Aubrey steps onto the stage, and Noah is already there, waiting and smiling with his silver crown sitting crooked on his head. Miss Mallory places the matching crown on Aubrey’s head, and the moment it touches her hair, Noah pulls her into his arms.
Miss Mallory’s voice comes over the speakers. “And now, let’s have our king and queen take the floor for their first dance.”
The opening notes of a slow song fill the gym, something romantic and sweet that I don’t recognize but sounds perfect. Noah extends his hand to Aubrey, and she takes it, letting him lead her to the center of the dance floor.
The crowd parts to form a circle. All eyes are on Noah as he pulls Aubrey close. His hand rests on her waist, and hers on his shoulder as they begin to sway together. They are both grinning foolishly at each other, their crowns catching the light.
It’s beautiful to watch two people who are so clearly in love and right for each other share this moment.
The song keeps playing, and more couples start joining them on the dance floor. Sam and Reece walk past us. Reece’s hand is on the small of Sam’s back and her red hair spills over her shoulders as she leans into him.
“Come on,” Jace says, taking my hand. “Let’s dance.”
He pulls me onto the floor and into his arms. The moment he touches me, everything else fades away. One of his hands restson my waist, the other holds mine against his chest. We begin to move, finding our own rhythm.
I rest my head against his chest, right over his heart, and close my eyes. I hear the steady beat beneath my ear, strong and sure. I allow myself to just feel this moment—the strength in his arms and the way he holds me just a little too tight, as if he’s scared I might disappear if he lets go.
His hand rests on my waist and his thumb gently traces slow circles on my dress. His other hand tightens around mine, and he presses a kiss to the top of my head.
“Are you okay?” he murmurs against my hair.
I tilt my head back to see the colored lights wash over his face—blue, purple, and silver. His eyes are soft in a way they rarely are.
“I love you,” I say, needing him to hear it, needing him to know.
“I love you too, Bells,” he says. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”
He leans down and kisses me.
When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine, and we stand there, swaying together, breathing each other in.
We stay that way for the rest of the song, wrapped up in each other, as the music, the people, the lights all fade away. All that matters is this moment—him and I together.
When one song ends, another begins. We keep dancing and swaying together. Sometimes we talk, whispering quiet things to each other that no one else can hear. Sometimes we just move in silence, happy to be close.
At one point, Aubrey and Noah dance past us, and Aubrey reaches out to squeeze my hand.
“Best night ever!” she shouts over the music, her smile so wide it must hurt.
Sam and Reece are nearby too, completely wrapped up in each other. Sam’s head rests on Reece’s shoulder.
This is what I wanted. Friends who love me. A boy who sees me. A night that is magical even though it’s just a high school gym decorated with fairy lights and cheap fabric.
The rest of the night slips by in a blur of music, laughter, and dancing. We take more photos, the six of us crammed together making faces at the camera. We sip the punch that someone has spiked, eat cookies that leave glitter on our fingers. We dance until my feet hurt, and Jace’s tie is completely loosened, hanging loosely around his neck.
We remain until the very end, until the DJ plays the final song and the lights come on, harsh and blinding, breaking the spell of colored spotlights and fairy lights.
But it doesn’t matter that the magic is fading because the real magic was never in the streamers, dress, or the crown sitting crooked on top of Aubrey’s head.
It’s in the boy standing next to me, his hand wrapped around mine, his thumb tracing gentle patterns against my skin. It’s in the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention.
It’s all about us—where we’ve been and where we’re headed. It’s about the odds stacked against us and everyone who said we wouldn’t make it, but we did.
And that’s all that matters.
Epilogue
Jace
