*Five Months Later* (3rd Person Pov)

Aubrey buttons the back of her dress, sad thoughts circling in her mind.

More than four months ago, she applied to the University of Alabama. After for waiting this long, no letter or anything has come back for her.

The thoughts that she won't be going to the same school as Luke terrifies her.

She hasn't even told him yet. As far as he knows, they will be attending the same school, comes Fall.

She knows that if she tried to, she would just burst into tears.

"Ten minutes until we leave, hurry and get ready. You better wear those damn wedges too," her mother calls from downstairs. Aubrey sighs and takes a seat on her bed.

She can't believe today is graduation. It feels like the time just flew by.

Over the past five months, Luke and Aubrey have gotten impossibly closer. To strangers, they look to be already a married couple. Even to their friends.

The couple had stayed as strong during the past five months as they had during the first few weeks of their relationship.

They were in a never-ending honeymoon phase.

The knew everything about each other. They were always 100 percent truthful and they never told lies. They knew each other physically, very well, and they knew each other emotionally.

This is the first time Aubrey has ever kept something from him and the one time she does, it is huge.

Feeling like she can't give up, Aubrey opens her computer. For the first time since applying, she signs into her account and looks at her application.

She wonders what on earth went wrong. She did everything right and she submitted.

Her eyes fall to the bottom of the page.

Are you sure you would like to submit?

The red button stares back at her and her heart falls to her stomach. She never fully submitted. She clicks the button as quickly as she can, hoping that clicking it faster will give her a better chance of getting a letter back.

You have just submitted your application to the University of Alabama! You have used the rolling deadline to submit. February 1st was the deadline for priority admissions. Your submission will be reviewed but not prioritized. We hope to see you this Fall! Results will be sent within 4-6 weeks.

At reading the screen that pops up on her computer, her heart drops even more.

'I've got to tell him', she decides.

She finishes getting ready and she puts the pair of wedges on.

There is no place she applied that is close. The closest would be eight hours away.

The car ride to the school, she fiddles with her David Yurman silver bracelet that Luke had gotten her for her birthday only a month and a half prior.

She had been exceptionally thankful when she opened the gift. She had seen the bracelet in a window while out shopping with him a while before her birthday and she thought it was absolutely gorgeous.

That is until she saw the $500 dollar price tag that came with it.

After receiving the gift, she did tell Luke off for buying something so expensive but she forgave him shortly after. Now, she wears it every day.

As her mother pulls into the school parking lot, she exits the car swiftly. She and her mother's relationship had really never been the greatest but as the months have gone by, they're hardly even acquaintances.

For a reason Aubrey doesn't know, her mom has turned bitter towards her.

She immediately spots Charlie Taylor and just beside him she sees her beloved Luke. With her graduation gown in hand, she walks as smoothly over to him as she can in her wedges.

As Luke sees her coming, a smile only reserved for her breaks out on his face. Seeing her slightly struggling, he holds his arm out to her and she clutches onto it igniting a tingling sensation in his arm, like always.

"Oh there's the sweet girl," Ella puts her arm around her as well. The Taylor family had seen a lot of Aubrey. Not only did Luke take her back to Alabama for Christmas and Spring break, but Ella and Charlie had come up bringing Marina and Whitney with them on multiple occasions.

Luke check the time and he realizes it is time for him to meet Coach Felmer.

"I'll be right back," Luke places a kiss on the top of Aubrey's head before following Eli.

Eli, Jayden, Ethan, Jackson, and Luke all walk together. Eli and Luke will be seeing a lot of each other. For the others, goodness knows when they'll see each other next. They won't be going to the same school afterward.

Ethan Williams got a partial scholarship to play for the University of Michigan to be a defenseman.

Jayden Fratton was also rewarded a partial scholarship. In the Fall, he will be attending Baylor University.

His twin brother, Jackson, was offered a spot on Virginia Tech's football team. He decided not to go through with it in hopes of becoming a physical therapist. He will still be with his brother at Baylor, but just not on the team.

Ryan Ankerman was rewarded with a large, but partial scholarship to play for the University of Southern California. He leaves late next month.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out between Ryan and Olivia. They had a great run and they loved each other but between only the two of them, the cross-country distance that would be between them would never work. They weren't strong enough.

They are still great friends, although.

As for Eli and Luke, they were going straight to play for 'Bama.

The guys spot Coach by a table of yellow and blue stoles, the rest of the senior football players there already.

Coach Felmer turns and faces towards the group of about eight guys. He takes a deep breath before lifting up a stole.

He hands the stole to every player.

