Chapter 41- Epilogue

Chapter 41 - Epilogue

Kim's POV

3 Years Later

Here I was, like any normal day, sitting in Asher, Tyler, and I's little apartment we shared for collage. It's a small place, a two bedroom floor plan with a kitchen, and living area. It's not too small, but for the three of us, it's perfect. The distance between our colleges and the apartment is seven minutes (a nice power walk there at least, actually longer by taxi because of all the traffic). Most times we took a taxi, other time we walked to the subway if we had enough time to venture, but going to class is a big transportation hassle in the city.

Even though it's been three years with Asher, nothing much has changed. Our relationship is great don't mistake me on that, but it wasn't till one day when I was doing some laundry that something felt... weird. A big change. Mondays- as much as we hated it already- is laundry day. Everyone pooled their dirty clothes into one big great pile to be sent out to be washed. I was home alone that day- at that moment- cleaning out my room to get my dirty pile together when I was on the phone with Asher.

"So then the Professor told me that my report wasn't good enough. I'm standing over there thinking, 'are you freakin' kidding me I spent over twenty something hours on this report to make it perfect and stayed up the whole night before revising it to the T and you're tell me it's not good enough' like, ugh, that professor is such an asshole." I complained through the phone to Ash.

"No fucking way, he actually said that?" Ash asked annoyed.

"Yeah, and then I'm like well OK fine then I'll the freakin' C-. Then he said, but I have some other good new. The board of academics reviewed my report on Forensic Evidence and loved it so much that they're considering to present it-"

"NO FUCKING WAY, KIMMY!"

"Yes! I was so happy! That's the other report I told you about that I was having such a hard time on it and stayed up two nights in a row writing it!" I explain to him. It made no sense how one report I spent countless hours on got me a bad grade, but the one I struggled to write became the best I ever wrote apparently.

"That's insane. Congratulations, I'm so proud of you babe." Asher says happily to me.

"Thank you. So now because of my great achievement he's deciding on dropping my lowest grade, which is that grade, I believe." I smile, even though he couldn't see me, "So where are you now?"

"Well I just left Tyler at the airport to be on his way to North Carolina to visit Kate." He answered as I heard the car accelerate.

"Aww, I didn't get to say good bye. Crap," I yelped slamming my hand on the top of the dresser. "I forgot to give him the present I bought for Katie-"

"I gave it to him don't worry." He assures me.

"Oh thank you." I sigh in relief kicking the pile of clothes to the middle of the apartment. Today was the starting day for our Spring break. Normally, college kids go to exotic place for vacations like Mexico, the Caribbean's, Brazil, or hiking the mountains in Russia. Some went home to visit their family's but us, Asher and I, we just stay home and roam around Boston and drive to our parents' house to eat dinner or lunch. Relaxing in any way is the best way.

During every other vacation, Katie comes to visit us and stays at our place. The time that she doesn't visit, Tyler does, and they hang out. Aren't they just adorable? I would have never expected this coming from Tyler. The last time I saw Katie was winter break for Christmas. It was so nice to see her and spend time with her. Now when you talk to her you can tell those therapy tricks she learning in class kicks in. The creepy one that she does often is stare at you contently and murmur, mhm the whole time.

"So what are you doing now?" He asks.

"I'm making my pile of dirty laundry." I answer, looking under the bed to see if there was anything there, "Why do you have a shirt and a pair of underwear under the bed?" I ask, looking disgusted as I picked it up by the tips of my fingers.

"I don't know." He chuckles. I rolled my eyes balancing the phone on my shoulder and ear, "Are you putting my laundry away too?"

"Yeah I will. There's been a growing pile on the chair for weeks that we haven't put away yet." I answered sorting the clothes on the chair into piles.

"Uh, OK. Um, you don't have to put mine away though. I'll do it when I get home. I'll be there in like five minutes." He tells me, sounding a bit nerous.

"Alright. Are you OK?" I ask him.

"Yeah fine." He responds quickly, "Just don't touch my stuff." I hear him mumble quietly to himself.

"Whatever then, just trying to help out." I snap putting my hands up and off his clothes. Gees what's with him. This is just like the other day and this morning. He's in a rush, he forgets to grab a pair of socks as he's eating breakfast and getting ready. I go over to help him out and get it for him and he barks orders to not touch his stuff. What the hell is wrong with him, I don't know, but he never had a problem with it before.

"Kimmy-"

"Nope, you don't want my help that's fine. I'm just trying to clean up this mess because I'm sick off seeing the clothes pile up; but whatever. They're your clothes. I'll just see you when you get home, bye." I utter quickly ending the call, throwing my phone on the bed. I growl in annoyance as I grab a pile of my shirts and stuff them into a drawer. I went on grumbling to myself, irritated, as I put my clothes away.

