Twenty Candles (Part of the Tx3U Trilogy)

24. The Ending

There's a knock on the office door. "Ms. Thresh."

Fiona looks up from her office desk and sees Margo Fischer standing at the opening of the door, "Margo? What're you doing here?"

"Ever since you left, the workplace has gotten boring."

Fiona sighs, "how come you're here?"

"Well, um. For your starter business, I was thinking, maybe you'd need some new employees?"

"Thank you, but I don't think just one will do," Fiona rubs her temple.

"Actually, not just one," Margo invites herself into Fiona's office. "Nice building you've got here by the way," she compliments the small little office building Fiona had leased a week after she quit her position at her old company. Margo places a folder with stacks of sheets inside it on the top of Fiona's desk, which was cluttered with papers, documents and a laptop. "These are resumes from multiple employees you used to work with. A lot of them were getting sick of their work, after you left."

Fiona grins, in total shock from the amount of resumes that were right in front of her, all wanting to be part of her vision, "Margo. Are you serious?"

Margo nods, "you were one of the best bosses we had. Rude and demanding, but related more to us than any other before you."

"Took you this long to decide that?"

"You're welcome, Ms. Thresh. I'll see you tomorrow, as my first day," Margo informs Fiona, before leaving her office.

"Raven, this is amazing!" Prius cries, as she makes a pose for the camera lights flashing on her. With Jason next to her attached to the hip and Raven on the other side, Prius felt like the It Girl. "Who would've guessed we'd be going to a movie premiere starring you any time soon?"

"Wow, loving the support, Prius," Raven replies, sarcastically.

"I'm just kidding, I'm very proud of you," Prius admits. Raven and her exchange a hug, then continue walking the carpet at Raven's first movie premiere, where she's the star of the film. That call with her agent not too long ago, was an offer for this part, the one that made her ultimately famous not too long after the trailer came out, the critics have been calling it the hottest romance comedy of the year, for the past few months. And Raven Watson is finally getting the recognition for her talent that she's been wanting ever since she was fourteen.

"I know you're the star of the evening, Raven, but is it all right if I take my fiancé away from you for just a little while?" Jason Parketson asks. Holding Prius's hand.

Raven chuckles, "of course. I'll see you guys inside."

And just like that, Jason and Prius escape from Raven and the crowd of paparazzi budging to get a picture of the newest best female actress of Hollywood.

Everything's going as planned. I suppose. All my friends have gotten what they've dreamt of, or at least their lives aren't down the toilet, like we all expected they would be when we were teenagers.

Fiona's business has soared over these last two years. Raven's the new face of Hollywood at the moment. Prius and Jason, engaged, who would of ever thought Prius could commit to someone? When we were in our earlier twenties, no one would've guessed that. Alosa has surprisingly not dropped out of tech school yet, and is actually loving it there, with her new group of friends helping her along the way, and especially with Shiel there to guide her. Quincy and Lopez married but apart, Lopez always making time for her, no matter how hard he has to study for an exam or case or whatever, if he doesn't make time, he knows it'll never work. Even though they're not that long distant, it's still pretty far if you're married but not together, and the two of them for the past few years have been making the most of it, but news is, Quincy's planning on moving out there in a few months, everyone's stoked. And no one was mad when we found out that they eloped, ceremonies are overrated anyway.

Malcolm's taken the time to do something he's really wanted to pursue, and that's unique furniture. Construction he was good at, but Malcolm's always been good at art, in his own way. And he's always expressed that, especially when we were kids in woodshop! But now, he's got his own business, selling unique furniture, and not only is he doing that, he's taken on personal training, and loving the life he's living - along with his parents' money - and he doesn't look back anymore, sadly though, the last time I saw him was our reunion a few years back, but I hear a lot of things. He's happy now, with his girlfriend, who keeps him sane, I suppose. As long as she knows what baggage comes along with him.

Then, there's me.

I was in a stump, my life was not planned out. Well, at least not in a way where I was happy, until I was told I should try writing. Because apparently I tell a lot of stories and am not that bad at it, a journalist to be exact, was what I was suggested by a later then great boyfriend. But journalism, was definitely not me, I'd have to work for a company, and write about things that I did not have anything in common with. I'd gotten many offers to join companies and be a journalist at them, and at first I was excited about the idea and accepted one of those offers. The first month there I was miserable talking about things I did not want to talk about, so, I quit. And began something different in the writing area, I wrote a novel. My first novel ever - To The Teenage Us - which soared in sales, boy, I didn't know a lot of people would read and enjoy my book, but they apparently did, and so, I kept writing, and writing. Published and published. I swear, I had no idea I was good. Who knew writing about my life would interest people this much.

Well, my life story isn't much of a thrill to me, but I guess it gets everyone else entertained. Rereading back my pages, damn, our lives are complicated. But. Those complications are what gave me the idea of "Twenty Candles", what you're reading right now, the final chapter. Of my book.

Don't worry, though.

It's definitely not the last one of my life.

Everyone's life went on, separate ways, sadly. Visits did occur, but that stopped after a while, but none of them forgot that last big celebration visit, on their twentieth birthdays.

The group of friends who were so close and each other's get away family.

Sometimes it's hard to grow up, especially with friends like them.

But, those last two weeks. Were probably the best two weeks of their lives.

They were all together.

All eight of them, with two weeks, eight celebrations, eight cakes.

And Twenty Candles.