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Dedication: xxRiseAgainstxx2. The fact that my story was the first to compel you to leave a comment is an honor! Thank you so much for sticking around and for being awesome!

Epilogue: Two Years Later

It was hard to believe I was on the last year of my schooling. I mean, at least with my bachelor's degree. I wanted to immediately enroll for my master's degree while everything was still fresh in my mind, but thankfully, Steven and I were both on fall break. We had a solid two weeks free, and we both decided to finally meet up and spend some time together.

Despite talking on the phone, he and I hadn't seen each other in years. Our lives took us in different directions, and finding time to hang out seemed to always slip from our fingers. We still talked as much as we could though! The best part about the get together was that Geoffrey was in town as well. He was taking a mental health break after spending the majority of his time in Japan.

He managed to snag an international modeling contract that allowed him to travel the world. It was impossible to not find him in magazines, ads on TV, and Tumblr dashboards all around the internet.

The boy was everywhere and rightly so. While Geoffrey would always be a model, he ventured out and spoke openly about his struggle with eating disorders and the problematic nature of our fashion industry. When in the states, he traveled to different high schools and colleges talking about the dangers of eating disorders and promoting body positivity.

"We're going to be late," I groaned to the closed bathroom door. The apartment was in complete disarray. There were half packed boxes everywhere. Terry and I decided we needed a bit more space, and he found this lovely house in a quiet neighbor hood where we could both relax a little more.

Not that I didn't enjoy apartment living, but I could definitely use more nights where our upstairs neighbor's kids weren't screaming at the top of their lungs and running back and forth.

I was convinced they did it just to keep me from studying.

"I'm coming, babe. I can't find the shaving cream," Terry called out.

With a smile on my lips, I rolled my eyes. "It's in that bag under the sink, but skip shaving. I like you with a little scruff anyway."

Terry emerged with a towel around his waist. Water still dripped down his chest. "This," he pointed at his beard, "is a little bit more than scruff."

Smirking, I yanked the towel from his waist and eyed him up and down. "I think you look great just the way you are." Stepping closer, I leaned up, balancing on my tip-toes and placed a kiss on his lips. "Now, get dressed. I don't want to keep the boys waiting."

Terry wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up into the air, and crushing his lips to mine.

Giggling, I pulled away. "Stop that, or we'll never make it there on time." I added a wink.

"Yes, sir." Naked, Terry strutted into our bedroom to change.

Watching him the whole way there, I couldn't keep from grinning. My days with Terry were both normal and exhilarating at the same time. Not a day went by where I didn't appreciate his company. Hell, even when we argued about dishes or phone bills, I couldn't stay mad at him. All he had to do was batt those eyelashes of his, and I was putty in his hands.

He treated me so well, and I did my best to do the same.

I thought I was doing a pretty good job. After all, he never complained, and all the nights we spent tangled in each other's arms solidified that.

During the car ride, my nerves picked up, but they were excited nerves as opposed to worried nerves. I was thrilled to see my friends! I couldn't wait for Geoffrey to tell me all about his adventures around the world, and I wanted to hug Steven.

My life was seriously lacking in the Steven-hug-department.

We decided to meet at a little coffee shop, and sure enough, when we pulled up, Geoffrey and Steven were already sitting at a table in the sun. Without waiting, I practically leapt from the car and darted right to my friends. Before Steven even noticed, I threw my arms around him. "I've missed you so much!"

Steven laughed, returning the hug to the best of his ability considering the fact that he was more or less pinned to his chair. "I've missed you too, Max." When he spun around he added, "Wow! You look great!"

I spun around as if I were the one with a modeling contract. "Nothing like constant studying to keep you in tiptop shape, right?"

"What am I even doing here?" Geoffrey pouted from across the table. "Is there no love for little old me?"

I hopped over to the model and pulled him into a hug as well. He was wearing all black with a large black sun hat and dark sunglasses, and of course, when I hugged him, I nearly knocked his hat to the ground.

"Watch it, Max. I can't sit in the sun! I don't want to get skin cancer!" Geoffrey gasped as he frantically adjusted his hat.

Steven laughed loudly. "You should have seen him when I suggested we grab a table outside. He put on, like, five layers of SPF 100."

