The Beautiful Monster

She was sure that they wouldn't follow her all the way to New York, but she hoped that they didn't keep happening until graduation.

"I'm fine. I'm actually ready to go back out now," Alyssa said with a smile.

Zoe eyed her, not believing her just yet.

"Are you sure? Don't push yourself too much," she warned Alyssa. "I can't carry you out of here."

Alyssa smirked and motioned for Zoe to follow her out of the bathroom.

"Don't make me carry you out to the dance floor," she replied casually, trying to get back into the party mood.

What happened out on the dance floor was a mood killer, but she was determined to revive it.

The night was young, and so were they. She wanted to act like that was the case and not that she was cursed or something.

"Pfft. You know that you don't have to do that with me. I'll beat you there!" Zoe teased before hurrying toward the crowd.

Alyssa hurried after her, hearing their laughter mingle with the music. Maybe the night hit a rough patch, but she wasn't going to let anything stop her from having fun with Zoe in one of their final celebrations.

There was plenty of good left to remember. She had to keep the weird and dark in the back where they belonged.

Hopefully, they stared there, but how much power and control did she actually have?

***********

Sunset painted the sky above campus as Alyssa and Elias rounded the fountain and continued on their walk. It was a peaceful time that Alyssa basked in.

No shadows popped up today. She didn't like having to wish for no strange occurrences each and every day. She didn't want to deal with them in the first place.

"Do you believe in ghosts? Or like anything supernatural?" Alyssa asked as she glanced at Elias. She knew that it was a random question, but she was curious.

Elias gave her a strange look before shrugging.

"I'm not sure. Probably not," he replied. "Why?"

Alyssa shook her head, stopping the conversation there. She still didn't want to bring up all the weird things that had been happening to her.

She didn't want anyone to think that she was losing it, which she might've been. She wasn't entirely sure yet.

"Just curious," she merely said.

Elias nodded as he looked away from her. He was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"I'm going to miss this place and all the memories we've shared here," Elias commented as they walked away from the fountain. It's light splashing faded into the background.

Alyssa turned to smile at him and nodded, giving his arm a squeeze as she held it.

"Me too. I can't believe we spent so many years here. Now, we have to leave it behind. This place is like home to me," Alyssa admitted. She found comfort here, and this place made her never want to go back to her parents' place.

She never felt welcomed there, even if she had grown up there. She felt like she had actually grown into who she was here at Osland University.

She owed so much to this place and the people that shaped her and guided her.

"We can always visit," Elias pointed out. "Goodbyes don't have to be final."

Alyssa liked that sentiment. She did want to visit this place from time to time once she moved to New York.

If she ever felt lost or confused, she would think about this place and everything that she guided herself through here.

If she could survive undergraduate, she could keep on through medical school. It was just the next step.

"So, have you given New York more thought?" Alyssa asked him. Her voice came out a bit quietly. The topic was still one that she approached with gentleness.

She hadn't brought it up in a while because they had been dealing with other things. It was about time for them to make concrete decisions, though. The future wouldn't wait on them much longer.

Elias nodded after a moment.

"I really want to make the move with you. I don't want to be so far away from you, and I can try to make some business contacts over there to help with my business," he said to her.

A smile crossed Alyssa's face as she nodded. It was a relief finally hearing him consider New York.

He was picturing it in his head, and that was a good start. He was headed in the right direction.

Of course, she wanted him to make sure that it was the right decision for him, but she hoped that he saw the benefit in moving.

It would be great for him professionally and personally in multiple ways.

"You'd really thrive there. It's the best place for business," she agreed as they passed by building after building.

She didn't even know where they were walking to. They were just moving, not standing in one place. She preferred that.

Elias glanced at her with a small smile.

"Maybe we can look at apartments when we get back to my place tonight," he suggested. "I'd want it to be close to campus for you."

Alyssa pulled him close to her side, feeling her heart flutter in her chest. She was so happy to be talking about this with him.

The future was so daunting, but some parts of it were exciting, and talking about those parts with someone else just made her that much more excited.

"It'll probably be a small place. New York City is kind of known for its small apartments," Alyssa told him with a sheepish look.

She hoped that wasn't a dealbreaker for him. It would be a while before she made great money, but when she finally did, it would be great money.

"As long as we're together, I don't care about how big or small our place is," Elias assured her. "We'll find something that works for us."

Alyssa nodded, knowing that something would speak to them out of the hundreds of apartments in the city.

She knew that their first apartment together wouldn't be their dream home, but it would be enough to get them there. The journey mattered as much as the finish line.

"This is going to be great," she told him. She knew that finding a place and applying would be a hassle, but it was all paperwork and details.

It wouldn't matter in a few months when they would finally be settled in their new place.

Elias pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

"We're almost there," he told her.

It felt so close but so far at the same time. She still had so much work to get through, but there also wasn't that much time left.

She was torn. Before she could reply to him, she heard an all too familiar voice from behind them.

"Well, isn't it the lovely couple?"

Alyssa turned around to see Scott smirking at them. She tended up at the sight of him, immediately looking over at Elias to see him already glaring at Scott with fire in his eyes.

Of course, Scott had to go and ruin things all over again. They were having such a good moment!