Final chapter guys!! :D I hope you enjoyed this story, and a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, and all the people who were so supportive right from the beginning.
So, will TJ and Spinelli get their happy ever after? Read on to find out!!
Happily Ever After?
Byron screwed up his face in disgust. "What are you doing here?" He said to TJ.
"Because, over the past twenty years, I've been an idiot," TJ said. He wasn't saying it to Byron though- he was looking directly into Spinelli's eyes, and she was looking back.
"We know you're an idiot already, but it doesn't mean you can interrupt my wedding, you rude excuse of a man," Byron said, but no one was listening to him. Everyone was looking curiously at TJ, wondering why he had interrupted the wedding so dramatically, like they did in soap operas.
"I've been an idiot, Spinelli, because I never told you how I really felt about you," TJ said. "All these years I've been in love with you, and all these years I've been too chicken to tell you."
Everyone in the church was reacting in different ways. Spinelli was gobsmacked; she never in a million years would have thought TJ had feelings for her. TJ was worried; did Spinelli really feel the same way about him, would this ruin their friendship forever? Byron was angry; how dare that stupid guy in the red hat interrupt his wedding and try to steal his future wife? Gretchen was pleased; her plan had worked and there was a high chance of her best friends having the happy ending they deserved. Gus, Mikey and Vince were looking at each other knowingly; they'd always thought that TJ and Spinelli liked each other. And the friends and relatives of Byron who didn't know TJ and Spinelli were wondering what the heck was going on, who this mysterious wedding crasher was and whether Byron and Spinelli were going to get married after all.
Spinelli was too shocked to say anything, so TJ did more talking. "I know that you don't love Byron, and"-
"What!" Byron interrupted. "That's insane! And I demand that someone gets this guy arrested!"
"SHUT UP BYRON!!" Spinelli yelled at the top of her voice, and everyone stared at her. "Look, if it was one of those girls you flirted with at Gretchen and Gus's party that just came in, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
"But he's saying that you don't love me, and that's not on, who does he think he is?"
"He's my best friend!"
"He's trying to steal you from me!" Byron yelled angrily.
"He can't steal me from you, Byron," Spinelli said, and TJ gulped. Spinelli was going to choose Byron. She was going to yell at him just like she did the last time he'd tried to make a move on her. And maybe this time their friendship wouldn't be repaired.
"Because if he was going to steal me from you, it would mean I was yours in the first place," Spinelli yelled. "And yeah, maybe I was your girlfriend, maybe you were gonna marry me, but you would never have had my heart. Because ever since kindergarten, my heart has belonged to TJ Detweiler and no one else!"
TJ almost passed out. So it was true. Gretchen wasn't lying. Spinelli felt the same way about him.
Spinelli looked deep into TJ's eyes and whispered, "I love you TJ."
"I love you too," TJ said, and then they were kissing, and for both of them it was the most amazing feeling in the world. It was like they were meant to be together.
They must have been kissing for at least a minute when Byron said, "Can we please just get back to the wedding?"
He sounded so stupid that Spinelli burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing at me?" Byron demanded.
"Because you think after the only man I've ever loved comes in, says he's in love with me and kisses me, that I'm going to marry you." Spinelli said bitterly, putting her arms around TJ's neck.
Bob Spinelli stood up. "But you have to marry Byron!" He said.
Flo stood up too. "Yes, it's a family tradition!"
"WELL IT'S A DUMB TRADITION!!" Spinelli said. "DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IN OUR FAMILY DID IT, I'M GONNA DO IT AS WELL? JUST COZ YOU WANT ME TO? WHAT ABOUT WHAT I WANT? DO YOU REALLY THINK I WANT TO WASTE MY LIFE MARRYING A JERK I DON'T EVEN KNOW? I WANT TO MARRY TJ!! I'M IN LOVE WITH HIM! BUT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT I WANT, SO WHY SHOULD I DO WHAT YOU WANT?"
Spinelli couldn't believe she'd actually said all that. She'd never really realised that until today. So what if she lost touch with her family. She could make a new family with TJ. If her parents really loved her then they'd let her marry whoever she wanted to. If they were disappointed, it wasn't her problem.
"Because we brought you into this world, Ashley Spinelli, and for that you should have some respect for us," Flo said angrily.
"Well, to be honest, I'd rather have not been brought into the world at all than not be with TJ," Spinelli said.
TJ put his arm around Spinelli's shoulders and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "You look beautiful, Spin." He whispered softly in her ear.
She looked up at him and beamed.
"I'm sorry, Spinelli." TJ said. "I should have told you earlier. But I was too chicken."
"I suppose you tried that time when we were fourteen- but I took it the wrong way," Spinelli said. "And please don't think I wasn't pleased, because I was- I just didn't want to get hurt. Coz my mom and dad were making me marry Byron, so if I fell any deeper in love with you, then I would have had a broken heart for the rest of my life, because I couldn't have been with you."
"But we can be together now," TJ said. "And we don't have to be scared anymore. But only if you want to."
"There's nothing I want more," Spinelli replied, smiling.
There was a chorus of 'awws' from all around the church. Obviously Spinelli's parents, Byron's family and Byron himself were fuming, but everyone else was really happy that TJ and Spinelli had finally admitted their true feelings for each other and were going to be together. Miss Finster was in tears; she thought the whole thing was beautiful, especially as she'd watched both of them grow up and known right from the good old days that they were meant to be together.
"Well, what are we waiting for then?" TJ said. He got hold of Spinelli's hand and together they ran back up the aisle and out of the church, where a motorbike was waiting for them.
"Hey, I didn't know you drove a motorbike!" Spinelli said, in awe.
TJ grinned. "Hey, how else are we supposed to go off into the sunset?"
Spinelli grinned. TJ tossed her a helmet. Once they both had their helmets on, they climbed onto the motorbike, Spinelli behind TJ, holding on tightly to him. She never wanted to let go.
Gretchen, Gus, Mikey, Vince, Ashley A, Kurst, Miss Finster and some other people had followed them out of the church, and they cheered as the motorbike set off, taking TJ and Spinelli to their happily ever after.
As I was writing the end of this chapter, I was listening to 'Ever Ever After' by Carrie Underwood. You can just imagine TJ and Spinelli running off up the aisle and riding into the sunset while that's playing, can't you? :D
Well, that's it! I hope you liked reading this story as much as I liked writing it. And thank you again for reading and reviewing, you guys really are wonderful!! I don't know what I'm going to write next but I have an idea for another Recess fanfic so look out for that :D
Love Rach
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