Drive [h.f-t. & j.l.] (COMPLETED)

Chapter 26 - Kryptonite

kryptonite - 3 doors down
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josephine's pov

Time almost seems to stand still as I look at Hero, standing on Priyas doorstep, looking at me expectantly with an easy smile on his face. "So? What do you say? Wanna go to prom with me, Josephine?"

"I.. You're.." I start, unable to articulate my feelings. So I clamp my mouth shut and reach for his hand still on my face to pull him inside quickly, looking up and down the street to see if anyone has followed him. "Hero, are you crazy?" I ask him as soon as the door is closed. "The Brotherhood is still after you! They already got Gianchi and-" Hero cuts me off, taking me in his arms, and I close my eyes at the familiar feel of him, resting my cheek against his chest.

"All the more reason for you and me to stick together. You wanted to go to prom, didn't you? And me, well, I dropped out, but I suppose I could handle one night of life in high school." He says against my hair, and I sigh, pressing myself closer to him.

"I don't know what to say..." I tell him honestly. Hero pulls away from me, grinning down at me. I notice slightly darker circles under his eyes and slightly longer hair since the last time I saw him, but other than that, the way he was looking at me, it's like he never left.

"How about yes?" He asks, and I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face as I started nodding before I even answered him with words.

"Yes! Yes, I'll go to prom with you." I exclaim, and as Hero leans down to capture my lips with his, for that one moment, everything was forgotten

The moment didn't last long, though, because all too soon, someone clears their throat, and when I pull away from Hero, I see Priya poking her head out from the second-floor railing, already wearing her beautiful prom dress. She gave me a smug grin, and I could feel a small blush rush to my cheeks.

"Hi, Hero. Don't you look dapper!" She calls out, and Hero turns his head towards her. It's only then that I notice that he wasn't wearing his usual simple shirt and jacket, but a black on black tux, fitting perfectly on him.

"Good to see you again, Priya. You don't mind me stealing Josephine away, do you?" He says, and I just gaze at him adoringly and still not really believing that he was standing in front of me right now.

"I do if you steal her before she gets dressed. Get up here, Jo! You have to finish getting ready." She says, waving her hands to motion for me to join her upstairs. "Hero, she'll be right back."

"Wait, Pri, what about our plans? We were gonna go to the dance together." I say as soon as I reach her and follow her into her room. Priya waves me off.

"Don't worry about that. I know a ton of people going stag. Besides, if you don't go with Hero, I will!" She says, and I laugh gently, shaking my head. "Now, hurry up. I wanna see the look on Heros face when you walk downstairs in this." Priya holds up my prom dress, the one she basically forced me to pick a couple of weeks back. But even though I wasn't in the best emotional state, I did really love the dress. I take the white fabric from her, and she ushers me into her bathroom.

Inside, I look in the mirror for a bit taking a deep breath before a smile erupts on my face at the thought of who was standing downstairs, waiting for me. In the last few weeks, I had almost gotten used to the scarce texts and occasional phone calls, and I had convinced myself that I could live like this if it meant he was safe. But having him stand in front of me again was a feeling I couldn't describe and never wanted to miss again. I quickly slip on the dress, even managing to zip it up myself before turning to the full-length mirror, smoothing down the fabric. It was a simple white dress, tight at the top and with a little more loose skirt. It had delicate embroidery over the chest in the same color as the dress itself, keeping the designs that reminded me of flowers very subtle. There was another layer beneath, a beige, and it was seen beneath cut-outs over the chest and the skirt. I loved it.