The Final Chapter: Footprints in the Sand

6 Months Later

Mylan

“Mylan Madison Maraj-Graham is attending the University of Juilliard in New York City.” I walked across the stage and took my diploma. I heard loud screams and looked up to see my family. I let out a smile as I returned to my seat. “Please give it up for the class of 2025!” All the students stood up and we threw our caps in the air. I got out of the swarm of people and looked around.

“Looking for me?” I heard his voice. I turned and pulled him into a hug.

“Congrats!” I told Ryan.

“You too My. It looks like we’re both staying in New York,” he smirked.

“Looks like it,” I grinned and pulled him into a kiss. I heard a throat clear and pulled away from him. Dad shot him with a death glare before turning to me.

“Good job baby girl.” He pulled me in his arms.

“Thanks Dad.” I hugged him back before I was attacked with a bunch of hugs.

“Congrats My!” Alexis hugged me.

“Thank you Lex.” I bent down and kissed her.

“Never thought I would see the day,” Nyra joked.

“Oh shut up. We both know that you’ll miss me.” I gave her a knowing look.

“So much.” She let out a smile and hugged me. I moved through everyone and went to Auntie Nae. I moved and hugged her.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” I thanked her.

“Thank you for staying strong,” she smiled. I hugged some more people and then I finally got to Mom. She tried to contain her tears as she looked at me. I chuckled and hugged her.

“Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me. You’re the best mom a sister could ever ask for,” I said.

“And you’re the best daughter a sister could ever ask for,” she laughed.

“Watch it, I don’t want her getting jealous.” I pulled back and rubbed her belly. “My little sister is gonna be amazing.” I couldn’t help but smile.

“She’ll have an amazing big sister to look up to. Follow your dreams My.” I’ll miss them all but I’m ready to step into the world as an adult and fulfill my dreams. It seemed like everyone was leaving New York but I am just getting started here. I’m gonna leave my mark on this state.

Nae

“And then we’re gonna go to the beach!” Nadia smiled widely. I chuckled and nodded my head.

“We’ll do everything you want to do,” I promised her.

“Yes!” She grinned.

“Go and finish your lunch,” Nessa told her.

“Okay.” She hopped up and went to the kitchen.

“So you’re done packing right?” I checked with her.

“Yeah I finished yesterday. How about you?” I nodded and placed my feet in her lap. “You’re impossible,” she laughed. We heard a lot of noise coming closer to us. I turned and chuckled at the sight in front of me.

“So y’all are just gonna sit there and watch me struggle right?” Blake looked at us.

“Blake you’re not getting me to move. I’m way too comfortable.” I shook my head as she dragged the box across the floor.

“You are such a wimp. The box isn’t even heavy.” Nessa moved my feet and got up to help her.

“At least I’ll be living with one helpful person,” Blake said loudly.

“Oh stop whining. I’ll help you with your last boxes,” I promised.

“Oh really? Thank you so much,” she grinned.

“You’re pathetic,” I laughed. Blake, Nessa, Nadia, and I are moving to Cali. I was always gonna go back there and so was Blake. Nessa wanted a fresh start so she decided to come too. I already have a house there so told them they could stay there. Paris and Ciara were moving back to New Orleans to be close to their dad. Jessi was moving back to Atlanta with Troy. Everyone was gonna be gone soon. So many memories were made here and New York will always be a place to look back on. I’ve hit my lowest and highest points here. This is the only beginning of something that I’m excited to explore.

Cassie

“I love it when you just get home from work,” Shad smirked as he eyed me. I just got home from a photo shoot and they let me keep the dress so I was happy.

“Oh really?” I raised a brow as I walked over to him.

“Hell yeah.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

“Excuse me!” I heard Alexis clear her throat. I pulled away from him and looked over at her.

“Yes Alexis?” I sighed.

“I can’t fit all of my Barbies in my box,” she pouted.

