Categories > Original > Romance > Just You and Me
Chapter 32 Epilogue (2 years later)
"Meredith Aina Andrada," was heard over the speakers in the Stan Sheriff Center before Aina stepped up to receive her diploma.
Not 2 seconds later there was a loud bullhorn that went off. Aina looked up to see her parents, the Parkers, Johnson's, and Jonas', sans Jenna since she too was in the ceremony, cheering for her and there was Joe with the bullhorn. Aina shook her head and sat in her seat.
Some things never change, Aina thought.
It had been almost 2 years since Aina and Joe met each other. They came home after their semester in London closer than ever.
Aina and Joe walked off the plane hand in hand to baggage claim. There, they were greeted by Larissa, Kevin, and Jenna.
"Woah! When did that happen?" Kevin asked pointing to their intertwined hands.
"In London, duh," Joe said.
The girls didn't give Aina any lip about finally getting together with Joe and headed home. They spent a few days catching up on things. Larissa and Lauri broke up, but she was fine with being single for now, Jenna and Kevin were still going strong, and Aina and Joe even told them about Alden and Mrs. Gilbert.
"You didn't actually have sex with her did you?"Larissa asked.
"Of course not," Joe said.
"Did you have sex at all?" Jenna asked wiggling her eyebrows.
"Don't answer that. I don't wanna know about my brothers sex life," Nick said.
"That would be a no anyway, right Joe? You do have a promise you made," Kevin said in a father type tone.
"Yes dad," Joe said before they moved on to another subject. Joe had bounced back pretty quickly and was over what had happened with Mrs. Gilbert, with help from Aina.
That winter Kevin proposed to Jenna on Christmas Eve, which she happily accepted. They agreed that they would wait for Jenna to graduate before getting married. That way, Kevin would have been graduated for about a year before and hopefully had a job.
A few minutes later "Jenna Dianne Jonas," was heard as she too went to get her diploma, bringing Aina out of her reverie, and Joe once again pressed the button on the bullhorn.
"That's my wife!" Kevin yelled. Apparently they couldn't wait for her to graduate before getting married, but they did wait for Kevin to graduate and get a good paying job.
Joe had gotten a job working at TTR's California branch when the internship was done. He and Kevin were back in school while Jenna and Aina were in Hawaii.
"This is getting really hard," Joe said.
"What, the class?" Kevin asked.
"Not just the class. I mean working at TTR, helping the guys write songs, and school. I'm thinking of dropping out."
"What? I don't think mom and dad would like that."
"Kevin, I'm 19, I'll be 20 in 5 months. They might not be happy about it, but I'm an adult now and I can make my own decisions."
"I don't think Aina would be really happy about it either," Kevin said with a raised eyebrow.
"But this is so hard!" Joe said groaning before placing his head in his hands.
"Hey, just be happy you already have a job, that you like, and doing what you're studying for."
"You want a job Kevin?"
"I already have a campus job."
"Dude, this is your last semester, you need a better job if you're gonna give Jenna the wedding she's always wanted. Maybe if I get you a job at TTR, I could get a little more time for school and stuff and you'd have a good job. Two birds with one stone."
"Are they hiring?"
Instead of answering Joe just grabbed his phone, walked out of his dorm room, and made a few calls. Half an hour later Joe came back saying, "You start on Monday."
"Come on guys let's go," Larissa said.
"Why? The ceremony isn't over yet," Nick asked.
"Don't you guys remember my graduation?" Kevin asked referring to a year ago when he graduated.
"Well," Larissa said ignoring Kevin. "If you guys came to my graduation last week then you'd know that nothing special is gonna happen and it's gonna be crazy leaving this place when it's over."
"We said we were sorry," Joe said about missing Larissa's graduation.
"Yeah I know, I just like ragging on you guys."
It was exactly one year after the girls met the guys. Kevin had just graduated and was bringing in a lot of money with his job at TTR care of younger brother Joe. Jenna couldn't stand being engaged anymore, she wanted to get married. So she and Kevin set a date for the following winter, exactly one semester before she graduated.
