Chapter 6: Chapter 6

MELODY

Finally, we were graduating today. I was happy, excited, and nervous as hell.

I’d always loved school and had dreamed of getting my diploma since I learned what college was. I’d seen my brothers and sister graduating.

I wanted to feel the same, and more than that, I wanted to stand on my own two feet and make my parents proud.

“Are you nervous?” Mia, who was sitting next to me, asked with an anxious smile on her face.

“Yeah, a little bit. You?”

“As hell.” She laughed nervously.

I nodded. The ceremony started, and after some speeches, the students started going up on stage to grab their diplomas from the president.

When Dan got called up, I stood up and clapped my hands together and shouted, “Go, Dan!”

He turned and blew a kiss to me, and I laughed, shaking my head.

“He really loves you, Mel. Give him a chance,” Mia said.

I just laughed.

“Melody Adam,” the speaker called.

My heart was pounding against my rib cage as I stepped onto the stage.

I instinctively glanced into the crowd to see my family. Mom, Dad, both my brothers, and even my sister had come for my graduation.

I laughed as I heard my family and the whole group of my friends hooting for me.

The president handed me the diploma and then shook my hand with a nod.

I went to stand next to Dan on the other side of the stage. He leaned toward me.

“Can you fucking believe we’ve graduated?”

I shook my head. “Not really. I can’t believe our last year of university has gone in a blink.”

Mia was the next one to be called over to receive her diploma. She took the certificate and walked to take her place next to me. “It’s finally over.”

“I am going to miss you all,” I whispered, looking at Dan, Matt, Mia, Sandy, Jacob, Rick, and Layla. Layla and I were good friends.

Who was I kidding? Not such good friends; she still got tense whenever Matt and I were together. So I maintained a good distance between us.

As the ceremony wound down, Dan grabbed my arm and dragged me over to meet his parents. Our friends followed us.

“Mom, Dad, this is my friend Melody.”

His mother stepped forward and surprised me with a hug. “It’s good to meet you finally,” she said and pulled back.

His father did the same. “We heard so much about you.”

“Only good things, I hope,” I replied.

“Of course. He can’t stop talking about you with his sister. She wanted to come and meet you personally.”

“I would really like to meet her too.” I smiled.

Mia, Matt, and everyone met Dan’s parents, then I saw my parents making their way to us.

“Mom.” I ran to her and hugged her tightly.

“Sweetie, I’m proud of you,” she said, her eyes glistening with tears.

I frowned. “Happy tears, baby,” she said, wiping her eyes.

I nodded and saw my father holding his arms open. I went to hug him fiercely. “I missed you, Dad.”

“We missed you, honey. We’re proud of you,” he said, kissing my forehead.

“Hey, little sis. Congratulations,” Nick said, hugging me. After Nick, I went to Jake.

“Congratulations, little sis.” He kissed my forehead affectionately and pulled me into a tight embrace.

“I missed you, Jakey,” I whispered. He was the only one I shared all my secrets with. We were close to each other.

It was because there was a story behind it. That’s for another time. Let’s focus on today.

“Hey, missed me?” Lisa’s voice said behind me.

I turned and went over to her. She was my mentor. I wanted to be like her; she was perfection. One day I would be.

“Hey, Lisa. I missed you.” I laughed. I knew she missed me too.

I pulled back and asked my friends to come forward.

“Mom, Dad, these are my friends, Dan, Matt, Mia, Sandy, Rick, Jacob, and Layla.” I introduced my friends to my parents, and after that, I introduced my parents to Dan’s parents.

“So, Dan, why don’t you propose to her in front of everyone so she can’t say no this time?” Jacob clapped Dan’s back as he came forward.

Both our parents’ eyes opened wide, and they looked between us.

“Are you two together?” Dan’s mother asked, beaming happily.

~Fuck you, Jacob.~

I glared at him.

“No, I mean—” I was interrupted by a foreign yet familiar voice.

“Sorry, baby. Stuck in traffic,” said a voice behind me.

My mind whispered his name automatically.

~Xavier.~

I felt heat traveling through my body at hearing his voice. I could feel my body reacting to his voice, his presence.

I knew in my bones that it was him.

My body was humming for him.

My heart was whispering.

~It’s Xavier fucking Clark.~