Page 98 of The Prom Queen Project
As I clutched my purse, I began to think I should’ve brought a knife or some mace at the very least. I slowly walked inside, a flicker of light catching my eye. A golden haze danced across the back wall, hidden by a row of bookshelves.
Where was everyone?
A dull clunk made me jump as a shadow flashed in my peripheral. I held up my purse, hurling it in the direction of the movement.
“Ow!” Elliot’s voice rang out. “Clarke, what the fuck?”
As he stepped closer, his face slowly came into focus.
“Me, ‘what the fuck?’ No—you, ‘what the fuck!’” I said with a huff. “Dude, were you trying to give me a heart attack?”
He laughed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You’re lucky you’re cute.”
“You’re lucky you’re cuter,” he teased with a grin, wrapping his arms around me. After a moment, he pulled back, lifting his eyebrows. “So…I scare you, and you throw your purse at me?”
“It’s all I had!”
“Mmhmm.Veryresourceful,” he quipped with a smirk, slipping my bag into my fingers. “Anyway, follow me. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Placing his hand on the small of my back, he led me to the back of the library. I could feel the vibration of my heart as we neared the flickering glow in the distance.
“It’s not another motorcycle, is it?” I joked. “Or a limo this time? Or maybe an airpl—”
Holy shit.
My eyes widened as I took in the scene before me.
The dim glow of battery-operated candles spread across the floor, their soft light shimmering against a sea of scattered rose petals. The air carried the delicate scent of cherry blossoms, its sweetness wrapping around me. But it was the carefully arranged books that really caught my attention. Each one was placed intentionally, their spines forming individual letters. As I stepped closer, the message became clear—PROM? My breath hitched, my heart racing. Elliot circled to stand in front of me, his eyes shining. I furrowed my brows, staring at him in awe.
“Elliot…wha—”
“I know this is probably stupid, and it’s probably a given since we’re dating, but…Clarke, will you go to Prom with me?”
I grinned wildly. “Looks like you picked up on something from those rom-coms you watch with your mom.”
A soft smirk grazed his lips. “Is that a yes?”
“It’s a hell yes.”
I rushed toward him, wrapping my arms around him as he buried his face in the curve of my neck.
His arms squeezed my waist gently, anchoring me against him.
My eyes drifted shut.
With Elliot, I felt safe.I felt alive. The way my heart raced at his touch, the way his lips sent shivers down my spine, the way I craved the warmth of his hand in mine, the way his absence left a dull ache in my chest—it was almost ridiculous how deeply I had fallen for him. But if he were a chocolate bar, I’d devour every last bite until I was drowning in sweetness. I opened my eyes, my gaze drifting down to the books still sprawled across the floor. It was magical.
“How did you do all this?”
“I asked that librarian, Jackie. I told her I wanted to ask my book-obsessed girlfriend to Prom a few weeks ago and asked if they could close a few hours early. She said no at first, but when I mentioned your name, she did a complete one-eighty.”
“Really?”
“Yep.” He smacked his lips. “Why didn’t you tell me your parents donate money every year to keep the library open?”
“It’s not the kinda thing people usually care about.”
