The last few weeks have been nothing but fittings, hair trials, and me staring at myself in the mirror trying to imagine the big reveal. And now that everything's finally ready, you'd think I'd relax.
Spoiler: I havenot.
I keep double-checking everything. The dress, the shoes, the tiara, the earrings—again and again like I've developed some kind of pre-prom OCD. I've officially lost it.
But can you blame me? Tomorrow needs to be perfect.
Because tomorrow, I'll be stepping into prom not as Caroline the nerdy, fat, invisible best friend.Nope.
Tomorrow, I get to be a princess. Zach's princess.
"Caroline, honey," Mom's voice cuts through as she peeks into my room. Of course she catches me standing in front of the mirror again, holding my dress on its hanger up against myself like I'm some deranged mannequin.
"I wasn't doing anything."
Mom smirks, leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed. "Uh-huh. Totally normal to check if your dress has magically changed since the last ten times you looked at it today."
I roll my eyes, cheeks heating. "It's called preparation, Mom. Ever heard of it?"
She laughs, shaking her head. "You're worse than a bride."
"Promisbasically my wedding," I mutter.
"Did I hear that right?" she teases, raising her brows.
"Mom!" I squeak, hugging the hanger like it's some big secret I need to protect.
"Did I just hear someone mention a wedding?" His deep voice rumbles from the doorway.
I whip around, mortified. "Dad!"
His eyes fall on the dress in my hands, and suddenly his face softens into that look—that look—the one that always makes mefeel like I'm still his little girl in pigtails. His smile tugs warm and proud.
"You're gonna be the most beautiful girl in the world tomorrow," he says simply.
I blink at him, my lips pushing into an automatic pout. "Only tomorrow?"
He chuckles, stepping farther in. "You're beautiful every day, sweetheart. Tomorrow's just... bonus points."
Mom slips up beside him, looping her arm through his like it's second nature. They look so disgustingly in love it makes me want to gag and swoon at the same time.
Then Dad's smile shifts into something darker. "But Zach better be on his best behavior tomorrow night. If he eventhinksabout trying anything inappropriate, I'll personally drag his—"
"Daddy!" My face ignites. "Stop it! He doesn't even see me that way."
Lie. Total lie. Wishful-thinking, please-prove-me-wrong kind of lie.
Dad huffs like I've just said the dumbest thing in the history of dumb things. "Not yet."
My head jerks up. "What?"
He smirks, dead serious now. "It's only a matter of time before that boy wakes up and realizes what's right in front of him. And when he sees you in that dress tomorrow?" He whistles low. "Trust me, princess. He'll fall. Hard."
My cheeks combust. My entire body combusts. If there was a trapdoor under me, I'd happily swan dive through it right now.
I hide my burning face behind the dress. "You guys are literally the worst."
Mom giggles softly, leaning her head against Dad's shoulder before patting his chest. "Alright, Honey. Stop teasing our daughter. Dinner's ready. Let's eat before it gets cold."