“I’ll help in a minute. Go help Brayden finish his packing,” I told her.

“Okay!” She moved and ran away. I smiled at him and pecked his lips.

“I love you,” I mumbled.

“I love you too baby.”

“I wish we didn’t take this long to get back together,” I sighed.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re together and we’re a family. That’s the only thing that matters at this point,” he assured me.

“You’re right.”

Drake

“I’ll grab one more box from downstairs,” I told Mylan. I went downstairs and saw Nicki making dinner. “What are you cooking?” I asked.

“Who said you’re invited to dinner?” She smirked.

“Oh come on Nic. You’re not gonna starve me are you?”

“Oh shut up and grab the box,” she chuckled. I moved and grabbed it.

“Damn this is it. This is the last box until our baby girl is packed up. I feel old.” I couldn’t believe how fast time flew.

“It feels just like yesterday she asked us to be her parents. Thank you for encouraging me to take on that responsibility,” she smiled.

“Thank you for letting me be her dad. I wouldn’t take that back for the world.” I shook my head.

“You’re a great dad Aubrey.”

“And you’re a great mother.” She made a weird face and then looked at me.

“Come here.” She pulled my hand and placed it on her stomach.

“Damn she’s kicking,” I smiled.

“She hasn’t been giving me a break,” she groaned.

“She just loves the sound of her daddy’s voice. Ain’t that right princess?” I called out and received a kick in return.

“Aye! You’re not the one getting kicked.” She pushed me away from her with a smile. I looked at her and wondered how I ever fucked up so bad. “Stop giving me that look Aubrey,” she sighed.

“My bad Nic. I just get caught up sometimes,” I apologized.

“I get it. It’s so easy to slip into our old habits but that’s the problem. We’re good how we are. What’s meant to be will be,” she reminded me.

“You keep saying that but would you ever consider us being together again?” I wanted to know if she was just fucking with me or if she was serious.

“I like being single Aubrey. I don’t feel tied down and I just like being me. I’m not even thinking of a relationship right now but if I do, you’re the first on my list.” She shot me a small smile before going back to cooking. I nodded my head slowly and grabbed the box. I went upstairs and gave it to Mylan then I went to check on Levi. I walked over to Levi’s room and saw sitting on his bed with something in his hands. He seemed in deep thought.

“Levi?” I called out. He looked up at me and smiled small. “What do you have?” I looked closer and saw that it was the picture of him and Mere.

“I saw her again,” he spoke up. Every now and then Levi would tell us that he saw her in his dreams and I used to think he was going crazy but some of the stuff he would say was stuff only Mere knew.

“Oh yeah? What did she tell you?” I questioned.

“She said I’ll meet Angel in three months,” he grinned.

“You’ll meet Angel in three months?”

“Yep and I saw my two brothers and my sister.”

“Two brothers and sister?” I looked at him a little weird. What is he talking about?

“Evan is thirteen, Junior is nine, and Maya is seven months.” I thought back and remembered Lahel’s abortion, Nicki’s abortion, and Nicki’s miscarriage. I looked down at Levi before looking down at the picture in his hands.

“You said you’ll see Angel in three months huh?” He nodded with a wide smile. “I guess you’re right buddy.” I went back downstairs and looked at Nicki. “I got a name,” I spoke up.

“A name for who? For the baby?” She turned the stove off and looked at me.

“Yeah, what do you think of the name Angel?” She scrunched up her brows and looked at me strangely.

“You came up with that name all by yourself?” She raised a brow.

“Well Levi helped me but I think it’s a good name,” I shrugged.

“I love it,” she smiled.

Jaymie

I felt someone shaking me and I groaned. “Stop,” I mumbled.

“Go wake up Mommy,” I heard Daven tell Carson.

“Mama.” He shook me.

“I hate you Daven,” I called out. I turned and saw Carson leaning over me with drool dripping down his chin. “How’s my baby,” I smiled and picked him up as I sat up. He grinned widely before focusing on my bracelet. “You couldn’t have let me sleep?” I eyed Daven.

