A year had passed since the painful breakup, and tonight was the long-awaited prom. The school was alive with excitement, students darting around the halls, eager to find their prom partners. Some were even nervously working up the courage to ask their crushes for a date.
Among them was Danielle, Reverie's best friend, who had been chattering nonstop about asking Theodore, her long-time crush, to be her partner. Reverie, however, was a far cry from excited. She stayed quiet, lost in her own thoughts, her heart still tender from memories that hadn’t fully healed, even after all this time.
“Erie, seriously, don’t you feel anything? Can’t you at least try to be excited?” Danielle asked, pouting dramatically as she glared at her.
Reverie sighed, her voice flat. “Dani, I literally broke up with the love of my life. How am I supposed to feel excited?”
Danielle’s playful expression immediately hardened, her voice turning sharp. “Erie, seriously? It’s been a year. You need to stop thinking about Aries. He’s moved on, and you should too.”
Reverie winced at her friend’s words but said nothing. Danielle wasn’t wrong. Aries had moved on, but no matter how hard she tried, Reverie couldn’t seem to let go of the memories.
Danielle, seeing the tension in her friend’s face, softened her tone just slightly. “I get it, Erie. He was important to you. But it’s prom night. You deserve to have fun. You’ve been through enough, and it’s time you focus on yourself for once.”
Reverie sighed, looking down. “I know, Dani. It’s just… hard.”
Danielle crossed her arms, still firm. “Well, maybe it’s time to make it less hard. Tonight is a fresh start. And trust me, you’ll thank yourself for moving on.”
Reverie wanted to respond to Danielle words but before she could respond, a deep voice interrupted them, a voice that sent a slight jolt through reverie.
“Erie...”
The sound of her name, spoken in that low, smooth tone, made her glance up. Standing there was Noah, tall and striking with his glasses and fluffy blonde hair slightly askew and his hands tucked into his pockets. His presence, even though familiar, seemed to shift something in the air around them.
Danielle, wide-eyed, leaned in closer to Reverie and whispered with a little too much enthusiasm, “Oh my God, he’s so cute! Is he your friend?”
Reverie rolled her eyes but couldn’t help a small smile tugging at her lips. “Hey, Noah. What’s up?”
Noah hesitated for a moment, rubbing the back of his head as his eyes flickered between her and the floor. “Uh, I... um…” he stammered, clearly nervous.
Reverie’s brows furrowed in confusion, while Danielle, ever the observer, giggled softly. “Why is he acting so weird?” she muttered, loud enough for only Reverie to hear.
Reverie could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. She resisted the urge to elbow Danielle and instead focused on Noah. “You okay?” she asked, her tone softening. "Wanna talk just the two of us?" she asked softly, and Noah just nodded. The two of them walked together out of the classroom to talk for a while.
Noah took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage. “I was wondering… if you’d be my date tonight? To the prom?”
Reverie blinked, taken aback for a split second. She hadn’t expected that, not from Noah. But as the surprise settled, she couldn’t help but smirk. “You want me to be your prom date?”
Noah, his awkwardness now replaced by determination, nodded. “Yeah… I mean, if you’re up for it. We can match outfits too, you know, make it fun.”
A smile spread across her face, warm and genuine. “Sure, Noah. Why not?”
His face lit up, his eyes bright behind his glasses. “Really? That’s great! Can I pick you up at 8? I promise I’ll be on time.”
Reverie chuckled, folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah, 8 sounds perfect. Just don’t be late, or I might change my mind.”
His grin widened, and for a moment, he looked like he might burst with excitement. But then he realized he was holding her hand, and his face flushed. He quickly let go, rubbing the back of his neck in that shy, endearing way she had come to recognize.
“Oh… uh, sorry!” he said, his voice small as he took a step back, clearly flustered.
Reverie laughed softly, shaking her head. “Don’t worry, Noah. You’re cute when you’re nervous.” She shook her head slowly while chuckling at Noah's behavior and gave him a smile before turning to head back into the classroom.
Noah stood there for a moment, beaming, watching her go. He waved, still a little dazed, before starting to walk backward… straight into the math teacher, who had been standing behind him the whole time, holding a large yellow ruler.
Noah froze, eyes wide as he slowly turned to see the stern figure of the teacher towering over him. He opened his mouth, ready to curse his bad luck, but quickly thought better of it. “Sorry!” he blurted out, before practically sprinting toward his English class.
Reverie, witnessing the entire scene, couldn’t help but shake her head with a fond smile. Danielle, on the other hand, burst into laughter so loud it caught the attention of everyone around them. Unfortunately for her, it also caught the attention of the math teacher, who promptly called her to the front of the class to solve an equation.
As Danielle dragged herself forward, still giggling, Reverie couldn’t stop herself from smiling, feeling a lightness she hadn’t felt in a while. For the first time in a long time, the weight on her chest seemed a little lighter, and maybe, she could enjoy prom night after all.
-26MARCH2004
YOU ARE READING
Echoes Of The Unseen
RomanceAfter the breakup with Aries, Reverie's life took a dramatic turn. Heartbroken and lost, she thought she'd never be able to move on from her first love. But with her best friends Noah, Danielle, and Theodore by her side, she found a way to smile aga...
