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𝗜 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢

chapter fifteen:
I'd love to love someone new, but
I gave it all to you !

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THE LAST TIME Violetta had gotten ready for a school dance, it was Homecoming.

Homecoming had probably been one of the weirdest nights of her life. She had gotten all dressed up and felt so beautiful, but the pain of her parents not being there had brought her down. Then she felt better at the dance, only for her mood to slightly decline when EJ showed up with Gina during that infuriating dancing around each other thing they had done. And then EJ had driven her home, only to take her to get ice cream when he saw she didn't want to be alone, practically starting their whole relationship.

And now it was Prom night. Now, Violetta — as much as she put up a front for how she hated cheesy things and would rather stick a fork in her eye — had actually been looking forward to Prom for a while. Besides graduation and the last musical, it was really the last big school event that she was going to be a part of. Tonight, all that mattered was dressing up with her friends and dancing the night away before they all rendezvoused back at Ashlyn's house.

Balancing being a movie star (since Romeo and Juliet was still going on), a student, and a theater kid hadn't been exactly easy. But Violetta had managed to squeeze some time out of her schedule to go dress shopping with Athena (one of their many dreams growing up) and some of the other girls, and she had a little stretch of time off for Prom-related activities.

Both her and Athena had made an agreement that since Homecoming night really accelerated both of their relationships, they would wear similar dresses to their original ones — just more Prom. Violetta's dress was red, long, and covered in sparkles. She matched it with a pair of silver heels, and of course, the silver ring EJ gave her that she never took off. Her hair was left curly, and the two front pieces were tied back with a silver ribbon.

She stood in front of the mirror, putting on her silver earrings. Unlike last time, she wasn't exactly sad that her parents were there. They had a meeting scheduled with Quinn for weeks now, right at Prom night. Sure, it stung that they wouldn't be there, but at least it wasn't out of the blue this time. Besides, she had a date this time that could pick her up and drive her to Ashlyn's.

Speaking of said date, she suddenly heard a knock on her door. Her house had been locked, and since it definitely wasn't her parents, it only meant it could be one other person — one other person who actually had a key to her house.

Violetta glanced back towards her door. "Yeah?"

"It's me," EJ said. "Can I come in?"

"Hold on a sec." She stepped back from her mirror for a moment, tilting her head at herself in the mirror. A small smile made its way onto her face as she smoothed down her dress. She felt really . . . pretty. "Okay, you can come in."

The door opened. EJ walked in, wearing a black suit with a red tie to match her dress. Violetta wasn't much of a flower girl all of the time, but her heart warmed upon seeing that he was holding a bouquet of red roses in his hands. EJ instantly stopped in his tracks once he saw her, his eyes widening a little.

"Wow," EJ breathed out, blinking a couple of times. "You look . . . you look . . ."

Violetta raised an eyebrow, her cheeks feeling warm. "I look what?"

"Beautiful." EJ finally took a step closer to her. "Absolutely beautiful."

Her smile widened. "And you look very handsome." Violetta accepted the roses when he held them out to her. "Thank you."

"Gorgeous flowers for my gorgeous girl," EJ stated, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "You all ready to go?"

Going to Prom was going to make everything real. Her time at East High was rapidly coming to a close, and this was just the true start of that. But she couldn't ignore that. There were bigger and better things waiting for her. Besides, once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat, right?

Violetta nodded. "Ready." She placed down the flowers and put her purse over her shoulder before holding on to EJ's hand. "Are you? Because that dance floor is calling our name."

She picked up the bottom of her dress with her free hand so she wouldn't trip as she descended down the stairs. Violetta locked her house behind her and walked up to EJ's car. He opened the door for her, and she gave him a gracious smile as she settled into the familiar passenger's seat. EJ rounded around the car and went to the drivers' side.

Since Violetta lived pretty close to school, she only played a couple of songs until EJ parked in front. EJ got out and helped Violetta out of the car before they walked up to the school, their arms linked together. Many other people in their dresses and suits were approaching the school.

They walked in all the way to the gym, where Prom was being held. Violetta — still an actual student — checked in both her and EJ with Mr. Mazzara and Miss Jenn, who were the chaperones for the night. Once that was all done, they walked into the gym.

Violetta and EJ had their photo taken as soon as they walked in, and once that was over, they went to their designated table. Whether it be Miss Jenn's doing, Mr. Mazzara's doing, or both, the theater group sat together. It was made up of mostly the seniors, plus some juniors with their senior dates. Most of them were there, but for those who weren't would be at Ashlyn's later to join in with their festivities.

