Page 19 of Shattered Melodies

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of posing for photos and enduring my parents’ well-meaning but suffocating attention, Sarah and I managed to escape out the front door.

And there, waiting by the car, was Caleb.

My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of him in his tuxedo, his dark hair tousled and his eyes shining with excitement. He looked like a dream come true, and I felt a rush of happiness and relief wash over me.

“Hey, you two!” he called out, grinning from ear to ear. “Ready for the best night of your lives?”

Sarah laughed, linking her arm through Mark’s. “Absolutely!”

I made my way over to Caleb, feeling suddenly shy and awkward. We couldn’t hug or kiss hello, not with my parents potentially watching from the window, but the look in his eyes said everything I needed to know.

“Hey,” I said softly, my heart racing as our hands brushed together briefly.

“Hey yourself,” he murmured, his gaze warm and intimate. “You look amazing.”

I ducked my head, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Thanks. So do you.”

We piled into the car, Sarah and Mark in the front and Caleb and I in the back. As we drove to the prom, the four of us chatting and laughing and singing along to the radio, I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Caleb out of the corner of my eye.

It still didn’t feel real sometimes, the fact that he was mine and I was his. That we had found each other in this small, narrow-minded town and somehow, against all odds, fallen in love.

But as he reached over and laced his fingers through mine, hidden from view by the darkness of the car, I knew that it was real. That he was real, and that tonight, for just a few precious hours, we could be together without fear or shame.

As we stepped into the gym, I had to blink a few times to let my eyes adjust to the transformed space. Gone were the harsh fluorescent lights and scuffed hardwood floors of our daily PE classes. Instead, the room had been transformed into an enchanted forest straight out of a fairy tale.

Twinkling string lights were draped from the ceiling, casting a soft, otherworldly glow over everything. Gauzy strips of fabric in shades of green and silver hung from the walls, shimmering gently in the breeze from the air conditioning. Towering trees made of cardboard and papier-mâché lined the edges of the room, their branches stretching out over the dance floor like a canopy.

In the center of it all was a massive chandelier made of gnarled branches and delicate glass ornaments, hanging suspended like a glittering centerpiece. It took my breath away, and for a moment, I forgot all about my nerves and my fears and my parents’ expectations.

“Wow,” I breathed, turning to Caleb with wide eyes. “It’s incredible.”

He grinned, his hand finding mine and giving it a quick, reassuring squeeze. “It really is. I can’t believe how much work they must have put into this.”

We made our way further into the room, weaving through the crowds of our classmates in their fancy dresses and sharp suits. The air was filled with the sound of laughter and chatter and pounding music, the bass thumping through the soles of my dress shoes.

I felt a sudden pang of anxiety as we made our way inside, the noise and the crowds and the unfamiliar surroundings making my palms sweat and my heart race. But then Caleb’s hand found mine again, and I felt myself relax.

“You okay?” he asked quietly, his eyes searching my face.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed, I guess.”

He smiled, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m right here with you. We’ve got this.”??As we passed by the refreshment table, I couldn’t help but gawk at the elaborate spread of food and desserts. There were towers of cupcakes frosted to look like toadstools, platters of cookies shaped like leaves and acorns, and even a chocolate fountain bubbling away in the corner.

“Oh man, I’m starving,” Caleb said, eyeing the food with undisguised longing. “You think they’d notice if we snuck a few of those cupcakes?”

I laughed, feeling some of the tension drain out of my shoulders. “Probably. But I won’t tell if you won’t.”

We loaded up plates with snacks and grabbed cups of sparkling cider before making our way over to one of the standing tables scattered around the perimeter of the dance floor.

As we nibbled on our food and sipped our drinks, I couldn’t help but marvel at how different everything felt from our usual school days. Gone were the cliques and the labels and the unspoken rules that governed our social lives. Tonight, everyone seemed to be on equal footing, united by the shared excitement and magic of the occasion.

I spotted Sarah and Mark out on the dance floor, twirling and laughing together to some upbeat pop song. They looked so carefree and happy, and for a moment, I envied them their easy affection.

But then Caleb’s arm brushed against mine, and I felt a thrill of electricity run through me at the contact. We might not be able to be as open as Sarah and Mark, but we had each other, and that was enough.

As the night wore on, Caleb and I danced and chatted and simply basked in each other’s company. We couldn’t be too obvious about our affection, but we found little ways to show it - a hand on the small of my back as we navigated the crowded dance floor, a secret smile shared over the rim of a cup, a stolen kiss in the shadows behind one of the cardboard trees.

It was thrilling and nerve-wracking all at once, this feeling of being so close to Caleb in public. Every brush of his skin against mine, every whispered word and soft laugh, sent shivers down my spine and made my heart race in my chest.

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