"That's close enough right?" Jenna asked when she and the girls were looking for a wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses.
"As long as you're happy it should be fine," Larissa said.
"Why am I here again?" Joe said off to the side looking uncomfortable with his hands in his pockets.
"Because you wanted to 'spend time with me,'" Aina said. "I told you, you wouldn't want to come. I didn't even want to come, but you insisted."
"I should have listened and played wiffleball with the guys," Joe said getting a no-duh look from Aina.
"How about this?!" Jenna said excitedly holding up apink frilly dress.
"That looks... great," Larissa said trying to be supportive, but thinking it was the most hideous thing in the world.
"What do you think Aina?" Jenna asked.
Aina stood there looking like a fish with her mouth opening and closing with no words coming out. She knew if she said something she'd tell her the truth and the truth was pretty brutal.
"She thinks it looks like a little kid had a little too much cotton candy before getting an a roller coaster and some hobo used his throw up to make a dress for some extra cash," Joe said saying exactly what Aina was thinking.
"Joseph Adam!" Aina said trying to sound appalled.
"Joseph Adam?" Joe said with a raised eyebrow.
"Your mother says it, apparently it doesn't have the same affect when I say it," Aina said as she and Joe laughed a little.
"Well don't make a habit of it. As much as I love her, I don't wanna end up marrying my mother."
The world seemed to stop. Larissa placed a hand over Jenna's mouth before she could say anything and led her away to another part of the store. Shock was written over all of their faces.
"Figuratively, of course," Joe said after a while.
"Yeah," Aina said after the shock went away. She stepped up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before looking at more dresses. Marriage was never discussed between the two, but it was definitely on their minds.
Their group walked over to the baseball field to wait for the new graduates. Fifteen minutes later they were still waiting and Joe and Frankie were getting antsy.
"How much longer is this gonna take?" Joe asked.
"Not long, look they're coming," Kevin said.
Joe blew the bullhorn once again.
"I hear your boyfriend," Jenna said as walked onto the field.
"Well, it makes it easier to find them now doesn't it," Aina said laughing.
Jenna and Aina reached the group, gave each other leis, as well as some other people that they grew to know from different classes before leaving for their celebratory lunch.
* * * *
Everyone was back in California hanging out in Kevin and Jenna's apartment. They moved in after their wedding the Christmas before.
"Do you guys realize that tomorrow is the 2 year mark of when we met?" Larissa asked.
"That was so long ago," Aina said leaning into Joe.
"So much as happened," Joe said wrapping his arms around her. The room was filled with silence as everyone reflected on what had happened in those 2 years.
"My parents are moving," Aina said randomly.
"Where to?" Kevin asked.
"Vegas, of all places," Aina said with a laugh.
"Do you need help finding an apartment? I'm sure you can move in with me until you're settled," Larissa said referring to her studio.
"No, they're leaving me the house."
"Lucky duck," Larissa said.
"I can't move when I have a job interview at Accountemps in a few days."
The conversations went on and on until it was late into the night. Larissa went home to her studio, Joe and Aina dropped Nick off to the Jonas household, he and Joe still lived with Paul and Denise, but Joe usually spend the night at Aina's when she was in town.
When they got to the Andrada residence they went straight for Aina's room and went through their normal routine. Aina would change into her pajamas in the bathroom, while Joe changed in her room. Whenever she was done changing she'd open the door so that they both could brush their teeth at the same time and then went to bed. Nothing would happen. Joe had his promise ring and even if he didn't, Aina never liked the idea of having premarital sex. Also, Aina wasn't a prude, but she didn't like the idea of doing anything sexual with her parents down the hall.
The next morning Aina woke up early knowing that Joe and her parents had an early day that day.
"Where are you going?" Joe asked waking up from the cold air that hit him where Aina's warm body once laid.
"I'm gonna get breakfast ready."
Joe put his head back on the pillow and continued to sleep. The morning was a rush as usual and Aina was left home alone. Sometime around noon she got a call from Joe.
"Be ready at 6:30. We're going out to dinner. Wear a dress," was all he said before hanging up.