I stood crossed armed at the foot of the bed looking down at Asher's clothes. Why doesn't he want me to touch his stuff? Is he hiding something from me? That's got to be the only reason, because he never cared before. So why now? He's hiding something. I know it. I opened all his drawers and started putting clothes in and peeking around. Nothing in his pants pockets besides a gum wrapper, a receipt to Creama Café for an ice coffee for $2.15, and a quarter that I put in my pocket we could use for the laundry.

I took a deep breath running my hands through my hair when I found nothing. OK then, maybe there is nothing going on. Maybe it's just a new phase that he's going through that I'll just have to get used to. I can live with it I guess, well, I have no choice but to live with it. I took another deep breath folding a pair of socks and putting them away. I looked around as I held one sock in my hand, trying to find the missing one. It wasn't in the dirty pile of laundry in the middle of our living room and not in the pile of clean clothes.

I searched in the drawer to see if there was a spare white and black Nike sock that went with the one I had in my hand. All the way in the back I found it hiding under a few pairs of his boxers. I grabbed the sock folding it in the other sock when I felt something hard prick my finger through the material. I scrunched my brows together undoing the fold in the sock to see what I touched. I felt up the sock finding the hard object and shaking it out. It bounced off the dresser, and fell to the ground on the plush carpet. I looked down at the floor not finding it at first. As I got down on the floor on my hands and knees to look under the dresser the entrance doorknob jiggled.

"Kimmy." Asher calls out shutting the front door.

"Bedroom." I shout, after him as I patted the floor under the dresser to find the falling object. I felt something cool and metallic on the tip of my fingers. I grabbed in standing up to look at it better in the light.

I gasped as Asher stepped foot in the room, and I looked at the shiny object between my finger. I couldn't take my eyes off it. It was beautiful. Shiny, glimmer, gorgeous, precious white gold diamond ring that I held in my hand. In my periocular vision I saw Asher freeze in his place and tense up. I looked up at him carefully with wide shocking eyes, baffled for words.

"Asher." I said carefully and quietly, "Please don't tell me you robbed a jewelry store to pay for your parts rent." His slightly opened mouth turned into a crooked amused smile, forming at the corner of his lips. His hands dug deep into his pockets as he stared at me, "Asher..."

"I didn't rob a store, Kimmy." He smirks lightly walking closer to me.

I sigh, a bit relived that I was wrong, but then my heart stopped when my mind came up with another theory. Butterflies flew around in my stomach rapidly, getting nervous; I think I even saw my hand trembling a bit.

"Asher...."

He continues to smile, walking closer to me, taking his hands out of his pockets to take the ring out of my hand, "You are so noisy." He chuckles softly tapping the ring on the tip of my nose lightly, "You couldn't be patient and just wait until tonight?"

"For what?" I breathed out, feeling my heart beat violently inside my chest knowing exactly what he meant by that.

"I had this hidden for more than a month and today's the day you decided to find it." He snickers, pinching the ring in between his middle finger and thumb so it wiggled back and forth.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, squeezing my hands together in front of me. I couldn't take my eyes off of the ring, not just because it's beauty hypnotized me, but because I was afraid to look at Asher. Not afraid, nervous. I hadn't felt this nervous since, well, high school.

"It won't be as romantic as a picnic on the cliff, or a day at the beach, or even a dance mob in Disney Florida, but I think it's too late now to be thinking about romantic." He tells me softly, tipping my chin up to get me to look at him in the eyes with his posh smile. A faint gasp escapes my lips as he goes down on one knee, holding the ring up to me, "Kimberly Ann Taylor, will you marry me?"

Putting my hand over my surprising smile I could feel the tears of happiness settle on the brims of my eye lids as I let out a light giggle nodding my head furiously, "Of course I will."

His smile grew bigger as he slid the ring perfectly on my shaking left hand, "Just like Kate said: size six."

"It's beautiful and perfect. I love it." I said proudly squeezing him into a hug.

"I'm glad you love it. I love you so much." He tells me, kissing the top of my head.

"And I love you." I promise him, squeezing tighter. "I can't believe it. We're only twenty-one and we're going to get married." I breathed out. I did not expect this. I didn't expect this until after college. We've talked about marriage before, but I have always said I'd wait to get married after college.

"So what. We don't need to get married this year, wait until next year, or the year after if you want." He shrugged, "We've got all the time in the world, no rush."

"No, I don't care. Age doesn't matter." I tell him confidently, shaking my head. I was certain about that now, not caring what people were going to think or say. It doesn't matter what they think, it's my life and I get to choose how I spend it and who I spend it with. My choice is Asher. "Oh my God I'm so excited now!" I squeal, hoping up and down.

Asher laughs kissing me for a moment and smiling back, "Me too. Can't believe you went snooping through my stuff." He says sounding a bit irked.

"I was mad! I didn't understand why you were being so protective over your clothes all of a sudden." I remarked, shaking my head. Now I know the reason.

