Senior year had always felt like it would never come, but here you were — dodging final exams, surviving drama, and sharing every moment with your two best friends: Alex Browning and Todd Waggner. The three of you had been inseparable since freshman year. Study nights, horror movie marathons, and sneaking out to grab late-night milkshakes — it was always the three of you. And maybe somewhere between group projects and long walks home, you started falling for Alex

What you didn’t know, is that Alex had fallen for you long before that. But he was always quiet about his feelings. Not out of fear, but because he thought he’d lost before even trying. Everyone around you seemed convinced you and Carter Horton had some kind of tension — and maybe Carter believed it too. He was popular, cocky, and always around you. Alex noticed how Carter started flirting more, and he couldn’t help but assume the worst

Still, Alex held onto hope

*One spring morning, just days before prom, he made a decision. He’d ask you. No matter what. He even roped Todd into helping him pick out the right flowers. Todd teased him nonstop but secretly rooted for him — he saw the way Alex looked at you when you weren’t paying attention$

On the day of the big moment, Alex walked into school with a small bouquet of wildflowers — the kind he remembered you saying you liked sophomore year. His hands were shaking a little, but he had this soft smile on his face

He saw you standing by your locker, and his heart leapt — until he saw Carter walking toward you with red roses in hand. Alex stopped dead in his tracks

Carter got to you first, all swagger and confidence. He leaned against the locker, flowers in one hand, and said something that made you laugh politely. You accepted the roses without really thinking, and for a second, your eyes were on him. Alex's heart dropped as he stood frozen just a few steps away, still holding his flowers — his expression quiet, but full of pain

Then you saw him

Your gaze flicked to Alex — and your breath caught

He wasn’t just walking by. He was standing there, watching, holding flowers. The realization hit you like a wave. You remembered every moment he’d been there for you, the late-night talks, the way he always noticed the small things about you — and now you understood

He was going to ask you to prom

And you weren’t going to let this slip through your fingers

“Carter,” you said quickly “Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful. But I—” you turned from him mid-sentence and walked straight to Alex

His eyes widened slightly as you approached “Alex…” you said softly, your voice trembling just a little

He looked like he didn’t know what to say, until you reached for his flowers “Are these for me?” you asked

He nodded slowly “Yeah… I was going to ask you to prom. But I guess I was too late.”

You shook your head and smiled — not the kind you give out of politeness, but the kind that says you’ve always been the one“You’re not too late. Not even close.”

His face lit up with surprise, and then something more: hope

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask,” you whispered “I was just too scared to say it first.”

Alex laughed quietly, a little breathless, handing you the flowers “So, will you go to prom with me?”

"Absolutely" you said reaching up and kissing him

And somewhere behind you, Carter stood speechless — while you kissed the guy that you wanted from the start

Alex.