Kiana’s Pov:
My heels clicked against the pavent as we finally arrived at the entrance of the School auditorium—the venue of the prom night.
It looked nothing like the auditorium I rember. Tonight it glowed, wrapped in strings of fairy lights and a banner that read " A Night Under the Stars".
My palms were sweating, my stomach twisting itself into knots. For a second, I thought about turning back.Then Lysander reached for my hand.
His fingers slid through mine, steady and sure, and sohow that was enough to make breathe again. I exhaled deeply, grounding myself with a grin.
Then Lysander leaned in and whispered into my ear in a low husky tone, "Ready?"
I gave him a faint smile, then leaned in to fix his chain, as if doing so could erase the nerves buzzing under my skin. "As ready as I’ll ever be," I replied, though my voice wobbled.
He giggled slightly before tightening his grip.Then together we pushed the main door open. It was like stepping into another world.
Music thumped from the speakers, lights spun across the room, but the instant we crossed the threshold, it all seed to fade. One by one, heads began to turn. Conversations faltered, laughter broke off mid-note, and the dance floor stilled as if soone had pressed pause.
Dozens of eyes locked onto us at once. So wide with surprise, others narrowing with disbelief. A few mouths hung open, whispers already rushing through the crowd like sparks catching fire.
In that frozen silence, I felt the weight of every stare. They hadn’t expected to walk in like this—hand in hand with a boy.
I gave them all a nervous smile then Lysander whispered in a low tone only I could hear."Don’t worry, they’re staring because you look amazing."
My smile spread wider as he faintly brushed my knuckles with his thumb.
"Oh look who we have here, Kianna Martin and a new golden boy who got all the charm...Lysander Wilson, Arts class president! " The MC announced to break the tension.
So of the students cheered to it whilst others still glared in awe.Either ways we waved at the crowds awkwardly before finally getting seated.
Then as expected, Maddox found his way towards , accompanied by his date Ciara.
The mont Lysander sighted him, he purposely placed his arm around my shoulder with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Maddox’s eyes swept over first, then landed on Lysander’s arm around my shoulder. His smirk didn’t falter, but I caught the flash of annoyance buried beneath it.
"Well, well," he drawled, loud enough for the tables nearby to hear. "Kiana Martin, trading up already? Didn’t think you’d settle for the artsy poster boy."
Ciara giggled at his side, clutching his arm like a prize ribbon, but his gaze never left . It burned, daring to flinch.
I tightened my grip on Lysander’s hand, but before I could say anything, Maddox leaned closer across the table, lowering his voice so only I could hear.
"You’re really going to sit here and pretend this is you? With him?" His smirk deepened, though his tone was sharp as glass. "You can play the part all night, sweetheart, but you and I both know who you belong to."
My breath caught imdiately.Lysander must have noticed the way my shoulders stiffened, because his thumb brushed my skin in quiet reassurance.
"Funny," Lysander said smoothly, his smile as sharp as Maddox’s but far calr, "I don’t recall her na written anywhere under yours."
For the first ti, Maddox’s grin faltered. His jaw ticked, but he quickly recovered, leaning back with a laugh that felt rehearsed. "Enjoy your little fairytale, little boy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when reality hits."
"I could say the sa Maddox." he shot back in that calm but dismissive tone. Maddox’s expression switched up really quick with rage."You this bastard! I will...."
"Oh Maddox, if you want a chance to dance with Ciara on stage why not go to the MC!" I interrupted, my voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
Then the MC roused with a smirk, " it’ll be an honor Maddox! Everyone give them a round of applause."
He cursed under his breath, then turned to the crowd with a smile. Everyone applauded cheerfully, not knowing the hell he’s going through.
Lysander excused himself to the washroom when Maddox and Ciara began dancing at the center. But what caught my attention wasn’t the dance but Mordred Sinclair, unlike everyone else...he was seated behind the bar across the room with a glass of wine in hand.
He looks drunk and troubled at the sa ti. And so I walked up to him to find out the problem because I’m still indebted to him.
"Hey Mordy, Sup! Is everything good?" I asked, the mont I got there. He lifted his head to et my eyes, then almost like a suprise..he smiled.
"Do I look okay?" he muttered, struggling to push himself up but collapsing back down with a pitiful laugh.
His words slurred, heavy with liquor. "Funny thing is... I always thought being a bad boy would hide the truth—that I’m actually good for nothing but it was just a pathetic lie, a lie Kiki."
I almost laughed, not because of what he said...but because I haven’t seen him like this before. He’s always that fearful devil nobody wants to cross lines with, but now? He looks like a human, a sad one.
"Don’t say that," I murmured, lowering myself into a squat so I could et his eyes. His gaze was glazed and heavy, the kind that made his words wobble.
"Everyone has flaws, but that doesn’t make us worthless. If anything, it gives us sothing to fight for... a reason to keep moving." I added.His jaw twitched, but he didn’t answer.
"You’re not weak," I continued, softer this ti, lifting a hand to his ssy hair. "You just think you are. And what you think... is what you beco. So stop thinking like that."
My fingers brushed his strands in a slow, careful pat—but before I could pull away, his hand shot up. He clasped my wrist and in a Swift motion he pulled off balance.
And suddenly I was leaning into him. My breath hitched. His face was so close I could see the flecks of gold in his eyes, the curve of his lips hovering a breath away from mine.
I should push him away or even step back, but as if under a spell, I was powerless.All I could do was to stare at him hypnotically in the eye.
"You’re so pretty," he whispered, his voice low and rasping, the edge of sothing darker coiling through it. "And even more adorable with your words. But you have no idea how evil I could be."
His breath mingled with the warm spice of his cologne, filling the sliver of air between us. The weight of it pressed against my skin like static. He leaned in, eyes shadowed, closing the space inch by inch, until I felt the faintest brush of his lips ghost against mine.
My chest seized and my pulse roared. In a panic, I shoved him back, palms flat against his chest before the kiss could deepen. My heart slamd against my ribs. God, that was too close.
He blinked at with an unreadable expression. The mont was hanging like a blade about to drop—when a voice cut through the air behind us.
"What was that?"
We both froze, my stomach plunged. My fingers started to fidget, trembling as I slowly turned my head toward the sound, dread crawling up my spine.
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