"Well now you know." He replies kissing me one last time, "Now that I don't have to worry can you put my clothes away?" He chuckles, nodding over to the pile of clothes still on the bed.

"Nope, it's all yours now." I joke, sticking my tongue out at him skipping to the kitchen.

~~~~~

It was passed nine o'clock at night when Katie and I decided to FaceTime each other. We texted each other saying it was urgent, something big had happen to both of us that day. I sat in front of the computer waiting for her camera to load so we could start chatting. We filled each other in on the basic stuff that happened over the weekend. Tyler clogging the toilet yet again, Asher trying to play Top Chef, and using us as guinea pigs taste testers for crazy, random, mystery soup recipes. The everyday stuff that went on with living with the goofballs. After that I told Katie I need to tell her something important.

"Katie, I have something to tell you. And a big favor to ask you." I tell her, taking a deep breath as I sat up more comfortably on the couch.

"What is it Kimmy kins? Anything just tell me!" She insists, "I've got your back."

I took a deep breath smiling as I lifted my hand in front the camera for her to see the ring on my finger, "I'm engaged!" I screamed. She screamed along with me, for two minutes that's all we did was scream. Acting silly in different screaming pitches, "And I want you to be my maid of honor." That was something I decided since high school. No matter what Katie would always be my maid of honor.

"Yes, yes, yes a thousand times yes! Of course!" She screeches jumping in her seat, "Kim you're not going to believe it either. I wasn't expecting this, like come on, you know it's Tyler we're talking about-"

"Hey I heard that!" He shouts in the back ground. She didn't pay any attention to him though.

"I mean did you ever think of the day that Tyler King would propose?! Because he did, and guess who's his fiancé. Me!" Again we screamed as she raised her hand at the camera showing off her ring. Of course I thought mine was prettier.

"We're both getting married!" I shouted happily and shockingly, "Asher! Did you hear, Tyler purposed to Katie." I shout to him, as he was still in the bathroom.

"I know." He laughs coming out of the bathroom.

"You knew?" I repeated. Asher Knight keeping a secret? Well, isn't that one for the books!

"Of course we went ring shopping together." He smiles looking smudged about it. I threw a pillow at him laughing. We were all happy, all four of us best friends.

Two Years Later

Asher and I chose September 17th to be our wedding day. September because it was the month of our friendship back in our old preschool days, and of course seventeen being Asher's favorite number. He even pointed out it was the same age when we finally started dating. Though Asher popped the question, we still waited until after we graduated like we had always discussed. Two years later, and today was the big day for it all.

If you must know, yes, planning a wedding is stressful. Why would someone want to do this for their career, I had no clue. OK, maybe it was the end reason, but talk about real stress. Don't even get me started on different shades of whites, yes, shades of white. Only God knew how many different cake flavors Asher and I tried over the course of a whole Saturday. By the end of it I didn't ever want to eat cake. And who knew how stressful it would be to agree with Asher and battle him on everything, because he would want things like mini tacos, and camo suits, and a petting zoo. We all had to remind him daily that this was not a kid's birthday party; it's a wedding.

Finally though, after every detail was finalized and approved, the day had come faster than we knew it. Today is that day. September 17th. I woke up in my old room in my parents' house all alone smiling to myself. Katie was sleeping in the guest bedroom one door down. My parents and brother were still sleeping, even my grandparents were a few doors down sleeping in our house. They came all the way from Chicago to see me getting married to my best friend. The house was at peace, that's the only reason I knew everyone was still sleeping.

I didn't move from my bed until Katie came barging in at nine in the morning for me to get ready. "Katie this is my last day of being single. My last day of being a Taylor. My last day of being... a girl. This is like a giant leap into womanhood." I stated to her with glassy eyes.

"Aww Kimmy kins!" She pouted falling down on my bed to comfort me, "If it makes you feel any better you haven't been single since kindergarten, and if you don't count all those years of friendship then you haven't been single for, like five years."

I giggle rubbing my eyes as we hugged each other again, "You're such great friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." Katie has been more than just a friend to me, she's always been the sister I never had. Without her I think I'd be really lonely in life. She's really the only girl that I've really ever been able to connect with. Also, the only girl that doesn't flirt or want to get with my fiancé.

"You wouldn't be living properly without me." She laughs playing with a strand of my hair.

Katie and Tyler decided not to get married until Katie was done and graduated in North Carolina. Though, Tyler desperately wanted her to come and finish college somewhere closer by, she stuck it out down south, finishing up her last semester there just last June. Now her wedding plans are commencing.

Katie has been with me through this wedding planning from the start. Every vacation week she got she would fly up helping me with dresses, colors, theme, decoration, parties; the whole nine yards. Even though FaceTime calls about flowers, she was there. She's the perfect maid of honor and I hope to be just as great as she is to me during her wedding planning time.

"I can't believe I'm walking down the aisle today." I whisper, "It feels like just yesterday that we were in high school and graduating."

"I know." She replies to me in a daze, "I can't believe how old we are already."

