Epilogue (seven years later…)

"Thea! Thea! Come on! You don't want to be late to your own wedding!" my father called from the downstairs of our house.

"My own wedding," I said looking at myself in the mirror. I had aged slightly since high school, but I still had my long brown hair, that was pulled back into a half bun, like the night of our prom. I looked down at my dress. It was embroidered with crystals along the bodice that hugged my figure until my waist and flowed out in a few layers of tulle. I put in my small diamond earrings and stood up. This was the last time that I would be in this house as Thea Ivans. I walked out of the practically empty room and turned around and shut the door.

"Thea, you look beautiful," my father said as I came down the stairs, the third stair from the bottom still squeaking after seven years. He met me at the bottom and kissed the top of my head.

"Thanks dad," I said.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"I am ready," I said.

I was ready to marry my best friend. We were having a small wedding in the backyard, only with my father and his cousins, his parents were not going to be there. They left town right after graduation and left Adam in charge of their business endeavors here. We hadn't seen them since then. I went off to college in the next town over to get a business degree to help him with the business, but after only a few weeks, I switched to English. I now teach at the high school we went to, and I write on the side. I decided to write down our story.

It is one that we have lived and learned, and reflecting on the last half of our senior year, I thought it important to let you know what happened after.

Greyson left town and we have not heard of him since then.

Sammie went on to college out of state and has not come back either.

Principal Masters put in his resignation letter only a month after graduation. He felt guilty about what had happened, and went to the town over to be the principal there.

Mr. Henry and Mr. Smith both still work at the school, and many students love them as much as Adam and I did.

Adam and I are getting married today. It has been a long time coming, and we went through some hard times, but we always came out on top. The rest of the story is a blank book for right now. I cannot wait to see what our lives have in store, but I do know that I will be with him, and he will be with me, beauty and the beast.