With three stoles left in his hands. Coach turns to his three captains, a sad smile on his face. He hands the athlete's stole to Ryan, who thanks him.

At last, it was just Eli and Luke.

Coach Felmer would never tell any of the other players this but, the two guys in front of him made the team. He didn't do anything all year. It was Luke who stayed after some days to help some of the guys with struggling plays. It was Luke who knew what to do when the coach of twenty years didn't. It was Eli who knew every play like the back of his hand and could explain it in a simple and easy way, which coach didn't know how to do. It was Eli who kept everyone's spirits high.

Coach Felmer knew that the two guys in front of him were going to be big. NFL big. Maybe even Hall of Fame big.

"I don't think words can express how thankful I am to have known you two," coach shakes his head as he hands a stole to Eli.

He couldn't believe he wouldn't be with them anymore.

"Thank you, Coach," Eli smiles.

"No, thank you, Eli."

Eli walks away, understanding that Luke and Coach Felmer needed a minute to themselves.

"It was an honor to have a Taylor play for me," he says sincerely, "Don't forget to visit me once in a while."

He hands Luke his stole shakily. He takes the stole and holds his hand out.

"It was good to play with you, coach," he says and the two shake hands.

"Now go back to your family before you see me get emotional," Coach shoos Luke away.

_________________________

Luke makes it back to Aubrey right as his grandmother is making her sit down.

"We can't have this," Ella shakes her head.

"What's wrong?" Luke asks worriedly. He glances at Aubrey, just to make sure she's okay.

Even though it has been many months since her reaction, Luke is still on edge about the whole thing. It scarred him.

"The poor thing can hardly walk!" Ella exclaims, "That cruel old bat made her wear these."

Ella points to Aubrey's shoes. Luke sets his stole down as he sits down beside her.

"Do they hurt your feet?" he asks her softly.

"I'm sure they do! She's rolled her ankle twice now!" Ella's steely eyes look around the crowds of people for Aubrey's so-called 'mother'.

"I'm going to the store," she holds out her hands and Charlie knows exactly what that means. He takes the car keys out his pocket and hands them to his determined wife.

Luke places Aubrey's legs on his lap before undoing the straps of the wedges. He slides them off her feet and sits them on the ground beside the table they're sitting at.

He runs his hands over her soft feet, applying pressure in the right places for a few minutes before setting them back down on the ground.

Since the graduation is being held outside, it won't hurt for her to go barefoot for a while.

As Olivia and Izzy arrive, Aubrey runs off to go see them.

The three girls won't be seeing much of each other either.

Olivia will be attending Florida State University come Fall, studying environmental sciences.

Izzy will be majoring in English at the University of South Carolina.

At least both girls won't be far from each other. If Alabama doesn't get back to Aubrey, then she won't be close to anyone she loves.

________________________

*AUBREY'S POV*

My toes glide through the soft grass of the field.

I should go barefoot more often.

I drag Izzy and Olivia back to the table where Luke and I were sitting. I take my seat beside him and he grabs onto my hand, bringing it up to his lips. I feel my cheeks turn pink so I decide to change the subject.

"I love your dress Izzy," I smile. Her dress looked really good on her. It's a maroon, short dress that has dark blue flowers littering the bottom of it.

I would think that after more than six months together that the blushing would simmer down some. Apparently not.

Twenty minutes later, Ella comes back a pair of shoes in her hand. She hands me a pair of tan Jack Rogers.

"Ella, you didn't have to get these!" I gasp knowing that Jack Roger's are not cheap.

"Oh hush, sweet pea. It was nothing," she assures me. I hear the loud talking of my mother as she comes near us. Luke scoots my chair closer to his and he puts his arm around the back of it.

"Aubrey Wilson! I told you to wear those shoes!" my mother scolds me and I look down at my lap.

"Well you may have told her to, but she is eighteen. She can wear what she wants," Ella defends me against my own mother.

Luke rubs a soothing hand up and down my arm, knowing that the situation with her is bothering me.

"All seniors please report to the gym to be lined up!" our principal calls out and we stand up.

Hand in hand, like always, Luke and I enter the gym. Luke leaves me a kiss on the head before we are forced to separate to get in line.

With the help of Ethan who, thank goodness, is in line right in front of me, I put my graduation gown over my dress.

As the sound of classical music begins, our class starts walking out. Strong emotions hit me when I walk out of the gym for the last time.

All at once thoughts hit me. Thoughts about how even though we all complained that school was horrible and that it sucked, it was the best days of our lives. The memories that were made and the people that I met came with this school and I'm almost certain I'll actually miss this place.

Lifelong friends are coming out of here with me. Coming here made me realize who Kelsey really was and coming here showed me what it was like to be loved by someone other than dad and granddaddy.