“Nah I had to wake you.” He shot me a wicked smile and I chuckled.

“Is my dad here?” I asked him.

“Yeah he’s in the living room,” he nodded.

“Stay here.” I got up and went to the living room. “Can you watch him real quick?” I questioned.

“What do you need to do?” I thought for a minute before speaking.

“I have to search for something without him drooling all over the place. He loves you,” I grinned and put him in his arms.

“Alright Jaymie.” He shook his head. My dad can say whatever he wants but he loves me. I’m his only child so of course he loves me. At least he does now. I went back to my room and saw Daven eyeing my pictures. I closed the door and that caught his attention.

“What did you need?” He questioned. He looked confused as I walked up to him. I shook my head and pulled him down and kissed him. He seemed shocked at first but then he pulled me closer. I pulled back and smiled slightly.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

“Shit you should’ve done it sooner,” he chuckled.

“I hate you so much.” I looked up at him.

“I love you too Jayms. I love you so much.” He pecked my lips.

“I love you too.” Starting over with Daven in Cali was the best damn thing I could’ve done. Life is simply amazing right now.

Nicki

“You need to stop playing with that man.” Nae shook her head at me.

“I’m playing with him? We’re not even together Nae. I don’t see how I’m playing with him,” I huffed.

“You are not divorced yet either,” Jessi pointed out.

“They’re taking a long time with the paperwork,” I shrugged.

“They didn’t take this long when I got a divorce,” Cassie butted in.

“Seriously guys?” I looked around at them.

“Nic,” Blake chuckled and held up something in her hand. I eyed the papers and felt like chocking all of them.

“You never sent them,” Nae smirked.

“Okay so maybe I forgot and was really busy,” I lied.

“You’re caught and you think that you can lie your way through this?” Jessi looked at me in pure amusement.

“I’m scared to send them in. I miss him but I feel like every time we’re together, it’s just pure bullshit,” I groaned.

“Why don’t you start over?” Blake suggested.

“Start over how?”

“His company is in Canada Nic,” Jessi said.

“That’s a perfect place to start over. Y’all don’t have any drama there. It could truly be a fresh start,” Nae nodded.

“You know you miss him,” Cassie eyed me.

“I don’t like the four of you ganging up on me. Maybe I do miss him but I just don’t want to screw everything up. We’re in a good place right now. I don’t want that ruined with Angel on the way,” I sighed.

“Angel?” Nae looked at me weird.

“Levi suggested it and we went with the name,” I shrugged.

“He did huh?” Nae grinned and had this look in her eyes.

“What’s with the name?” I looked at her.

“Wait did you say Angel?” Blake questioned.

“Yeah.”

“Wow.” She smiled slightly.

“What’s with the name?” I repeated as I looked between them. They shared a knowing look and shook their head at me.

“It’s nothing.”

“Weird,” Jessi brushed them off. “So how are you gonna get your baby daddy back?”

“Look I don’t know okay. I just need time to figure everything out. I don’t know what I want and I’m trying to figure it out. I just need time.”

The Next Day

No One’s P.O.V.

“Why did you ask us to meet you here?” The girls looked at Drake and Shad. They were standing outside of Lenore High School.

“Just reminiscing. It feels like it was forever ago huh?” Drake questioned and everyone nodded as they looked at the school.

“I feel old now,” Cassie laughed.

“Do you still have your key?” He asked Shad. He nodded and used his key to open the gym door. Everyone walked in as Shad turned the lights on.

“This is where it all started.” Nicki looked around the gym.

“So many memories were made here.” Cassie shared a look with Nicki and they laughed.

“We fought too much back then,” she told her and Nicki nodded in agreement.

“I agree.” Nicki and Cassie were laughing with each other as Nae walked to a certain spot in the gym and motioned for Blake to follow her.

“What?” She questioned.

