MINE FOR INFINITY

Here Just To Love You

*ONE YEAR LATER*

(3rd POV)

"Guys, I'm doing it today," Mal states, after smoothly sliding the blue-and-yellow graduation gown over her short, lilac dress. As she expected, the hem of the gown still hits the floor, even if already shortened once, and she groans in despair. Finally, kicking off her sneakers, Mal uneagerly pulls out the pair of fairly low, silver high heels that Evie armed her with, you know, just in case. As much as Mal sometimes hates to admit it, Evie is right ninety-nine percent of the time. And now, Mal Bertha is voluntarily putting on high heels for her own graduation. What has the girl done to her?

Jay and Carlos, working as her listening ears, break into huge smiles. "Really?" Jay grins, standing up from his bed to hug Mal. "Finally!" Carlos exclaims, jumping in on the hug. Mal chuckles lovingly at the two of her, practically, brothers as they chest bump each other, bearing faces of victory. She's beyond words grateful; the support could absolutely not be better.

Carefully, Mal sets the blue graduation cap, with an embroidery crest of Auradon on the top of it just like there is over her heart on the gown, on her beautifully styled hair. Evie, of course, insisted on Mal letting her do her hair, and, frankly, did a wonderful job; Mal's purple locks are twisted into two twirls along the sides of her head and brought together into a bun above the  her neck. And when Mal turns to stare at herself in the boys' dorm's mirror, she, unlike often, gets fazed by her own beauty. The loose strands of purple hair neatly framing her face, the sliver heels peeking out from underneath her gown, the dark mascara making her emerald eyes pop out. It isn't too bad to feel beautiful.

She bears a wide smile as she turns back to the two boys now waiting by the door. "What?" Mal giggles as they stare at her with bright, big eyes. "Oh, I just didn't know a lizard could look this pretty," Carlos smirks. Jay covers his mouth and snorts. Mal rolls her eyes sarcastically, scoffing, "You dog boy better hope you make it to the ceremony alive." Carlos's laugh can barely be heard before the boy has already sprinted out of the door.

Jay, laughing, is about to follow him, but Mal quickly stops him. "Jay, did you find it?" she asks eagerly. "Oh, yeah!" the bigger guy's face lights up immediately and he rushes to his desk. Opening the top drawer, Jay takes out a black USB-stick, labelled with 'mevie vids', and gladly hands it over to Mal. "Oh! How did you manage to make that old piece of shit work?" Mal says, smiling to herself. "Willpower," Jay grins. That brotherly smile dominating his face. "Thank you, Jay."

When Mal and Jay reach Mal and Evie's dorm, they can quickly pick up the load of babbling voices from inside. As they open the door, they find, to none of their surprise, their whole squad inside the dorm room. Jane is giving Lonnie's dress some final little, not so permissible, touches with her wand while the Asian girl jumps in joy, watching the shining, golden stars surround the hem of her dress. Chad and Gil are posing in front of the mirror, flexing muscles and throwing finger guns, and occasionally collapsing on the floor in laughter. How very typical of them. Audrey is sitting on Uma's lap on a chair by the window, fixing her teal braids and whispering something to make the two of them giggle. Only a soulless human being could look at those two and not melt on the spot. Harry, on the other hand, is lying on Mal's bed next to Ben, clearly a bit zoned out while letting the blond boy stroke his hair. Jay happily joins Carlos, who's on the couch, shouting at a video game he can't play, and snaps the device out of the younger boy's hands to show him how it's really done. Mal holds back in the doorway for a bit, just watching everyone. All of them have their gowns and caps on; they're actually becoming responsible adults, kind of, today. A smile is tucking on her lips. They're all so full of joy, all safe, all loved, nothing can warm her heart more. This is her family. The best sight in the world. Oh gosh she loves these idiots.