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My will snapped as soon as I saw him down on one knee. I wanted the future he was going to give me. This future. I wasn’t staying behind. I was going to go with him. And I was so excited but so terrified. I just hoped I wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake of my life.

God, my friends were going to be so pissed.

Chapter 41 – WHAT?!

Saturday – Six Weeks Later - Prom

“You both look like goddesses,” Justin said and stepped back to admire his handywork.

I smiled. That’s what I’d been going for. I wanted to be worthy of the nickname Adonis had given me. And yes, the prom theme was Roman, not Greek, but it still worked. I reached up to adjust the small laurel wreath in my hair. The green leaves matched my slinky gown. A green that I knew matched Adonis’ eyes perfectly.

Justin slapped my hand. “What are you doing?!” he shrieked. “Don’t touch your hair! Or I’ll have to start all over!”

I laughed. “Would you really?”

“Yes!” he screamed right before downing half a cup of coffee.

He was a wedding planner, but also a friend of the family. And he always moved things around in order to come over and help us get ready for any big event we attended. I wasn’t sure how to get ready for a dance without him.

And I was glad he was here tonight. Most of our family would be. And I had a very important announcement to make. A couple of weeks ago, I’d turned down my acceptance to the University of New Castle. I hadn’t told a soul. Not even Adonis. I wanted to tell him tonight.

For all of high school, I thought prom was the epitome of romance. And I wanted tonight to be memorable. I’d been to a couple of proms as an underclassmen. But everything felt different now. I wasn’t going with some random guy to try to make Mr. Halifax jealous. I was going with my boyfriend. Who I loved. Who I was going to travel the world with.

I’d almost accepted my spot in college. Almost. But the nagging voice in the back of my head telling me “say yes!” to Adonis was much louder than the one saying “no.” And I was so excited.

“The green looks amazing with your hair, Sophie,” Justin said. “It really pops.”

“Thank you.”

“Justin, just wait until you see Sophie’s boyfriend,” Scarlett said. “His eyes are that same green. And he’s so hot.”

“Say more.”

“He’s built like a Greek God,” Scarlett added.

“Well you have my interest piqued. How hot are we talking on a scale of one to ten?”

“A twelve for sure,” Scarlett said.

I laughed. “Scarlett.”

“What?” she asked.

“Axel would hate you saying that.”

“Psh. Axel is a fifteen.”

I smiled.

“Does it feel like we’ve been waiting for this moment our whole lives?” Scarlett asked me, suddenly serious. “Because it feels like I have.”

This was supposed to be the start of our future. The four of us. But Adonis had thrown a wrench in that. My three best friends would be going off to college together. And I was going with Adonis. But now I kind of regretted holding on to the information. I hadn’t meant to lie. I’d wanted to surprise Adonis. But this wasn’t going to be a good surprise to my friends. God, what if Scarlett was so upset that I ruined her prom? I’d never forgive myself.

Maybe I could just tell everyone after. Like...tomorrow.

“What are you doing?” Justin said as he stared at me. “You’re not allowed to frown with lipstick. It’s against the law.”

I laughed. “Is it?”