“Can I ask you something?” She raised a brow.

“Sure.” She looked at Nae weirdly.

“Did you use to live in California?” Nae let out a playful smirk. Blake laughed as the memories hit her. She could barely believe that it was nine years ago.

“Oh shut up,” she giggled.

“Seriously Blake? I just have a common face,” she mocked her.

“You and I both know that I can’t lie on the spot,” she pointed out.

“I get why you lied but I don't know how you thought I wouldn't remember you.” Nae shook her head.

“Come here,” Shad grabbed Cassie’s hand and pulled her into his office. “It still looks the same.” He looked around.

“Except the name is different,” she pointed.

“Coach Anderson,” he read. “I probably was a better coach,” he shrugged.

“You don’t even know him,” she chuckled.

“I was the best damn coach you ever had,” he wiggled his eyebrows. She blushed and looked around a bit and then looked over at Shad.

“You know exactly what you have to do,” she smiled slightly.

“I kissed you and then you got mad telling me it was too late,” he narrowed his eyes at her. He truly thought kissing her back then would magically fix everything.

“And two kids later here we are.” He grabbed his hands.

“Yeah.” He smiled and kissed her. He couldn’t believe how far they’ve come and he won’t stop until he puts a ring on her finger. He knows they’ll get there eventually but for now he’ll settle with having her as his girl.

“Looks like a woman took over your office,” Nicki said as they walked in. It had a lot of pink around the room and she just shook her head in amusement.

“She should be ashamed of herself,” he joked. Nicki looked around and realized how far they have come. Did she really want to end it for good?

“Aubrey,” she called out.

“Yeah?” He turned and looked at her. She bit her lip slightly but then shook her head.

“It’s nothing.” He eyed her for a minute before going back out into the gym. Everyone joined each other in the middle.

“I’m gonna miss this.” Blake let out a sad smile.

“Who knows the next time we’ll all be together at the same time. I just want you guys to know that I love y’all. It’s been a hell of a journey but I wouldn’t have wanted to share this experience with anyone else,” Nicki smiled.

“Yeah you guys mean the world to me. I gained my best friend back, a boyfriend, and family from this team.” Cassie smiled as she looked over the group.

“Let’s promise each other something,” Nae suggested.

“What?”

“No matter what happens don’t forget about dance. It’s what’s gotten us this far,” she told them.

“It’s gotten me through so many things,” Cassie nodded.

“I can never forget about dance and I don’t think you would let me,” Blake joked only to have Nae playfully push her.

“Dance is my life and I’ll always keep the memories with me,” Nicki promised.

“Alright we better get going. We have to get up early to head to Cali,” Nae said.

“Bye.” Nicki pulled her into a hug. “You better call me,” she threatened.

“Nic you were in Paris when I was in Cali and we still kept in contact,” she pointed out.

“You’re right,” she chuckled. Blake and Nae hugged everyone before heading out to her car. They turned and looked at the school one more time.

“Ready to head back out to Cali?” Nae questioned.

“The duo back at it again ready to start some shit,” Blake said and Nae laughed.

“I can’t believe that you remember that!”

“It’s impossible to forget. You used to get me into so much trouble,” Blake chuckled.

“I did not!”

“I was a perfectly quiet girl until you showed up,” she pointed out.

“You wouldn’t change meeting me for anything,” Nae smirked.

“Not even for the world,” Blake grinned as they hopped into her car. “So Angel huh?” Nae and Blake shared a knowing look.

“Mere would be proud.”

“You know Alexis is gonna go crazy without Mylan,” Cassie laughed. Alexis has been dreading this day for the last six months.

“I know but Mylan promised her that she would visit with cookies so I think she’ll be fine,” Nicki reminded her.

“I’m gonna miss you Nic.” Cassie pulled her into a hug.

“I’m gonna miss you too Cass. Keep in touch alright?” Cassie nodded as they pulled apart.

