The Beautiful Monster

"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.

Melina chewed on her bottom lip for a moment as she looped her arms around his neck.

"Is that job for us still lined up for next month?" she asked him. Tyler had already started looking for jobs for them to work together, which she was excited about.

She would be able to practice her magic and learn more spells. Even if she wasn't going to be in school any longer, she still wanted to keep learning. That was what would make her stronger.

Tyler nodded as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's all set up, and we get to take a trip to Seattle," he said with an excited grin.

"I've never been there before," Melina told him. She honestly hadn't traveled much of anywhere. Benjamin didn't let her go far, but she understood why.

The closer she was to him, the safer she was. Without him here, her world felt partially empty. Nothing would be able to fill the hole that he left behind. Honestly, she wasn't looking to fill it. Nothing could replace him.

"I'll take you everywhere. We'll have a new adventure together every day," Tyler promised her with adoration in his eyes.

It meant a lot to Melina that he was taking care of all this for them. She was new to this lifestyle, and she was diving into it. It helped to have someone who knew how to tread these waters at her side. She wasn't afraid of drowning as long as he was with her.

"That sounds amazing," Melina said, already looking forward to going. She didn't know how long they would travel for. She knew that she needed to be moving for at least a few years to keep Alaric off her trail.

She didn't want him to keep tabs on her. Maybe he would just forget about her and someone else would take him down. It was wistful thinking, though. She would keep moving until she felt safe enough to settle down, and she had no idea when that would be.

"We can do a little traveling before Seattle, though. We can just have fun," Tyler suggested since they would have time before their first job together.

Melina nodded. She needed to experience some fun after the semester she just had. Therapy wouldn't be a bad option either.

"That sounds nice. There's one thing that I want to do first, though," she told him. She didn't want to put their plans on hold, but she had a responsibility to take care of. She promised herself that she would.

"What's that?" Tyler asked.

"I think I'm ready to meet my real parents," Melina replied, drawing in a steadying breath after the words left her. She hadn't been sure when she would feel comfortable enough to say those words, but she felt like she was ready. She wanted to see them at least once before she disappeared for a while.

Tyler gave her a comforting smile as he nodded.

"Alright. Once you get finished up here, we'll take a little road trip over there," he told her.

Melina gave him a grateful look. His support made her feel so much more at ease. She would've been too nervous to go see them alone, but he helped fuel her courage.

"Want to go celebrate? I have to clear out my dorm tomorrow," she asked him as she lifted her eyebrows at him.

"We'll put it to good use one more time tonight," Tyler chuckled, giving her waist a teasing squeeze.

Melina placed her forehead against his, sharing a smile with him. A part of her was sad to leave this place, but a new journey awaited her and Tyler. She knew that moving forward was the best possible thing for her to do, even if there were obstacles up ahead.

She had learned a lot over this semester, and she had grown stronger from her experiences. It was time to put her to the test, but she was doing this of her own accord.

No one else ran this game but her. She made the rules. She pressed start. She didn't want to let anyone else run her life but her. Maybe she was being forced to run, but she was going to make the situation into a journey.

She was going to see new places, meet new people, and learn new things. It would be good for her, and it was what Benjamin would want for her too.

"I love you," she told him. Her heart fluttered each time she said it and each time that she heard it said back to her. The best part of the journey ahead was the company that she would have with her.

She couldn't wait to make and share countless memories with him. There was so much out there for her to see and experience. She was itching to go ahead and go.

"I love you, baby," Tyler said, gazing into her eyes lovingly. "Come on. It's time to celebrate."

Melina smiled and took his hand, letting him whisk her off. A whole new life awaited her, and she planned to run toward it, not away from it. Her pain was in the past where it belonged.

It hurt to let go, but it allowed her to move forward into the future where she needed to head. Big things were waiting for her, and they would appear when she least expected them.