chapter 26- g r e y a n d o l d



"Maliyah?! Are you prepared?!" My dad called from the first floor and I immediately smoothed down the wrinkles of my dress, before lightening my hair a piece that had now developed coming towards the end of my back. I applied my red lipstick and I stood straight respecting myself in the mirror.

I had come quite a long way, and I've dropped a couple of kilos but it makes me look like some sort of supermodel and I haven't felt this way in a long time.

"Maliyah, if we don't leave presently we're never going to have the option to arrive on schedule for when---," My dad says opening the entryway however once he sees me his breath is removed and you could fundamentally see the tears in his eyes.

I turned to face him and he immediately trapped me with his arms hugging me tightly. He pulls back after some time and he looks down at me with adoration. "Oh my gosh, can you imagine, you're growing up so quickly, quick stand there so I can take your picture," My father whips out his phone, gesturing for me to make some sort of pose while he snaps what it seems like over a hundred pictures.

He's about to take another one but I put my hand up and his phone moves from his face, "If we continue like this I'm never going to get to my graduation in time and I'd really like to be a certified assassin by the time I get back home." He laughs and I pick my dress, flashing my heels which were for show. My father offers his arm out and I take it, walking down and we exit the hotel where a limo had parked, waiting for us.

My father opens it and I send a smile towards him before entering and adjusting myself so I'm comfortable. My father also gets in and the car moves while driving in silence, looking at the city lights.

"Are you going to be okay?" My father asks, breaking the silence and I look towards him already knowing what he's talking about.

I sigh, "Dad, it's been two years, I think I'll be quite alright, Igor is locked up so I won't have anything to be scared of." He doesn't look convinced at all, if anything he just looks concerned and I can't blame him. When I got back here to the UK, Mateo was the only thing that was on my mind and it should be illegal for the number of times I had thought about him before going to bed or waking up. I literally couldn't stop thinking about him, and it hurt me so much. And I know he's going to be at the graduation but if I just ignore his stares, it'll all be fine. "Besides, I'm kinda excited to see some of my friends, it's been a while," I subconsciously fiddle with my locket that Val had given me for my twenty-fifth birthday.

"If you need anything or if you just feel like you have to get out of there--"

"I'll come straight to you," I turn back to him, "I know." He smiles and kisses me on my forehead, while the driver prompts me to a stop and he trunks to us gesturing for us to get out of the car where properly hundred of other people were walking in. My father exited first and he offered his hand for me to exit and I let out a huge sigh, taking it and putting on a smile for the paparazzi.

All sorts of questions were thrown my way, those including my past but I had shown them a scowling look which would've only allowed them to pry for more answers from me but I didn't answer. We finally entered the ballroom and I could feel the memories wash in. It was the same ballroom where Mateo and I had discovered those guys that kept the women and children hostage. Nothing much had changed, people were still drinking and laughing except it was more youthful faces and there was a stage towards my left with circular tables with chairs all scattered that were obviously for all the graduates and their groups.

"I'm going to get myself a drink, do you need anything?" My father asks and I shake my head while he leaves a peck on my forehead before walking away to the drink area. I was just standing in the middle and if anything it only brought back memories, memories that I really want to shove down.

I closed my eyes for a second and I felt someone bump into me while doing so," I'm so--wait Maliyah?!" My eyes snapped open to see Valentina beaming at me and she quickly pulled me into an unbelievably tight hug which I quickly responded to. She pulled back and I could see her full appearance and she had changed just a bit. Instead of her brown short hair which she had now dyed blonde hair with it reaching the center of her back, she had added a few but she looked absolutely amazing and I had no idea it was even possible to glow as she had.

"You look so fucking different, what the fuck bitch?" Val said as she pulled back and I laughed, shaking my head.

"Haven't you seen yourself? You look like a queen, I'm jealous." She waved me off and we both laughed.

"Damn, so what are you twenty-seven now?" I nod and she gasps while pulling me to sit down towards one of the tables where anyone could sit. "What have you been--"

"No fucking shit., Mal is that you??!" Another voice calls out and I look to the side to see Sienna running as fast as she can in her heels and quickly enfuldges me in a hug. "Oh my gosh, you look so fucking different," She says as she sits next to Val who is currently scowling at her, probably mad that she ad interrupted her.

"What is it bad or something? I feel like you guys are quietly trying to call me ugly or something," I joke around and they both laugh.

"No, you just look amazing, like it's kinda crazy," Val says and we laugh as the lights now dim and some people are now going on the dance floor, going about with their partners. I only find myself wondering about Mateo more and how he's keeping up.

"He's doing great by the way," Sienna comments, dragging my attention leaving me very confused on how the hell she knew what I was thinking about.

"It's kinda obvious, the way you were staring and everything. Mateo is fine, not amazing but he's alright," Just as Val finishes I can hear the one song that I had tried so hard to not listen to for the past year.

Some couples are already going up to dance and Sienna along with Val are out there probably dancing with their partners or something since they've managed to disappear as soon as I had turned around. I wanted to look back to the couples but now a certain person had blocked my view of them with a tattooed hand outstretched out. I looked up to see a small smile on his lips and his body had never looked any better. He has grown out his hair a little and there is a trimmed stubble by his jaw which had only made him look even more attractive and that stupid idiotic feeling had just come back. I turn around, and I face the two empty seats that Sienna and Val were once sitting on.

"Mal please," Mateo begged and I closed my eyes trying to stop the tears because I had made my eye makeup perfect and I'd hate for it to be ruined, "Just one dance." He continued and I sighed standing up and taking his hand but not being able to look him in the eye. He led me towards the floor and immediately pulled me close to him and I didn't pull back or anything, this just felt right.

"You look beautiful," Mateo said and I scoffed, turning to look at the floor because I knew if I looked at him after he said that I would fall right into his trap.

"Why are you bothering with me?" I ask, looking up to him trying to blink back the tears that are surfacing.

"What do you mean?" He says with a questioned look and I shake my head looking at the other couples who looked so in love with their partners.

"You're here, trying so hard to bring back what was lost and you're saying all sorts of compliments and you think I didn't hear you but I did, I heard you in that office saying that we were only meant to be fucking and you had no idea how it got that far, I'm not fucking stupid Mateo, compliments aren't going to--"

"Listen to the song," He says calmly, interrupting me with a hint of amusement in his eyes and I can only feel my anger surfacing.

"Excuse--"

"Just listen to the fucking song Maliyah," He says looking down at me and my mouth snaps shut, now listening to our song which Mateo had told me about two years ago.

I'm so in love with you

And I hope you know

Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold

We've come so far, my dear

Look how we've grown

And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old

My eyes widen and I continue listening and I look up to Mateo who is now smiling moving a finger to sweep the stray tear away from my face and my mouth opens to talk but he shakes his head signaling for me not to talk and I nod. "I'll explain more at the graduation ceremony," He says before planting a kiss on my lips and quickly hurrying away to the crowd where everyone had walked off to get ready for the announcements.

Wait, what the hell did he mean by he'll explain more?

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-ONLY A CHAPTER LEFT????

-damn y'all this is crazy, BUT I CAN'T WAIT HAHAHA

-ta ta for now

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