Blue Violet - By Abigail Owen Page 0,77

him.

They joined the rest of the family exchanging more happy embraces. Joining hands, Charlotte teleported them home.

Chapter 37

Ellie was shocked at how quickly life returned to normal. She, Lila, Adelaide, and Nate all returned to school. They spent time with their friends, going to movies and studying in the library. Alex had taken off the full semester of college and continued to work for Hugh in his law firm. Ellie, Adelaide, and Nate would be graduating soon, but Lila still had one more year left.

The Jenners and Pierces moved back into their homes, except for Alex. Her house had never felt so empty. They really didn’t spend much time there anymore. They preferred instead to fly over to the others in the evenings, only returning to their home to sleep and dress. Alex went where Ellie went and vice versa.

In the evenings they would often discuss their plans for the future. Ramsey had decided that with his power now under control, he wanted to try going to school. They decided the best option was for him to start as a senior in high school in the fall, joining Lila. Alex planned to go to college but was considering transferring, and Ellie decided to join him wherever he went.

Griffin seemed to be the only one who didn’t seem to care about making plans. Ellie surreptitiously watched her brother with growing concern. He continually blocked his thoughts from her, which wasn’t like him. Although he tried to behave normally, Ellie could tell something was up. No one else had noticed. They just didn’t know Griffin as well as she did. When questioned about his future, he said simply that he would be quite happy to just stay with Hugh and Lucy since Alex and Ellie would both be away at school.

So Ellie kept her worries to herself. Griffin would talk to her when he was ready.

“Ellie,” Lucy called up the stairs. “Are you ready to go? We don’t want to be late!”

“Coming!”

Taking one last look in the mirror, she patted her hair into place. She grabbed her mortarboard off the vanity and rushed down the stairs, her face aglow.

Today was her high school graduation. She had a role to play for the rest of the world so that she and her Svatura family didn’t have to live as outcasts but could be a part of society. She’d never been through a graduation ceremony before.

They were all waiting down by the living room, and Ellie struck a pose as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Oh, very fashionable,” Adelaide said, tongue-in-cheek. They all laughed.

They piled into their cars and headed for the football stadium where the ceremony would be held. The weather dawned clear and bright and glorious for the occasion. Crisp blue skies and the warmth of the sun shining down on them, despite the chill in the air.

Ellie, sitting alphabetically with the other graduates, tried to soak in every part of the event. As she crossed the field to accept her diploma, her family all cheered for her, Griffin and Alex cheering the loudest. And then cheered herself as Adelaide and then Nate received their own diplomas.

Her eyes filled with tears with the love that swelled up in her. And then she whooped wildly with the rest of the students as they all threw their caps into the air. She went around hugging her friends, people she would most likely not see again. She gave especially big hugs to Jill and Brian and Juliette. She’d never had “normal” friends before, but thanks to them she did.

After the ceremony concluded, she rode with Griffin and Alex back to the Jenners’ house, still amped up from her day. They’d decided to have a private celebratory dinner together at home.

As she got out of the car, Alex held her back. “I just wanted one second alone with you because I know we won’t get another chance for the rest of the night.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms up around his neck. Standing on tip toe, she placed a lingering kiss on his mouth.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said when they came up for air.

“For graduating from high school?” she teased.

“For so many things. But tonight, yes, for graduating from high school. You managed to do it while saving my family from a force that should have terrified you. And you saved them bravely and unwaveringly.”

Ellie’s eyes filled with tears. “I did it for love,” she whispered.

Giving her another soft kiss, he grabbed her