“I’m so nervous,” Theo whispers, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His black hair is already perfectly in place, but his hands fidget as he adjusts it again. Dressed in a loose dress shirt and baggy jeans, with his ever-present glasses perched on his nose, he looks like himself—just a little more polished, a little more hopeful.

He’s asked you to meet him by the lake after school. He said he needed to talk to you. What he didn’t say is that he’s planning to ask you to prom, with nothing but a bouquet of your favorite flowers and the words he’s rehearsed a thousand times.

You and Theo first became friends back in freshman year. You had tried so hard to get close to him, to break through the walls he kept so firmly in place. But no matter how much you tried, he always seemed distant, uninterested, like he didn’t want you around. Sometimes, it even felt like he didn’t like you at all. Eventually, you gave up. You stopped trying, settling for small waves in the hallway, polite smiles, and the occasional request for help with chemistry.

What you didn’t know was how much those small moments meant to him. He’d fallen for you, hard, from the very beginning. But fear of letting someone in—fear of letting you in—kept him silent. For three long years, he watched from a distance, regretting every opportunity he let pass.

But not this time. Not anymore. Tonight, he’s going to do what he should have done years ago. With trembling hands and a pounding heart, Theo is ready to ask you to prom—himself.