Final chapter. Epilouge time. Whatever else you want to call the arrival of this piece of shit of an ending chapter.
Although, it's not really the end. Oh, no. Not yet.
I apologize beforehand for this incredibly lame (and late) piece of shit. I've been busy with school, food, homework, laziness, writing other stuff, blah blah blah. And I've been lacking in inspiration for this chapter and just started writing two or three nights ago.
While we're at it, let's just add every other excuse under the moon.
Begin Again, the third and final installment of the Forbidden Love trilogy, will be posted sometime in the middle of December, if you're lucky, that means before Christmas.
Updates for all things Forbidden Love trilogy related can be found on my twitter account ( shehasbeenloved) and my partner's ( JaniceMarie1996). Follow us for updates and links to the latest chapter and progress on each chapter as I write them.
Or follow us because we're cool like that. You know, whatever suits your fancy.
Okay, I'll shut up and let you read now.
June 6th 2016
No One's Pov
"Kim Chung!"
The rush of applause was deafening in Christine's ears as Kim, an Asian with waist-long hair and apple green streaks from her French class waltzed up to the podium, shaking Principal Perry's hand and exchanging gratitude-filled nods with the vice principal as she made her way back to her seat.
A giant knot built in Christine's stomach, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she looked into the blinding lights, just barely making out the outline on the humongous crowd if she squinted just hard enough.
For a brief, bare moment, there was only the anxious, nostalgic chatter of parents and the swish of gowns as soon-to-be graduates squirmed in their seats, nerves and tears collecting as they waited for their name to be called.
"India Crow!"
Another eruption of cheers and claps as Christine's blonde, hazel-eyed study partner in government walked up to accept her certificate and handshakes. India's walk was slower, shyer than anyone could ever picture with Kim Chung, but her pearly white smile and excitedly shaking hands gave off her excitement as she hurried back to her seat.
Another millisecond quietness. The slight thud of shuffling feet on the wooden stage; the creak of the crappy, rusty fold-up chairs they sat on.
"Chase Davenport!"
Princpal Perry's voice didn't even try to hide it's replusive ring as it spoke his name. Christine watched with a stomach full of fluttering butterfies and a chestful of a rapidly beating heart as her handsome boyfriend of four years confidently walked up to accept his diploma and shake the short principal's hand.
Chase hadn't changed much in the last three years. He kept his hair short and spiked, his attire never drifted from his striped polos and high tops, and his smile only went from charming to dazzling.
These slight changes weren't much, but after everything, Christine could look at him and fall in love all over again.
But Christine hadn't changed much herself. Her dark hair still hung to the small of her back, her eyes were still as readable as a book, her love for comic books hadn't faded over time. Except for the fact she sat in high heels and a striped sundress (all Rachel and Sammie's doing, mind you), she hadn't changed.
Chase and Principal Perry shook hands in a curt, unfamiliar manner as if they hadn't been the bane of the oher's existence for four years. A laugh whizzed throughout the seat audience as Chase proudly began striding back to his seat, catching Perry in the act of wiping her meaty hand on her pantsuit in an overly disgusted manner.
Oh, how no one would miss that woman when they were gone.
Christne heard the slight ruffle of his gown and jeans as he sat down a row and five seats in front of her, the wink he sent her way just a second or two before he sat down. She caught it while she blinked, because it was what he would do. God, she knew him so well. She could recite his features like the back of her hand, speak of his voice as well as hearing the sound of her own name.
The rest of the names past in a long blur like a hum in Christine's ears. The sunlight stung at her frequently blinking eyes. At times, when she was appeal to peel away the brightness of the sun's rays to make out their famile and friends sitting in the fourth row of the audience.
Davenport and her father fidgeted uncomfortably next to their respective companion as Tasha and Rem exchanged annoyed glances and rolled their eyes.
Rachel, Sammie, Ashley, and Bree were through own mini row of seats a few over from the parents, looking smug as they snickered amongst themselves and looked up at the stage, probably reminiscing on how they were in Chase and Christine's shoes just barely a year ago, now freshman in colleges of their choice. Adam was seated at Rachel's side, the hand holding her enegagement ring intertwined with his left one placed in his lap. It was almost comical to see him of all people in a suit, on break from the community college.
If she squinted hard enough, she could just barely make out Janelle and Leo's figures in the seats behind their parents, looking ready to pounce at each other and make out right there no matter how many people would be watching.
Christine wanted to pucker her lips and roll her eyes at their sexual tension. Every time they breathed, they seemed to be getting hot for each other; they should really have been taking notes for when it was their turn next year, but whatever - it was their funeral after all.
"Christine Grant!"
The applause nearly drowned out the thunderous roar of her steps and heartbeat, pounding erratically in her ears as she walked from her seat as calmly as she could. Her palms felt sweaty. The sunlight streaming into her eyes seemed twice as blinding.
It felt weird to shake her principal's hand and take the lightweight feel of her diploma into her other hand, the cylindar shape feeling equivaliant to a brick in her hold. Suddenly she didn't blame Rachel for hard how she kissed Adam at the after party in the Davenport household, or how hard Bree sobbed as she hugged Chase tightly, then Leo and Adam, red in the face as she quickly swiped at her eyes with balled up fists.
