Unintended Consequences

Epilogue

***********************************************************************************************

3 Years Later... 

"You ready?" 

I turned away from the mirror at the sound of Mads' voice. She leaned up against the door frame of my bedroom and winked at me. Strutting across the room she twirled with her arms out to show off the full outfit. 

"Nice," I smiled. 

"That's it?" she scoffed. 

"Mads, c'mon. You always look great. I'm the one with hair that doesn't want to sit nicely under this cap." I turned back to the mirror and fiddled around with the dumb thing a little longer. 

"Okay, let me help you. This is painful to watch." She grabbed my shoulders gently and spun me around. 

After a bit of 'Madeline Magic', I was finally ready. We linked elbows and strutted out of our two-bedroom apartment with our heads held high. 

We laughed through the parking lot as we took large diagonal steps back and forth in tandem. The energy of today zipped through my veins and put a little extra pep in my step. 

"I'm bummed Emmett can't be here today," Madeline sighed as she climbed into the passenger seat of my car. I turned the key and clicked my seatbelt into place as my car grumbled and plunked underneath of me. This baby had gotten me through four years of university, but honestly, I wasn't sure it would make it much further. 

"Same," I agreed, "but by the looks of his Instagram—I'd say he isn't regretting his decision." 

Madeline laughed and clapped her hands together. "Did you see the most recent one of him and James at a 49ers fundraiser? Just dripping in cheerleaders." 

"Yeah Oliver wasn't super happy about that one," I grimaced. "But no doubt they're living the NFL dream." 

"I still wish Emm was here though," Madeline said while she stared out the window. The three of us had been almost inseparable for the first three years of college. Their friendships had kept me going through every bump along the road. 

Archer and I had gotten our place together for my Sophomore year, just like we'd planned. Much to his chagrin though it ended up being a half-way house for friends who didn't like their living arrangements. AKA, Emmett and Mads. 

More often than not, at least one of them was on our couch in the living room. Emmett had to share a room at the football house with a snorer and Mads learned that living in a house filled with debate-lovers could cause serious headaches. 

Before our Senior year began, Emmett got an offer to sign early with the San Fransisco 49ers and he never looked back. James had been signed the year before, so the two of them were all over each other's social medias together. The media had labelled them the Biggest Bromance of the NFL. 

"Frick, maybe we should have left a little earlier." I eyed the overcrowded parking lot, hoping there would be a free spot. 

"Just get aggressive girl, if you see someone leaving you stalk them until you get their spot." 

We did several laps around the parking lot before I finally spotted someone climbing into their car. I zipped up behind them and awkwardly stared with my signal light on, waiting for them to move. They shot me funny looks while they dug around in their glove department but finally they turned the dang car on and pulled out. 

"What time does your program go up?" I asked while I put some chapstick on and brushed the wrinkles out of my red gown. 

"I think right before yours, so I'll be able to watch you cross that stage."