"So old." I murmur back with a snicker.

Just then my door flies opening hitting the wall, and bouncing back as a blond head freak started jumping on my bed squealing.

"Aaaah! Kim you're getting married in five hours!" Maddison shrieks, probably waking up everyone else in the house.

"How did you get in my house?!" I laugh not able to control it.

"Who freaking cares! You're getting married!" She shouts, shaking my shoulders.

Oh yeah, the other great people in my life, Maddison and Spencer. They flew all the way up from Florida too for my wedding. Maddison is one of my bride's maids, even she was a big help in all this. She helped me getting past from choosing long or short brides maid dresses. Something both Katie and I were both torn upon.

"Maddi calm down." Katie giggles, "Freak." She mutters in my ear making me laugh more.

"Well don't you need to get ready?" Maddi question, pulling the blankets off me, "Let's go, let's go! You have four hours and fifty-one minutes to get ready and be at the chapel!" She informs us, mumming the tune for Here Comes the Bride.

I rolled out of bed smiling with Maddi and Katie harmonizing, "Here comes the bride, here comes the bride! Here comes the briiiiide all dress in white!" I striped into a matching set of sweatpants and a sweater with a pain white tank top underneath as the two girls escorted me out my front door.

"Your hair appointment at Cristina's is in twenty minutes. I called her up and she said that's she's all ready and waiting for you. Maddi, Jamie, Asher's sisters, and I will be getting our hair done when you're getting yours done. Your mom's appointment is an hour after ours with Kelly." Katie rambles on, scrolling through her phone at an organized schedule. Apparently, all that was happy and bubbly energetic was all left back in my room because the girls looked serious now.

"I already called Jamie and Asher's sisters. They said they are on their way already to the salon." Maddi informs me from behind the wheel.

Jamie was one of my best friends from college. She was the first friend I made there. She got along with the rest of the girls quickly. Though, we aren't as close as Katie and I, she was like another Maddi, except she isn't dating my ex-boyfriend, and she wasn't into Asher at all. So for that, we started off as good friends.

Bay and Shay weren't my bride's maids and they were too old to be my flower girls. So instead we gave them the part to play the piano when I walked down the aisle, a big and scary part I was leaving for two thirteen year old girls.

"Did anyone call my cousin Ivy yet? She's going to be there right?!" I ask nervously. Ivy, forcible, is one of my brides maid. Forced by my own mother, but we have come a long way from our past relationship. She's more grown up now, believe it or not.

See Asher wants Nick to be one of his grooms men and to my mother, she thought it was only fair that I'd have another family member in my group; and to even it out. Tyler and Katie would walk down together, Maddi and Dylan, Jamie and Luke- one of Asher's good friend's from college as well- and last but not least my little brother Nick and Ivy.

I was in the middle of texting Ivy to get her ass down to the salon when Maddi and Katie both pulled me out of the car pushing me to the salon.

"You better not be texting that groom of yours." Cristina chuckles, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited patiently by the sink for me.

"My lazy cousin Ivy who sleeps eleven hours a day, probably still in bed, but needs to be here to get her hair done!" I ranted nervously, sitting in the black leather chair in front of the sink and staring at the phone screen.

Cristina, my lovely and patient hair dresser, chuckles taking my ponytail out and making me put my head back to wash my hair, "Don't worry Kim, everything is going to go smooth."

"I hope so." I mutter, closing my eyes and trying to relax.

"I have Asher coming in later with the guys to get a trim." She tells me, scrubbing sweet smelling shampoo on my hair.

"He didn't get his trim yet?" I say, nervously and quickly in a whisper, opening my eyes fully to her.

"Relax he'll be fine. He's coming in when your mother and his mother are in. Bobby will be in to give him a good trim. Don't worry." She assured me. "Get any sleep last night?"

"Surprisingly, yes. Well does seven and a half hours count with the help of a sleeping pill?"

"That's more than what some brides get the night before their big day." She tells me rinsing my hair with cold water.

I gasp, rubbing my hands down my cheeks, "Oh my God. I'm a bride." I whisper as I let it sink in. I've been hearing it for months: 'Where's the bride? You must be the bride to be. You'll make a lovely bride.' Etc. etc. But today it just felt more real.

Cristina laughs as she wraps my hair in a towel and brings me over to the chair pumping it up to her height, "Are you sure you're Kimberly Ann Taylor?" She jokes combing my hair and cutting the tips.

"I'm not crazy right? Like I'm twenty-three years old, I just finished college, I don't' even have a job yet, am I going to fast in my life? " I whisper, questioning myself, my hands trembling with fear.

"Honey, stop thinking. You are over thinking things; this is your last minute, cold feet thing that every bride gets. Trust me I've gone through this myself. No matter what there's always something your mind makes you reconsider. Stop reconsidering the facts." She stops, turning the chair around to look at me, "Are you happy?"

"Yes." I reply.

"Do you love Asher?"

"More than anything else in the world." I said certainly without even the slightest hesitation.

"Then there's nothing to be worry about. The decision is yours and you've made it. I think you're going to be fine. You will be fine. Now don't make me get Katie or Maddi over here to straighten you up." She warns with a teasing smirk.

I take a deep breath, releasing it, and smiling, "I'm fine."

"Good girl." She smiles back, grabbing the blow dryer and some clips, "Now let's get to work."