“No matter what we still family.” Shad dapped up Drake.

“Always.”

“Bye guys.” Cassie waved to them as they walked out of the gym.

“Wow we’re really leaving.” Shad turned and looked at the school.

“We’re really leaving,” Cassie nodded.

“Been a long road.”

“But it was worth it.” Cassie pecked his lips.

“Let’s go get everything ready for tomorrow.” They hopped into their car and left.

“Are you ready to leave this?” Nicki asked Drake as they looked around the gym one last time.

“Yeah it’s really been a long road,” he nodded slowly. He couldn’t believe how far they came just to end it how they did.

“I never mailed them,” she blurted out.

“Never mailed what?” He grew confused.

“I never mailed the divorce papers. I couldn’t and I thought I would gain the strength in a couple of days. Those days turned into weeks and then turned into months,” she admitted. He stood shocked at her words.

“You never mailed our divorce papers?”

“Please don’t be mad. I wasn’t fucking with you Aubrey. I just couldn’t,” she pleaded.

“I’m not mad at you. I’m more shocked than mad. I thought all of this time that I fucked up and I had no hope. This means that here’s hope right?” He eyed her.

“There’s more than hope Aubrey. I told you that we needed a break. That was half a year ago and you’ve shown so much growth over that time alone. You’re a dedicated father and you still help me with whatever I need. You’ve been everything I asked you to be. Every day you were more caring and supportive and that made every day harder to send the papers.” He didn’t know what to do. He was jumping from joy inside of his head but he remained cool on the outside.

“Why didn’t you tell me? We could’ve talked through this or something.” He looked at her as she sighed.

“You have this stupid hold on me. I hate it but I love it at the same time. I can’t let you go but I wasn’t gonna let us destroy our family. We needed a break because everything was fucking up. I needed space and you gave me that. You never made me feel pressured or anything. You’ve been a devoted father and every day is torture without you. Sometimes it feels like everything is back to normal until I go to sleep and you’re not there. That’s when I realized how much I missed you,” she confessed everything she had been feeling over the last six months.

“What does this mean? Does this mean that you want to get back together or is this not what I think it is?” He asked cautiously. He could never tell with her.

“I want you back Aubrey but not like before. I don’t want you back as my husband,” she corrected him.

“You don’t want me back as your husband? Nic, we’re still married. What am I supposed to be?” She kept confusing him but he was used to it over these last nine years.

“I want to start over and that means being my boyfriend.” She looked at him and he got lost in her eyes for a minute.

“You want me to be your boyfriend?” She nodded and he moved closer to her. “I’ll take whatever you’re offering baby.” He pulled her close.

“I’ve missed you,” she mumbled.

“I’ve missed you too.” He bent down and kissed her. He never knew how it was possible to miss someone this much.

“I hope you know that I’m celibate until marriage right?” Nicki smirked at him.

“Celibate until marriage? You’re really gonna put me through that? We’re already married,” he chuckled.

“We’re starting over and I’m not giving it up that easily. You’re gonna have to work for it,” she smiled.

“I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

“Well first you’re gonna have to build the crib and then you’re gonna have to make sure everything is baby proof,” she went on and on. They looked around the gym one more time.

“This place started our relationship. It’s hard to believe that it was nine years ago.” He was still shocked.

“Stop saying that. You’re making me feel old,” Nicki giggled.

“Come on. I think I have a crib to build.” He wrapped his arm around her and shut the lights off before closing the door. These past years have been the most insane years of everyone’s lives but things somehow worked its way together in the end. Life has a strange way of figuring itself out. If it hasn't, give it time. It means your story isn't over yet.

The End 

Y'all knew I couldn't end it bad right? Despite my disliking for happy endings, this story deserved one. I’ll be posting an epilogue tomorrow so you’ll see how everything worked out. It will include every relevant character in the story so you’ll get an ending and some answers from all of them. I also will be editing this story to fix the mistakes in the earlier chapters.