Jake stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for the third time. His palms were sweaty, heart pounding with that mix of excitement and nerves that only prom night could bring. He was 17, dressed in a sharp black suit with a deep red tie—Ruby’s favorite color.

Tonight wasn’t just about the dancing or the photos. It was about her.

Ruby, his 16-year-old girlfriend, was everything to him. Sweet, smart, and somehow even prettier every time he saw her. And tonight, she looked like a dream. When he showed up at her house to pick her up, his breath caught.

She stepped out in a long, flowing red dress that shimmered in the light, her hair curled perfectly, a soft smile on her face as she held a corsage he’d picked out himself.

“Jake…” she whispered, her eyes wide. “You look so good.”

He grinned. “You look… wow. I don’t even have words.”

They took pictures with parents and younger siblings peeking from windows, then got in the car, music low as they drove toward the venue. The gym had been transformed with string lights, music pumping from the speakers, and the energy of teenagers buzzing in the air.

They walked in, hand in hand, and instantly turned heads. Jake couldn’t stop smiling. Ruby was glowing, laughing, dancing with her heels off within ten minutes of arriving.

“This is perfect,” she shouted over the music as he spun her in the middle of the dance floor.