"Okay," Violetta announced, setting down her purse on the table and glancing towards the very much empty dance floor. "Y'all ready to dance?"

EJ chuckled. "V, we just got here."

"Yeah, and?" Violetta looked at all of them. "Come on, guys. Since all of us are here, we have to dance. It only makes sense for us to start the dance floor."

None of them complained and set down their things, standing up in agreement. Violetta grinned widely and turned back to EJ, extending her hand out to him. EJ rolled his eyes fondly and took it, allowing Violetta to drag him out onto the dance floor as some upbeat song played.

And start the dance floor they did. As soon as everyone else saw them dancing, they got up and joined them in their own little groups. But to Violetta, right now, it was just her and her friends, dancing to all of the songs that were playing. It was like nobody else existed — which was kind of the norm for when all of them hung out together, honestly.

"I'll be right back," Violetta announced to EJ over the end of a song. "I'm going to get a drink."

EJ nodded and went back to doing the wave with Kourtney. Violetta laughed slightly at them and pushed her way through the crowds of people dancing. She walked over to the table with all of the food and drinks, putting some punch in a cup. Violetta turned back around, just in time for Daylight to start playing — the first slow song of the night.

Those without dates started to filter off of the dance floor. However, most of the drama club stayed. Violetta's eyes immediately centered on Athena and Ricky, who were staring at each other so lovingly it was almost sickeningly. She tilted her head slightly as she stared at her friends, her heart warming in so much love.

Life was incredibly strange. Violetta definitely didn't expect for her senior year to come and go so fast, she didn't expect to be a star not only in one but two movies, and she didn't expect to be going to University of California - Irvine to get her degree in dance. She was a firm believer that the universe always worked in mysterious ways and nobody knew what was coming next, but the universe agreed with her that dance was a constant. With a good school and a movie career, she could actually get something.

Everybody going their own separate ways was extremely bittersweet. The thought of Athena being on the complete opposite side of the country from her was enough to make Violetta's heart sink, but she was so, so proud of her. They finally got to study what they loved most — music and dance. As for EJ, they would still be close enough for things to work out. After everything they had been through, Violetta was sure they would make it, and that they wouldn't fall under.

And, of course, the drama club. Violetta meant what she said that night when she thought she was going to New Zealand — that with them, she was just Violetta. She didn't have to pretend to be somebody else. They were her absolute family, and she had even managed to find love within it. East High's drama club with Miss Jenn had completely changed her life, and it was the catalyst of basically everything.

"You look deep in thought," EJ voiced, sliding up next to her. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

"That I'm grateful," Violetta answered, glancing up at him for a second. "For literally everything. I would be nowhere without East."

EJ shrugged. "I guess the universe decided that East was right for you."

"Guess it did." Violetta took another sip of her punch casually. "It also decided that you were right for me."

EJ stared at her. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Shut up, or I'll punch you."

"And there she is." EJ smiled widely at the sound of her laugh. "You told me once that you had a paralyzing fear that you'll maybe go nowhere, and then I told you that we would all be waiting for you to finally succeed."

Violetta looked up at him fully this time, her heart racing fast at the thought of that whole conversation in his car at their favorite ice cream place. "Guess the universe is really on my side."

"It is, along with a lot of other people — especially me," EJ replied, sliding an arm around her waist. "I'm so proud of you, Violetta."

She leaned slightly into him. "You've told me that numerous times, Eej."

"And I'll keep saying it until you believe me."

Violetta shook her head, her stomach fluttering with butterflies. "I love you a lot."

"I love you more," EJ told her.

"You know, back when we first met, I made this whole love back plan," Violetta explained. "It was when you were in your villain era. You were doing all of these things to get Nini back, and I didn't want to like you, but I just did." She paused for a moment. "I'm glad it didn't work."

"You've never told me that before."

"Yeah, well, saying it out loud, it sounds kind of stupid." She elbowed his ribs. "And then you had to go and make me fall in love with you."

"Oh, yeah, I'm so sorry about that," EJ responded sarcastically. "I'm also glad it didn't work. Now that I have all of your love, I'm never giving it back."

The song suddenly switched from Daylight over to Lover, which was just another instant classic. Violetta smiled fondly at it, and more couples joined the dance floor.

Violetta lifted up her cup of punch. "Think I should throw this at you for old times' sake?"

