ZARA
Prom queen.
Even saying the words in my head felt foreign, like trying on someone else's clothes that didn't quite fit.
I stood in front of my mirror, twisting slightly side to side as I stared at my reflection. No makeup, baggy hoodie, messy bun. The exact opposite of what a prom queen would look like—and yet… I'd told Liam I'd think about it.
And now I was seriously considering it.
The idea had haunted me ever since he brought it up. At first, I thought he was joking, or maybe just being Liam—sweet, persuasive, always knowing how to look at me in a way that made the floor tilt beneath my feet. But the more I sat with it, the more it started to feel real.
He believed I could do it. And that meant something.
No, it meant everything.
Still… I wasn't the prom queen type. I didn't swoon over gowns or plan Pinterest boards for corsage ideas. I didn't own a curling wand. My nails were short and chipped, and my favorite shoes were my worn-out black Converse with doodles all over the sides.
But a part of me—a part I hated to admit even existed—wanted this.
Wanted to be seen. Not as a joke. Not as the weird tomboy who used to eat lunch in the art room. But as someone worthy of standing on that stage.
I glanced down at my phone, lying beside my sketchbook on the bed.
No new texts.
No apology from Kaylee.
I sighed and sank onto my comforter, picking at a loose thread in my blanket. God, I missed her. I missed her more than I wanted to admit. We used to talk about prom when we were younger—even if it was just to laugh at the whole spectacle of it. She'd joke that she'd be my stylist, my date, and my bodyguard all rolled into one.
And now I was going to prom… without her.
Without her dragging me to the mall and forcing me into dresses I swore I'd never wear. Without her sitting on my bed holding up jewelry against my neck and giving a firm "No" or "Absolutely yes." Without her teasing me for being a nervous wreck about Liam Hunter.
God. Liam.
The thought of him made something flutter in my chest—something warm and terrifying at the same time. Things between us had gone from cold detachment to something that felt like fire beneath my skin. And when he'd looked at me yesterday and said I could win if people saw me the way he did…
I couldn't stop thinking about it.
He saw me.
That's what made it so hard to resist him. With Liam, I didn't feel like I was pretending. He liked me in my hoodie, paint-stained fingers and all. And somehow, that made the idea of slipping into a prom dress just a little less scary.
Still, I wasn't going to pretend this didn't hurt.
If Kaylee and I were still close, we'd be laughing over fries right now, mocking the idea of a campaign poster with my face on it. She'd probably already have a dress picked out for me—something cool and not too pink, maybe black with silver accents and boots instead of heels.
But now, all I had was silence between us. A thick, aching distance.
And the worst part?
She tried to warn me about Liam. About the plan. And I'd pushed her away like she meant nothing. All because I couldn't handle the possibility that she might be right.
I didn't know what to believe anymore.
But Liam hadn't given me a reason to doubt him—at least not lately. He was sweet and attentive. He walked me to class, brought me coffee without asking, even sketched little notes in my locker. I'd never felt more… chosen. Not by anyone.
So if I was going to do this—run for prom queen—I was going to do it for me. Not to be popular. Not to prove anything. Just to show myself I could.
And maybe… maybe to show Kaylee, too. That I wasn't afraid to be something new.
Even if it scared the hell out of me.
I reached for my sketchbook and flipped to a blank page. Then, in big bold letters, I wrote:
PROM QUEEN CAMPAIGN IDEAS
• Art-inspired posters
• Custom flyers with doodles
• "Vote Zara" pins shaped like paint palettes
• Combat boots with a tiara sketch for social media
I stared at the list for a long time, the corner of my lips twitching into a small smile.
It was unconventional. It was chaotic. It was me.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
My phone buzzed.
Liam: Still thinking about prom queen? Because I found a shop that sells silver crowns with little skulls on them. Very you.
I laughed.
Zara: I'll let you know once I survive the trauma of trying on dresses.
A beat later:
Liam: I can help. I promise not to mock you too much. Unless you wear ruffles.
Zara: If you mock me, I'm throwing glitter in your hair.
Liam: Deal. You'd be beautiful either way.
My fingers froze over the screen.
My heart gave the tiniest stutter.
Maybe I was really doing this.
Maybe I was really letting myself want this.
Prom. Dresses. Liam.
Maybe… I was finally ready.
Even if it meant doing it without my best friend.
Even if it meant walking into the unknown in combat boots and eyeliner.
Because for the first time, I felt like I wasn't doing it alone