As we sit down in our seats, I take a deep breath to calm my emotions.

It's going to be a long time before It's my turn to go up.

_______________________

*Back to 3rd person pov*

"Lucas Taylor." Loud cheers from the audience, mostly the Taylor's, and fellow students followed his name. Deep 'hoos' came the mouths of the national champion football players who were spread throughout the field and even in some chairs.

Aubrey stood standing along with a shouting Ethan as she clapped for him, a bright smile on her face.

From in front of her, she could see Eli standing on his chair shouting at the top of his lungs, "Hoo-hoo-hoo!"

Luke couldn't help but let a smile reach his lips. At walking off the stage he returns to his seat.

What seems like an eternity later, Aubrey's name is called. Luke, along with everyone else, claps loudly. Except Eli. Eli once again stands on his chair and shouts earning a look from the principal.

Luke watches as his gorgeous girlfriend walks across the stage. Now that they're graduating, all he can think about is marrying her.

Of course, not so soon, but soon.

Once everyone has gotten their diplomas, the principal clears his throat.

"A video, made by the yearbook committe has been put together commemorating all of this year's greatest memories. We will now watch that," he says.

He exits the stage and the large screen behind him goes black. Music begins to play as collages of pictures show up on the screen.

Pictures of the homecoming and some couples dancing. Aubrey figured that the picture must have been taken after she had left.

That day was not a good one.

Silly pictures of girls in their dresses and guys in their suits follow. Including one of Eli dancing with Loryn. To the families sitting in the stands, he must look like a weirdo but to the people who knew him, they couldn't control their laughter.

The next group of pictures was taken during the weekend field trip. By the fire the night right after Aubrey and Luke made up, they're seen in the background of a picture taken solely of the fire.

To anyone else looking at the picture, they would've missed it. Luke didn't miss it though, his eyes were always open for her.

Multiple pictures were shown from that trip from when the guys all went out behind the hotel and played football, to random girls holding monkey's from the zoo tour.

From ugly pictures submitted from friends to after-school functions, tons of pictures showed up on the screen.

Pictures of Ryan and Olivia together, which made a few sad. Those pictures that Aubrey and Luke took together the night they first went all the way with each other.

Luke smiled at those pictures.

From those pictures to the ones taken at prom. Couples dancing on the dance floor, slow dancing and not.

Eli once again dancing with Loryn, making people laugh just as before.

A picture of Luke bending down to be crowned king and a picture of Eli standing on the stage, the queen's crown on his head, and giving an acceptance speech while the real queen was in the bathroom.

Then another picture, of the real king and queen together and one more of them slow dancing and staring at each other lovingly. The final one of the king and queen show Luke twirling the love of his life as Aubrey is seen giggling while spinning.

Finally the last pictures. The national championship.

It shows the guys with their arms linked as they came out the tunnel and another shows them running the rest of the way.

A picture captures the moments the Mustangs and the Trojans met in the middle and another one when Eli managed to make a stadium filled with thousands of people laugh.

The music stops and a video on the screen begins to play. The winning play of the game is shown and for the first time, Luke hears the silence of the stadium as the ball rolls off his fingers. He didn't realize it then.

The video shows the reactions and the tackles and Eli's spike and five-foot jump. A final picture shows and it is of the Greenwood Trojans, all lined up with a banner saying 'National Champions' held up in front of them.

Luke glances down at the championship ring that sat on his finger. Usually, he would never wear it figuring that it would seem to be too self-centered but, like every other teammate today, he wore it with them.

Aubrey wipes the tear that managed to escape as seeing all those memories packed into one slideshow.

"And now," the principal reappears back onto the stage, "Congratulations to the class of 2018!"

Most of Greenwood high's seniors remove their caps and throw them up into the air.

The only reason they all didn't was because some spent weeks decorating them and they didn't want their hard work to go to waste.

Luke finds Aubrey and they express their excitement of being high school graduates with a sweet kiss.

Now they can really start their future together.

____________________________

*AUBREY'S POV*

We make it back to Luke's house after a long day. After graduation, we took many, many pictures.

After pictures, I felt slightly bad as I ditched mom and went with Luke, Ella, James, and Charlie out to eat.

If I'm being honest with myself though, she most likely didn't care at all. She never even asked to get a picture with me. Or even of me.

I would at least like to know what I did to her.

I take a seat on Luke's bed as he shuts the door.

Now would be the best time to tell him.

Before I open my mouth, I'm tackled back onto the bed. Luke places his lips on my neck and a small moan escapes my lips.