He knows I don't like wearing dresses, Aina thought to herself, but did as instructed anyways.
Aina wore the knee length, v-neck dress that Jacqueline made her buy before leaving London.
"Every girl needs one little black dress and this will never go out of style," she had told Aina.
Joe picked her up right at 6:30, he was still in his work clothes of slacks, a white button up long sleeve shirt, and he happened to have a blazer with him. They went to a nice little Italian restaurant.
"So what's he occasion?" Aina asked getting annoyed with the small talk.
"Didn't you hear Larissa yesterday, this is the 2 year anniversary of when we first met," Joe said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"So why not celebrate it with the other 5 people that we were with that day?"
"Cause I like you the most," Joe said with a cheeky grin.
"Fine, whatever."
Dinner went by nicely and they went to the park when they were done.
"Aina, you are the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me," Joe said turning to her. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you. I don't think I would have been able to bounce back so quickly after London if you weren't there." Joe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before leaning in for a kiss. "I love you so much."
This obviously wasn't the first time he's said that, but something about this time made it more meaning full than the others.
"I love you too," was all she could say back.
"I talked to your dad the other day," Aina gave him apuzzled look at the sudden subject change. "I asked him for permission. Permission to ask you to marry me," Joe said getting down on one knee holding out an engagement ring.
"You really asked for his permission?" Aina asked thinking that was the cutest thing ever.
"Yeah," Joe said with a chuckle. "So..."
"Yes!" Aina said as Joe jumped to his feet to give her a passionate kiss. When they finally pulled apart Joe slipped the ring onto her finger as their body's were still flushed against each other. Joe rested his forehead against Aina's.
"This is nice," Aina said.
"What is?"
"Being together, just you and me."
Author's Note: That was a corny ending, but I like corny endings. There is a spin off that I wrote for this. It's just about Kevin and Jenna. It's completely done also, but if I'm being completely honest I wasn't really into the story while I wrote it, so it's no where near as interesting as this one, but still a little interesting. That's just my opinion though, there were some people that liked it the first time I posted it.
"Meredith Aina Andrada," was heard over the speakers in the Stan Sheriff Center before Aina stepped up to receive her diploma.
Not 2 seconds later there was a loud bullhorn that went off. Aina looked up to see her parents, the Parkers, Johnson's, and Jonas', sans Jenna since she too was in the ceremony, cheering for her and there was Joe with the bullhorn. Aina shook her head and sat in her seat.
Some things never change, Aina thought.
It had been almost 2 years since Aina and Joe met each other. They came home after their semester in London closer than ever.
Aina and Joe walked off the plane hand in hand to baggage claim. There, they were greeted by Larissa, Kevin, and Jenna.
"Woah! When did that happen?" Kevin asked pointing to their intertwined hands.
"In London, duh," Joe said.
The girls didn't give Aina any lip about finally getting together with Joe and headed home. They spent a few days catching up on things. Larissa and Lauri broke up, but she was fine with being single for now, Jenna and Kevin were still going strong, and Aina and Joe even told them about Alden and Mrs. Gilbert.
"You didn't actually have sex with her did you?"Larissa asked.
"Of course not," Joe said.
"Did you have sex at all?" Jenna asked wiggling her eyebrows.
"Don't answer that. I don't wanna know about my brothers sex life," Nick said.
"That would be a no anyway, right Joe? You do have a promise you made," Kevin said in a father type tone.
"Yes dad," Joe said before they moved on to another subject. Joe had bounced back pretty quickly and was over what had happened with Mrs. Gilbert, with help from Aina.
That winter Kevin proposed to Jenna on Christmas Eve, which she happily accepted. They agreed that they would wait for Jenna to graduate before getting married. That way, Kevin would have been graduated for about a year before and hopefully had a job.
A few minutes later "Jenna Dianne Jonas," was heard as she too went to get her diploma, bringing Aina out of her reverie, and Joe once again pressed the button on the bullhorn.
"That's my wife!" Kevin yelled. Apparently they couldn't wait for her to graduate before getting married, but they did wait for Kevin to graduate and get a good paying job.