Christine listened the roar of noise, swallowed the huge knot stuck in her throat, and resised the urge to laugh and sob as she shifted back into her seat. Her leg began to nervously bounce; she crossed her legs and bit her lip, hoping for the nervous habit to cease. It didn't, just her luck.
"And now, a graduate student would like to make an annoucement."
The sound of Vice Principal Ridley's voice made Christine's head bob up from looking at her lap, a fine red spread across her cheeks. She looked up in time to see none other than Chase reclaim a spot at the podium, like he'd done earlier for the valevictorian speech. But that had been before the diploma handout. What the hell was he doing now?
Christine squinted into the crowd again, seeing their family and friends about to pass out from snickering in a totally non-discreet way.
Okay, now she was scared.
"Christine." Chase twisted to look back at her, smirking like the devil. "Can you join me up here please?"
She stood on slightly shaking legs - what do you expect when five hundred pairs of eyes are trained on you, knowing something you didn't?
"What are you doing?" she hissed quietly once she stood by his side.
He chuckled, along with the rest of the audience who apparently knew what was going on. "Just trust me."
Then he did the oddest thing.
Chase got down on one knee.
Christine stood there frozen, eyes unbelieveably wide as wolf whistles and cat calls came up from their fellow students; hell even a from came from the audience.
"Chris," Chase began lovingly, "ever since my freshman year, you have been everything I ever wanted. All I'll ever want. For that, I ask you to do me the biggest favor and marry me. Help me love you more than I do now. Help me raise our family in a house we'll pick out together. Help me pave our future together. Christine Grant, will you marry me?"
There was a long pause. In the audience, Rem was smiling; Tasha and the girls wipe at real tears and comfort each other in joy.
Then, this flew from her mouth.
"You idiot!" Christine sobbed, hitting his shoulder.
Chase raised his eyebrows, grabbing the blue box from his pocket and exposing a tinkling diamond ring. "Ah, is that a yes?"
She scoffed, reaching down to yank him up, looking at him tearful eyes."Of course it's a yes, you idiot!"
Christine grabbed a shirtful of his gown and roughly pulled him into a kiss, whoops and hollers drowning out the fast drumming noise of her heart.
April 24th 2020
She's 22. He's 22.
So, why exactly was she flipping out?
And wasn't he supposed to be the calm, orderly one? Considering he went around, claiming that those very traits of him, kept him mission leader all those years?
Yeah, well, supposed macho mission leader looked ready to pass out.
Dr. Porter was perfectly nice. Christine thought she had a really aged look about her, a few gray hairs popping out here or there, but she couldn't have been anymore than thirty with her own kids, something she could tell just by the way the doctor talked - like she had been in Christine's shoes not that long ago.
"Ms. Grant, it's perfectly natural for one to turn into two," Dr. Porter was trying to explain now. "Twins usually like to hide the other and play games on their own in their."
"Identical twins?" Christine squeaked, laying a hand on her bigger-than-usual stomach."
Dr. Porter shook her head. "No faternal. A boy and a girl!"
A beat of silence ran through the small office.
"Chase, honey, get off the floor."
"I just wanted to know if it was a boy or girl," her stunned husband called miserably from his squatting position on the floor.
Janurary 18th 2021
"Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god -"
"Dude, shut the hell up!" Bree snapped, grabbing her brother's arm and quitting his pacing.
Chase looked at his sister with wild, worried eyes. "It's been two hours! What if something went wrong? What if the babies were stillborn? What i -"
"One more what if from you, I won't hesitate to strangle you," Rachel warned darkly from her chair next to Adam.
Everyone was tired. Leo had even carried a sleeping Janelle into the hospital on his back, claiming that she fell asleep on their way in from the parking lot.
It had been three thrity-four when Christine woke him screaming about her water breaking.
It had been four oh five when Chase had last seen a doctor.
It had been four oh six when everyone showed up.
It had been four oh eight when Adam and Ashley had to stop Rachel from slapping a passing nurse.
Now, at six twenty-nine, all Chase wanted was his wife and his two new babies, then to go home and sleep. And sleep. And sleep.
"Chase Davenport?"
His head shot up at the sound of his name coming from an aged nurse with blond and gray hair and icy green eyes. He never thought green eyes could be icy.
Despite the icy eyes and unchanging set in her face, the wrinkles around her mouth moved when she twitched her lips into a smile. "Your wife is ready to see you now."
Christine had been put into a private room on their second floor. A private room with baby blue walls and pink chiffon curtains pulled back to expose the barely rising winter sun.
Her hair was damp wit sweat and grease, her skin looked shiny with oil and persperation, and she looked as tired as hell, but Chase didn't think she could look anymore beautfiul as she held two bundles in her arms - one pink and one blue.
"Chase," she said in astonishment as he entered the room with their group of friends in tow. "Come look at your new kids."
I realize that the husband is usually in the room with their wife when it happens and the hours the woman is in labor is much longer than the meek two hours I made it, but you know, for story purposes, let's ignore those facts.
I mean the ending was horrible, but you know, whatever. It works out, I guess. Whatever, let's pretend t was the most magical thing you ever read and then we'll both be good.
I really hoped you enjoyed reading Long Live and watching the characters develope with me and my partner.
We'll be back in December with more adventures for Chase and Christine, along with some new stars and new people joining in.
See you then, or sooner.
Laters! :D