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FOUR YEARS LATER.
So, four years ago, I may have hated Halloween with a passion, but now, not so much.
These days, I have every reason to hold Halloween dear to my heart.
Four years ago, Halloween was the day I fell for Damien Elliot Frost, the love of my life - the one I wish to spend forever with.
Three years ago, I had an epiphany. I no longer hated Halloween. Thinking back on that experience under the stars, I pressed a hand to my heart, touching my beloved necklace - one I hadn't removed from my neck since the moment it had been placed there. That necklace, much like Damien, would forever remain dear to me.
Two years ago, Abbey and Brody Patterson, my sister-in-law(otherwise known as my best friend in the entire universe) and overprotective older brother, were blessed with a baby girl whom they named Alyssa Rose Patterson. Alyssa is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. She has Brody's almond-shaped emerald orbs, Abbey's creamy pallor and golden blonde locks, and she has a smile that can light up the room. To Alyssa, I am Auntie Az, seeing as how she can't exactly pronounce my full name just yet. She's the happy couple's bundle of joy.
Exactly one year and one month ago, Damien proposed to me in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy. It was my dream proposal - roses, white stallions, and all.
Turns out that Italy is just as romantic as most say it is. I definitely prefer Rome over Paris any day.
A month ago, exactly one year after my dream proposal, I became Azalea Laurel Frost, wife of a very successful journalist.
Damien and I were married in front of our entire family in Madison Square Park, right under my tree. Suffice to say, it was my wonderful husband's idea for the both of us to get married in front of a tree that is a huge part of our life. Damien and I used the traditional vows, but we also wrote our own, in which we professed our love towards one another in our own, unique way. I professed my love to him in front of our friends and family by singing one of my all time favorite songs: Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion. Damien read me a beautiful poem, one that I will forever hold close to my heart.
Today, I married my best friend,
Our bond complete, it hath no end,
We share one soul, we share one heart,
A perfect time - a perfect start.
With these rings, we share together,
Love so close to last forever,
This special day - two special hearts,
Let nothing keep this love apart.
Just remembering that perfect, beautiful moment when he read the words of Rachel Elizabeth Cooper made tears come to my eyes.
"Oh, Mrs. Frost!" a distinctly male voice sing-songed gaily, snapping me out of my reverie. A blush creeped onto my cheeks as I replayed the words Mrs. Frost in my mind. Damien and I had only been married for one month, so I was still getting used to having a new last name. I looked up from my laptop, where I was currently working on my second novel. At the tender age of twenty-three, I sold my first novel, titled A Million More. Suffice to say, it's based off my relationship with Damien, not that anyone knows that - they'd find it hard to believe if they knew it was based off my life.
A door in the insane asylum would have my name on it, there's no doubt in my mind.
Anyway, Nikolas was standing before me, wearing a huge grin on his handsome face.
I raised my brow. When I spoke, my tone was full of skepticism.
"What did you do, Nikolas?" I questioned, rolling my eyes when he simply gestured for me to stand up and follow him. "Are you going to answer me or what?" I asked as we retreated up the stairs, only to stop in front of Damien and I's bedroom.
"I was sent here to get you off that damned computer, so don't you yell at me," Nikolas retorted. "Enjoy your evening, my dearest friend!" he sing-songed before placing a kiss on my cheek and skipping down the stairs. I rolled my eyes at his perkiness and carefully opened the door to our bedroom, not sure of what to expect. Damien can be quite the spontaneous one when he wants to be.
I just about fainted from awe when I saw what Damien had done with the bedroom.
It looked absolutely beautiful. Our usual cotton bedsheets were replaced with the most beautiful crimson, satin covers I had ever come across. The king-sized bed was covered in white rose petals and Damien had placed a silver platter of chocolate-covered strawberries on the dresser beside our comfortable bed. The dim light emitted from the candles he had placed throughout the room, but I refrained from scolding my perfect husband about the fire hazard. It was the most romantic cliché thing anyone had ever done for me.
But none of it would have mattered had it not been for the guy standing directly in front of me.
"What's all this for?" I asked, attempting to sound intimidating, though it worked to no avail. I was simply too ecstatic to be furious with him for interrupting my work.
My oh-so-perfect husband wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him until my body was pressed up against his.
We fit perfectly against one another, and that thought reminded me that we were made for each other.
There's no doubt in my mind - there never was any doubt in my mind.
"You needed a break, bobble head," Damien informed me before placing a soft kiss on my lips, a gesture that made me go weak in the knees.
Damien's affect on me seems to grow with every passing day that we spend together.
I flashed him my most brilliant smile. "I love you, you know that?"
And it's true, I really do love him.
Damien grinned and his grin made my heart burst with joy. "Good, because I love you, too, Mrs. Frost," Damien whispered before placing a kiss on my lips and leading me to the bed.
Maybe Halloween is all the things I thought it was, but one thing is for sure, I don't hate Halloween anymore.
Besides, how can I hate the one holiday that gave me the best gift of all?
Halloween gave me love - Halloween gave me Damien.
Halloween gave me my very own, happily ever after.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The End. Mushy and lame-o, I know, but I wanted everyone to know where they ended up a few years later. If anyone wants to know what happened to Abbey and them, I can actually tell you. Damien is a journalist. Azalea is an authoress, a dance teacher, and she still dabbles with music and art. Abbey is an English teacher. Brody works at a law firm. Nikolas and Joshua now run the Starbucks Larry owned, because Larry retired. Amy is still a fashion designer, and Ethan has a degree in business and opened his own café. Azalea's mother and father, obviously, are back together, and he's still sober. I wasn't going to have him relapse or anything. Well, that's all about the people that are most important to this story. :)
Hope everyone enjoyed it, and thanks for sticking with me throughout this story, even though it got frustrating at times... I'm sure.
I don't know what my next story will be - I guess, I'm just going to be spontaneous about it and see what my crazy mind can come up with. This time, it will be in only the female lead's point of view. As much as I adore having everyone know how the guy feels, it gets extremely complicated writing in a boy's POV.
I was going to write that religious thing, but I don't think I'm ready for it. The main character's life was just too personal for me, and I don't think I'm ready to write something so emotional, especially when her life is based off my own. Sharing things like that with people is really complicated - I thought I was ready, but I'm not.
Anyways, this is the end of Damien and Azalea.
They got their happily ever after. x'D It's all thanks to you guys.
On that note, it's time for me to make my dedications. All my readers have been loyal, but through it all, three have remained every step of the way. So, as a thanks, I would like to dedicate Kiss of Death to Nichloe, Miss-You-Too, Dramatic Irony. You guys inspired me - in fact, all my readers inspired me to continue on with this story, even though, at times, I wanted to give up on it so badly. I hope you guys stick around for my following stories, whatever they may be. :)
Thanks again for reading!
The authoress,
Kara. :)