To The Stars || XO KITTY X OC

04

STEPH

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"Oh my god, you look amazing!" I giggled while jogging up to Kitty with my arms open, taking her into a warm embrace her after not seeing each other for hours. She was wearing the most beautiful sequin dress with neon yellow net sleeves.

"Me?! You look amazing!" She cheered as she pulled away from the hug to get a clear view of my outfit.

"Are you ready to see Dae" I sang with, pinching her sides as we began walking towards the party room. I could hear the bass of the music thumping in my chest already.

"I'm so ready. I'm gonna tap him on the shoulder and be like 'have you seen my boyfriend? Oh wait, you're my boyfriend!' and then boom... kiss." She explained her little plan to me while moving her free hand around. "It's gonna be so magical!"

We stepped into the grand welcome party room, a space so vast it seemed to stretch endlessly beneath the soft glow of blue-tinted lights. Dozens of balloons floated above us, each emblazoned with the bold letters KISS, bobbing gently in the air as though part of the celebration itself. The crowd was dazzling — everywhere I turned, there were stunning dresses flowing like water and impeccably tailored suits that made the whole scene feel like a movie premiere. The sounds of cheers and laughter rippled through the room, blending with the upbeat music that pulsed softly in the background.

I took it all in as we moved further into the heart of the gathering. My eyes flitted from one radiant smile to another, catching glimpses of mocktail glasses clinking and whispered conversations beneath the hum of excitement. This is nothing like the spring dance I remember back in Portland... I thought, a mix of awe and apprehension settling over me. This was a world entirely different from what I'd known. Just then, Principal Lim caught Kitty's attention, making her stop in her tracks to look at her.

"Do you know her?" I asked, turning my head to also look at Principal Lim.

"Not me, but I'm pretty sure my mom knew her." Kitty replied, turning her gaze away from the principal, and onto me as we continued walking straight.

"Woah, thats so cool!" I exclaimed, looking at Kitty and being completely unaware of my surroundings, indulging in the moment. "Were they clo—"

Suddenly, a sharp jolt struck my shoulder, startling me and momentarily knocking me off balance. The force of it was all too familiar, much like the unexpected collision at the airport. My thoughts shifted instantly, pulled away from Kitty and toward the source of the impact. I turned, my focus narrowing on the person I had just bumped into.

"I'm so sorry." I apologised as I turned around to see a familiarly tall figure staring back at me. He wore a navy blue, long-sleeved polo shirt, with matching navy pants. His brows were furrowed, and had a look of annoyance plastered on his face.

"Watch where you're going." I deep voice replied back to me as he looked down, scanning me. I recognised his face and voice almost instantaneously...

"You again." I muttered, my eyes burning straight into his with a small smirk on my face. "You seem to say that a lot, don't you?" He didn't seem to break eye contact for a second.

"And you are?" With that, I swiftly whipped out my cracked phone from my bag and flashed it in his face.

"Ring any bells?" His eyes opened wide and he finally broke eye contact, pressing his tongue into the side of his mouth as he smirked slightly with a guilty look on his face.

"Damn, you broke her phone? That's cold man." A curly-haired, tanned boy scolded the guy who broke my phone. He was tall, had a strong American accent, and he wore a brown oversized tee with a black bomber jacket, paired with matching black pants.