Geoffrey smirked and gestured at his body. "This is my moneymaker, guys."

I couldn't stop the grin on my lips. "Oh gosh. It's so great to see you both. I can't tell you how much I've missed you both!"

"So what's new," Geoffrey asked me. "I'm sorry I've been so hard to get ahold of. Cell service is spotty in most of the world. You would think someone would get onto that."

Terry appeared and stopped beside me. "Well, look what the cat drug in. You both look great!"

Geoffrey and Steven exchanged glances; Geoffrey even lowered his sunglasses, risking going blind. "There is no way that is Terry," Geoffrey gasped in disbelief.

"It is. In the flesh."

I forgot to mention that I left out the fact that Terry and I were together; I figured I would surprise them. I just didn't take into consideration how busy we all became, and in all honesty, I simple forgot to bring it up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Geoffrey asked, his brows pointed to the gods.

Steven chuckled. "You didn't know that Terry took Max in after he got out of the house?"

Geoffrey shook his head while his mouth stood ajar in disbelief.

"It's become a little bit more than that," I admitted, wrapping an arm around Terry's waist.

"Shut the hell up!" This time Steven gasped.

"No way. You and the guard dog?"

I shrugged. "It just kinda happened, but don't worry. He was perfectly respectable until I got into college."

Steven and Geoffrey both lost it. "I don't believe it," Steven exclaimed.

"Yeah, what happened after you got into college?" Geoffrey asked as a dangerous grin pooled at the corner of his lips.

Terry and I exchanged glances. "Well, I became a little less respectable." He patted my behind gently.

Steven and Geoffrey burst into laughter.

Laughing as well, I shoved him away gently. "Don't listen to a word he says. Terry has been nothing but wonderful."

I ordered a toasted almost iced coffee with whipped cream as the four of us caught up. It was so nice to hear about all the places Geoffrey traveled. He even admitted that he had a lady he met in Japan waiting for him.

Steven was still in school like me; though, he was changing majors to Philosophy 'just for fun.'

There was still so much left in life, and I was beyond stoked that we were all healthy and doing our best to live our lives.

We unanimously agreed that despite our best efforts, our problems would always be part of who we were, but we also agreed that we had accepted that fact, and instead of dwelling, we embraced ourselves for who we were.

We knew that it would never be as simple as just getting over our eating disorders, but we had the power to stop letting them rule our lives, and from the looks of it, we were doing a pretty damn good job.

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Well, that's it, folks!

The time with our skinny boys has finally come to an end. In a way it's a little bittersweet. I started this story as a way to embrace my own demons, and now that it's finally over, I feel like I can finally move on. I'll miss my boys, but I'm just happy the're happy.

Thank you all for coming on this journey with me, and I hope you have all enjoyed it!

Keep an eye out for my next coming works, so make sure you are following me! I've been working on quite a few ideas that I would love to share with you all.

Lastly, allow me a moment to thank you all for being so wonderful. You inspire me daily, and my partner has even grown fond of reading all your comments as well. So, he would like to say thank you as well. You all brighten my day, and I will be forever thankful!

Please vote this last little epilogue up if you enjoyed it, and leave me a comment down below. What was your favorite part of the story?

(I always pick dedications out from the comments, so if you want this LAST part to be dedicated to you, you HAVE to comment!)

xoxo - Mason

PS. I will be rewriting/editing this story now that it is complete. I am going to venture out into the world of ebooks, so keep an eye out for that as well! I may even dabble in print-by-demand!

EDIT: 11/16/16

It's baffling to me that The Skinny Boy Tales has been received so well by all of you. (We're pushing nearly 200k reads!) This story started off as a way for me to battle my own demons, and it became so much more. Your messages move me, and we're all stronger than we think we are.

If you're looking for something to read after this, I have a few other works here. Please, check them out!

Imaginary - Completed - Teen Fiction/Romance

https://www.wattpad.com/6036136-imaginary-boyxboy-complete-imaginary-boyxboy

The Last Sprite - Ongoing - Paranormal/Romance

https://www.wattpad.com/story/67619438-the-last-sprite-manxman

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