Joe had gotten a job working at TTR's California branch when the internship was done. He and Kevin were back in school while Jenna and Aina were in Hawaii.
"This is getting really hard," Joe said.
"What, the class?" Kevin asked.
"Not just the class. I mean working at TTR, helping the guys write songs, and school. I'm thinking of dropping out."
"What? I don't think mom and dad would like that."
"Kevin, I'm 19, I'll be 20 in 5 months. They might not be happy about it, but I'm an adult now and I can make my own decisions."
"I don't think Aina would be really happy about it either," Kevin said with a raised eyebrow.
"But this is so hard!" Joe said groaning before placing his head in his hands.
"Hey, just be happy you already have a job, that you like, and doing what you're studying for."
"You want a job Kevin?"
"I already have a campus job."
"Dude, this is your last semester, you need a better job if you're gonna give Jenna the wedding she's always wanted. Maybe if I get you a job at TTR, I could get a little more time for school and stuff and you'd have a good job. Two birds with one stone."
"Are they hiring?"
Instead of answering Joe just grabbed his phone, walked out of his dorm room, and made a few calls. Half an hour later Joe came back saying, "You start on Monday."
"Come on guys let's go," Larissa said.
"Why? The ceremony isn't over yet," Nick asked.
"Don't you guys remember my graduation?" Kevin asked referring to a year ago when he graduated.
"Well," Larissa said ignoring Kevin. "If you guys came to my graduation last week then you'd know that nothing special is gonna happen and it's gonna be crazy leaving this place when it's over."
"We said we were sorry," Joe said about missing Larissa's graduation.
"Yeah I know, I just like ragging on you guys."
It was exactly one year after the girls met the guys. Kevin had just graduated and was bringing in a lot of money with his job at TTR care of younger brother Joe. Jenna couldn't stand being engaged anymore, she wanted to get married. So she and Kevin set a date for the following winter, exactly one semester before she graduated.
"That's close enough right?" Jenna asked when she and the girls were looking for a wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses.
"As long as you're happy it should be fine," Larissa said.
"Why am I here again?" Joe said off to the side looking uncomfortable with his hands in his pockets.
"Because you wanted to 'spend time with me,'" Aina said. "I told you, you wouldn't want to come. I didn't even want to come, but you insisted."
"I should have listened and played wiffleball with the guys," Joe said getting a no-duh look from Aina.
"How about this?!" Jenna said excitedly holding up apink frilly dress.
"That looks... great," Larissa said trying to be supportive, but thinking it was the most hideous thing in the world.
"What do you think Aina?" Jenna asked.
Aina stood there looking like a fish with her mouth opening and closing with no words coming out. She knew if she said something she'd tell her the truth and the truth was pretty brutal.
"She thinks it looks like a little kid had a little too much cotton candy before getting an a roller coaster and some hobo used his throw up to make a dress for some extra cash," Joe said saying exactly what Aina was thinking.
"Joseph Adam!" Aina said trying to sound appalled.
"Joseph Adam?" Joe said with a raised eyebrow.
"Your mother says it, apparently it doesn't have the same affect when I say it," Aina said as she and Joe laughed a little.
"Well don't make a habit of it. As much as I love her, I don't wanna end up marrying my mother."
The world seemed to stop. Larissa placed a hand over Jenna's mouth before she could say anything and led her away to another part of the store. Shock was written over all of their faces.
"Figuratively, of course," Joe said after a while.
"Yeah," Aina said after the shock went away. She stepped up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before looking at more dresses. Marriage was never discussed between the two, but it was definitely on their minds.
Their group walked over to the baseball field to wait for the new graduates. Fifteen minutes later they were still waiting and Joe and Frankie were getting antsy.
"How much longer is this gonna take?" Joe asked.
"Not long, look they're coming," Kevin said.
Joe blew the bullhorn once again.
"I hear your boyfriend," Jenna said as walked onto the field.
"Well, it makes it easier to find them now doesn't it," Aina said laughing.