"Absolutely not," EJ protested, making her laugh a little. He then extended his hand out to her. "But you could do me the honors of having this dance with me?"

She set down her punch cup and immediately grabbed his hand. EJ grinned at her and led her back over to the dance floor, right to a more secluded section so it could be just them. Violetta reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he placed his hands on her waist, right over the sparkly fabric of her dress.

And as they swayed there together underneath the lights, surrounded by a bunch of Prom decorations, Violetta knew that this is what she had been waiting for her whole life.

"You're my, my, my, my . . . lover."

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"VIOLETTA CHASE."

SHE placed a smile on her face, walking up the stage on the football field. Violetta could vaguely hear the cheers from her parents and all of her friends as she walked up, making her smile widen. She shook Principal Gutierrez's hand, grabbed her diploma, and walked off the stage to go back to her seat.

Prom, film wrap for Romeo and Juliet, and graduation had come to Violetta in full force. It happened one right after the other, and she was finally at the end. It had maybe come sooner than she wanted, but there was no stopping it now. She was graduating, and although she was leaving East High behind, she was moving on to bigger and better things. After all the glitz and the glam of the movie scene, Violetta was looking forward to just slowing down a bit and living a normal, college life. Well, as normal as a dance college life could be.

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Salt Lake. The whole graduating class wore matching red gowns and caps, some wearing cords and such to represent different things they were in. Of course, the drama club had their own pin, thanks to Miss Jenn — Gabriella's cell phone from the original High School Musical movie, naturally.

Violetta's name was at the beginning of the alphabet, so she sat through the rest of the names until the last one was called. Principal Gutierrez then took his spot at the podium again and instructed them to move their tassels. Violetta let out a deep breath and moved her tassel with everyone else. She then took it off and threw it in the air, catching it easily.

It was official. High school was over. It was the end — but every journey must come to an end for a new one to become. Bigger and better things were coming, and Violetta knew it. Besides, they still had the summer. All of them had made a bunch of plans together to spend as much time as possible with each other before they all went their separate ways.

Violetta then spotted the one person she wanted to see first — who was also the one person who had stuck by her side her entire life. They had promised each other when they were little to spend every school year together until college, and that promise was finally fulfilled. So Violetta pushed her way through the crowds of people and ran up to Athena, practically tackling her in a hug.

Athena laughed, hugging her tightly. "Hey, movie star."

"We did it!" Violetta shouted over all of the noise. She then pulled away to look at her best friend fully. "We actually managed to survive all of our years of school together."

"As we should. But, wow . . . our last one."

"Oh my God, please don't say that." Violetta was sure she would start bawling at the thought of her going to California and Athena going to New York, but that wasn't happening yet. She then glanced over, only to see EJ moving his way through the crowds right towards her. "Um, I think my boyfriend is running at me full speed ahead, so I better go. Party at Ash's later, EJ and I will get you."

"See you soon," Athena agreed.

Violetta let Athena go and moved towards EJ. She smiled up at him, only to laugh loudly as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up off the ground. Violetta wrapped her arms around her waist, holding onto him tightly. They just stood there for a moment, hugging each other, not saying a word.

"EJ?" Violetta began after a while, lifting up her head. "You know you don't have to keep holding me."

"Yes, I do," EJ insisted, pulling away a little to look at her face. "I'm allowed to hug my girlfriend because she just graduated high school, and I'm very happy for her."

"Thank you." She then thought about it for a moment. "We're both college kids now. Huh. That's weird."

"Welcome to the club." He then looked around for a moment. "Screw it."

EJ then surged forwards and pressed his lips onto hers. Violetta instantly kissed him back, practically melting in his embrace. The noise on the football field faded into nothing but static, and Violetta knew that this love only came once in a lifetime. She wouldn't let EJ go whatsoever. No matter what, they would always find their way back to each other.

Finally, after a couple long moments, they pulled away from each other. Violetta slid down from his arms so she was back on the ground again, immediately reaching over and lacing their fingers together.

"I love you," EJ told her.

"I love you, too," Violetta promised, squeezing his hand. "Come on, let's go find the others."

They then walked towards their group of friends, their family, ready to face whatever path the universe wanted to lead them on — which was definitely not a love back path, because they were way beyond that point.

∘ ₊ ✧ ──── ✧ ₊ ∘

𝑻𝑯𝑬   𝑬𝑵𝑫

oh this is so fun :D I love when my books end !!!

author's note is after this :)