~~~~~

My heart was in overdrive, pounding as Katie came out of my closet with my wedding dress in the enormous black bag I had bought it in. Jamie was in front of me brushing off the final sweeps of blush on my cheeks. She had insisted on doing my makeup instead of me hiring someone to do it. I didn't mind, Jamie did work part time in MAC over the summers. She really did know how to put on makeup extremely well. I could see her as one of those people with millions of views recording tutorials. I pressed my lips in a tight line resisting myself to not bite them.

"Hey!" Jamie warned patting my cheek, "Stop ruining your lipstick."

"Woops." I said cheekily, rubbing my lips together, "What time is it?" I ask a bit nervous.

"It's still 12:22." Maddi giggles, fixing her blond curly hair.

"OK, you're all set." Jamie tells me, putting away the stuff.

I glanced at myself in the mirror one last time with a smile and then turned around looking at the large bag Katie held in her hand with a huge smile on her face. I look at the bag feeling a panic, "I need something to eat." I blurted out running out of my room.

I didn't stop running until I was standing in the kitchen gripping on the kitchen counter. I picked at the cheese and crackers that was left out for snacking a while ago. I haven't eaten anything but an ice coffee on the way back from the hairdresser. I took a deep breath nibbling on the cracker and listening to the squealing of girls upstairs in my room.

"Wedding jitters?" Someone chuckles behind me.

I spun around half smiling at my brother dressed up in his black trousers and white button up with an untied tie around his neck. He's so grown up now. Twenty years old and a junior in college. Time sure does fly by. I nodded eating the rest of the cracker and leaning back against the counter. He walks up to me leaning back against the counter like me, both of us with our arms crossed over our chest.

"Don't trip down the aisle." He chuckles, breaking the silence. I giggle, pushing him slightly with my shoulder.

"Don't step on my feet when we have to dance." I mention to him as well, both of us laughing.

"I'm happy for you sis." He smiles at me meaning every word, "I'm glad Asher makes you happy. I hope I can be as happy as you are one day."

"Thanks bro. I hope that for you too one day." I smile back having to stretch up a bit to put my arm around his shoulder. Boy did my brother grow! He's already taller than me, he looks like he's the older brother and I'm the little sister.

"Good luck today." He encourages giving me a small hug and a pat on the head.

"Thanks. Are you leaving already?" I ask as he starts to walk away.

He shrugs nodding his head, "Yeah, I told Ash I'd meet him at his house. He's going to show me how to tie a tie." He tells me, waving one of the ends around with his fingers.

"OK. Tell him I'll see him later." I smirk, hugging myself to stay warm and calm.

He laughs, rolling his eyes, "OK. See you later. Hey, by the way, can I go later in that little room and se-"

"No! We've been over this. You are not coming to see me in my dress. You're just going to have to wait like everyone else." I repeat to him abruptly.

"Fine, fine! I'll wait gees. I fail as a spy." He jokes, laughing as he walks out of the house. I roll, my eyes; it was like I predicated the future.

I sigh as I hear someone running down the stairs, "Kim!" Katie sings down the stairs. She reaches the kitchen smiling at me and jumping up and down. "It's time!"

"The limo is here?" I ask not remembering if it was supposed to come this early.

"No silly!" She giggles rolling her eyes, "Time for the dress." She says wiggling her eye brows.

I took another deep breath nodding my head, "OK."

She runs up the stairs before me shouting orders while clapping her hands together loudly. I slowly made my way to the stairs until the doorbell rang, "I'll get it!" I shout up the stairs. I walk to the front entrance, opening the door to find the biggest bouquet of white roses, and pretty pale pink and white flowers, "Oh my God they're beautiful!" I praise grabbing the batch of pink flowers from the delivery man hands, "Katie my flowers came!" I shout.

"I still have another box of little hand bouquets in the van." The guy tells me holding out bouquet of white roses, "These are yours too."

"Oh no, those aren't mine. I didn't order white roses." I tell him shaking my head.

"Uh no, you didn't but an Asher Knight did. The delivery is to you from him." He clarifies, peaking at the card.

