The Beautiful Monster

With a nervous breath, Melina adjusted her black graduation gown as she sat among rows of other witches and vampires in the school's huge auditorium.

She couldn't believe that she had actually made it here. Her examinations hadn't been easy at all, testing her to her very limits, but she passed. She gave it her all, and she was rewarded with the opportunity to graduate.

Tyler had "dropped out" so that he could watch her graduation from the stands. With what he did, he didn't need this fancy boarding school. He was already trained, having more strength and control than the majority of vampires in the school.

Melina turned around in her seat, peering into the seats above the ground floor of the auditorium and soon spotting Tyler as he sat in one of the many rows.

He was the only person there for her today, but that was her decision. Benjamin would've been here, but that wasn't in the cards.

It killed her a little on the inside, but she wanted to believe that he was watching over her from somewhere. It helped put her mind at ease.

Tyler waved at Melina with a proud smile on his face.

Melina waved back, feeling her heart flutter. She couldn't get over how in love with him she was. He was a huge part of her entire world, and she never wanted to lose him.

Their journey together as a protective unit started soon, and she was excited to try something new and hit the road. It would make her feel safer to be away from this place and away from Alaric, wherever he was.

Thankfully, she hadn't heard anything from him. The weird happening stopped at school, which she suspected was Blair or another follower's doing.

She hated that they terrorized the entire school just because of her, but at least that was over for now. There was a brief moment of peace, and Melina was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

She wished that she could settle down with Tyler somewhere, but their relationship was still fresh. They loved each other, but they still had plenty to learn about each other.

Traveling around and warding away danger from innocent people would only bring them closer together and strengthen their trust for one another since they would have to rely on each other. So, she looked forward to the long journey ahead. It wasn't like she felt safe enough to settle in one place yet anyway.

Finally, President Kavon walked onto the stage in front of the graduates and spoke into the microphone.

"Graduates, we couldn't be prouder of what you have accomplished and learned here during your time here. You're some of the brightest, strongest vampires and witches in the country, and I hope you go forward and use your powers wisely," President Kavon said, his voice echoing throughout the large auditorium.

Melina smiled to herself as she faced the stage, anticipation filling her. She couldn't wait to walk across that stage. She had dreamed about this moment ever since she was enrolled into the school.

Now, she was finally here. It had been a long journey, but she was grateful for what she learned and some of the people that she met.

There were some experiences and people that she could've gone without, but those things just made her even more grateful for the good things in her life.

President Kavon went through his whole speech about being a good little witch or vampire and not ruining society. It seemed like a fitting talk since Melina's biggest enemy was a demon that wanted to run the world his way. She wondered what Alaric was doing right now.

He was either killing someone or making someone's life miserable. At least he hadn't taken this away from her. She would rather have Benjamin back than a graduation, though.

"Graduates, please come forward," President Kavon finally announced.

Melina snapped out of her thoughts about Alaric, not wanting even the thought of him to soil this special day for her. She had made it here after years of hard work. She wasn't going to let him be a part of this day in the slightest. She stood up and lined up with the other graduates, shuffling forward as the line moved.

When she reached the top step of the stairs that led to the stage, Melina felt her eyes burn slightly. She made it. She waited for her name to be called before she walked over to the President, accepting a scroll from him that stated her graduation from the school.

"Congratulations," President Kavon told her with a warm look.

Melina smiled gratefully at him, shaking his hand before turning and walking off the stage. She looked up at the stands and held up her school to show Tyler, who stood and clapped for her.

With a blush on her face, she went back to her seat, staring down at her scroll the entire time to make sure that it was real. It seemed like it was too good to be true, but it was real. She graduated.

When the ceremony concluded, Melina rushed through the crowd of graduates, families, and friends to find Tyler. The moment that she saw him, she jumped on him, wrapping her arms and legs around him as he caught her. She laughed into his neck, squeezing him tightly.

"I did it!" she said. She couldn't help but cheer for herself. She knew how hard she worked to get to this moment. She was proud of herself, and she deserved to be.

Tyler gave her a playful spin before setting her down.

"I'm so proud of you, baby," he told her as he cupped her face. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately, holding her close as they melted into each other.

"Thank you for being here for me," Melina told him sincerely once they parted. It meant the world to her that he cheered for her in the stands. She had been upset this morning because she missed Benjamin so dearly. He was supposed to be here too, but she knew that he would've been proud of her.

"Wherever you want me to be, that's where I'll go," Tyler promised her.