Author's Note: This is the final installment of Eviction. I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Special thanks to the reader who requested this piece and worked with me to develop the characters and the storyline and for putting up with my crazy schedule that delayed this project for so long.
Going forward, I currently have no new series' planned. I hope to have all my active writing projects finished before the end of the year, which is looking more possible as my schedule clears up.
Please feel free to send feedback telling me what you loved or where I could improve as I love to hear from you guys.
AS always, thanks for reading!
Katie
Epilogue
Gwen threw her bag down on the floor and dropped her keys next to it. She pulled her scrubs off and threw them into her room as she walked by on her way to the couch. She plopped down wearing only a camisole and her boy shorts.
It had been another long week of work, just like every week for the last six months. Her job had become exceedingly stressful since her return. Granted, she and Jessie were on friendly terms, but the rest of her coworkers hated her for cheating on Jessie. They talked about her behind their back and she was always assigned the absolute worst patients. Her boss had shown equal disdain for her by scheduling her during the most grueling times at the hospital and giving her very few days off. What did Gwen expect when she came home?
Work was not the only place where people hated her. Gwen's family was not happy about the embarrassment that she brought to her family. Her mother was not taking any of her calls and her father only chided her when they talked. Rick was upset since he actually got along with Jessie. He was also angry in her choice of guy. He showed her the clips of Tyler and Jeremy plotting her seduction, hoping that she would back pedal on her decision, but she did not.
Tyler had told Gwen of his original intent, but she did not care. She knew that what she had experienced in the house with him was special and worth the heart ache at the time. The only regret she had now was leaving.
In six months, she had not tried to get in contact with Tyler. She did not know what she would say to him. In that time, she had no word from him. The first few months, she was heartbroken that he was not trying to find her. After some time, she became numb to the whole thing and did her best to forget.
It was hard to forget about Tyler and the marvelous weeks they had spent together. She would give anything to have that time back, but it was clear that was not going to happen. Instead, she was resigned to spending her weekend as she had every weekend since the show; sitting in front of the television binge watching Netflix after ordering pizza from the same place.
Suddenly, a knock came from her front door. She had not ordered anything yet. Had her weekends become that routine that they had already sent her food?
Wow my life is pathetic
, Gwen thought as she opened the door.
"Tyler?"
"Hello, beautiful," he smirked.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came for you. I've missed you. Can I come in?"
"Yea," she said, moving aside.
Tyler had not changed since she last saw him. His brown hair was long enough to spike in the front. His blue eyes were still the color of tropical waters, although they were not as energetic as before. His body was covered beneath a heavy tan jacket and jeans. His hair was a little damp from the dusting of snow that was falling outside. He still looked as handsome as the day she left.
"I've spent the last six months looking for you. Why did you leave without me?"
Gwen looked at the ground, ashamed of what she had done.
"Jessie was at the finale and I formally ended it with him. Then, I just felt like I needed some time away from the show. Time away to think. You looked like you were having fun with the fandom and fame and I didn't really know where I fit in all that."
Tyler stepped further into her apartment, seemingly lost in thought.
"It hasn't been as much fun as you think," he said, turning to face her, trying to hide his pain. "Not without you. I looked for you that night, and I couldn't find you. No one knew where you were. The next day, they whisked me away for the press tour and it was miserable. I tried not to think about being away from you, but it was difficult since the press always asked about you. Did you watch any of it?"
"No."
"I was on the verge of a breakdown a few times. I went to bed, dreaming of you in my arms, only to wake up disappointed. When the tour was over, I asked around for you, but no one knew where you were. Turns out, New Hampshire is much bigger than I thought it was."
"Why did you spend so much time looking for me?"
Tyler closed the gap between him and Gwen. He took her hand and gazed into her eyes.
"I wasn't lying when I said I loved you; that I didn't want to lose you. I would have searched for you for the rest of my life if I had to."