"Really?" I ask doubtfully, looking at the other batch of flowers, "Oh my God, please come in. Uh, you can put them on the table right here." I instruct pointing to the little table near the door. Wow those are beautiful.

"Sure thing ma'am." He said politely placing them down delicately, "I'll go grab the other box."

"Thank you- Katie! I'm going to need some help!" I shout up the stairs, holding the smaller bouquet of flowers I'd be holding and then to my dozens of white roses on the table, "Holy shit." I mumble to myself giggling.

"It's not that many fl- Holy- oh my good Lord, wow!" Katie gasps from the top of the stairs as she notices the roses on the table.

"Didn't this come out cute? It's exactly what I had imagined." I tell her, holding my bouquet in my hands then bringing it up to my nose to smell it.

"Not only that but where did those white ones come from? You didn't order them did you?" She asks, trotting down the stairs with a look of shock and confusion.

"No I didn't it came from Asher." I tell her sweetly, handing her my flowrs so I could read the little card. Taking the card on the tips of my fingers the flower man came through the door with the other box of flowers. I thanked him opening the little white card reading:

I'm glad I asked you to play with me in kindergarten. See you coming down the aisle beautiful :) – Love Asher... aka your best friend... aka your future husband... aka the great man alive

"What does it say, what does it say!?" Katie begs jumping up and down waiting for my response.

"He cancelled the wedding." I laugh bitterly, pretending to play the role of insane ex-bride.

"No!" She gasps shouting, with her mouth hanging open and wide eyes. Wow, did she really believe me? I gave her a blank stare and a flat look grabbing the box to bring up stairs, "Oh, was that supposed to be a joke?"

"I can't believe you actually believed that!" I shout, laughing and shaking my head as I brought up the box to my room. The girls we squealing and talking, sharp clicks and taps hitting the hard wood floors. When I walked in with the box I still found my mother and Kelly sitting in the corner of the room in chairs and tissues in their hand. I knew if I went to talk to them I would break down and cry with them. Instead I just smiled and hoped Jamie used all waterproof makeup on me and everyone else.

"It's time!" Katie cheers, clapping her hands together, "One hour until our little Kimmy is walking down the aisle!"

All the girls cheer along, clapping their hands, even my cousin Ivy looked insanely happy. Katie held up the dress bag one more time, Maddi alongside her holding up my shoes. I took one last deep breath nodding my head.