Luke's hand runs down my back as he begins to unbutton my dress. The emotions of today finally get to me and a large tear makes it's way down my cheek, I try and wipe it discreetly hoping Luke won't notice it as he's too busy kissing my jaw.

Of course, he notices though.

"Did I hurt you?" he asks worriedly before checking me for any sort of injury.

"No," I answer as more tears leak from my eyes.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he holds my face in both of his hands as he wipes the tears from under my eyes.

"I messed up," I whisper and watch his eyes concerned eyes turn confused.

"Before you say anything else," a small smirk reaches his lips, "It only slightly sounds like you're about to tell me you cheated on me, which I know is absolutely not true, but for my sanity will you please rephrase that?"

A small laugh bubbles in my throat.

"Okay," I agree, "I did something stupid."

He places a kiss on my lips.

"That wasn't much better, darlin' but continue."

"I never submitted the application to Alabama," a sob rises in my throat and he releases my face from his hands. His entire face fills with confusion at what I just told him before he turns back to me and looks at me skeptically.

"Why wouldn't you submit it?" his voice goes deeper as he asks me, a sign that he's not happy.

"No!" I imagine that he's thinking that I didn't submit it on purpose. I would never, ever do that

"I thought I did! I didn't click the second submit button and it never went through," I put my face in my hands and I hear him sigh deeply.

"How the hell could you miss that?" he questions and I lift my head from my hands. His face is not happy, which only makes me feel worse.

"I didn't see it," I explain pathetically and he scoffs.

"How far is the closest place you applied to?" he questions, some hope still left in his eyes.

"Eight hours," I mumble.

"Fuck, Aubrey," he curses and stands from the bed.

"When I submitted it, it said that I still had a chance. My application isn't priority but I still have a chance," I say in an attempt to convince both of us that it will be okay.

"Like that'll make a difference. They just say that shit," he mumbles and more tears gather in my eyes.

He sits back down on the bed and takes a deep breath.

"It'll be okay," he says unconvincingly, "we'll make it work."

"Long distance never works," I accidentally say aloud and Luke looks taken aback.

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone knows it," I stare at my lap.

"Well I think we can do it," he says actually confidently. I look up at him, my eyes watery and puffy.

"For four years?" I ask softly and his expression falls.

"I guess you don't."

"I don't want to do long distance," I search my brain for a solution to our problem, "eventually we would become distant."

"No, we wouldn't. I love you too much to not talk to you. I won't do this without you," he pushes my hair away from my face.

He's a college football player now. He will have games across the country and practices every day. He'll be too tired to call me or facetime me at night. Not to mention his classes he'll be taking. I just don't see a way that this will work and I want it to, more than anything.

"It won't work," I say firmly and I feel him move away from me but I don't look. I can't bear to see the look on his face right now.

"So you're just gonna give up like that, huh?" he asks quietly. I hold my breath as a sob racks my body, trying to keep it as quiet as possible.

This hurt so much more than I even deemed possible.

"You don't love me?" his voice goes weak and I turn to him.

"I never said I didn't love you, Luke," I say loudly, not believing that he would actually think that.

"Well, it sure as hell feels like you don't," he says back in the same tone, as he stands just like I am, looking directly down at me.

"I do, I swear to God I do," I make sure he understands that I do love him.

"But it just won't work," he nods, before looking up at the ceiling.

It hurts more to hear him say it.

I let the tears come down my face, knowing that I'm unable to stop the constant flow.

"Might at as well break up now," my heart feels like it goes through a shredder, "Just to get it over with."

An audible sob leaves my lips when he looks down at me and I see a tear trail down his face.

"Don't end it this way," I struggle to say through my crying.

All I want right now is to crawl into his arms and to forget about the conversation. I don't want this to end, I never do. Seeing that tear on his face was just the thing needed to fully break my heart.

"What do you want me to say, baby?" his voice cracks and he begins to reach out his arms before pulling them back by his side.

I wish I knew. God, I wish I knew.

"I-I don't know."

I've never dealt with a breakup. I've never had a boyfriend but more specifically, I've never loved anyone like this.

"Maybe you should go," he says quietly, wiping the tear from his cheek and clearing his throat.

Another sob threatens to leave my body but I don't let it.

"You're right," I whisper.

For the first time ever, he doesn't walk me out.

_________________________

|*THERE WILL BE BONUS CHAPTERS*
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|Guys...this is it. It seems sorta surreal that this is the end but it is. The journey of Luke and Aubrey will continue, I promise. Don't let the title 'Epilogue' make you believe that this is truly it. Thank you all for giving this story a chance.

*Not edited*

Word count: 4078

-Ashlyn M.