Nimuel's vision blurred, and his breathing escaped him. His emotions went everywhere as he backed away from Josh, as if his legs would give out any second. Carlos grabbed onto him. Josh walked into the house, closing the door, trying not to get any closer to his old friends. Josh yelled out instinctively, "Carlos, lay him down on the couch and open the window!" Carlos flinched from Josh's voice but still nodded his head following his orders, picking up Nimuel, carrying him in his arms, and lying down on the couch after a couple of minutes. He got up, lying back, saying, "I'm feeling better." He looked at Josh, and everyone else did the same. Josh sighed, "I know we haven't talked to each other for almost two weeks." Ade looked at him, "We were thinking about that day and talking to each other. About what we should say to you." Carlos then said, "I was waiting to forget and forgive, but I wasn't sure that was the right move." Finally, Nimuel finally broke his silence, "I hated you for what you have done to me, well, to all of us. I know I can't be mad at you forever." Ade looked at Nimuel, sighing sympathetically, saying, "Come on, Josh, let's get them some space." To the group, "This is a lot to throw on him right now." Ade grabbed his hand, taking him outside. Robert decided to talk with his wife about everything in the kitchen.
As they went outside to look around their neighborhood, Ade smirked, saying, "Do you remember the time we fought that huge alien monster from outer space?" Josh chuckled, remembering that time, "How could I ever forget we had to wash ourselves for days to get all of that monster bits out of our hair?" They both laughed. Ade then said, "Or that time we changed Robert's setting for April Fools." Josh thought to himself, "I do remember, but he let us have it the week after." They smiled, thinking to themselves that both had changed themselves in my ways. Ade sighed, "I never had a normal life, but you always made me feel normal at least, and you always led us with effect but a guess that led me blind to our issues…. Or large issues underneath." They looked at each other. Josh made a face, sighing. "Do you want to leave us and go on a galaxy-wide adventure?" Ade busted out laughing, "No, I love hanging out with y'all for now." He playfully keeps going, "Maybe one day, but I know this adventure is not over yet." Josh looked confused, saying, "Well, you were saying all this stuff about the past and how I'm an amazing leader compared to others." Ade looked at his tears rolling down his face, "I was trying to make you feel better, and second, I didn't say all of that, you are a fine leader at best." Josh looked down at Ade, pulling away his hand to wipe the tears, saying, "We need to work on our body language in the future so this won't happen again." Josh just to himself, saying, "Wow, I am surprised and now humbled, thank you." Ade patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Everyone needs to be humble now and again in their life." They sat there not saying anything, just looking around, seeing the clouds begin to darken. Josh was about to open the door. Ade said, "Maybe we should get some time for them." Josh smirked, "I know Carlos is crushing on Nimuel, but I doubt that he would do much at this very moment." Ade was taken aback, "What we both saw was how he looked at Nimuel." Josh paused, saying, "I need to buy a lot of cake mix, and I am going to tell Mary all about it later." Now, Ade was confused, "How many cakes are you getting to bake?" Josh held up three fingers in his hands, saying, "Carlos, my son, and you." Ade walked closer to Josh and tried to say something, but Josh stopped him. "You don't have to explain anything to me, my friends. Oh, I also need Nimual, but he is less hidden about his sexuality in my opinion."
Josh grabbed his hand as they walked back inside. Ade started to run his ring finger, thinking to himself. Nimuel's head resting on Carlos's shoulder. Nimuel got up, seeing them saying. "I also take blame for not trying to talk with you when I could have done so ages ago. You made me feel so empty, like my life didn't mean anything to you, but I realized that Carlos and Ade helped me out." Carlos spoke up, saying, "I believe we all should be more open with each other about the problems that we have." Josh smiled, "Over the last two weeks, I changed my own viewpoint on everything, but now, even my own past. I wish I could change the past, but I can't. I wished that I hadn't hurt y'all. I am tied down by my past, but you all really helped me out." Nimuel looked at him, "We all have things that we regret from our past, but we can only look forward to the future." Robert came into the room and spoke, "I believe we could always change and grow, no matter how old we are." They all hugged each other and started to cry. Josh let go, "I .. I was not expected to cry this much today." Carlos added, "I love all of you." Nimuel choked on his words, saying, "That was so cheesy." They all laughed. Carlos looked at Robert, "Wait, you can cry," he nodded his head and wiped a tear away, saying, "I have to refill them every so often." They all started to wipe their tears away. They all waved to Robert, who was standing in the doorway. As each one of them went back to their house. Josh made a box of half cheese, and had vegetable pizza from 'Pia Six'. He unlocked the door, opened it, and seeing the kids, they all smiled, giving him a hug. He said, "I got pizza for y'all." He locked the door behind him. He smiled, kissing his wife and placing the pizza down. Wendy smiled, saying, "You got Pie Six, my favorite." A week later, Josh sat there outside his bedroom window, seeing that the other house lights were still on. Mary was in the shower. He was wondering to himself, seeing the stars. "I can't believe I went off the deep end over two stalkers who could not really hurt me." He went on his phone, checking the news to see where Isabella and Finley were in prison. There were people online saying horrible things about him. It no longer upset him as it did before. Niumal texted him saying, "Do you and Mary want to come over? We are having an adult game night tonight at Ade's house." Josh texted back, "Of course, we will be there in ten minutes." Josh walked over to the bathroom door while hearing the water turn off, saying, "They have a game night, do you want to come?" After hearing nothing, the door swings open. She got out fully dressed, saying, "You need to hurry up, they are playing UNO tonight and are not losing to Robert and Carlos again." Josh changed into his clothes, and they left the house after 8 minutes. Josh looked up into the night sky. It was starry, and a beautiful full moon shone over them. Saying to his love, "I need to make amends with Isabella and Finley soon rather than later." She replied, "That's a lovely idea, we will be there with you." Mary asked him, "Where are the reporters? They said they would be here yesterday?" Josh replied, "I know it's odd, maybe Niumal had something to do with that." Mary repeated, "Yeah, maybe." he was carrying drinks in his hands: one sweet tea and lemonade, a southern staple. Mary knocked on the door, opening it to see Painter. Mary asked, "Why do you leave your vile for a game night and your painting?" He replied, "I don't leave my house often and hang out with my friends often." He notices the drinks, stating, "I see you got drinks." Carlos came up saying, "Why are we standing out here when I can be beating in board games, better yet, UNO!" Mary took that as a challenge, as her eyes lit up with excitement as they all went inside the house. Josh, looking at his house, a pit fell inside his stomach. Ade says, "Hey, Josh, you coming?" He had a bad feeling but brushed it off, saying, "Yeah, I don't play without me." As he closed the front door behind him.
Luca tossed and turned while sleeping before his eyes glowed navy blue, shiny, brighter than a flashlight. Waking up and looking around the once more dark room. Tala rolled over on the other side of the room, grumpy and exhausted, saying, "Luca, go back to sleep, or I'm going to make you wish you didn't wake me up." She turned back over, snoring. Luca slowly lay back down, closing his eyes, unable to go to sleep until he whispered uncertainly and lost, "I'm gay?" He sleepiest took over his brain as he closed his eyes drafting back to sleep.
The Epilogue will be out tomorrow at 6:00 pm CST.
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