"It's time."

~~~~~

As all the girls left the little room I was hiding in I could feel the power of my heart thump in my chest. From the room I could hear the piano, violins, - and other instrument that I didn't care about remembering because I was freaking out in my head- playing. I thought about each of my bride's maid and Asher's grooms men walking down as everyone watched and waited for me. Even Asher, waiting there patiently and nervously, I assume, hoping I do walk down the aisle and not ditch him.

I open the heavy wooden door slowly and quietly, to peak out and watch them all empty out of the hallway. I was waiting for the song to be over so I could leave the room. To be honest, I never wanted the song to end, I was freaking out and shaking in my shoes; it felt like I was a dear caught in the head lights or the agonizing wait to not be picked on in class to do a presentation.

While listening to every beat of the song, hoping that it would calm me, I heard a soft, faint tap on the door frightening me to jump a little. I turned my head around in the crack of the door to see. My smile raised and fell seeing him all dressed up in black and white, with his hair all newly trimmed and gelled to utter perfection, showing all his pearly white teeth.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss, trying to hide behind the door, "You're not supposed to see me yet. It's bad luck." I couldn't help but giggle at the last part. Like I believed in such thing.

"Me, bad luck, please." He chuckles, rolling his eyes, "You look beautiful."

"Couldn't get Nick to get pictures, so instead you try coming yourself, huh." I mention, raising my eyebrow with a smirk like his.

"Maybe." He whispers, leaning down to try to get a kiss- or an early sneak peek at my dress.

"Nuh uh, save that for the chapel." I giggled closing the door slightly on him. He pouts quickly leaning down and kissing my nose.

"See you soon." He whispers, winking at me quickly and jogging speedily to the door.

"Don't run!" I whisper loudly, just thinking of him jogging down or running down the aisle, tripping and breaking something and having to postpone everything. My dad appeared at my door looking down where Asher ran off to with a confused look on his face.

"Was that your brother?" He asks, pointing. They sure did look alike from the back now that Asher stopped growing and Nick caught up.

"Sure." I smile, sticking my head more out the door.

"Ready princess? It's your big day, your call." He tells me, holding his arm out to me.

I smile, going over to grab my flowers and then out the door. My dad smiles at me and kisses my cheek, "Beautiful."

"Thanks dad." I wrap my arm around his, and stood behind the closed double wooden doors that would open up to the chapel. I took another deep breath before nodding my head to the door people.

They nodded back, tapping on the door three times waiting for a new song to play again. When the theme song of Here Comes the Bride started playing the doors opened on my nod. I eventually started walking, taking it step by step smiling and nodding to people at my side who were saying hello and beautiful.

Seventeen. I counted seventeen seconds that it took me to walk from the top to the bottom. I giggle quietly as I thought about the number, how perfect. I have to mention that to Asher later if I remember. Asher grabs my hand from my father, shook his hand and then helped me up the few stairs going up.

"The surprise was worth it." He whispered in my ear making me smile, "You look beautiful as always."

"Thank you. Not so bad yourself." I wink standing in front of the priest while holding his hand. Bay and Shay finished the song perfectly sitting down near Kelly and Scott. All the fear, nervousness, or anxiety I was feeling earlier all vanished, because I was standing right beside my best friend. It's like he wiped away all my worries. I wasn't so anxious anymore and all because on this day I will marry my best friend.

We both looked at the priest nodding our heads for him to start, "I just want to start off by saying wow, what a beautiful young couple here with us today, am I right or am I right?" The crowd giggles lightly murmuring what sounding like yes. "Soulmates...two halves of the same soul joining together in life's journey. The two of you found your soulmate at a young age so I've heard. That's lovely, I wish you all the best in your new journey." He says with respect and a kind smile.

We both whisper a thank you as he flips through the pages of his notes and Bible, "Dearly beloveds we are gather here today in honor of this marriage for Kimberly Ann Taylor and Asher Michael Knight..."

Eight Years Later

I was hopping up and down, slightly bouncing, making funny noises from my mouth; while stirring a pot of pasta on the stove. The little girl in my arm was mimicking my funny noises as best she could while flapping her arms and holding some sort of colorful, circle, ring rattle. The front door swished open and slammed closed making little Caroline yelp cutely.

"Ah!" She squeaks.

"Ah!" I mimic, making her giggle.

"Guess who's home!" Asher shouts in a really husky voice for the baby's amusement. He comes into the kitchen throwing his bag down on the ground making noises for the baby.

"Are you going to clap for daddy? Clap for daddy. Look at daddy." I said in a cheerful voice to Caroline, pointing to Asher, who was clapping now, so she could copy. She stares at him intently and then starts bouncing in my hold gurgling.

"Aw." Asher coos, kissing her head, "Hey hun." He greets kissing my cheek, "How was your day?"

"Successful." I answer, passing the baby over to him, "Laundry done, boys picked up from school done, vacuum done, called your mom and dad about dinner Saturday, which is still on, and there should be one more thing...."

"Aw, gross, stinky diaper." Asher groans, holding baby Carline at arm's length.

"Yes, that's the missing thing. Can you do that for me?" I ask taken the pot from the stove to drain it.

"Me?" He moans walking over to the living room where a changing table was. You would think after six years he would be used to changing a dirty diaper, but he wasn't. I was proud of him though; he learned how to change a diaper quicker than Tyler learned. It took him three and a half months after little Lilly was born.

"Daddy!" A pair of voices scream running down the stair case.

"Walk down the stairs, don't run. Liam, don't set a bad example for Danny he's younger than you." I warn, as the six year old boy, Liam, ran faster than the four year old brother, Danny down the set of stairs. They both ran in the living room bouncing around Asher as he stared disgustedly at the dirty diaper he was changing.

"Hey boys! How are doing, you all behave for mom?" He asks, looking down at them with a smile.

"Yes! I helped feed baby Caroline her bottle!" Liam said proudly jumping up and down.

"You did! Great job buddy!" He praises, picking up the diaper with a face, "Hey Kimmy, catch!" he joked pretending to throw the diaper for me.