Jenna and Aina reached the group, gave each other leis, as well as some other people that they grew to know from different classes before leaving for their celebratory lunch.
* * * *
Everyone was back in California hanging out in Kevin and Jenna's apartment. They moved in after their wedding the Christmas before.
"Do you guys realize that tomorrow is the 2 year mark of when we met?" Larissa asked.
"That was so long ago," Aina said leaning into Joe.
"So much as happened," Joe said wrapping his arms around her. The room was filled with silence as everyone reflected on what had happened in those 2 years.
"My parents are moving," Aina said randomly.
"Where to?" Kevin asked.
"Vegas, of all places," Aina said with a laugh.
"Do you need help finding an apartment? I'm sure you can move in with me until you're settled," Larissa said referring to her studio.
"No, they're leaving me the house."
"Lucky duck," Larissa said.
"I can't move when I have a job interview at Accountemps in a few days."
The conversations went on and on until it was late into the night. Larissa went home to her studio, Joe and Aina dropped Nick off to the Jonas household, he and Joe still lived with Paul and Denise, but Joe usually spend the night at Aina's when she was in town.
When they got to the Andrada residence they went straight for Aina's room and went through their normal routine. Aina would change into her pajamas in the bathroom, while Joe changed in her room. Whenever she was done changing she'd open the door so that they both could brush their teeth at the same time and then went to bed. Nothing would happen. Joe had his promise ring and even if he didn't, Aina never liked the idea of having premarital sex. Also, Aina wasn't a prude, but she didn't like the idea of doing anything sexual with her parents down the hall.
The next morning Aina woke up early knowing that Joe and her parents had an early day that day.
"Where are you going?" Joe asked waking up from the cold air that hit him where Aina's warm body once laid.
"I'm gonna get breakfast ready."
Joe put his head back on the pillow and continued to sleep. The morning was a rush as usual and Aina was left home alone. Sometime around noon she got a call from Joe.
"Be ready at 6:30. We're going out to dinner. Wear a dress," was all he said before hanging up.
He knows I don't like wearing dresses, Aina thought to herself, but did as instructed anyways.
Aina wore the knee length, v-neck dress that Jacqueline made her buy before leaving London.
"Every girl needs one little black dress and this will never go out of style," she had told Aina.
Joe picked her up right at 6:30, he was still in his work clothes of slacks, a white button up long sleeve shirt, and he happened to have a blazer with him. They went to a nice little Italian restaurant.
"So what's he occasion?" Aina asked getting annoyed with the small talk.
"Didn't you hear Larissa yesterday, this is the 2 year anniversary of when we first met," Joe said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"So why not celebrate it with the other 5 people that we were with that day?"
"Cause I like you the most," Joe said with a cheeky grin.
"Fine, whatever."
Dinner went by nicely and they went to the park when they were done.
"Aina, you are the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me," Joe said turning to her. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you. I don't think I would have been able to bounce back so quickly after London if you weren't there." Joe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before leaning in for a kiss. "I love you so much."
This obviously wasn't the first time he's said that, but something about this time made it more meaning full than the others.
"I love you too," was all she could say back.
"I talked to your dad the other day," Aina gave him apuzzled look at the sudden subject change. "I asked him for permission. Permission to ask you to marry me," Joe said getting down on one knee holding out an engagement ring.
"You really asked for his permission?" Aina asked thinking that was the cutest thing ever.
"Yeah," Joe said with a chuckle. "So..."
"Yes!" Aina said as Joe jumped to his feet to give her a passionate kiss. When they finally pulled apart Joe slipped the ring onto her finger as their body's were still flushed against each other. Joe rested his forehead against Aina's.
"This is nice," Aina said.
"What is?"
"Being together, just you and me."
Author's Note: That was a corny ending, but I like corny endings. There is a spin off that I wrote for this. It's just about Kevin and Jenna. It's completely done also, but if I'm being completely honest I wasn't really into the story while I wrote it, so it's no where near as interesting as this one, but still a little interesting. That's just my opinion though, there were some people that liked it the first time I posted it.
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