

He didn't get a chance to explain because she jumped on him and pressed her lips against his. He could feel her tears against his skin as he kissed her back with urgency, trying to convey his feelings through his lips. "Yes," she whispered, leaning her forehead against his, looking into those beautiful cobalt eyes she loved so much. "Yes, I'll marry you."

He pushed her hair back from where it had come loose, his heart swelling with love for the one person he would do anything for. That didn't stop him from teasing her though. "Who said I was even gonna ask you though?"

Kalila laughed as she looked down at the train station beneath them. In that moment she was so grateful she had climbed onto the roof of the rink that day so long ago, she was so thankful that she had met Alex. He was her entire life now. "Shut up you idiot," she murmured lovingly, pressing her lips against his again.

Alex smiled slightly as he kissed her back. There was nowhere else he would rather be than here.