"Remember last time you did that?" I warn him with 'that look' he's gotten use to now, "And I'm not helping you clean up this time no matter how much you pout and beg."

"On second though...." He trails off holding the diaper, he looked at Liam evilly, "Main man, want to hold-"

"EW! No! Mommy!" Liam screams running up to me. I chuckled as he grabbed onto my leg.

"Just like his mother." Ash mutters with a smirk throwing the diaper away with the baby in his arms, and Danny wrapped around one of his legs and sitting on his foot.

"Mummy we play outside?" Danny asks pouting his lower lip and staring at me with his big blue eyes just like his father's.

"OK but only for five minutes. Then you come in and eat dinner." I nod to him as he makes a run for it to the back door.

"Me too mommy?" Liam asks putting on his shoes already.

"Yes but you have to watch your brother. Don't fight." I order as he runs out the back door. I take a deep sigh stirring the pasta in the sauce as Asher puts Caroline in the booster seat to feed her, "So how was work?"

"Brain wracking." He winks sending me his signature smirk that he's always used.

I roll my eyes laughing dryly, "And that's supposed to be funny because you're a neurologist."

"Smart girl." He chuckles putting a spoon full of apple sauce into Caroline's mouth.

"Guess what just came out last night." I sang shutting off the stove.

"What?" He asks, looking slightly focused on not getting Caroline to dirty.

"That new action movie that you wanted to see. Came out yesterday and I bought it!" I stated setting the table with forks, plates, napkins, and cups.

"You did! Awesome!" He cheers happily, "I give baths tonight?" He plans

"I'll clean the kitchen and tuck them into bed." I finish.

"Meet you on the couch sexy." He winks, tapping my butt along the way as he gets up for napkins.

"Mummy! Liam took my ball! Mummy!" Danny shouts from the backyard. I could see him through the window with an upset face chasing Liam around for a little blue football.

"You want to go handle your boys." I suggest to him with a playful smirk on my face.

"So they're suddenly mine when something goes wrong?" He figures out correctly with a humorous grin, putting Caroline's food to the side and walking to the back door.

"That's how it is." I tease, as he runs outside and grabs Danny upside down and swings him around.

Baby Caroline looks out the window to her brothers and father outside having fun while sitting in her high chair, banging the little table with her fists laughing. I laugh and she stops, looking at me, "Oh you're going to be in for it my little cupcake." I smile, smothering her with kisses on her cheek. Living with two older brothers and a father that still acts like he's seventeen, she was in for one hell of a ride.

I put the pasta on the table calling the boys to come inside to wash up and eat dinner, "Mommy! Daddy threw Danny in the air! He let him go! So, so Danny dropped in the air." He tells me as he tugs at my shirt pointing to his father. He couldn't help but tell me even though he was laughing slightly.

"Did not tattle-tail." Asher jokes sticking out his tongue.

"Mommy!" Liam complained staring at me with his big hazel green eyes like mine horrified that his own father called him a tattle-tail.

I laugh, patting his head, "Daddy is going to go in timeout after dinner."

"Ha-ha." Liam teases sticking his tongue out at Asher.

"Aw no!" Asher pouts, pretending to be upset.

"Want to be a big helper and push sissy's chair to the table." I ask Liam, grabbing a container of Gerber's cereal puffs and the rest of her apple sauce.

Caroline stretches out her chubby little arm toward the middle of the table trying to reach for the pasta resulting to a big mess if I let her. I put a handful of puffs on her table that she ate without complaint, not remembering the pasta anymore. Dinner was the usual in the Knight Family household. The boys told stories, Asher talked about work, we told him adventures about our day, pasta falling on the floor, puffs being thrown across the table occasionally, and Caroline sat there bubbling, giggling, and screaming about everything trying to talk.

At eight o'clock sharp all three kids were in bed fast asleep. Night lights plugged in, warm milk drank, blankets up to their chins, and hugs and kisses to last them till morning. I took my shower washing away the long day's stress out of my muscles and put on some PJs to join Asher down stairs.

He sat on the couch waiting for me with his large popcorn bowl watching previews of upcoming movies. When the kids were all put to bed and everything was done, and it was just Asher and I, it was like we were teenagers again. We cuddled together on the couch, laughed and joked about corny things and made fun of the movies or shows we watched. We kissed, we tickled each other, we cuddled, we complained, and we talked all night until we couldn't hold our eyes open anymore. It was like things never changed between us, the only thing that did was we got older. We had real jobs, we had kids, and we grew up; but it never changed our personality or love for each other.

He carried me to bed like he always did when I was exhausted from running around with the kids and staying up late. Tucking the blankets around me and hugging me from behind. He was always the big spoon.

Resting his chin in the crook of my neck he kissed my cheek and sighs, "Love you Kimmy."

"Love you Ashy." I yawn, snuggling deeper into his arms, "Good night."

"Good night."

I sigh, closing my eyes and replying back all my day like I always do every night. I love this man with all my heart, he's my best friend, my soulmate, my husband, the father of my children, and most of all he's the guy I can't live without. I'm so glad I said yes, I'm so glad that I can spend the rest of my life with my best friend, and I'm especially glad that I said yes to him back on Christmas day when we were seventeen. The only thing I regret is not being with him sooner and holding out on my feelings all those years.

In the end we only regret the choice we didn't take, the relationship we were afraid to have, and the decisions we took too long to make. I fell for my best friend, and he fell for me, and there was no turning back, no changing that, and no regretting that. I'm happy of how my life is right now....

"Mommy? Daddy?"

"Your turn." I smile, kicking him out of bed. Yes, happy of how my life is right now. All the way until I'm gray and old.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE END! <3

*sob sob, cry, blows into tissue* The end...it's over! It's really over!

We like to thank everyone one of you that read this entire book from beginning through end. We hope you like every bit of it, from drama to break ups, to relationship to relationship. We appreciate you all and love you all so much!

This is Kylie and Kelsey sighing off and ending Best Friends with the Player. Thank you all again! BYE!- <3Ky&Kels:)